Essential Bible Studies essentialbiblestudies

Recently my good friends Peter and Larry asked me to join them on their very first episode of a new podcast called “Come to Life”. I jumped at the chance. As the name suggests it’s a podcast that deals with a lot of the issues of life like how to pray or coping with grief or overcoming addictions. They interview all sorts of fascinating personalities. It’s a very interesting mix of subjects.

The foundation of it all is the word of God, using the Bible as their guide. With that in mind they wanted to start off by establishing what is behind every episode for them and that is the promise of God’s coming kingdom. God’s plan and purpose for everyone. Jesus Christ told us to seek first the Kingdom of God. If Jesus says its first, then what else could be more important?

I encourage you to check out the Come to Life podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts.

https://cometolifepodcast.podbean.com/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-come-to-life-podcast/id1583424714

 

Frank Abel joins Tim Young to finish off Season 4 with his testimony and reflections on his life.

Episode's of the TV show Great News for the World with footage of preaching at Allan Gardens in Toronto are on the Christadelphian TV channel on YouTube.

Ron Abel's book Wrested Scripture can be purchased as a book in the UK or the US and found on a website.

Our study of God’s providence continues this time with a focus on how God works among the nations. The Bible gives us key insights on God’s view of the kingdoms of men and how he is ultimately in control to bring about his kingdom on earth. Join Dan and Tim as they grapple with difficult questions about how God’s rules in the Kingdoms of men, how these rulers are still responsible to God and what this means for the believer’s involvement in politics.

Visit the Bible Basics Webinar  

Key Verse:

“The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.” Daniel 4:17 

Show Notes:

God is in control of world events

God, Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar (three times Daniel 4:17, 25, 32 cp v. 35; 2 Chronicles 20:6)
Proverbs 21:1 - God turns the heart of kings like a stream of water

God’s use of Kings

Cyrus, God’s anointed (Isaiah 45:1-3; Ezra 1:1)
Nebuchadnezzar revisited (Ezekiel 30:21-25)
They are unaware (Daniel 4:29-31)
They are still responsible for their actions (Jeremiah 25:8-9,12-13)

One of the reasons that Christadelphians are not involved in politics

Our awareness that God is in control
A great comfort to know that all things will work out according to God’s will
Daniel’s advice to Nebuchadnezzar (4:27)
We shouldn’t get caught up in the criticism of government but pray for them (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

For the first time we have Dan from the Bible Basics Webinar (www.biblebasicswebinar.com) here to talk with us about the providence of God. This is an essential Bible study because it gets at the heart of how we perceive the circumstances of our life. Are events just by chance or can God manipulate them for his purpose? This question leads us to consider many examples from the Bible of how God works behind the scenes in the lives of believers.

Key Verse:

“But all this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God. Whether it is love or hate, man does not know; both are before him.” Ecclesiastes 9:1

Show Notes:

What is Providence?

the invisible hand of God working in our lives
Example of Elisha (2 Kings 6:15-17)
The angels (Psalm 34:7)
The book The Ways of Providence by Robert Roberts (hardcopy here or here)
Awareness of God in our lives

Providence vs. Miracles 

Providence is more applicable to today
Example of the healing of the man blind from birth in John 9
His healing = a miracle 
His circumstances = providence “that the works of God might be manifest in him”

Providence vs. Time and Chance

Ecc. 9:1 “the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God” vs. Ecc. 9:11 “time and chance happens to them all”
“God has control of chance, but not all chance is controlled by God” (The Ways of Providence, Robert Roberts., pg. 5)
Proverbs 3:5-6 - God will direct our paths, if… 1) we acknowledge Him. 2) trust in Him. 3) lean not on our own understanding
God’s direction over our lives can be lost (e.g. Saul 1 Samuel 18:12; 28:15)

Life Won’t Always Be Easy Because of Providence

Example of Job - “shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil?” (Job 2:9-10)
God promised to keep Jacob in all his ways (Genesis 28:15; 41:9; 48:16)
“All things work together for them that love God…” (Romans 8:28-32)

The Importance of Knowing God’s Will

Danger of assuming that circumstances in life are clearly a result of God pointing us in a certain direction (e.g. of David with Saul in 1 Samuel 26:7-11,18-19)
We must make life decisions based on Biblical discernment, not on what appears to be a direction God is sending us

We Might Be the Instrument of Providence for Others

God uses various means to accomplish his will
Control of nature
The angels
Us! Examples of Abigail (1 Samuel 25:26,32-34 and Esther 4:14)

In conjunction with last week’s podcast from John 1:1, Jay and Tim consider the context and the importance of verse 14, “the Word was made flesh”. What is it about Jesus being flesh that is so crucial to his sacrifice? Does it contradict the doctrine of the Trinity? How are we to understand this glory that was seen? The scriptures lead us to the wonderful conclusion that we will all eventually share in the divine nature, Jesus being the first among many.

Key Verse:

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14

Show Notes:

 The Importance of Jesus Being Flesh

Flesh and blood  the same as our nature (Hebrews 2:14) the key to the sacrifice of Christ.
Had to be tempted like us (Hebrews 4:14-15). God cannot be tempted (James 1:13).
Flesh is sinful! This is why his obedience is such a wonder. He had to overcome the temptations of flesh like no other man.

Made Flesh: What it Doesn’t Mean

Revisiting the definition of the Trinity and the nature of Jesus and God
Was Jesus the God-man? Is he just a man? Neither is true.
Jesus was a special creation made strong by his Father (John 3:34; 2 Cor. 5:19)

We Have Seen His Glory

What is glory? Both moral and physical.
The moral glory (Exodus 34:6 cp. John 1:14). The wider purpose of God to fill the earth with this glory (Numbers 14:21; Isaiah 11:9; Habakkuk 2:14).
His physical glory – the example and meaning of the transfiguration (2 Peter 1:16-18). Jesus the first to be transformed (Philippians 3:20-21; 2 Peter 1:4).
The Apostle saw both of these glories (1 John 1:1-3)

John starts off his gospel by saying “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”. This is a key verse for what many refer to as the Trinity. Jay and Tim discuss an attempt at a simple definition of the Trinity and whether this verse supports it. They then get into looking at what John is truly saying about the Word and Jesus by his use of the principle of personification found in other scriptures and the New Testament concept of a new creation in Christ Jesus.

Key Verse:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1

Show Notes:

The Trinity in a Nutshell (https://credohouse.org/blog/the-doctrineof-the-trinity-in-a-nutshell)

The Word was God

The Word is the expression of the thoughts and wisdom of God
The Word is Who He is, Love is Who He is, Light is Who He is
God is light (1 John 1:5) – intelligence, understanding, purity, truth, righteousness, life
God is love (1 John 4:8,16) – reconciling, slow to anger, tender care, rebuke and correction
It all starts with God. We come to know Him – His love, His light – through the Word.
Everything that Word is – love and light, grace and truth – was revealed in flesh and blood – when the Word was made flesh.

The Word in the Beginning of Creation

The Greek word for “Word” is Logos
The Word is the expression of the thoughts and wisdom of God (Psa. 33:6)
An appeal to consider Genesis
“Light” is the first spoken word that the Bible attributes to God! (Genesis 1:1-3)

The Word was with God in the Beginning

Personification of the word (Isaiah 55:10-11)
More personification (Psalm 107:20; 147:15; 2 Thessalonians 3:1)
Personification of the wisdom of God (a woman!), that was WITH God (Proverbs 8:1-2; 22-31)

Christ and the New Creation

The new creation (Colossians 1:13-20; 2 Corinthians 4:5-7)
The new beginning (Mark 1:1; Luke 1:2; John 1:12-13)