Focal Passage: John 6:1-15

“Little Is Much When God is in It.” Those are words from a song that goes way back in my memory. But they’re more than words in a tune; they’re the truth. And they are the 

underlying truth of this week’s focal passage, John 6:1-15, from the lesson series called All Signs Point to Jesus. This series is based on seven ‘miracle-signs’ performed by Jesus and woven throughout John’s Gospel. Our study today is called The Sign of His Provision, and this fourth miracle John recorded is the feeding of the five thousand. [Read more…]

Focal Passage: John 5:1-11, 17-20

Today’s study is one of my all-time favorite stories from the life of Jesus, especially because of the question He asks. Out of one-hundred and thirty-five questions Jesus asked in the New Testament, this story contains one of His most startling! 

Our series is entitled All Signs Point to Jesus and comes from the Gospel of John. Today’s focal text is John 5:1-11, 17-20, the third “sign” the Apostle John selected out of Jesus’ many miracles. Remember that John chose seven miracles “so you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, and by believing you may have life in His name” (John 20: 31). [Read more…]

Focal passage: John 4:46-54

If you put “Signs of Christ’s Return” into an online search engine, you’d find many sites like “Eight Signs of Jesus’ Soon Return,” and “12 Signs …” and “6 Signs …” and “5 Signs …” and “SEVEN Signs …” and lots more. Obviously, people today are very interested in the signs of Jesus’ Second Coming. 

The Apostle John was no doubt interested too, but even more so regarding the signs of Jesus’ first coming. Our current lesson series is entitled All Signs Point to Jesus — the signs being seven miracles that took place during Jesus’ life here on earth. Although Jesus did numerous miracles (that the other three Gospel writers recorded), only seven of them were included in John’s account.  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: John 2:1-11

Today marks the beginning of a series of lessons called All Signs Point to Jesus, from the Gospel of JOHN. Unlike Matthew, Mark and Luke, John tells the story of Jesus by highlighting seven of His many miracles, each being a sign of who Jesus was, each pointing to a different aspect of His divine character. 

A frequently asked question is Why are there FOUR Gospels? J. Vernon McGee had an amusing answer: “Because THREE would be too few, and FIVE would be too many.” Yet Dr McGee himself would agree that it’s much more than that; God gave us pictures of the foursquare tower of truth found in the life and work of Jesus, four ‘sides,’ four ‘views’ of the greatest story ever told. We’ll be blessed to study one of them — John’s inspired ‘view’ — over these next weeks. [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Hebrews 10:19-25; 13:12-15

I remember reading an anonymous piece called ‘It’s Time to Plant our Gardens,’ that appeared in a number of church newsletters 20 or so years ago. The idea was this: in our ‘spiritual gardens’ we should ‘squash’ our differences, and ‘turnip’ for church services, and — one more — ‘lettuce’ be obedient and faithful. As sappy as such a veggie-tales play on words might seem, in our focal passage today we are seriously exhorted to do those very things!

The Scripture itself is Hebrews 10:19-25 and 13:12-15, for our final lesson in The Heart of Worship series; today’s topic is The GATHERING for Worship. Each of the two selected passages gives a different perspective on how we’re to gather for worship.(Note: In using the words inside and outside I’m referring to the spiritual CONDITIONS described in our text, not to physical LOCATIONS.)  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Psalm 63:1-11

In about the middle of my pastoral years (three decades ago!) ministers of music began introducing “praise and worship songs” into congregational hymn-singing. I especially remember two of those praise songs to this day; they were beloved — and were what I call ‘very singable.’ The words of both songs come directly from Psalm 63, our study-text for today: “Oh God, You Are My God” and “Thy Lovingkindness Is Better Than Life.” If you were ‘around’ during the 80’s and early 90’s, you probably can still sing them. So let’s ‘sing and study’ Psalm 63, from the current series of lessons called The Heart of Worship. Today’s topic is The BENEFITS of Worship. 

Psalm 63 was not only sung during church services in recent decades, it was also a staple in congregational music in the earliest centuries of the church. One of the most eloquent preachers and prolific authors in the early days of Christianity, John Chrysostom (347-407 A.D), said that it was ordained and agreed upon … that no day should pass without the public singing of Psalm 63. The primitive fathers began every morning worship by singing this Psalm!  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Psalm 40:1-11   

Do you have an attitude of gratitude? Or is it more of a “grrrr-attitude?” This week’s lesson on The ATTITUDE in Worship, from Psalm 40:1-11, could help you settle that question.  We’re in a series called The Heart of Worship, and frankly, the study today is one of my favorites in the entire series.

Is Psalm 40 “Messianic”? Not everyone thinks so. Messianic passages in the Old Testament are called such because they’re quoted by or about Jesus the Messiah in the New Testament. And there are three verses of this Psalm that are directly referenced in the New Testament. Verses 6-8 are quoted and commented on in Hebrews 10:5-10. Some scholars conclude that even more of this Psalm is prophecy about Christ. 

For example, one could see His coming into the world (verses 6-8), the cries of His soul in bearing our sins during crucifixion (verses 1-2), and His conquering death by rising triumphantly — singingly! — from the grave (verses 3-4). Our being commissioned to go tell the story might be seen in verse 5! (By the way, I think the Psalm is gloriously Messianic.) [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Psalm 25:4-15 

A gray-haired man and his young grandson were walking outdoors. The boy asked, “Grandpa, can a feller see God?” The grandfather stopped. He scanned the blue sky and the billowing clouds, saw the trees swaying in the wind, and the birds and squirrels flittering about. “Son,” he answered, “If a feller really looks, all he CAN see is God.” 

Inspired worship happens, when everywhere we look, there is God! Today’s study, The INSPIRATION for Worship, is from The Heart of Worship series. Our focal text is Psalm 25:4-15, describing two sets of inspiring prayers and promises.

Verses 4-7: The Prayer of a SAINT

Psalm 25 is attributed to David. Whether ‘the sweet singer of Israel’ actually penned it (or one of his praise team members) this is certainly a ‘Davidic’ psalm — one of David’s collections of praise and worship songs. In verses 4-7, he’s praying for GUIDANCE. [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Exodus 1:16-17; 22-2:10 

Shiphrah, Puah, and Jochebed. Not everyone will recognize those first two names; many will know the third. They are three brave women depicted in today’s study passage, Exodus 1:16-17; 1:22-2:10. It isn’t an exaggeration to say this “ladies’ trio” helped change the history of the world. Our lesson is called “Treasuring What God Treasures,” and it’s a beautiful story about the sanctity of life. 

Treasuring Life Without Any Exception (1:16-17; 22) 

The backdrop for today’s Scripture is the Israelites’ period of slavery in Egypt. The whole family of Jacob (who became ‘Israel’) had lived in Egypt since their homeland was devastated by famine. As years went by, Egypt’s Pharaoh became extremely uneasy about the Israelites multiplying; Jacob’s descendants now numbered in the hundreds of thousands. Pharaoh decreed that every Israelite male be murdered at birth. He obviously reasoned that females would not be as likely to form an armed rebellion in the future.  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Isaiah 40:21-31 

Matt Redman wrote a song that includes the line, “I’m coming back to the heart of worship, And … it’s all about You, Jesus.” That phrase, The Heart of Worship, is the title of our new lesson series. Today’s study, from Isaiah 40: 21-31, is The FOCUS of Our Worship. 

I recently asked a congregation, “How many of you were ever in a boring worship service?” Hands went up everywhere. I replied, “I understand. But that’s the wrong answer. We all may’ve been in a boring service at some time. But brothers and sisters, if we were ever in a worship service, it was anything but boring!” 

A.W. Tozer said, “How we think of God is the most important thing about us.” Reacting to that statement C.S. Lewis said, “It is not! How GOD thinks of US … is infinitely more important!” Now these are not just two great theologians verbally disagreeing on what’s most important about us; these are two great truths about authentic worship — the kind described in our text. Worship IS about how we think of God! It’s ALSO about how God thinks of us!  [Read more…]