OC Bereans

Gentlemen,

Here are study questions to prepare you for our discussion of Romans 1:26-32.

1. The phrase “God gave them over” occurs three times (vv. 24, 26, 28).  What does this mean?
2. Have you ever personally experienced this?
3. The word “exchanged” occurs three times (vv. 23, 25, 26).  What does it mean?
4. What are potential consequences in v. 27?
5. Define “depraved mind.” (v. 28)
6. Contrast the “faith to faith” of v. 17 with the “hearty approval” of v. 32.

Download the handout for this study at the “Media Drop Box” located at the right-side toolbar, under “Bible Study Tools.”

Dessert is served at 7 pm, with the study starting minutes after that!

~ tr

Gentlemen,

Here are additional Scriptures, mostly from the Gospel of John, to support the fact and reality that Jesus was fully God while on earth, simultaneously existing fully as a man.  I recommend that you read these verses within the broader context of the chapters in which you find them.

These first three passages summarize the theology behind this tenet of orthodox Christian faith:

• Philippians 2:5-8
• Colossians 1:19-20
• Hebrews 1:3

In this sampling of verses, all from John’s Gospel, Jesus “pulls back the curtain” and allows us to glimpse His glory, much like what occurred on the “Mount of Transfiguration” (Luke 9:28-36):

• John 1:14-15, 27, 29-30, 34, 47-51
• 2:19-22
• 3:16, 34-36
• 4:26, 42
• 5:18, 21, 23
• 6:20, 27, 40, 69
• 7:28-30
• 8:18, 28-29, 42, 54-59
• 9:35-37
• 10:25-31, 38
• 11:25-26
• 12:27-28, 45
• 13:20, 31
• 14:7, 10-12
• 18:36-37

~ tr

Gentlemen,

Here are five study questions to prepare you for Monday night’s Bible study of Romans 1:18-25.

1. Contrast God’s “wrath” with man’s “anger” in v. 18.
2. What precipitates God’s wrath?
3. What about God can be learned from nature? (v. 20)
4. What produces futility in humans? (v. 21)
5. What pattern can be identified in v. 23?

Download a handout for this study at the “Media Drop Box” located at the right-side toolbar, under “Bible Study Tools.”

Dessert is served at 7 pm, with the study starting minutes after that!

~ tr

Gentlemen,

At our study earlier this week, I referenced the “Roman Road” to salvation.  This is a handy tool to use when sharing the Gospel with an unbeliever.  This will lead anyone along the path from their sin, to salvation, and onto precious promises of God’s love.  These verses, all from the book of Romans, are listed below.  I suggest you make a copy and carry it in your Bible, or in your car, as a quick reference when sharing Christ.

Romans 3:23 ~  “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

Romans 6:23 ~  “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 5:8 ~  “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 10:9, 10, 13 ~  “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation … for ‘whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ “

Romans 5:1 ~  “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

Romans 8:1 ~  “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Romans 8:38-39 ~  “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Looking forward to getting back into our in-depth study of chapter one this next Monday night!  Study questions were listed in the previous post to this blog.

~ tr

P.S.  Halfway down the right-side toolbar is a “Sign me up!” button for email subscriptions.  Please do so, then you will automatically be notified when something new is posted to this blog.

Gentlemen,

The following questions will prepare you for our study of Romans 1:1-17 this next Monday night:

1. Define “bond-servant,” “apostle” and “set apart.”  (v. 1)
   
2. Identify at least three O.T. “promises” of the “gospel of God.”  (v. 2)
3. Where can you find the lineage referred to in v. 3?
4. What does Paul mean in v. 4 … was Jesus not the Son of God until His resurrection?
5. Why are verses 3 & 4 essential to orthodox Christian faith?
6. What does it mean to be called a “saint”?  (v. 7)
7. What is Paul’s first purpose for writing?  (v. 8)
8. Paul’s 2nd & 3rd purposes (v. 10)?
9. Paul’s 4th purpose (v. 11)? Where in Romans does Paul describe “spiritual gifts”?
10. Paul’s 5th purpose (v. 12) and 6th purpose (v. 13)?
11. In v. 17, what O.T. passage is Paul quoting?  Where else is this quote found in Scripture?

Download a handout for this study at the “Media Drop Box” located at the right-side toolbar, under “Bible Study Tools.”

Dessert is served at 7 pm, with the study starting minutes after that!

~ tr

Gentlemen,

In the preface to Francis Chan‘s newest book, “The Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit,” he differentiates between two approaches to biblical interpretation:  “exegesis” and “eisegesis.”

The dictionary defines exegesis as “critical explanation or interpretation of a text, esp. of the Bible.” Francis adds: “… starting with the text and working outward, objectively.”

The dictionary defines eisegesis as “an interpretation, esp. of Scripture, that expresses the interpreter’s own ideas, bias, or the like, rather than the meaning of the text.” Francis adds: “Eisegesis, … is when you start with an idea or conviction, then search for verses in the Bible to prove your point … The danger in this is that we can take verses out of context to support just about any point of view.”

How does this apply to our Monday night men’s Bible study?

To quote Francis again: “The bottom line is that we can easily pursue just about any lifestyle we desire, then find Scriptures to show everyone it’s all right to live that way.” Instead, like Francis, we will “Start with God’s Word; pray that the Spirit gives (us) clarity; then study to see what the text actually says.  The Holy Spirit inspired the writing of the Bible, so who better to help us as we seek to understand it?”

Finally, “… what would it look like to live exegetically?  If we were to start with Scripture and allow it to dictate our actions, how would we live?”

As we embark on a several-month-long journey through the N.T. book of Romans, ponder the exhortations in the following Scriptures:

• 2 Peter 1:19-21
• 2 Timothy 3:16-17
• 2 Timothy 4:1-2
• 1 Corinthians 2:12-16

“Now these were more noble-minded … for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.” ~ Acts 17:11

~ tr

Gentlemen,

Many biblical scholars consider the N.T. Book of Romans to be the Apostle Paul’s greatest theological work.  Starting Monday, February 15th, and continuing for several months, we will find out!  The following study questions are included in a handout, “Introduction to Romans,” which can be downloaded and printed from the “Media Drop Box” located on the right-side toolbar, under “Bible Study Tools.”

1. Who wrote Romans?
2. When was Romans written?
3. What was the historical context (secular & biblical)?
4. Where was it written?
5. Who was the original audience?
6. Why was it written (purposes for its writing)?
7. How can Romans be outlined?
8. Identify unique features.
9. Key verse(s).

I also recommend that you read through the entire book during the next several days leading up to our introduction.

In the meantime, definitely plan to attend THIS Monday night, February 8th … this is a MUST HEAR event!  Rick M. will share his testimony, along with a significant challenge that he is facing, plus what God has been teaching him from His Word through this time.

Dessert will be served at 7 pm, with our study beginning shortly thereafter.

~ tr

Gentlemen,

We will wrap up our study of the book of Esther next Monday.  The following questions on chapters 9 and 10 should help you prepare for our discussion.

1. Why are the names of Haman’s ten sons included in the narrative? (9:7-9)
2. Three times the phrase occurs, “but they did not lay hands on the plunder” (9:10, 15, 16) … Why?
3. Why did Esther request an additional day for the edict to be exacted, and why have Haman’s sons impaled on the gallows? (9:13)
4. Do the numbers of those killed by the Jews (500, 300, 75,000) sound extreme?
5. How do the Jews celebrate the Feast of Purim today? (Feb. 28, 2010)
6. Identify the components of Mordecai’s epitaph. (10:3)

You may download the handout for chapters 9 & 10 from the “Media Drop Box” located on the right-side toolbar, under “Bible Study Tools.”

Dessert will be served at 7 pm, followed by our study.  See you Monday!

~ tr

Gentlemen,

Here are several questions to aid your preparation for next Monday’s Bible study of the O.T. book of Esther:

1. What is Xerxes signifying by giving Mordecai his signet ring? (8:2)
2. What is different about Esther’s appeal to the king in 8:3?  Why?
3. What is notable about the wording in 8:11 – “to destroy, to kill and to annihilate”?
4. What is significant about the “thirteenth day of the twelfth month”? (8:12)
5. According to 8:15, what has happened to Mordecai?
6. Describe the 4-fold results for the Jews in Susa. (8:16)
7. What additional result occurs in Persia as a whole? (8:17)

Download the chapter 8 handout from the “Media Drop Box” located on the right-side toolbar, under “Bible Study Tools.”

See you at 7 pm!

~ tr

Gentlemen,

Since we did not finish chapter 6 last session, the first three questions are repeated from last week’s post.  The rest pertain to chapter 7.

1. Why couldn’t Ahasuerus sleep?  (6:1)
2. What is the biblical principle behind Haman’s thoughts in 6:6?
3. What is the true significance of Haman’s request in 6:7-9?
4. What is significant about Esther’s statement that her people were “to be destroyed, to be killed and to be annihilated” in 7:4?
5. Why did the king head “into the palace garden” (7:7)?
6. Was Haman really assaulting Queen Esther as the king claimed in 7:8?
7. Anything unusual about Haman’s gallows being erected at his house? (7:9)

Download the chapter 7 handout from the “Media Drop Box” located on the right-side toolbar, under “Bible Study Tools.”

Dessert will be served at 7 pm … the study starts shortly after that.

~ tr