Prepare your heart for Sunday by looking through these suggestions that will assist you in making the most of our time together. You will find suggestions for thinking more critically through the passage, meditating more intently on the text, and tangibly putting scripture to action in your personal life, and in our corporate body. Carefully Think Read Rom 12:1-21. Th...
Keep ReadingLooking Back As we gathered Sunday, we heard from Matt 27:11-26 the description of the condemnation of Jesus in three phases: suppression of the truth with lies, choosing sin above justice, and condemning the innocent and not the guilty. Pastor Bret then pointed out the same pattern in Romans 1, and in our society today. Pastor Bret then reminded us that this is the norma...
Keep ReadingCarefully Think Read Matt 27:11-26, this is the text for Sunday's sermon. NOTE: Pilate and the governor are the same person (27:2). "You have said so" (v.11). Jesus said this before in 26:25 and 26:64. Who were the questioners? Did having the right answer help them? Why or Why not? "At the feast" (v.15); Which feast? (If you don't know, do an Internet search or phone...
Keep ReadingCarefully Think Read Matt 26:26-29 Jesus explains almost nothing about the bread except "this is my body.'' Does he do so because they already know what he means? Read Matt 14:19; Mark 8:6-9; think about the known symbolism of the Passover meal. "Drink of it, all of you"- Does this sound optional? What if they don't? "my blood of the covenant" Up to now the blood tha...
Keep ReadingCarefully Think Read Matt 24:29-35 Re-read Matt 24 for context and for perspective continue through chapter 25 to finish "all these sayings" (26:1) "This generation will not pass away until all these things take place" (24:34 ESV). See Matt 12:45; 16:4; 17:17; 23:36 for Matthew's other uses of generation and consider what he means when he uses the term. Prayerfully...
Keep ReadingCarefully Think Read Matt 24:1-14. How many questions do the disciples ask Jesus in v.3? Are any of them answered here? Who is in danger of being deceived in v. 4? How successful are the false Christs in their deception? (see v. 5, 9, 10, 11, 12) Do you consider yourself at risk for deception? Should you? What is the final display of going astray? (v. 12) Prayer...
Keep ReadingThis past Sunday, Pastor Bret described 2 attitudes toward Eschatology (end times teachings) that were not recommended. One is to avoid thinking about it, the other is to obsess over it. One key reason we should engage our minds and the Scriptures toward end times matters is that the enemy is out to decieve us about such things (Matthew 24:4). Indeed, 1 John 2:18 explains...
Keep ReadingCarefully Think Read Matt 24:1-14. How many questions do the disciples ask Jesus in v.3? Are any of them answered here? Who is in danger of being deceived in v. 4? How successful are the false Christs in their deception? (see v. 5, 9, 10, 11, 12) Do you consider yourself at risk for deception? Should you? What is the final display of going astray? (v. 12) Prayer...
Keep ReadingCarefully Think Read the Song of Solomon. (It's only 5 pages in most Bibles.) Who are the characters in the story? Is the shepherd the same as the king? Is he Solomon? Can you find the following points in the story: 1)They meet 2) They marry 3) They have conflict 4) They reconcile? There are many interpreters who hold Song of Solomon as only an allegory for the love ...
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