Week 48 - Second Coming

Definition:   The Second Coming of Christ is a future event when Jesus will return to earth bodily and visibly to bring His Kingdom into its final form, judge the living and the dead, and bring about the final restoration of all creation.

Scriptures: Revelation 1:7; Hebrews 9:28; Revelation 22:12

 Study: Jesus’ return is the hope of believers that God is in control of all things, and is faithful to the promises and prophecies in His Word. In His first coming, Jesus fulfilled many of the prophecies of the Messiah during His birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection. However, there are some prophecies regarding the Messiah that Jesus has not yet fulfilled. The second coming of Christ will be the return of Christ to fulfill these remaining prophecies. In His first coming, Jesus arrived as a suffering servant, in the most humble of circumstances. In His second coming, Jesus will arrive as conquering king, with the armies of heaven at His side.

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)

- Can we know the date for the Second Coming?

- Can we be prepared for the Second Coming?

- How can we prepare ourselves for the Second Coming?

Week 47 - Glorification

Glorification

Definition: Glorification is the future hope assured to all believers to be realized in heaven. We will be made perfect, ceasing from sin and enjoying complete fellowship with God and man in a restored world.

Scriptures: Colossians 3:3-4; Romans 8:28-30; 2 Corinthians 3:18

Study: As we move into a focus on eschatology (study of the last things) in our final weeks of this year, it is appropriate to consider the words of Herman Bavinck: “Eschatology....is rooted in Christology and is itself Christology, the teaching of the final, complete triumph of Christ and his kingdom over all his enemies.” As we consider the end times, we are grounded in the fundamental truth that the kingdoms of this world are becoming the Kingdom of our God. And we shall be made into perfect citizens of that kingdom, freed from every encumbrance that would hinder us from entering fully into the world and work of our Lord.

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)

- When will glorification happen?

- Is it possible for a person to become perfect in this life?

- What does glorification have to do with the “all things” of Romans 8:28?

Week 46 - The Virgin Birth

Definition: We believe in Jesus Christ our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.

Scriptures: Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:30-35

Study: Although the Son is fully God, He became a man. Jesus is the human embodiment of the eternal Son of God. He was born from Mary through the power of the Holy Spirit. He has no physical father and did not inherit a sinful nature. He experienced temptation as we do, yet did not sin in word, thought, or deed. Jesus is still alive, seated at the right hand of the Father from whence He will come to judge the quick and the dead.

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)

- Is Jesus fully human?

- When did the Son become human?

- Are there differences between Jesus the Christ and God the Son?

- Was Mary perfect?

Week 45 - The Fruit of the Spirit

Definition: The Fruit of the Spirit are the grace-enabled products of a life in step with the Spirit. As believers are conformed to the image of Christ, this fruit is more reflected in their lives.

Scriptures: Galatians 5:22-25; Mark 11:13; Colossians 1:10

Study: Although many Christians are familiar with the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5, that list is not an exhaustive one. Rather, it reflects a snapshot of a life devoted to Christ. Christians are called to bear fruit in every area of life, both in season and out of season. In Galatians 5, the fruit of the Spirit is directly contrasted to the desires of the flesh. The point is clear: those who express true faith in Christ will die to sinful passions and desires and instead submit their lives to the will of the Spirit, walking in step with Him and seeking to reflect Christ to those around them.

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)

- What are the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5?

- What might be some fruit of the Spirit not explicitly listed in Galatians 5?

- How do Christians cultivate the fruit of the Spirit?

- What is a specific area of your life where you need to cultivate the fruit of the Spirit?

Week 44 - The Gifts of the Spirit

Definition:  The Gifts of the Spirit are empowerments given to the church by the Holy Spirit. They include both ordinary and miraculous gifts. We believe that gifts of knowledge, wisdom, faith, healings, miracles, prophecy, discernment, tongues, and interpretation are available to believers today as the Spirit empowers them.

Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 12:8-11; Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 14:39

Study: Today, teaching on the Gifts of the Spirit can

become controversial. Ignorance to the gifts of the Spirit and

their function in the church has led to both abuses and

skepticism; we want to avoid both. We love and seek the Gifts

of the Spirit because they are given to us by a good God, but

our ultimate love and seeking is directed toward the Giver of

the Gifts. The Gifts are meant to point to the greatness of

Jesus and what He wants to do in our lives and we must

remember to keep our focus there. At the same time, we want

our church to be a place where believers can grow in their

gifts, and so we create spaces for them to learn, make

mistakes, and grow.

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)

- What are the Gifts of the Spirit?

- What is the purpose of the Gifts of the Spirit?

- How are the gifts of the Spirit meant to be used in the church?

Week 43 - The Great Commission

The Great Commission

Definition: The Great Commission is the command of Jesus to His followers to preach the message of His life,

death, resurrection, and ascension to the world and to instruct all who believe to obey His teachings.

Scriptures: Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8

Study: The Great Commission plays itself out in our lives in two major ways. First, there is a call on Christians to take the message of Christ to the nations. We ought to support missionaries with our prayers and our giving. Second, we have a personal call to carry the message of Jesus to our family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and everyone else around us. We do this by having conversations about what it means for us to follow Jesus and by living in the lifestyle of His Kingdom, with love and generosity toward all.

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)

- What is the message of Jesus?

- Why do we teach people to obey the teachings of Jesus?

- What missionaries should we support?

- How should we evangelize others?

Week 42 - The Lord’s Supper

Definition: The Lord's Supper, also known as Communion, was commanded by our Lord and reminds us of the heart of the Gospel message: Christ died for us. When we partake of the Bread and Cup, we look to Jesus, our resurrected Lord, who is very present to minister forgiveness and grace to all who by faith will rest in His finished work.

Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 11:23-29; Matthew 26:26-29

Study: When we take Communion, we are doing two things at once. First, we are remembering what Jesus did for us on the cross and what He is doing for us now in the heavens. We seek to be people who live out of this story; our lives ought to be shaped by the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of

Jesus. Secondly, we are also participating in the work of Jesus. Just as eating and drinking gives strength to our bodies, so too does the spiritual meal of the Supper fill us with Spiritual strength to grow in Christ and in unity to one another.

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)

- Why do we take the Lord’s Supper?

- What does Communion represent?

- What sort of power do we receive from God through His Supper?

Week 41 - Baptism

Definition:  Baptism is an ordinance in which a believer who has expressed true faith in Christ is immersed into water in a public act proclaiming their death to sin and resurrection into newness of life. It is a normal practice expected of all believers.

Scriptures: 1 Peter 3:21; Acts 8:36; Colossians 3:1

Study: We practice the rite of baptism very frequently in our church, but we should take care not to let ourselves think of it as just another element of our services. Baptism is a powerful moment when the believer identifies publicly with Christ and testifies outwardly to the inward transformation that has begun in the believer’s heart. Baptism marks the beginning of life with Christ and all believers should seek this experience quickly in conjunction with their declaration of Jesus as Lord.

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned) 

- Why are believers baptized?

- What does baptism represent?

- What is required for the sacrament of baptism?

- What change is brought in us through baptism?

Week 40 - Faith

Definition: Faith is the necessary response to hearing God’s word by which we appropriate the promises of God and render to Him our trust, hope, and allegiance. Faith is a gift from God’s grace.

Scriptures: Romans 10:17; Romans 16:25-26; Ephesians 2:8-9

Study: Pastor Charles Spurgeon taught that there are three elements to true, saving faith—knowledge, belief, and trust. In order to have Biblical faith in Christ, we must know information about Him, believe that the information we have heard is true, and then finally trust its truth by living out its implications. Scholar Matthew Bates has summed this up in a single word—allegiance. Christ demands not just heart feelings or mental assent but bodily action. In the same way we are allegiant to a leader or ideal and so do what they say, we are more so allegiant to Jesus our King. We recognize His authority and give Him all of our hope, trust, and obedience.

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)

- Where does faith come from?

- What is the object of our faith?

- What is the outcome of our faith?

- Can faith be fulfilled through belief alone?

Week 39 - Adoption

Definition:  Adoption is the free act of God in which He makes those who respond to His grace members of His family, designating them for participation in Himself and bestowing on them rights to the inheritance of Christ.

Scriptures: Ephesians 1:5; John 1:12; Ephesians 2:3-7

Study: Paul’s favorite word to use when talking about our actual state in salvation is the word adoption. Paul emphasizes our relational standing rather than just a legal status. It is our status as children of God that sets us apart from the world and gives cause to our justification. Adoption is the underlying purpose to salvation—God wanted children for Himself from rebellious mankind and so sent His Son to purchase us and His Spirit to seal us. We are children of God first and foremost. God does not look at you and see a sinful person saved only by His mercy. God sees you as His very own—you are in the same place as His own Son! All the blessings and privileges of Christ are now yours in Him!

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)

- Who is the originator of our adoption?

- Does your adoption depend on you in any way?

- What rights do you have as a child of God?

Week 38 - Sanctification

Definition: Sanctification is the act of Christ setting Christians apart as unique in the world and the life-long process of becoming more like Jesus.

Scriptures: Romans 8:29-30; Corinthians. 11:1; Philippians. 3:12-14

Study: Many Christians often feel insecure in their salvation because of misunderstanding the connection between justification and sanctification. Justification is the forgiving act of God that declares us righteous, while sanctification is the gracious act of God that actually makes us righteous. Despite our legal status of salvation, we still struggle with sin. Sanctification does not happen all at once, rather it occurs much slower and less noticeable than we would prefer. However, it does happen! We can rest assured that the same God who saved us will make us righteous!

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)

- When does sanctification begin?

- Can you be justified before you are fully sanctified?

- Can you be justified and never become more sanctified?

Week 37 - Justification

Definition: Justification is the legal declaration made by God on behalf of those who put their faith in Christ in which He both accounts to them the merits of Christ and finds them to be sinless.

Scriptures: Romans 5:8-9; Romans 5:1; Galatians 2:16

Study: One of the beauties of the Gospel is that God does for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Our righteousness is obtained for us by Christ, not by ourselves. We could never work ourselves into the kingdom of God. There is no sacrifice or offering that we could make that would be enough to offset our sin. God brings forgiveness to sinful people through the work of Jesus.

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)

- Does justification make us actually righteous or only legally righteous?

- Does justification make us sinless or declare us sinless?

What is the difference?

- On account of whose merits are we justified?

Week 36 - Regeneration

Definition: Regeneration is the necessary work of the Spirit through which we receive new life and come to saving faith in Christ. Regeneration occurs simultaneously with conversion.

Scriptures: John 3:3; Ephesians 2:4-5; Colossians 2:13; 1 John 4:7

Study: All of humanity is born into a depraved state, unable both to avoid sin and choose Christ in all we do. By the grace of God and through the work of the Holy Spirit we receive new life unto salvation. We are transferred in the moment from the domain of darkness into the Kingdom of the beloved Son. We receive a new heart and a new Spirit and are enabled to choose righteousness. We are now able to avoid sin and its deadly pull. We can resist temptation through this new life power.

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)

- What is the purpose of regeneration?

- Is regeneration necessary for salvation?

- When does regeneration occur?

- Is regeneration a process?

Week 35 - Election

Definition: Election is a gracious act of God in which He chooses a people on whom to bestow His blessings in order to bless the whole world. God has elected Christ to bring blessings to His church and His church to bring blessings to the world. God has individually elected those who receive the blessing of salvation.

Scriptures: Romans 9:10-12; Genesis 12:1-3; Ephesians 1:3-14

Study: Election is thought to be a controversial doctrine, but it is clearly taught in scripture. Believers are regularly reminded that they are chosen by God. We should remember that election is about blessing and inclusion, not exclusion. Rather than focusing on who is and who is not among the elect, we should focus our attention on the love that God has demonstrated toward us! We have received the grace of God that we did not deserve! We should be eager to confirm our calling and election.

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)

- What is the purpose of election?

- What are the blessings of election?

- Who is election for?

Week 34 - Gospel

Gospel

Definition: The Gospel is the proclamation of Jesus as the Son of God in power, the King of the world, and the Forgiver of sins.

Scriptures: Romans 1:1-6; Mark. 1:14-15; 1 Corinthians 15:3-5

Study: The Gospel is not primarily about forgiveness from sin. The word Gospel comes from Hebrew “bisser” and the Greek “euangelion.” It is a royal proclamation of good news for a nation, tied to the coronation of a new ruler. The Gospel of God that Jesus preaches in Mark 1 is this sort of good news announcement–Jesus has come to the world as its new King, descended from the royal line and establishing a new dynasty in His church. We are called to give our full allegiance to this Gospel, acknowledging King Jesus as the new ruler of our lives.

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)

- What is the Gospel?

- How does forgiveness from sin relate to the Gospel?

- Is it possible to have Jesus as Savior without having Him as King?

- How can Jesus preach the Gospel in Mark chapter 1 if He doesn’t die until Mark chapter 15?

Week 33 - Ascension

Definition: Ascension means that God the Son, Jesus the Christ ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father for us and for our salvation. He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead. His kingdom will never end.

Scriptures: Acts 1:6-11; Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 3:1-2

Study: Pastor-Theologian J.T. English has called the Ascension “The Forgotten Act of Christ.” We spend a great deal of time in church discussing what Christ has done for us in the past with His death and resurrection, but rarely address what Christ is doing for us presently. Christ’s work is not finished—He continues to work on our behalf in Heaven, guiding us through His Word, interceding on our behalf before the Father, and empowering us for every good work through the Spirit.

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)

- Why is the ascension called “The Forgotten Act of Christ?”

- How can we better focus on Christ’s present work?

- In what sense is Christ’s work finished? In what sense is it unfinished?

- What is Christ doing right now?

Week 32 - Resurrection

Definition: The Bible teaches the doctrine of resurrection. Christ rose from the dead bodily, the first of a new generation of humanity. All of humanity will one day be resurrected from the dead. Those who have hoped in Christ will be raised to eternal life; those without Christ to eternal torment. Christians will inherit a new, physical body.

Scriptures: 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Corinthians 15; Colossians 2:14

Study: “Because Jesus kicked death in the teeth, we, too, will kick death in the teeth.” - Pastor Gabe If atonement is the promise of forgiveness, then resurrection is its guarantee. The resurrection of Jesus is a down-payment guaranteeing our future resurrection. Because Jesus rose from the dead, we know that all our sins are fully paid for. The entire hope of our faith is tied to the reality of the Resurrection. We do not live for this life, but for the life to come.

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)

- How does resurrection promise forgiveness?

- What is more important to the Biblical authors— forgiveness from sin or resurrection from the dead?

- Can you deny the resurrection and still be a Christian?

- Why is it important to believe in the resurrection from the dead?

Week 31 - Atonement

Atonement

Definition: Atonement means God the Son suffered for our sins on our behalf. He effectively secured the salvation of all who believe. When Jesus died on the cross, He made provision so that our sins could be forgiven by receiving upon Himself the full penalty for our sin.

Scriptures: 1 Peter 2:24; Colossians 2:14; Colossians 3:3

Study: Atonement can be helpfully understood as “at-one-ment.” In other words, it is the way that we are made one with God when we used to be alienated from Him by our sins. The sum total of your sin, past, present, and future, is paid for through the death of Jesus. You will never be more fully forgiven than you are right now. There are no future, unforgiven sins. You are forgiven fully, freely, and forever. God does not condemn you for your past sins, present struggles, or future disobedience. This means you are one with God now and will be one with Him forever. As restored sons and daughters we seek to walk in communion with God, living in a manner worthy of the name of Christ, pursuing all holiness.

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)

- How many of your sins were future sins when Jesus died?

- Is there any sin too great for God to forgive?

- How can we who have died to sin still live in it?

Week 30 - Crucifixion

Definition: Jesus the Christ died on a cross—a sinless man murdered as a criminal on our behalf. He experienced a true physical death.

Scriptures: Ephesians 4:9; Luke 23:51-52; Galatians 2:20

Study: The crucifixion is a historical event. It really happened. No serious historian doubts the existence of Jesus Christ. Atheist scholars and Christians alike acknowledge the reality and impact of His life. Scripture makes even further claims. Christ died carrying our sins. Because He really died, He really killed our sin. Paul says that we have been crucified with Christ. When Christ died, we died with Him. We died to our old, sinful habits and hang-ups. We no longer live burdened by sin. 

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)

- Why is it important that Jesus really died?

- What does it mean to be crucified with Christ?

- How can we who have died to sin still live in it?

Week 29 - Kingdom of God

Definition: The Kingdom of God is God’s reign, through God’s people, over God’s place. Although mysterious, God also desires to establish His rule in the human heart; the people of God give total allegiance to His kingdom alone. Believers look forward to the fulfillment of God's eternal Kingdom in the age to come.

Scriptures: Daniel 2:44; Isaiah 2:4; Romans 13:1-7

Study: In the beginning, God established the Garden of Eden as an outpost of His Kingdom on the Earth and created man as a ruler on His behalf. Christ Jesus re-established this Kingdom in the world through His church. We now seek to advance and expand the interests of this kingdom into every facet of our lives. The Kingdom of God is a corporate Kingdom, made up of every tribe, nation, and tongue. We are citizens first and foremost of this multiethnic and multinational kingdom, giving it our allegiance over and against loyalty to our own people, government, and ideals.

Questions to Ask: (these will help process the truth learned)

- What is the purpose of God’s kingdom?

- Can you define Dwelling, Dominion, and Dynasty?

- How do I reconcile citizenship in heaven with citizenship in America?