Heritage Bible Church

Luke 2:1-20: . . .When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them. Doesn't it make you wonder what was in her mind when "Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart." About nine months earlier, Mary said to her cousin Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist: "My soul exalts the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior." We don't know if Mary lived long enough to read the book of Titus. It's possible. If she did, I'm sure she smiled and understood better than ever all those magnificent things she pondered in her heart when her firstborn Son arrived to the praises of a host of heavenly angels to be her Savior. Many love to celebrate the birth of a baby, but don't comprehend the full significance of it. For that reason I commend this passage to you. Think of it in conjunction with your holiday celebration, and you can't miss the point. Titus 3:4-7 explains what Mary meant by " . . . and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior." He Saved Us! 1 - Not by our works 2 - But according to His mercy 3 - By regeneration and the Holy Spirit 4 - That we might be made heirs

4 Features of Triumph Confirming Your Eternal Praise 1 - The Victory of Illumination (1-2) 2 - The Victory of Multiplication (3) 3 - The Victory of Devastation (4-5) 4 - The Victory of Domination (6-7)

Africa Report 2025 Next Week's Reading – Genesis 18:16-19:38

Nahum is the sequel to the book of Jonah. Assyria, whose capital was Nineveh, was exceptionally bloodthirsty and evil. The repentance there under Jonah was unprecedented and never repeated anywhere. God used Nahum to predict the total destruction of the city which returned to wickedness: Nahum 1:1 (LSB): "The oracle of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite." From the few things Nahum writes which allow us to zero in on the timing, it appears it was only 20 to 50 years from Nahum's prophecy until the total destruction of Nineveh. There's nothing complicated in Nahum, just the sober and straightforward word from God that He was going to judge the evil nation Assyria and her capital Nineveh for idolatry and cruelty. The repentance of the Ninevites was genuine–Jesus Himself said so. But alas, as majestic as was the glory of God's grace showered upon Nineveh in the days of Jonah, genuine faith in the true God waned in the following generations. Old patterns resurfaced. Assyria crumbled from within because they spurned God and forfeited His blessings. It's interesting that God didn't tell Jonah what was ultimately going to happen to Nineveh. God knew all about it, but it wasn't Jonah's place to know. Remember that! Living by faith does not come with details about what's going to happen. You need to seek God's wisdom, make your choices, and trust Him to work through them. God does not owe you explanations. The opening line in the trailer to the movie sequel to Jonah would be "Nahum: God's Vengeance" if not "Nineveh: The Sequel." 1 - Wrath Is Poured Out Like Fire (Ch 1) 2 - Behold, I Am Against You (Ch 2) 3 - Your Wound Is Incurable (Ch 3)

4 Marital Features to Build Your Marriage Around 1. Bad Decisions 16:1-16 2. Laughter & Pain 17:15-27 3. Blessings & Regrets 18:1-15 4. Treachery & Grace 20:1-17 Next Week's Reading – Genesis 18:16-20:17

God called Jonah to Nineveh a second time, and this time Jonah obeyed. It must have taken him a month or more to reach Nineveh. When he announced (Jonah 3:4) "Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown" people began to repent. Word got to the king himself, and he repented and called upon everyone to follow suit. The king said: (Jonah 3:9) "Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish." Here's the rest of the story. The people of Nineveh repented, God withheld judgment, Jonah didn't like it, and he threw a tantrum. 1 - God Appoints Salvation (3:10) 2 - God Appoints A Plant (4:1-6) 3 - God Appoints A Worm (4:7) 4 - God Appoints A Wind (4:8) 5 - God Makes A Point (4:9-11) 6 - Epilogue

So far we've seen 6 of 10 miracles recorded in this book: 1:4 "Yahweh hurled a great wind on the sea" 1:7 "the lot fell on Jonah" 1:15 "the sea stopped its raging" 1:17 "Yahweh appointed a great fish" 1:17 "to swallow Jonah" 2:10 "Yahweh commanded the fish and it vomited Jonah up onto the dryland" In chapter 3 we are going to see the greatest of the 10 miracles. This chapter records the largest revival in history. Everyone mentioned here repents. 1 - Jonah Repents (1-3) 2 - Nineveh Repents (4-9)

4 Marital Features to Build Your Marriage Around 1. Bad Decisions 16:1-16 2. Laughter & Pain 17:15-27 3. Blessings & Regrets 18:1-15 4. Treachery & Grace 20:1-17 Next Week's Reading – Genesis 18:16-19:38

Most people who know the rudiments of the story of Jonah don't really believe it happened, but they regard it as an allegory or a fable. The intermediate students know that Jonah fled rather than to obey God by going to Nineveh. In this series you are becoming part of the Advanced Placement class by learning the depths of the value of this unique book of the Bible. We left off with Jonah having been swallowed by the fish God appointed for the task (see 1:15-17). Chapter 2 is the prayer Jonah prayed from inside the fish. We'll look at the whole prayer – only 10 verses – then make some observations about it. 1 - Focus On God 2 - Be Honest About Your Trial 3 - Do What God Wants

1. God chooses both Jews and Gentiles for various uses (24-29) 2. We Must Pursue God with Faith, Not Works (30-33) 3. Christ is the End of the Law for Righteousness (10:1-4) 4. Romans 9-10:4 Conclusion

Jonah is both the title of this book and the author according to the best evidence. The book makes no direct claim regarding authorship, so we can't be dogmatic but that doesn't mean we aren't sure. Throughout the book Jonah is repeatedly referred to in the third person, which would be the case if someone else were writing about him. That, however, doesn't rule out Jonah as the author. The same thing is true of other books of the Bible. Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Micah, Zephaniah, Haggai, and Zechariah have similar formats. It's appropriate to make an observation about how the Bible treats its heroes. Unlike other religious books, the Bible is perfectly honest about the fallen humanity of the characters it portrays. Jesus is the perfectly holy One, and all others are sinful. Starting with Eve, the Bible includes the sins of all people. There was a murderer among the first children of Adam and Eve. Noah was a righteous man, but for all he did, he also sinned through drunkenness. Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness, but he was quick to lie about his wife when he thought he was in danger and he was quick to accept an ungodly and immoral way to try to do God's will. Peter had to be confronted by Paul when he stumbled into hypocrisy. The beat goes on and on, including Jonah. The events recorded in this book show us that the bad attitudes we have only cause us trouble. They do not cause God any kind of angst or prevent Him from accomplishing His will or disrupt His timing. Today we survey all of Chapter 1. 1 - Jonah Runs (1-3) 2 - Jonah Confesses (4-9) 3 - The Sailors Believe (10-16) 4 - The Fish Swallows Hard (17)

1. God's Perfect Righteousness & Mercy (14-16) 2. Why the Elect are Elected (17-18) 3. The Potter's Authority over the Clay (19-21) 4. An Important Clarification around "Double Predestination" 5. Vessels of Mercy Show God's Glory (22-23)

Jonah is a short book of the Bible. You'll find Jonah the 8th book from the end of your Old Testament, #5 of the 12 minor prophets. The main question you will encounter about this book is whether it is history or not. About 150 years ago in the first heyday of Protestant liberalism, so-called "scholars" began saying that Jonah was not to be taken as history. The main obstacle to believing the book is actual history is the miracles, especially Jonah being kept alive 3 days inside the big fish. But rejecting the historicity of the book of Jonah is the fruit of unbelief. It's silly to say you believe in God but you don't believe the miracles in the Bible. The book is written in narrative style with nothing to indicate it is anything other than history. Jonah himself is a known historical prophet. If you don't believe this book is history, you don't believe Jesus. Matthew 12:38–41 (LSB): Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered and said to Him, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You." But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation eagerly seeks for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA MONSTER, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. "The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. 1 - Who, What, When, Where, Why? (Introduction) 2 - Fleeing From God (1-3) 3 - A Really Bad Testimony (4-9)

1. Paul's grief for the unsaved Israelites (1-5) 2. Despite not all being saved, God's Word can be trusted (6-13)

Church isn't fun and games. It's about God, and our relationship with Him. It's about the problem we have with God. We need to be saved from His wrath, which we deserve because of our sin. That being the case, we can expect Satan to use every devious means he can muster to confuse people. One of his most common and effective strategies is to sow tares among the wheat, as in the famous parable of Jesus. A tare is a weed that looks just like wheat until the harvest, but tares rob wheat of nutrients and corrupt the harvest. Spiritually speaking, a tare is a phony who looks just like a Christian, but spreads well-packaged and sweet-tasting long-acting spiritual poison. 1 - Warning Of The Spirit (1) 2 - Wandering From The Faith (1) 3 - Ways To Go Astray (1-3) 4 - Wonderful Gifts Of God (4-5)

4 Marital Features to Build Your Marriage Around 1. Bad Decisions 16:1-16 2. Laughter & Pain 17:15-27 3. Blessings & Regrets 18:1-15 4. Treachery & Grace 20:1-17 Next Week's Reading – Genesis 18:16-19:38

4 Responses Revealing Your Spiritual Maturity 1 - An Effective Introduction (19) 2 - The Effect of Anger (20-21) a - The Negative Consequences (20) b - The Positive Contrasts (21) 3 - The Effect of Hearing (22-25, next time) 4 - The Effect of Speech (26-27, next time)

5 Perspectives on Your Choice that Reveal God's Will 1. Divine Direction 12:4-9 2. Desert Dereliction 12:10-20 3. Descendant Division 13:1-18 4. Defendant Destruction 14:1-17 5. Deliverer Devotion 14:17-24 Next Week's Reading – Gen 16; 17:15–27; 18:1–15; 20

Psalm 33 is one of the very few Psalms that does not have a title. It praises God for who He is and what He has done, and several items are listed in this regard.

1. Original Sin - How Fear Begets More Fear Genesis 3 2. The End of Genesis - How Love Begets More Love Genesis 35 3. The Ultimate Overcomer of Fear - Jesus Christ John 15:8

5 Perspectives on Your Choice that Reveal God's Will 1. Divine Direction 12:4-9 2. Desert Dereliction 12:10-20 3. Descendant Division 13:1-18 4. Defendant Destruction 14:1-17 5. Deliverer Devotion 14:17-24

3 Seals of Salvation Ratifying Your Eternal Victory 1 - What Persons? (31-34) 2 - What Things? (35-36) 3 - What Glory! (37-39)

3 Components of God's First Redemptive Covenant with You 1 - The Covenant Components 12:1-3 2 - The Covenant Inauguration 15:1-21 3 - The Covenant Sign 17:1-14 Next Week's Reading - Genesis 12:4-14:24

3 Seals of Salvation Ratifying Your Eternal Victory 1 - What Persons? (31-34) 2 - What Things? (35-36) 3 - What Glory! (37-39)

3 Components of God's First Redemptive Covenant with You 1 - The Covenant Components 12:1-3 2 - The Covenant Inauguration 15:1-21 3 - The Covenant Sign 17:1-14 Next Week's Reading - Genesis 12:4-14:24

Romans 8:28-30: And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. Foreknew Predestined Called Justified Glorified Each of these words are linked together in a chain of occurrences. Those who are foreknown are predestined – no exceptions. Those who are predestined are called – no exceptions. Those who are called are justified – no exceptions. Those who are justified are glorified – no exceptions.

As we continue to reinforce the assurance of the security of our salvation in Christ, I remind you that this assurance and all the promises of this chapter are not presented in a vacuum. They are not abstract. They are not confined to an elite status of super-Christians. They are not merely doctrinal nuances for spiritual nerds. Assurance is declared to us as we battle the flesh. As we deal with a sinful Christ-hating world system. As we deal with the constant decaying of the outer man. As we deal with crushing disappointments. As we are humiliated by our own sins. 1 - While We're On The Subject (26a) 2 - We Do Not Know (26-27) 3 - We Know (28)

3 Hopeful Facets of Your Life that Reveal Glory 1 - Your Present Suffering (18) 2 - Your World's Subjection (19-21) 3 - Your Reality - Salvation (22-25)

We began this series with the great THEREFORE. Romans 8:1: Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Our next paragraph is verses 18-25. The title of this two-part study is Are You Eagerly Awaiting? Three Hopeful Facets of Your Life that Reveal Glory 1 - Your Present Suffering (18) 2 - Your World's Subjection (19-21) 3 - Your Reality-Salvation (22-25, next time)

Salvation, the Holy Spirit's Work, Security, and Assurance are the main themes running through Romans 8. Here in the middle of the chapter we discover the implications of being adopted into sonship, and a new bittersweet theme joins the chorus that will take us through the rest of the chapter. 1 - Because Slavery and Fear are Behind You (15a) 2 - Because You Are Adopted (15b) 3 - Because You Are God's Children (16) 4 - Because You Are Fellow Heirs With Christ (17a) 5 - What's Included In Your Inheritance? (17b)

Romans 8 is a seminal chapter on the doctrine of salvation, with special emphasis on the security of salvation and having assurance of your salvation. As I quoted when we began this series: "We enter this chapter with no condemnation, we close with no separation, and in between all things work together for good to those that love God." This chapter describes the only two kinds of people in the world: Christians and non-Christians, saved and unsaved, born again and spiritually dead, in the Spirit and in the flesh, set free and enslaved to sin, citizens of the Kingdom of God and citizens of this world, spiritually sighted and spiritually blind, standing in grace and under the Law, justified and condemned, spiritual and natural, destined for heaven and destined for hell, new creatures and still tied to old things, pleasing to God and unable to please God, trusting and scoffing. This next section continues to make the case for assuring you of the security of salvation in Jesus Christ, and it contains the crucial piece of explaining your obligation in light of all that you have in Christ. As it is with every visit we've made to this chapter, you see that it is all tightly connected. Notice the connecting words: So then, for, and for. 1 - You Are Under Obligation (12a) a - The Wrong Way To Live (12b-13a) b - The Right Way To Live (13b) 2 - Show That You Are God's Child (14)

Our text for today, properly understood and applied, can go a long way to helping you with full assurance of salvation. Recall the previous passage - Romans 8:6-8. Our passage for today is directly connected to that. It begins with a super-important connecting word, However. It shows both a connection and a contrast. If you belong to Jesus Christ, you are no longer in the flesh. Romans 8:9-11: However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. 10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. So, according to verses 9, 10 and 11, we know that a Christian is a person in whom the Holy Spirit dwells and in whom Christ dwells. He or she is spiritually alive because of Christ's righteousness, and by the work of the Holy Spirit. It's not complicated to explain the difference between a Christian and a non-Christian. It's the ultimate contrast of the Haves and the Have-nots. 1 - The Haves a - Mind is set on the Spirit (6) b - In the Spirit c - Spirit of God dwells in you d - Christ is in you e - Your spirit is alive f - Spiritual life 2 - The Have-Nots a - Mind is set on death (6) b - Hostile toward God (7) c - Cannot please God (8) d - In the flesh e - Does not have the Spirit of Christ f - Does not belong to Him

We tend to complicate things that are meant to be simple, sometimes to the point where the point we are trying to make becomes so convoluted that no one understands what we are trying to convey. The simple point of the passage before us is that if you are in Christ by faith, the Holy Spirit dwells in you to lead and empower you to live in a manner pleasing to Him. If you are not in Christ there is nothing you can do that is pleasing to Him and all your righteous deeds are "filthy rags" in that regard. What does it mean to "walk in the Spirit" vs "walk in the flesh"? What are the consequences of each? 1: In the Flesh a: The Mindset b: The Walk c: The Ultimate Consequence 2: In the Spirit a: The Mindset b: The Walk c: The Ultimate Consequence

Romans 8:1-4: Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 1 - You Are Not Condemned (1) 2 - For The Spirit Has Set You Free (2) 3 - For God Condemned Sin (3) 4 - So That The Law Might Be Fulfilled (4)