A Servant's Fight

Jim Leffel

2 Corinthians 4:13

Paul calls us to fight the good fight. We are in a spiritual war, and an ideological battle against Satan and his world system. God has given us the truth of His powerful love and offer of salvation. Our fight is to share this message in a corrupt and jaded world.

Gospel and Waste

Jim Leffel

Mark 14:3-9

When a woman broke a jar of expensive perfume at Jesus' feet, his disciples accused her of being wasteful. Their real issue was that they were embarrassed by her attitude and uncomfortable with her priorities. Many who fail to experience the goodness of a life for God have actually failed to truly prioritize the most important things.

Suffering and Spiritual Warfare

Dennis McCallum

Mark 14:3-9

For healthy Christians, a significant portion of voluntary pain comes from our battle with Satan. Currently, Satan rules this world, meaning that Christians are always in a spiritual battle. Contrast having this mindset with having a peace-time mentality, and see how dangerous it is to remain indifferent.

Representing Jesus in a Non-Christian Society

Gary DeLashmutt

1 Peter 2:11-25

Peter explains how Christians should live in a non-Christian society. One way prescribed is for Christians to resist moral assimilation with society. Another way Peter presents is to be a blessing to those who don't believe in Jesus. Peter explains this includes: 1) respecting governing authorities, 2) doing good in the community, 3) treating people with honor and respect, 4) being a hard-working employee, and 5) patiently enduring mistreatment from others.\r\n

Adultery in the Church?

Dennis McCallum

Matthew 6:24

James teaches on the world system that his audience have given themselves to as a metaphor of adultery towards God. For us and for them, the kosmos is not designed to make us deny God, it is designed to replace God in our affections. When we try to move physical enjoyments from something to enjoy in life to something that's the basis for our lives it becomes distorted and can't deliver what we want it to. Ultimately we end up with an inner hunger for more and we become enslaved. God calls us to view the things of His kingdom as the focus of our hearts, and to hold little value in trying to fill ourselves with things of the world.

The Wisdom From Above or Below?

Dennis McCallum

James 4:1-3

We all have some tendencies to act in the wisdom of the world; as we grow with God, He is going to correct our hearts and minds as to how we act and react to the people around us. God is gracious and will reveal aspects of ourselves to us as we sit under Him in His word. Ultimately God is going to provide the change in our thinking, but it all starts with a saving relationship with God through His son's death on the cross for our sins.

Power of the Gospel (Part 1)

Jim Leffel

Mark 5:1-20

The Bible presents a picture of the supernatural that is different from both naturalism and an obsessive neurosis: that we are spiritual beings in a spiritual world. The spiritual dimension is not neutral, and humans live in a system that is largely under the control of Satan. When Jesus commands demons out of a possessed man, he proves that he is able to restore us to freedom and sanity.

Responses to the Gospel

Jim Leffel

Mark 4:1-20

Jesus taught through parables because they were strategic, and were spiritually significant in that it was up to the hearer to receive spiritual truth. In the parable of the soils, Jesus explains that there are four kinds of soil which represent four responses to the gospel. There is: 1) the hard ground, which represents those who have a hardened heart; 2) the shallow soil, which does not have a deep faith; 3) the thorny ground, whose hearts are lured by the world; and 4) the good soil, which accepts the message and bears good fruit.

Being a "Doer": Inclusiveness and Compassion

Dennis McCallum

1 Corinthians 1:26-29

When we are not taking our identity from God we create an arbitrary identity through distinctions and setting our identity based on that. James implores us to love others as ourselves, and not show partiality based on distinctions we make in our minds. Being a doer of the Word means going out of our way to love those different than ourselves.