bible 9: ktb101 chapter 10 the epistles: the bible mailbag
TRANSCRIPT
MEMORY VERSE
1 TIMOTHY 4:12
“DON’T LET ANYONE LOOK DOWN ON YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE YOUNG, BUT SET AN EXAMPLE FOR THE BELIEVERS IN SPEECH, IN CONDUCT, IN LOVE, IN FAITH AND IN PURITY.”
MEMORY VERSE
1 4:12
“DON’T LET ANYONE LOOK ON YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE , BUT SET AN FOR THE BELIEVERS IN
, IN CONDUCT, IN , IN FAITH AND IN .”
WHAT’S AN EPISTLE?oOF THE 27 BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, 21 ARE EPISTLES.
oAN EPISTLE IS A PERSONAL LETTER THAT WAS WRITTEN TO CHURCHES AND INDIVIDUALS IN CITIES THROUGHOUT THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION.
oPAUL WAS A TEACHER AND LIKE A SPIRITUAL BIG BROTHER TO MANY OF THE NEW CHRISTIANS. IT MUST HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT FOR EVERYONE WHEN HE HAD TO LEAVE A CITY. TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH THESE CHURCHES, PAUL WROTE LETTERS TO THEM. o THESE LETTERS WEREN’T INTENDED TO BE PURELY SOCIAL.
o INSTEAD, PAUL USED HIS LETTERS AS A CHANCE TO GIVE FURTHER INSTRUCTION ABOUT GOD AND GODLY LIVING. THIS
WHAT’S AN EPISTLE? CONT’D
oPAUL WROTE 13 OF THE 21 EPISTLES.oTHE ONES HE WROTE ARE NAMED FOR THE GROUPS OF
PEOPLE TO WHOM HE WAS WRITING (SUCH AS “ROMANS” TO THE CHRISTIANS IN ROME, OR “CORINTHIANS” TO THE CHRISTIANS IN THE CITY OF CORINTH) OR FOR AN INDIVIDUAL RECIPIENT SUCH AS “TIMOTHY” AND “TITUS.”
oSEVEN OF THE OTHER EPISTLES ARE NAMED AFTER THE AUTHORS (JAMES, PETER, JOHN, AND JUDE).
WHAT’S AN EPISTLE? CONT’D
oDISCIPLE MEANS “FOLLOWER,” AND APOSTLE MEANS “MESSENGER.”
oAFTER THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST, THE 12 DISCIPLES WERE REFERRED TO AS APOSTLES BECAUSE THEY HAD THE SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT OF SPREADING THE MESSAGE OF JESUS CHRIST TO THE WORLD.o PAUL QUALIFIED AS AN APOSTLE, HOWEVER, BECAUSE THE
RESURRECTED CHRIST REVEALED HIMSELF TO PAUL, SO PAUL HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WALK AND TALK WITH JESUS.
oHEBREWS IS THE ONLY EPISTLE WRITTEN BY AN UNKNOWN AUTHOR.
MAIL SLOTS
oROMANS THROUGH GALATIANS: “CHRIST IN YOU.” CHRISTIANS ARE DIFFERENT FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD BECAUSE GOD LIVES IN THEM THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT.
oEPHESIANS THROUGH PHILEMON: “YOU IN CHRIST.” EVERY CHRISTIAN BELONGS TO GOD AND IS PART OF THE “BODY OF CHRIST.”
oHEBREWS THROUGH JUDE: “WALKING BY FAITH.” FAITH IS MORE THAN JUST THEORY. IT TRANSLATES INTO POWER, WHICH EQUIPS CHRISTIANS TO HANDLE ALL OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF LIFE.
CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTION
IF SOMEONE COULD WRITE AN EPISTLE TODAY ON ANY GIVEN TOPIC, WHAT WOULD YOU WANT IT TO COVER?
MEMORY VERSE
1 TIMOTHY 4:12
“DON’T LET ANYONE LOOK DOWN ON YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE YOUNG, BUT SET AN EXAMPLE FOR THE BELIEVERS IN SPEECH, IN CONDUCT, IN LOVE, IN FAITH AND IN PURITY.”
MEMORY VERSE
1 4:12
“DON’T LET ANYONE LOOK ON YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE , BUT SET AN FOR THE BELIEVERS IN
, IN CONDUCT, IN , IN FAITH AND IN .”
MEMORY VERSE
1 4:12
“DON’T LET LOOK ON YOU BECAUSE ARE , BUT SET AN
FOR THE IN
, IN , IN , IN , AND IN .”
LOTS OF LEARNING GOING ONoTOP TOPIC #1: HOW TO BE A CHRISTIAN
REMEMBER THAT THE EPISTLES WERE WRITTEN PRIMARILY TO NEW CHRISTIANS.
o SIN: IF SOMEONE ASKED YOU TO DESCRIBE WHAT SIN IS, HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER?
o SALVATION: IF SOMEONE ASKED YOU HOW TO BE SAVED, HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER?
o FAITH: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BELIEVE IN JESUS? HOW DO YOU GET FAITH, AND HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU’VE GOT IT?
oHOLY SPIRIT: HOW DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT “HAPPEN”? WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT TO HAPPEN IN YOUR LIFE WHEN GOD IS LIVING IN IT?
o THE RETURN OF JESUS: JESUS IS COMING BACK…BUT HOW AND WHEN?
MEMORY VERSE
1 TIMOTHY 4:12
“DON’T LET ANYONE LOOK DOWN ON YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE YOUNG, BUT SET AN EXAMPLE FOR THE BELIEVERS IN SPEECH, IN CONDUCT, IN LOVE, IN FAITH AND IN PURITY.”
MEMORY VERSE
1 4:12
“DON’T LET ANYONE LOOK ON YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE , BUT SET AN FOR THE BELIEVERS IN
, IN CONDUCT, IN , IN FAITH AND IN .”
MEMORY VERSE
1 4:12
“DON’T LET LOOK ON YOU BECAUSE ARE , BUT SET AN
FOR THE IN
, IN , IN , IN , AND IN .”
LOTS OF LEARNING GOING ON
oTOP TOPIC #2: YOU WANNA LIVE RIGHT, YOU GOTTA THINK RIGHT.oRIGHT LIVING COMES FROM RIGHT
THINKING.
oRIGHT THINKING COMES FROM UNDERSTANDING AND OBEYING THE SCRIPTURES.
oUNDERSTANDING AND OBEYING THE WORD OF GOD REQUIRES
BOTH AN OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE RESPONSE.
oTOP TOPIC #3: YOU CAN EXPERIENCE INNER PEACE.oCONTENTMENT
oHOPE
oCOMFORT
oTRANQUILITY
oPEACE
LOTS OF LEARNING GOING ON
oTOP TOPIC #4: SECRETS TO LASTING FRIENDSHIPSoSYMPATHY
oFORGIVENESS
oACCEPTANCE
oLOVE
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTION
WHICH OF THE “SECRETS TO A LASTING FRIENDSHIP” DO YOU FIND THE HARDEST TO EXPRESS AND WHY? CHALLENGE EACH OTHER WITH PRACTICAL STEPS TO OVERCOME THOSE BARRIERS, RECOGNIZING THAT IT TAKES A WHOLE LOT MORE THAN A 5-MINUTE DISCUSSION IN CLASS. (P. 268)
LOTS OF LEARNING GOING ON
oTOP TOPIC #5: ALL IN THE FAMILYoHOW TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL MARRIAGE
oHOW TO RAISE GOOD KIDS
oTOP TOPIC #6: HOW TO BUILD A CHURCHoTHE CHURCH IS LIKE A BODY.
oTHE CHURCH IS A FAMILY OF CHRISTIANS.
PAUL WRITES TO THE CHURCHES
oROMANS: CHRISTIAN FAITH IN A NUTSHELLoWE WERE SPIRITUALLY DEAD.
oCHRIST MADE US SPIRITUALLY ALIVE.
oTHE STRUGGLE BETWEEN DEAD AND ALIVE EXISTS.
o1 AND 2 CORINTHIANS: INSTRUCTIONS TO IMMATURE CHRISTIANSoARGUING WITH EACH OTHER AND IGNORING BLATANT
SEXUAL IMMORALITY AMONG CHRISTIANS.
oSPIRITUAL GIFTS (1 CORINTHIANS 12)
oLOVE (1 CORINTHIANS 13)
PAUL WRITES TO THE CHURCHES
oGALATIANS: BORN (AGAIN) TO BE FREE
oFREEDOM FROM RELIGIOUS RULES
oFREEDOM FROM THE POWER OF SIN
oEPHESIANS: A PART OF THE BODY
oPAUL DEVOTES ALMOST THE ENTIRE FIRST HALF OF THIS LETTER TO REMINDING CHRISTIANS OF GOD’S LIMITLESS LOVE FOR THEM.
oAS DIFFERENT PARTS OF “THE BODY OF CHRIST,” CHRISTIANS MAY EACH HAVE VARIOUS ROLES, BUT THEY SHOULD ACT IN UNITY, WITH CHRIST IN CONTROL AS THE “HEAD.”
oOUR FAITH IN CHRIST SHOULD AFFECT OUR LIFESTYLE, PARTICULARLY OUR RELATIONSHIPS AT HOME AND AT WORK.
PAUL WRITES TO THE CHURCHES
oPHILIPPIANS: A CAUSE FOR REJOICING
oPAUL EMPHASIZES THE JOY THAT A CHRISTIAN HAS DESPITE DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES.
oCOLOSSIANS: BACK TO BASICS
oPAUL WROTE TO TELL THEM TO CUT THROUGH ALL OF THE GARBAGE BECAUSE JESUS IS ALL THAT MATTERS.
oHE REMINDS THEM ABOUT CHRIST’S PREEMINENT ROLE IN CREATION, IN SALVATION, AND IN THE LIFE OF CHRISTIANS.
oHE THEN EXPLAINS HOW A CHRISTIAN SHOULD REFLECT THE INFLUENCE OF CHRIST AT HOME, AT WORK, AND IN THE CHURCH.
PAUL WRITES TO THE CHURCHES
o1 AND 2 THESSALONIANS: HANG IN THEREo IN HIS FIRST, PAUL GIVES THE CHRISTIANS THERE
ENCOURAGEMENT AND COMFORT.
o IN HIS SECOND, PAUL IS EMPHATIC ABOUT THE RETURN OF JESUS, BUT HE SAYS THAT NO ONE KNOWS THE TIME. CONSEQUENTLY, HE TELLS THE CHRISTIANS TO KEEP WORKING DILIGENTLY IN THEIR JOBS AND MINISTRIES UNTIL IT HAPPENS.
PAUL WRITES TO THE CHURCHESPAIR THEN SHARE: WITH YOUR PARTNER, YOU ARE TO READ THROUGH YOUR ASSIGNED SECTION AND PREPARE ABOUT A TWO-MINUTE SUMMARY OF THE KEY THINGS FROM YOUR SECTION. FEEL FREE TO USE THE TEXT DIRECTLY, BUT DON’T JUST READ THE ENTIRE SECTION. THINK ABOUT WHAT REALLY MATTERS AND HOW BEST TO SUMMARIZE IT.
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT: AUTHOR, AUDIENCE, PURPOSE OF THE LETTER, MESSAGE
1 AND 2 TIMOTHY: BRADLEY & DANIEL JAMES: TIA & KYLAN
TITUS: EMILEY & NICOLE 1 AND 2 PETER: THOMAS & EMILY
PHILEMON: JORDYNNE & SAMANTHA M. 1, 2, 3 JOHN: ZACK, & LESLIE
HEBREWS: MICHAELA, SAMANTHA V., & CODY JUDE: LAUREN, JOSIAH, & ELIZABETH
PAUL GETS PERSONALo1 AND 2 TIMOTHY: PURSUE A GODLY LIFE
oTIMOTHY WAS ONE OF PAUL’S CLOSEST FRIENDS. PAUL WAS THE MENTOR, AND TIMOTHY WAS HIS PROTÉGÉ.
oPAUL ENTRUSTED TIMOTHY WITH FORMING THE LEADERSHIP IN THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS.
o IN 1 TIMOTHY, PAUL COVERS THE SUBJECTS OF
oWORSHIP
oCRITERIA FOR CHURCH LEADERS
oWARNINGS AGAINST FALSE DOCTRINE
o IN 2 TIMOTHY, PAUL WAS IN PRISON. ROME HAD DECLARED CHRISTIANITY ILLEGAL, AND PAUL’S ENEMIES USED THE DECREE TO LOOK HIM UP FOR GOOD. THE THEME OF THIS LETTER IS ENCOURAGING TIMOTHY TO “REMAIN FAITHFUL TO THE THINGS YOU HAVE BEEN TAUGHT.”
PAUL GETS PERSONALoTITUS: DOING RIGHT IS THE RESULT OF THINKING
RIGHToTITUS WAS A YOUNG PASTOR AND DISCIPLE OF PAUL.
o CHARACTER COUNTS.
o FOLLOW SOUND TEACHING; AVOID FALSE DOCTRINES.
o SUBMIT TO CIVIL AUTHORITIES.
oPHILEMON: FREEDOM IN CHRISToTHIS LETTER WAS WRITTEN TO PHILEMON, A PROMINENT
MEMBER OF THE COLOSSIAN CHURCH. PHILEMON WAS A SLAVE OWNER, WHICH WAS COMMON IN THOSE DAYS, EVEN FOR CHRISTIANS.
oTHE SUBJECT OF THIS LETTER IS ONE OF PHILEMON’S SLAVES, ONESIMUS.
GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE
oHEBREWS: A BIBLE IN THE BIBLEoTHE LETTER OF HEBREWS WAS WRITTEN TO JEWISH
CHRISTIANS WHO WERE PERHAPS DRIFTING AWAY FORM THE TRUTH THEY HAD HEARD.
oREMEMBER, NO ONE KNOWS THE AUTHOR OF HEBREWS FOR SURE.
oJAMES: REAL FAITHo JAMES AND JESUS WERE HALF BROTHERS.
o JAMES WROTE TO JEWISH CHRISTIANS WHO WERE LIVING IN THE REGIONS OUTSIDE OF PALESTINE.
oREAL FAITH PRODUCES GOOD DEEDS.
oALTHOUGH GOOD DEEDS ARE NOT THE SOURCES OF SALVATION, JAMES SAYS THEY ARE PROOF OF SALVATION.
GENERAL CORRESPONDENCEo1 AND 2 PETER: LIFE IS TOUGH
o PETER WROTE TWO LETTERS TO JEWISH CHRISTIANS WHO HAD BEEN SCATTERED BECAUSE OF PERSECUTION FOR THEIR FAITH.
o1, 2, AND 3 JOHN: LOVE LETTERSo JOHN THE APOSTLE WROTE THESE THREE LETTERS (PLUS THE GOSPEL OF JOHN
AND REVELATION).
o 1, 2, AND 3 JOHN ARE THREE LETTERS THAT FOLLOW JOHN’S TRADEMARK OF LOVE. o THEY TALK ABOUT LOVING GOD, LOVING GOD’S WORD, AND SHOWING LOVE TO
OTHERS.
o JUDE: DEFEND THE TRUTH: o JUDE WAS A HALF BROTHER OF JESUS.
o HE WROTE THIS SHORT LETTER TO JEWISH CHRISTIANS TO MOTIVATE THEM TO PROTECT THE PURE TRUTH OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH.
o HE SAYS THAT CHRISTIANS SHOULD AGGRESSIVELY DEFEND THEIR FAITH AGAINST THOSE WHO SEEK TO PERVERT OR POLLUTE IT.