Leading Question: How does one grow the fruit of the Spirit? 1. First things first: Matt. 6:31-34. Jesus is clear: If we seek the kingdom of God first, all the other good gifts will be...
Elijah’s and Elisha’s Mantle
April 30, 2011
Leading Question: How certain can we be that we have the truth? 1. Jesus is the way to truth; he is truth: John 14:6. How does the truth in Jesus relate to all the rest...
Leading Question: Is obedience to the law ever a means of gaining favor with God? 1. Gratitude is the key word: Deut. 4:5-8. If defined in terms of its purpose, God’s law was intended as...
Leading Question: To what extent does self-control simply flow from a changed heart, or does it involve blood, sweat and tears as we grapple with temptations, passions and people who irritate us? 1. Two stories:...
Leading Question: When Paul asked the Corinthian believers if he should come to them with a stick or with love in a spirit of gentleness (1 Cor. 4:21), how did he expect to find the...
Leading Question: What is it that inspires us and enables us to be faithful to people, to God? “Saving” faith is a gift of God. But the result of God’s gifts in our life is...
Leading Question: How can God expect good things from people who are bad? When we talk about “goodness” under the heading of “fruit of the Spirit,” several tantalizing paradoxes emerge. We can address these under...
Leading Question: If we are kind to those who are doing what is wrong, isn’t there a danger that some will conclude that we agree with and even support that which we actually oppose? Some...
Leading Question: How can we become more patient? 1. Becoming more patient. Is patience genetically determined? Or is it possible for even the most high-strung person to become more patient? Would memorizing key “patience” passages...
Theme: The Fruit of the Spirit Is Peace Leading Question: Why have the followers of Jesus so often led out in bloody conflict when their Master both taught and modeled the way of peace? 1....
Theme: The Fruit of the Spirit Is Joy Leading Question: What is the difference between joy and happiness? Can a believer be unhappy and still be joyful? Not only is joy the second trait listed...
Leading Question: When Scripture commands us to love God and love others, including the unlovely, is that something we can choose to do, or is such love simply a gift of God? In his little...
Leading Question: Is it possible to identify true followers of Jesus by their fruit? The basic biblical passage that focuses on the fruit of the Spirit is Galatians 5:13-26. In particular, the nine traits listed...
The Last Five Kings of Judah
October 10, 2015
Jesus Mingled with People
July 30, 2016
The Priority of the Promise
July 29, 2017
The Curse Causeless
October 29, 2016
Jesus in the Writings of Peter
May 13, 2017
The Character of Job
December 17, 2016
The Church Militant
March 12, 2016
The Cosmic Controversy
March 31, 2018
Josiah’s Reforms
November 14, 2015
Major Themes in 1 and 2 Peter
June 17, 2017
Symbolic Acts
October 31, 2015
Lessons from Jeremiah
December 19, 2015
To Serve and to Save
February 20, 2021
Comfort My People
February 13, 2021
Defeat of the Assyrians
February 6, 2021
Playing God
January 30, 2021
Noble Prince of Peace
January 23, 2021
The Hard Way
January 16, 2021
When Your World Is Falling Apart
January 9, 2021
Crisis of Leadership
January 2, 2021
Crisis of Identity
December 26, 2020
Heaven, Education, and Eternal Learning
December 19, 2020
Sabbath: Experiencing and Living the Character of God
December 12, 2020
The Christian and Work
December 5, 2020
Education in Arts and Sciences
November 28, 2020
Religion in the Workplace
July 31, 2004
The Cross and Sanctification
March 12, 2005
The Church: God’s Workmanship
October 22, 2005
The Sin Against the Holy Spirit
June 10, 2006
The End of the Beginning
December 23, 2006
Samson and His Women: The Folly of Passion
August 4, 2007
More Lessons in Discipleship
March 8, 2008
Atonement Announced
October 25, 2008
Discipleship
May 30, 2009
The Fruit of the Spirit Is Peace
January 16, 2010
The Election of Grace
September 4, 2010
From Exalted to Cast Down
April 2, 2011
Paul’s Pastoral Appeal
November 19, 2011