epistles

What Jesus says to believers in the seven churches of Revelation 2-3 has dramatic importance and application for us today.

The Lord is a faithful King who is knocking at your door seeking entrance to your life. When you open up to Him, what will happen?

When every door to victory appears locked, Jesus' letter to Philadelphia contains the key!

Do the glory days of your faith lie in the past? Christ has a prescription for revival!

In Jesus' letter to the church in Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-29), what is the "Jezebel spirit" that He refers to, and how is it opposed to the Spirit of God?

The church in Pergamum had compromised with evil. How about us? In love, Christ offers to renew and restore our relationship with Him!

To teach us how to teach the book of James, Nancy Guthrie talked with Dan Doriani, vice president of strategic academic initiatives and professor of theology at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis. Doriani is the author of Getting the Message: A Plan for Interpreting and Applying the Bible, a book that is essential reading for every Bible teacher, as well as numerous commentaries. He also wrote the introduction and notes on the book of James in the Gospel Transformation Bible. Topics in this discussion include:

• the way Jesus is presented differently in James compared to other epistles
• the tree tests of James
• the nature of “true religion”
• the gospel according to James
• bringing a social justice framework to teaching James
• whether there’s conflict between James and Paul regarding faith and works
• praying for healing according to James

Here are some additional resources you may find helpful in preparing to teach James:

• Doriani’s class lectures on James at Covenant Theological Seminary (registration required)
• Sermons on James by Alistair Begg
• Sermons on James by Dick Lucas
• Let’s Get Real!  sermon series by various teachers at All Souls, Langham Place

For further study, here are some books you may find helpful, including titles from Crossway, the sponsor of Help Me Teach the Bible:

• James (Reformed Expository Commentary) by Dan Doriani
• The Letter of James (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Douglas J. Moo
• James: Faith that Works (Preaching the Word Commentary) by R. Kent Hughes
• James: a 12-Week Study by Greg Gilbert

Today we continue our second-part in the study of the Apostle Paul. Although he refers to himself as the "Least" of the Apostles, through his writings and missionary journeys, he made a profound impact upon Christianity.

From the most notorious persecutor to the most prolific proselytizer - today we begin a two-part study of the life and writings of the Apostle Paul.

Recommended Audio Resources

• Hans Bayer on context, outline, and thought flow in Philippians
• Dick Lucas sermons on Philippians
• John Piper sermons on Philippians

Recommended Print Resources:

• Philippians: A 12-Week Study by Ryan Kelly
• Philippians: The Fellowship of the Gospel by R. Kent Hughes
• Let's Study Philippians by Sinclair B. Ferguson
• Basics for Believers: An Exposition of Philippians by D. A. Carson
• Message of Philippians: Jesus Our Joy by Alec Motyer

Knowing the Bible for Yourself (Pt. 5)

Having examined some of the key principles for interpreting the New Testament Epistles in the last teaching session, we seek in this teaching to put these principles into practice.

Join us as we take an exegetical walk through the first four chapters of Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians, covering the first major theme – Divisions in the Church.  By studying the Epistle in this way, it allows us to give a practical example of the effectiveness of studying the Epistles thematically and will hopefully allow us to see how the verses and chapters connect with each other as part of this wider theme.

Download teaching notes (pdf)

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bethesdashalom/3b_Interpreting_the_Epistles_Pt2.pdf

In this inaugural episode of Help Me Teach the Bible, I talked with John Piper, founder and teacher of Desiring God and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary, where he taught through the book of Philippians. He called this teaching a “dream come true.” Topics in this interview include:

• allowing those you teach to discover what the book is about;
• Paul's love expressed in this personal letter;
• connecting propositions in Paul's arguments; and
• the better by far of being with Christ at death vs. the resurrection of the body.

Recommended Audio Resources

• Hans Bayer on context, outline, and thought flow in Philippians
• Dick Lucas sermons on Philippians
• John Piper sermons on Philippians

Recommended Print Resources:

• Philippians: A 12-Week Study by Ryan Kelly
• Philippians: The Fellowship of the Gospel by R. Kent Hughes
• Let's Study Philippians by Sinclair B. Ferguson
• Basics for Believers: An Exposition of Philippians by D. A. Carson
• Message of Philippians: Jesus Our Joy by Alec Motyer

Knowing the Bible for Yourself (Pt. 4)

When we speak of an epistle, we mean by this a letter.  The English word for epistle comes from the Greek word “epistolē” which means a written message.  There are 21 such Epistles found within the Bible which comprise a third of the whole New Testament.  The New Testament Epistles are vital to the Believer in Christ because they contain the doctrines which he/she is to live by! 

In this teaching, we examine some of the key principles for interpreting the New Testament Epistles.

Download teaching notes (pdf)

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bethesdashalom/3._Interpreting_the_Epistles.pdf

God has empowered the church to impact the lives of others. As believers, we need to rise up to recognize who we are in Jesus Christ to fulfill the mandate that God has given us.