Wednesday and Sunday Classes
Forgiveness
I teach a class on Forgiveness in each interim. I usually spend about three months on a Sunday morning or Wednesday night going through these outlines. I purchase copies of this book to loan to people for outside reading who will give a “mustard seed” they gained from the book. It’s the best illustration of working through forgiveness I’ve read other than Bible examples: #ad Revenged Redeemed
When Would It Be a Sin to Forgive?
Are You Trying to Forgive Someone Who Doesn’t Want It?
Grow in Grace and Knowledge — 2 Peter 3:18
I think 2 Peter 3:18 summarizes Peter’s life and journey with Jesus. Peter was a slow learner. He made mistakes. He talked before sufficient thought. But he kept coming back. Jesus continued to give him another opportunity to correct his mistakes. Peter accepted those opportunities. He learned from what was happening to him and about him. He grew in grace and knowledge.
Growing in grace is to show up and accept gifts when they are being distributed.
Growing in knowledge is not only learning more facts but also learning by experience by being aware of what’s going on around us and when we make mistakes, answering the question, “What did you learn from that?”
Growing in Grace and Knowledge 1
Growing in Grace and Knowledge 2
Growing in Grace and Knowledge 3
Growing in Grace and Knowledge 4
Growing in Grace and Knowledge 5
Growing in Grace and Knowledge 6
Growing in Grace and Knowledge 7
Growing in Grace and Knowledge 8
Growing in Grace and Knowledge 9
I Want the Church to Grow — But Do I Want Any More People?
Ross Jordan began his work with the Central Church of Christ in October 1987. Cordell Holloway, our education minister, Ross, and I met the first Monday to get better acquainted and to discuss how we would work together. Among many other things, Ross asked Cordell and me, “Do you want the church to grow?”
Cordell replied that he wanted the church to grow.
I answered, “I want the church to grow, but I don’t want any more people.”
I explained that I understood the Great Commission of taking the gospel to every person. But, if we do that, some of those people will obey the gospel in baptism. The Lord will add them to His church. They will start attending this congregation, and the church will grow. That will mean more work for me. I’m already working harder now than I want to.
There is a difference between what I know I “should” do and what I “want” to do. I know that isn’t the right attitude. I’m committed to continuing to work on that attitude. But that’s my answer to the question today.
During the months and years that followed, I discovered I wasn’t the first one to have those feelings. That personal observation and further Bible study turned into nine sermons I preached at Berry’s Chapel.
I now use these lessons for a Bible class at the churches where I serve as an interim.
I Want the Church To Grow…But I May Not Want
People Who Haven’t Been Through the Same Process of Growth That I Have #3
People That My Friends Don’t Want #4
Those Who Are Not Immediately Receptive to the Message of Jesus #5
People Who Are Sick, Hurting, Dirty, or Who Would Interrupt My Schedule #6
I Want the Church To Grow…But Do I Want Any More People? #8
I Want the Church To Grow…But Do I Want Any More People? #9
The Sermon on the Mount for Me
I woke up on May 6, 2023, thinking about the Sermon on the Mount. It was preached to the multitudes. My mind went to the Mount of Beatitudes overlooking the Sea of Galilee. When I visited there, I pictured the hundreds of people who heard Jesus speak that day. Then I thought that, although He spoke to the multitudes, the application was to one person at a time. As I went through Matthew 5, 7, and 6, I asked myself, “How does that apply to me? How am I doing with this principle?” That thought so took me I decided to preach that the following day instead of the sermon I’d prepared. But the more I considered the idea, the more I realized it would take more than one sermon or lesson period.
The following outline is what I used for my closing Bible lessons in Pacific, Missouri, during the last month I worked with them during August 2023.
The Sermon on the Mount for Me