Growing and Witnessing

The Pharisees and Sadducees sought to trap Jesus. However, none of their tactics worked because Jesus, as God, cannot be trapped by human logic. After they finished, Jesus asked them a pointed and essential question. "Whose son is the Christ?" They couldn't answer.

Buzzy led us through chapters 40 and 41 of Genesis. He helped us understand what Joseph's interpretation of dreams means in the story of God's work among His people.

What do Scientologists believe? Where did their system come from? Is it a religion? How did it get formed?

Are you bearing the fruit in keeping with repentance? Jesus asked the same question to the religious leaders of his day by telling them three stories. One was about a father and his two sons, another was about tenants of a vineyard, and the third was about a king and the wedding feast he hosted for his son. Join us as we walk through them together.

Christian Science is a belief system that emphasizes spiritual reality, mental healing, and the example of Jesus as one who reached ultimate spiritual understanding and self-actualization. 

God put Joseph through a trial to prepare him for the leadership that would come. God's "frowning" providence is as blessed as his "smiling" providence is.

Four stories in these verses combine to help us understand and follow God's will. Join us as we walk through them.

Joseph had dreams and unwisely shared them with his brothers. They didn't take kindly to it and sold him into slavery.

What do Mormons believe regarding revelation, God, Jesus, Man, Salvation, and Eternity? We investigate their beliefs in this session. 

It takes faith to serve the Lord. Do you have it? Will you submit to Christ and elevate others out of faith in Him?

Are Mormons Christians? No. Why? They don't believe in the Jesus of the Bible and have an origin story that contradicts the Scriptures. They also have an additional source of revelation called the Book of Mormon.

Jacob converted after he wrestled with God during the night prior to his meeting with Esau. God changed his name, renewed his covenant, and wrestled Jacob's heart into loving obedience to His will.

What do Jehovah's Witnesses believe, and from where did they come? Great questions. We answer them in our first lesson on Religions and Cults in America 2025. Join us.

Who makes up the kingdom community of Christ? People. More specifically, it's people who have come to Christ in faith, committed themselves to following him fully, and received the kingdom's benefits through faith.

Jacob and his family leave Laban's home and begin their journey home to the Promised Land of Canaan. This is a story that illustrates how God moves His people back to Himself and His promises.

Why do we need to study the beliefs of our fellow Americans? We can't properly pray for or share the gospel with them if we don't know what they believe.

How should the Church be known by the world around it? By its love for God and for one another. What does that look like? Jesus gives us five characteristics in Matthew 18 that define what love is. They are: meekness, purity, grace, reconciliation, and forgiveness.

Jesus's transfiguration is about worship. Peter, John, and James encountered the glory of the Lord on the top of the mountain. That experience empowered them for the call on their lives to serve Christ.

We are called to trust, obey, and worship our Lord, for he is good. Psalm 105 tells us that God remembers His covenant promises, providentially orders all things for His glory, and calls us to worship Him and obey His commands.

We praise our Lord because he is the Lord of all creation. As Creator, he designed, built, and ordered his creation so that his creatures would flourish. He also provides for their every need.

Bless the Lord, Oh My Soul is the call on the hearts of God's people. We praise him for his faithful love and compassion, which we see in his dealings with Israel in the Exodus, in his relationship with us as Father, and in the love he extends to us as his creatures.

Psalm 101 highlights the integrity of our Lord Jesus Christ, the ultimate King in David's line. We are to sing it while focusing our minds on him and striving to follow his blessed example of integrity in all walks of life.

Chapter 24 affirms that marriage is a divinely instituted covenant between one man and one woman. It is lawful for all types of people to marry (except those prohibited in Scripture), and Christians should marry only in the Lord. Because marriage is honorable, it must be entered into and governed according to God's Word.

Psalm 100 calls us to thank our God because he is our creator, redeemer, and good. The 7 imperatives instruct us how to give thanks to God as we make our way to our heavenly home.

Chapters 32 and 33 of the Westminster Confession of Faith address important questions that every Christian asks: What happens to me when I die? What about those still here when Christ returns? Will there be a final judgment, and if so, should I be concerned about it?

God's holiness is the guarantee that he is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Let us praise him for his holiness.

Chapters 30 and 31 explain that Christ has given the Church the authority to govern itself to direct its ministry in an orderly manner and protect its purity for the glory of Christ. The Church does this through ecclesiastical courts (deliberative governing bodies) and the appropriate use of discipline. 

We sing a song of joy to the Lord for his eternal and righteous reign. He sits enthroned and will establish His kingdom on earth in due time. We await His return with joy and praise.

Psalm 97 celebrates God's kingship over all his creation, particularly focusing on how God's universal rule assures the faithful of his final victory over evil and idolatry. We sing it to praise the God who maintains peace by his providential reign.

Chapters 27-29 of the Westminster Confession of Faith discuss the nature, purpose, and proper use of the sacraments in Christian faith. They are God-ordained means of grace meant to build up believers and point them to Christ. There are two sacraments in the Protestant Church -- Baptism and the Lord's Supper.

Chapters 25 and 26 of the Westminster Confession of Faith define the Church and her mission, as well as explaining how our membership in the Church impacts our daily lives. Join us as we study these chapters together.

God is worthy of praise, and he is to be praised both now and evermore. We must praise him with a devoted heart and beware of a hard one. We are not to harden our hearts before God. Rather, let us bend the knee to him and thank him for his goodness to us.

Chapters 22 and 23 of the Westminster Confession explain the our responsibilities to God with reference to oaths we take and how we relate to the civil magistrate. Join us as we think through what these chapters teach.

Vengeance is mine, says the Lord. He will repay everyone according to his deeds. He is the one who has our backs. We don't need to worry about repaying evil for evil. We are to be good to all and let God handle his business.

Chapter 21 emphasizes how vital worship is in the life of a Christian, highlighting the responsibilities of both the church and individual believers in engaging with the means of grace.

Our Lord reigns, and that comforts our hearts amid turmoil. We don't lose hope when nations rise against our God. Rather, we trust him, engage the political system of our day, pray, and serve while walking holily before our God.

Chapter 20 of the Confession emphasizes the freedom believers have in Christ and the responsibilities that come with that freedom, particularly regarding adherence to God's authority and lawful governance.

It is good to thank our Lord for his goodness and grace in our lives. Cultivating a heart of gratitude is a challenge that takes time throughout our Christian lives.

Matthew 16 asks us if we will follow Jesus with our lives. He is the Son of God and the only one worthy of our faith. When we stand on him, we are guaranteed to prevail.

Why is our counter-cultural gospel such good news? It gives us true freedom in a performance-driven world order.

Is God working out his eternal plan in time and space? Yes, and Jesus' kingdom parables in Matthew 13 explain that his plan involves the proclamation of the gospel to all and the delay of his judgment on the wicked to preserve the lives of his beloved children.

How do you deal with disappointment and the doubt that comes with it? You're going to struggle with it just like John the Baptist did. He took his doubt to Jesus and received gracious rest for his soul. Will you do the same?

Whenever Jesus sent his disciples out as his witnesses, he informed them that persecution would come their way. This is true for all of us as well. Jesus prepares us through his Spirit, like he prepared his disciples years ago. Be ready to stand for Christ amid the wolves of this world.

Is Jesus still riding in majesty? Yes. He will reign for all eternity after he took his crown upon his head in his resurrection. We follow him in his grace.

Should we participate in our King's mission of seeking and saving the lost? Yes. But, "Will we?" is the question. We must learn to see people as Jesus sees them, feel for people as Jesus feels for them, and think about people and their eternity as Jesus thinks about them.

Who can follow Jesus? Anyone who trusts the Lord Jesus Christ follows him with their lives. It's really that simple. Background doesn't matter. Gifts don't matter. Skills don't matter. Experience doesn't matter. Only faith matters.

Jesus has complete dominion. The questions are: Will you trust him with your life? And, do you submit to him?

Entrance into the kingdom of Christ is by faith. It must be a faith that is bold and humble in the Lord of Glory, who is more than able to heal his people immediately and entirely by restoring them to Himself in his grace.

What is the general biblical principle that governs our interactions with one another? The golden rule. In Matthew 7, Jesus explains how doing unto others the way we want them to do unto us plays out in our daily lives.

Should we worry about tomorrow? No. God has already planned what will happen and determined it will be for his glory. Every day anxiety does nothing but trouble our hearts.

Like our acts of righteousness, our piety must come from the heart and be purposefully done for the glory of God. Religious devotion is given to God alone. Any notoriety from them should reflect our desire to glorify the God who saved us by his grace.