Benchley, April 4, 2010

• Applications, continued:
  • Don’t (inordinately) covet material good.
    • Acts 20:33-35; I Timothy 6:6; Colossians 3:5; Luke 12:15-21,23,31
  • Fix your mind.
    • Micah 2:1-2; Mark 7:21-23; Romans 1:28-32
• Edification vs. being a stumbling block
  • Definitions
    • Romans 9:30-33; I Peter 2:8; Matthew 16:23
  • Applications
    • Edify through worship
      • I Corinthians 14:2; Hebrews 10:23-25
      • Hypocrisy:  Mark 12:38
    • Don’t make yourself stumble.
      • Matthew 5:29

Benchley, March 31, 2010

Benchley, March 28, 2010

• The Lord’s arrangement for church structure
  • The local church is the only arrangement in the New Covenant for collective functions in the things of Christ.
  • Elders in every city.  Titus 1:5
  • Elders in every church.  Acts 14:24
• Desire
  • If a man desires the office of a bishop.  I Timothy 3:1
  • Desire is the first qualification, for without it one is not qualified.
  • The desire must be to do the work of an elder – to serve.
  • If a man’s desire is to control and run things, no church needs him.
• Example
  • Example is the next qualification to be considered.
  • As leaders of the flock, elders are to lead exemplary lives.
• Lessons from three words
  • “Presbuteros”: elders (Acts 20:17; Titus 1:5)
    • “Indicates their spiritual maturity” -Vine
    • “Indicates dignity” -Thayer
    • The word has reference to age and maturity.
    • Not only in years, but in spiritual maturity
    • …and in the congregation
    • One is to prove self (I Timothy 3:10)
    • The flock is to know him (I Thessalonians 5:12)
    • He is of such influence in the congregation that others look to him for leadership.
  • “Episkopos”: bishop, overseer (Acts 20:28; I Timothy 3:1; Titus 1:7)
    • “Indicates the character of the work undertaken” -Vine
    • “Denotes the function… Guardian, superintendent” -Thayer
  • “Poimano”:  shepherd, feed, tend (Acts 20:28; I Peter 5:2)
    • “To act as shepherd” -Vine
    • “To tend a flock… to supply the requisistes of the soul’s needs” -Thayer
    • Poimano involves:
      • Feeding (I Peter 5:1)
      • Watching for (Hebrews 13:17)
      • Leading (Hebrews 13:17) “Obey your leaders,” ESV and NASB
      • Caring for (I Timothy 3:5)
• Conclusion
  • An elder must:
    • Desire to serve.
    • Set the proper example.
    • Have spiritual age,  maturity, and dignity.
    • Be able to work with other elders.

Benchley, March 28, 2010

• Death comes at any age.  (Luke 12:16-21; Psalms 90:9; Job 27:8; Luke 16)
• All people die.  (James 1:9-11)
• Therefore… the only thing that matters is living for God.  (I Corinthians 15:52-58; Hebrews 9:27; Philippians 1:20-21; Acts 17:26-27)

By David Watson

Benchley, March 28, 2010

• Historical accuracy
• Prophetic fulfillment
• Scientific foreknowledge
  • the Bible remarks on scientific knowledge before it was discovered by man.
  • Egyptian knowledge of the day (Exodus 15:26)
  • Germs:  Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis
    • Humbers 19:5-22 – God’s laws for washing and handling dead bodies
  • Germs:  quarantine
    • Numbers 5:13; Leviticus 13:1-3,45-54
  • Circumcision on the eighth day
    • Genesis 17:12-14 (Leviticus 12:3)
  • Dietary regulations
    • Leviticus 11 – Moses’ instructions are still useful today.
  • Life is in the blood (Leviticus 17:11-12)
  • Ratio for ship building (Genesis 6:15 – ratio was 30:5:3)
  • Water cycle (Ecclesiastes 1:7; 11:3; Amos 9:6)
  • The earth is a “circle” (Isaiah 40:22)
  • Four types of flesh (I Corinthians 15:39)
  • Basic sanitation (Deuteronomy 23:12-14)
  • The earth is wearing out (Isaiah 51:6)
• The Bible:  from God or man?

Benchley, March 24, 2010

Benchley, March 21, 2010

• Major Old Testament sections:
  • Creation and the fall of man
  • Promise to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3)
  • Israelite nation
    • Israel under Moses
    • Israel under Joshua and the judges (Judges 2)
    • Israel under the kings
    • The fall of Israel
    • The restoration of the remnant (Isaiah 11:11)
• Major New Testament secions:
  • The life of Jesus
    • New and better Moses (Hebrews 3:1-6)
    • Offers rest to His people (Hebrews 4:9-11)
    • The true wisdom of God (Colossians 2:1-3)
    • He is divine. (Matthew 8:23-27)
    • He is the Messiah and king.  (Jeremiah 23:5-6)
  • New Testament Christianity
    • Acts 2
    • John 13:34-35
    • Temporary status
  • Judgment and eternity
    • Matthew 25:30-32
    • II Peter 3:13
• Tying the testaments together
  • Jesus is coming, Jesus is here, Jesus is coming again!
    • God selected a people.
      • Promise to Abraham (Genesis 17:17)
    • God purified the people.
      • Through the Law of Moses
      • Through the Babylonian captivity
    • God sent His Son, Jesus, among those people.  Galatians 4:4; Ephesians 1:10
  • Old Law points to the New Law
    • Galatians 3:24-26 – the law as our guardian
    • I Corinthians 10:11
    • Shadows of the Old Law
      • Animal sacrifices => Jesus’ sacrifice
      • Physical temple => spiritual temple
      • Human high priest => divine high priest
  • He allowed us a relationship with God.
    • Romans 8:12-17
    • Hebrews 9:22-28

Benchley, March 21, 2010

• Appreciation for the love of God.  John 3:16; Romans 5:8
• A realization of the value of the soul.  Matthew 10:28; 16:26
• A consciousness that we will give account at the judgment.  II Corinthians 5:10; Matthew 12:37; II Corinthians 10:4-5
• A consciousness that there are just two destinies.  Matthew 25:21; 7:23
• The fact that we are by example helping lead others to either heaven or hell.  I Timothy 4:12; Matthew 15:14; 5:16; Philippians 2:14-15; 1:20
• A growing faith.  II Peter 3:18
• Encouraging words from others.  I Corinthians 1:4-5; I Thessalonians 1:2-3; Revelation 2:2-3
• Choose the right kind of associates.  I Corinthians 15:33
• Imitate Jesus’ prayer life.  Mark 1:35; Matthew 15:36; 114:23; Luke 6:12-13; Mark 14:32
• Having sins rebuked.  II Timothy 4:2; Galatians 6:1; James 5:19-20
• Take inventory of self and live each day as if it was the last; it may be!  II Corinthians 13:5

Benchley, March 21, 2010

• Isaiah 55:8-9
• Matthew 6:24
• The Word of God is our sole source of authority.  II Timothy 3:16-17
• To supplant God’s Word with your own beliefs is to commit the sin of presumption.
• This disposition was unacceptable in the Old Testament and is still unacceptable today under the New Testament. Deuteronomy 17:12-13
• Salvation
  • Man’s way:  An individual can be saved by a variety of methods and may choose the one that please him the most.
  • God’s way:  It is be baptism (immersion in water) that one gains entrance into a saved relationship with God (John 3:3-5; Galatians 3:26-27; Acts 2:38; I Peter 3:21)
    • There are, however, prerequisites to this immersion.  First, one must believe (i.e., have faith) (Romans 10:9-10,17), repent of his sins (Acts 2:38), and confess Christ as Lord (Romans 10:10).
    • After baptism, the Christian is to press on towards perfection.  Hebrews 6:1; II Peter 1:5-11
• The organization of the church
  • Man’s way:  The church may be organized in any way that is determined best by man.
  • God’s way:  In each local church, there are to be elders who lead the flock in that location (I Peter 5:1-4), deacons who help the elders (I Timothy 3:8-13), and members (Romans 12:4-5).
    • The local church must be organized to the degree to which is can be scripturally organized.
• Controlling one’s thoughts
  • Man’s way:  I can think about whatever I want.  Matthew 15:17-20
  • God’s way:  It is imperative that a Christian control his thoughts and not think about whatever he wants (II Corinthians 10:3-6).
    • Let us remember that all sin develops from desire and a response to temptation (James 1:14-15); therefore, if we control our thoughts (where desire originates and ruminates if uncontrolled), we can effectively control sin.
    • Moreover, in order to better control our thoughts, we must replace evil thoughts with good, wholesome meditation (Philippians 4:8; Psalm 1).