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When Christians Disagree
Lesson 8 - April 23, 2017
Focus Text: Philippians 2:1-4; Romans 14:19-23; 15:1-7
Central Truth: Christ expects His Church to be unified in our love for Him.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to identify ways they can strengthen relationships in our local church.
Lesson Outline:
- Seek to Avoid Confrontations (Philippians 2:1-4)
- Follow After Peace (Romans 14:19-23)
- Forbear One Another (Romans 15:1-4)
- Receive One Another (Romans 15:5-7)
Do we truly listen when Jesus speaks to us?
In "Biblical Perspective" Larry Grile writes:
Luke recorded various times when Jesus had told His disciples of His impending death and resurrection. The quotation of the angel is found in Luke 9:22 and in Luke 18:31-33. Jesus' words, however, had fallen on deaf ears, and the disciples, even including the women of this account, had not comprehended what Jesus was telling them (Luke 18:34).
Source: Building Christian Relationships: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 42.
What was the determining factor in Saul's (Paul) conversion?
In "Doctrinal Discussion" Jason Lindahl writes:
What was the determining factor in Saul's conversion? To the end of his days, this unlikely apostle testified that it was the fact that “last of all [Jesus] was seen of me also” (1 Cor. 15:8). The Galilean Carpenter, who had most certainly been executed on a Roman cross and buried and sealed in a tomb, appeared to Saul alive and well. In other words, Saul was convinced by the resurrection. Perhaps he did not immediately think of it in that way; he only knew that the encounter with Jesus had supernaturally changed him. But later, he added Jesus' appearance to him to the long list of Jesus' other post-resurrection appearances as proof of the resurrection (1 Cor. 15).
Source: Building Christian Relationships: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 43.
What is most important about the Church's holy days?
In "God's Word for Today" Gordon Snider writes:
Christianity is a historically based faith, which means that the events of the life of our Lord are important. In the Western Church, we pay particular attention to the birth and death of Jesus, but in the Eastern Church, the calendar has many more holy days that are especially remembered. There is a danger that the Church can become so focused on historical events that Christians lose sight of the contemporary relevance of her holy days. That is why today's lesson focuses upon the significance of the resurrection. Does the resurrection of Jesus Christ have a daily impact on your life? It should! If we have been resurrected with Christ, we will have a new way of living. Philippians 3:10 suggests that the resurrection was not only an event, it is also a present power that is working in our lives. Today Christians rejoice in the fact of the resurrection, but every day should be lived in the power of that same resurrection.
Source: Building Christian Relationships: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 40.
Checking for Evidence
Read Matthew 28:1-7
“He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay” (v. 6).
Our governmental system makes provision for the solving of disputes in a court of law. After all the evidence has been presented, the jury will retire to deliberate, and after a time will return to present their decision to the judge, who will hand down the final verdict. Today we are going to look at some of the evidence that Jesus truly arose from the grave. First of all, the stone was rolled back, and the tomb was empty. Jesus' body was nowhere to be found. Second, many eyewitnesses have left us their testimony of seeing Jesus alive again after His death. Many Bible scholars feel that there are ten post-resurrection appearances. Here are few of them:
Mary Magdalene, in the garden (John 20:11-18)
Women returning from the tomb (Matt. 28:9, 10)
Two disciples on the Emmaus road (Luke 24:13-32)
The eleven and 500 more at Mt. Tabor (Matt. 28:16-20)
After all the evidence is presented, and the eyewitnesses give record, we may know with certainty that Jesus arose from the dead. (Steve Gifford)
One of the greatest evidences of Jesus' resurrection is a changed life.
This devotional is the Sunday, April 16, 2017 entry of Opening the Word.