Eastside church of Christ

The New Testament describes fellowship as something to be valued, built, and maintained. The “right hand of fellowship” was a symbol of acceptance and approval. But we cannot accept and approve of everyone. There are limts to fellowship. We will discuss them in this lesson.

When Jesus came to earth, many did not understand who He was or why He was here. Many also do not understand Jesus today. Several misunderstandings about Jesus are found in John 7. Most of them were partially right, but missed the whole truth about Jesus. We are going to consider how people misunderstood Jesus in John 7 and see what we can learn from it.

The church in Laodicea was condemned for being “lukewarm.” They thought they were in “need of nothing,” but they were not spiritually healthy. They needed to “be zealous and repent.” At times, we may be like the Laodiceans – not what we should be, but not completely unfaithful either; not zealously serving God, but not willfully rejecting Him; instead, we are in a state of spiritual mediocrity. What does this look like? How can we change it?

It is easy for discussions on controversial topics to become contentious, even in religion. Contentious discussions can consume our time and mental energy if we allow them to. Questions are often used to draw us into discussions, and some of these are good (cf. 1 Peter 3:15). But some questions do not need to be answered. The Bible shows us what types of questions these are.

In previous lessons, we have discussed several matters pertaining to hermeneutics and Bible authority. In this lesson, we are going to talk about what has been bound and loosed. This is about what is REQUIRED and what is merely PERMITTED. What is the difference? And what does this mean for churches and individual Christians?

In the previous lessons, we have discussed the need for authority, how authority is established, the difference between generic and specific authority, and the silence of the Scriptures. In this lesson, we are going to talk about the New Testament pattern. God has always used patterns to instruct His people, and the pattern we follow today is found in the New Testament.

In the previous lessons, we have discussed the need for authority, how authority is established, and the difference between generic and specific authority. In this lesson, we are going to talk about the silence of the Scriptures. We have discussed how to interpret what the Bible SAYS. What do we do when it is SILENT on a particular question or topic? That is what we will discuss here.

In previous lessons, we have studied the need for authority and how authority is established. In this lesson, we are going to talk about the difference between generic and specific authority. It is important that we understand the difference or we can get ourselves in trouble, and we will discuss how.

In the previous lesson, we discussed the need for authority. In this lesson, we are going to see how authority is established. We will consider how God communicates His will for us, and look at a practical example to see how to apply this.

The Lord expects us to understand His word (Ephesians 3:4), and also have unity based on that understanding (1 Corinthians 1:10). This necessitates a proper understanding of hermeneutics (how to interpret the Bible). This lesson will be the first in a series on hermeneutics, and we will begin by discussing the need for authority.

Many churches have some type of statement of faith or confession that they adopt as a unifying belief. A common one is the “Apostle's Creed.” However, rather than adopting a man-made confession like this, we should go to the Bible. Paul expressed a statement of faith about Jesus in his first letter to Timothy (“common confession”). It was “without controversy” (KJV) because this is what first-century Christians believed, and we must as well. We are going to examine this “common confession” and see what we should believe about Jesus.

After David became king, he looked for an opportunity to show kindness to someone of Saul's house. He learned of Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth, who was crippled. The kindness David extended to Mephibosheth provides an important lesson for us to help those in need as we have opportunity (Galatians 6:10). However, this example also teaches us about GRACE. David's kindness to Mephibosheth parallels (in several ways) the grace which God shows to us. In this lesson, we are going to consider this example and what it teaches us about the grace of God.

On the day of Pentecost, the first gospel sermon was preached following the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. Peter identified Jesus as the Messiah and announced the promise of salvation. This is important for us because the same promise is available today. We need to understand Peter's message – what was the promise and how to take advantage of it.

Jesus spoke of the need for His disciples to take up their cross and follow Him. In order to appreciate what is involved with this, we need to understand Jesus' mission and the world's response to it. We do not want to respond as the world does. It will cost us something to follow Jesus, but the reward is worth it. In this lesson, we will consider this passage and see what Jesus taught about taking up our cross.

When Paul was in Athens, he was bothered by the idols that filled the city, which prompted him to teach in the synagogue and market place. His message piqued the interest of the philosophers, and they wanted to hear more. The people were “very religious,” but the God of heaven was “unknown” to them. So Paul proceeded to teach them about the one true God. We encounter many people today who are like the Athenians – they do not know God. How can we begin to teach them? Consider what Paul explained to these pagan philosophers.

This lesson considers some examples of the prophets and Job, who suffered, and what lessons they can teach us.

Paul told the Galatians that they were not to lose heart in doing good. Yet this often happens. We become exhausted as we go through life serving the Lord. As Christians, we need to deal with this feeling appropriately and not allow ourselves to “lose heart.”

In the previous lesson, we talked about the proof we have for the resurrection of Jesus. This was not just a myth or legend, it is a historical fact. This is important. If the resurrection of Jesus did not happen, there are some major implications. Paul warned about what it would mean if Jesus was not raised in his letter to the Corinthians. If we deny the resurrection, these will be true for us.

The resurrection of Jesus is part of the foundation of the gospel. Yet it is not a mere myth or legend. There is proof that the resurrection of Jesus is a historical fact. What is the proof that this event happened? We will discuss that in this lesson.

When we talk about what we can do as individuals to grow spiritually, a few obvious things come to mind (reading the Bible, studying, prayer, etc.). One practice mentioned throughout the Bible, but often overlooked today, is meditation. Yet if we practice this correctly, it can greatly help us in our service to God. So in this lesson, we are going to talk about meditation – what it is, how to do it, the benefits of it, and why it is challenging to practice it in the modern world.

We sometimes hear the phrase: “God helps those who help themselves.” This phrase is not in the Bible, but there is a sense in which the principle exists. In order to take advantage of what God offers us, we must do what we are able to do.

Occasionally we hear about some awful crimes in the news. What should be done with the criminals? The Bible has a plan for that. God's word answers our questions about life, even of this nature. Learning what God's word teaches on subjects like this shows us that God's way is best.

While on a high mountain with Jesus, Peter, James, and John witnessed His transfiguration. Peter said it was “good for us to be here.” In the same way, it is “good for us” to look at what happened on this occasion. This event teaches us about Jesus and our responsibility before Him.

While on a high mountain with Jesus, Peter, James, and John witnessed His transfiguration. Peter said it was “good for us to be here.” In the same way, it is “good for us” to look at what happened on this occasion. This event teaches us about Jesus and our responsibility before Him.

At the end of John's first epistle, he mentioned two different kinds of sin – one that leads to death and one that does not. What was he talking about? This is a difficult passage. We must take care not to misinterpret it, but we can understand it. To do this, we must seek to harmonize it with the rest of Scripture.

The Lord's church began on the day of Pentecost following Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension. With help from the Holy Spirit, Peter proclaimed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God. Three thousand responded to the message that day. After that, the church continued to grow. God was adding to their number, but it is important to note WHO He was adding so we can be among the same number.

Jesus gave the twelve disciples a limited commission to “go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:6). He told them that not everyone would receive them (Matthew 10:14) and that they would face persecution (Matthew 10:17-18). But He also told them not to fear those who would harm them (Matthew 10:28). Persecution is meant to intimidate Christians into being silent about their faith, or to abandon it altogether. We need to be prepared to handle this.

Jesus explained that the truth is able to make us free (John 8:32). Free from what? From sin. Sin enslaves those who commit it. How does it do this? It is not by somehow removing our free will. So how does it happen? In this lesson, we will notice seven ways sin enslaves us.

In our text, Jesus told Pilate that He came to testify to the truth. That truth is recorded in the Scriptures. Yet Pilate dismissed that. In the same way, many dismiss the truth in Scripture by denying inspiration. When we deny the inspiration of the Bible, we make it no different from any other writing. There are several problems that arise when we do this.

Many believe the Bible is an ancient book created by men. They reject the idea that it is from God. On the other hand, Christians believe the Bible contains the word of God given by inspiration. What proof do we have that the Bible is from God? We will consider a few points in this lesson.

Many believe the Bible is an ancient book created by men. They reject the idea that it is from God. On the other hand, Christians believe the Bible contains the word of God given by inspiration. What proof do we have that the Bible is from God? We will consider a few points in this lesson.

Shortly before Jacob's death, he gathered his sons together to speak about their futures. All of the sons were addressed individually except for two brothers – Simeon and Levi. Because of what they did together, their descendants would face similar futures. However, the descendants of one of them would make a decision that would change the tribe's future. As we look at these two brothers and their descendants, there are a few lessons we can learn.

A preacher's job is not to find some “new” thing to present to his audience every time he preaches. He is to “preach the word” (2 Timothy 4:2), which means he will inform, challenge, and remind the brethren. In our text, Paul explained the importance of preachers reminding the brethren. This can be applied broadly to anything taught from the word of God, but what did Paul mean in this specific context? What they were to remember is still important today.

We sometimes wonder what good one person can do. As individuals, how much do our actions really impact the situation around us? From our perspective, the impact may be minimal. From God's perspective, it may be much different. In our text, God was searching for “a man” to change His mind about destroying the people. This reminds us of the importance of our efforts as individuals. Do not think that your effort is in vain.

Bible Text: James 2:12 | Preacher: Andy Sochor | Series: N/A | In our text, James talked about being “judged by the law of liberty.” This is not liberty to do as we please, it is the freedom from sin and any obligation to follow any law over Christ's. Christ still has authority over us. God will judge us based upon how we have spoken and acted according to His law. What are we to do? In this lesson, we will focus on what James described in his letter.

This sermon discusses some lessons we can learn from young people in the Bible – Timothy, the rich young ruler, and Saul (who later became Paul).

In our previous lesson, we looked at the man of integrity (Job 31). This passage is about the virtuous woman. She is valuable and worthy of praise. We are going to see what we can learn from her example.

Proverbs 31 is known for its description of the virtuous woman. Job 31 provides a similar description for the man. It describes what a man of integrity looks like. Integrity is an uprightness of character that is displayed in every area of life. It is complete and consistent, not selective and sporadic. It is important for men to have integrity. This chapter shows what this means.

Most of the “Christian” religious world is under the heavy influence of Calvinism. They believe in unconditional election and that salvation is by grace “alone.” Therefore, they object when we teach that obedience is necessary. They charge us with believing that we can “earn” our salvation. Yet this is not the case. Our text is helpful in showing the connection between the grace of God and obedience to Christ.

In the previous lesson, we talked about the proof we have for the existence of God. There is evidence for God, and it is reasonable to believe in Him. Yet many people ignore this evidence and deny the existence of God. However, denying His existence is not inconsequential. There are several major problems with doing this.

Usually when we have to argue for the existence of God, it is with those who doubt or deny His existence. In such cases, using the Bible as our sole source of argumentation may not be effective. If they do not believe in God, why would they believe the Bible? However, we are still going to be using the Bible to discuss this topic. The arguments for God's existence will stand apart from the Bible, yet the Bible also includes them. This can be a powerful argument for the veracity of the Scriptures while also reinforcing the arguments for the existence of God.

Most people do not recognize God, so it is not surprising that they do not obey Him. Yet as Christians, obedience ought to be a way of life. But WHY do we obey God? It is not to “earn” our salvation. Yet as our text explains, we must be “obedient from the heart.” So we ask, WHY do we obey God? There are a few reasons presented in the Scriptures.

The Hebrew writer addressed the problem of those who would “go on sinning willfully” (Hebrews 10:26). These were Christians who were forgiven of their sins. Yet in our text, the Hebrew writer made three indictments against them. He was not just indicting them of sin, but of three things they were doing because they continued in sin.

In this psalm, the psalmist praised God for His mercy. He invites us to “consider the lovingkindnesses [mercy] of the Lord” (v. 43), and gives examples. It is good for us to consider these. There are lessons for us to learn in these examples.

After giving the parable of the sower, Jesus said that some WOULD NOT understand. It was not that they COULD NOT, but they refused to see and hear. This meant they would miss out on the healing the Lord offered. The primary application was about being healed of their sin. Yet there are other ways that God offers help and healing, but many ignore or reject this. In this lesson, we will consider some emotional, mental, or behavioral problems that develop when we forget God and His word. IMPORTANT: These conditions do not automatically indicate one's lack of faith or their disobedience, nor is it always wrong to treat them with various pharmaceutical drugs. Instead, the point is that we need to make sure we are spiritually healthy FIRST and not skip that step.