Lesson Highlights

How Does Compromise Begin?
How Does Compromise Begin?

How Does Compromise Begin?

In "God's Word for Today" Steve Oliver writes:

Compromise happens when we allow our interactions with this world to undermine our loyalty to Christ or our obedience to His commands. Although it may end with something flagrantly wrong, compromise begins small and is often almost unnoticed. It begins, not in our actions, but in our attitudes — envy at our neighbor's possessions indicate a worldly attitude of materialism. A sense of shame that our projects do not look like the Pinterest photos indicates that we are valuing ourselves by comparison to others.

Source: Christ, the Triumphant Lord: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 16.

Herald & Banner Press2016-06-18T09:00:00+00:00June 18th, 2016|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: Compromise|0 Comments

What Does Repentance Involve?
What Does Repentance Involve?

What Does Repentance Involve?

In "Doctrinal Discussion" Don Englund writes:

Evangelist “Big Ray” Smith used to point out that repentance involves three actions — one that is almost wholly the responsibility of the Holy Spirit, another that is partly the responsibility of the seeker and partly the responsibility of the Holy Spirit, and a third that is almost wholly dependent upon the individual. First, it is within the office of the Holy Spirit to make the sinner aware of sin, and that an undebatable consent to and a yielding to evil has occurred. Second, repentance involves a change in attitude toward sin which is partly the work of the pleading sinner and partly the work of the Holy Spirit. Finally, the element of repentance that is dependent upon the individual is that of turning from sin. Big sins, little sins, and all others must come to an abrupt halt in the new Christian's life, rather than just tapering down slowly.

Source: Christ, the Triumphant Lord: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 19.

Herald & Banner Press2016-06-17T09:00:00+00:00June 17th, 2016|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: Repentance|0 Comments

What is at the center of everything you see?
What is at the center of everything you see?

What is at the center of everything you see?

In "God's Word for Today" Steve Oliver writes:

The answer, of course, is that they are. Visually, every person is the center of his own world. The problem is that we tend to forget that this is a sort of “optical illusion,” and we live and think as if we are, in fact, the most important person in our world. If we are not careful, our concerns can center on what is good for us; our worship can revolve around what we enjoy; even our prayers can boil down to requests for personal comfort. If this describes you, then in this passage Jesus called you to repentance — to turn away from self-centered living and begin living with God as the center, the controller, of your life.

Source: Christ, the Triumphant Lord: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 15.

Herald & Banner Press2016-06-16T09:00:00+00:00June 16th, 2016|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: Self-centered|0 Comments

How Lack of Worship Leads to Criticism and Division
How Lack of Worship Leads to Criticism and Division

How Lack of Worship Leads to Criticism and Division

In "Doctrinal Discussion" Don Englund writes:

A failure to properly worship our Lord in praise and in the wonder of being loved ourselves will inevitably lead to a loss of ability to properly love others. Critical attitudes lead to selective friendships rather than to indiscriminate, unconditional, Christlike love to others. Church schisms and divisions of self-centeredness follow, accompanied by a lifeless co-existence with the desperate needs of hopeless people in our communities. The spiritual light of the community — once strong — has flickered, faltered, and failed!

Source: Christ, the Triumphant Lord: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 13.

Herald & Banner Press2016-06-11T09:00:00+00:00June 11th, 2016|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: worship|0 Comments

How Does God See Our Situation?
How Does God See Our Situation?

How Does God See Our Situation?

In "God's Word for Today" Steve Oliver writes:

God sees things differently, sometimes opposite, from the way we think. Smyrna was small, poor, and persecuted, yet God had nothing negative to say about her. The fact that God acknowledged that they were poor, yet told them that they were, in fact, far from poor, demonstrates that He rec-ognized both the reality in which we live and the reality which He alone sees. God is also realistic: He directly told them that they were going to suffer more. Why would He do this — might it not discourage them?

Source: Christ, the Triumphant Lord: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 11.

Herald & Banner Press2016-06-10T09:00:00+00:00June 10th, 2016|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: God|0 Comments

First Love
First Love

First Love

In "Word Focus" Darrell Grim writes:

Lange gives the meaning of first love as “that glowing, all-absorbing love to Jesus, as a personal Savior, which at the first constrained them to devoted service.” It is more than that early ecstasy that new Christians feel. John Wesley stated that the initial ecstasy of our conversion “subsides into a calm and peaceful love.” This happens even as Christ remains our first love. However, for the Ephesians that love had cooled until they were left with orthodoxy without the Spirit. As happens many times, their loss of the Spirit was followed by an emphasis on works.

Discussion: What caused the Laodicean Church to leave its first love?
Source: Christ, the Triumphant Lord: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 9.

Herald & Banner Press2016-06-09T09:00:00+00:00June 9th, 2016|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: love|0 Comments

The Majesty of Christ
The Majesty of Christ

The Majesty of Christ

In "God's Word for Today" Steve Oliver writes:

Christ's majesty is not simply a matter of a glorious appearance (though He certainly has that). Rather, it is a visual display of His genuine power and authority. In John's vision, each visual aspect of Christ displays an invisible attribute of Jesus' character, power, or authority. For exam-ple, the depiction of Christ's eyes “as a flame” indicates that He sees and understands everything, that nothing is hidden from Him. If we are in trouble, this is a comfort. If we are try-ing to excuse ourselves for wrongdoing, this is troubling.

Source: Christ, the Triumphant Lord: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 5.

Herald & Banner Press2016-06-03T09:00:00+00:00June 3rd, 2016|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: Christ|0 Comments

Why is Jesus called Alpha and Omega?
Why is Jesus called Alpha and Omega?

Why is Jesus called Alpha and Omega?

In "Word Focus" Darrell Grim writes:

The use of the expression Alpha and Omega in verses 8 and 11 is significant. These being the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, the obvious reference is to Christ's eternity. No one else can claim this title, so He uses the emphatic expression “I AM.” Since the expression not only includes the first and the last but everything in between, it also connotes the omnipotence and omniscience of God. In verse 8 this concept is revealed in the word translated the Almighty. The Greek word pantokrator is used nine times in the Apocalypse and only once in the Epistles (2 Cor. 6:18). It is, however, used frequently in the Septuagint and is literally the “all ruler.” It represents the Hebrew word translated as “God of hosts.” He is pictured as the one who commands all and is able to overcome any foe.

Discussion: How does this help you to understand better who Christ is?
Source: Christ, the Triumphant Lord: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 4.

Herald & Banner Press2016-06-02T09:00:00+00:00June 2nd, 2016|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: Jesus|0 Comments

Will you follow Christ?
Will you follow Christ?

Will you follow Christ?

In "God's Word for Today" Jim Baker writes:

When we consider why Jesus went to the cross, it should cause each of us to want to follow Him. The question Pilate asked, “What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?” (Matt. 27:22), should elicit a response in each life. Will YOU accept Christ or crucify Him?
The lessons in this quarter have given many reasons to follow Christ, the Son of God. He is the suffering Savior who forgives. And because of His resurrection we have hope for today and eternity. He is the Good Shepherd and cares for us. Though He has supreme authority, yet He humbled Himself to reach us. To know that He intercedes for us gives us confidence to live daily for Him. With all these reasons to be a Christian, there is no excuse to reject Him. There is more to gain than to lose.

Source: Jesus, Son of God: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 81.

Herald & Banner Press2016-05-27T09:00:00+00:00May 27th, 2016|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: Follow|0 Comments

Why did Jesus often not give straight answers?
Why did Jesus often not give straight answers?

Why did Jesus often not give straight answers?

In "Word Focus" Darrell Grim writes:

The Lord's reply to Pilate's question was deliberately ambiguous. Jesus spoke here as He spoke to the Jews — in parables. If they really wanted to find out the truth, they could, but their blinded eyes made His teaching seem as nonsense. Jesus gave Pilate enough to pique his curiosity. Had he continued to press with an earnest desire to know the truth, without doubt Christ would have revealed more to him.

Discussion: When God seems not to give us "straight" answers, do we continue to seek His word or are we content to be blind to Truth?
Source: Jesus, Son of God: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 78.

Herald & Banner Press2016-05-26T09:00:00+00:00May 26th, 2016|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: Truth|0 Comments