Tag: Grace

Sunday School Class // February 18, 2024
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This is a lesson I prepared for a Sunday School class and is based on the video series “The Basics of the Christian Life by Sinclair Ferguson | Ligonier Ministries” (Lesson 6)

Romans 6:3 (ESV)
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

These “Means of Grace” are not instruments we use to obtain grace. They are instruments that God uses in order to bring us into fellowship with Himself and to know him. In this lesson, we will look at the foundational truths of the sign of baptism, the importance of the baptism of Jesus, and how baptism shapes our identity. This lesson is not about the controversies that people tend to focus on in a discussion about baptism. We want to think about the sign of baptism itself and better understand why God gave us this sign and how it relates to our day-to-day lives.

Continue reading “Means of Grace: Baptism” →

Sunday School Class // February 4, 2024
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This is a lesson I prepared for a Sunday School class and is based on the video series “The Basics of the Christian Life by Sinclair Ferguson | Ligonier Ministries” (Lesson 5)

Luke 11:1 (ESV)
Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.”

One of the most important teachings on prayer in the Bible is given by Jesus in response to the disciples asking him to specifically teach them to pray. They had witnessed the intimate heartfelt prayers of their Teacher and they wanted to learn how to pray in this same manner. Jesus then gives them this model prayer that we call the Lord’s Prayer found in Luke 11:1-4 and Matthew 6:9-13. There are three main aspects that we will focus on, but first and foremost we must remember that this model prayer of Jesus is a call for daily prayer to our Father. Jesus begins this prayer by telling us to seek the Father for our daily bread. Our call to prayer is nothing short of a continual humbling of our hearts to come before our loving Father in our weakness. We don’t just come when we think we need something from him. We come each and every day to ask him for our daily bread. For we are in desperate need of his provision and our hearts and minds need to be continually reminded of this fact.

Continue reading “Means of Grace: Prayer” →

Sunday School Class // January 28, 2024
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This is a lesson I prepared for a Sunday School class and is based on the video series “The Basics of the Christian Life by Sinclair Ferguson | Ligonier Ministries” (Lesson 4)

2 Timothy 3:14–17 (ESV)
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

God has spoken and opened his heart to us through His Word. There are a myriad of ways to learn about God that are not the Bible itself. One can easily find himself listening to teachings, lessons, podcasts, stories, and even watching movies or television shows. These can all be helpful supplements but they are not meant to replace our daily engagement with the Bible. It is through the Scriptures that we become familiar with the heartbeat of God. The Bible is God’s chosen means to convey his heart and speak to our souls. It is not enough to just talk about the Bible or even learn its facts. Our Father wants us to meditate on His Word and listen. Listen to the Words of God written and kept for his children. Words that will convey the unconditional love of our heavenly Father.

Continue reading “Means of Grace: God’s Word” →

Sunday School Class // January 21, 2024
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This is a lesson I prepared for a Sunday School class and is based on the video series “The Basics of the Christian Life by Sinclair Ferguson | Ligonier Ministries” (Lesson 3)

Matthew 16:18 (ESV)
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Peter’s Confession | Matthew 16:18

Peter’s confession is the central point of the gospel and is essentially the heart of the ministry of Jesus. Although Jesus came to save individuals, he is also building a community of believers. This was difficult for the disciples because they didn’t truly understand the purpose of the Messiah, as evidenced immediately after this confession when Peter was rebuked for being a hindrance to the mission of Jesus. To better help the disciples (and us) understand this community-building aspect of his ministry, Jesus gives several word pictures to illustrate.

Continue reading “Belonging to the Church” →

Sunday School Class // January 14, 2024
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This is a lesson I prepared for a Sunday School class and is based on the video series “The Basics of the Christian Life by Sinclair Ferguson | Ligonier Ministries” (Lesson 2)

Genesis 1:26 (ESV)
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

How would you describe yourself as a Christian?

This is an important question that we must be fully prepared to investigate and truly understand. Our identity in light of God’s declaration in the Bible is vital to our spiritual walk. If we are well grounded with a Biblical understanding of who we truly are in Christ, we will not be easily swayed and led astray by the ever-changing currents of our culture. We must truly reflect and meditate on what God’s word says about our identity and who we are. Two distinct pictures in the Bible help us better understand and answer this question: being a child and being a servant.

Continue reading “Being a Christian” →

Sunday School Class // January 7, 2024
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This is a lesson I prepared for a Sunday School class and is based on the video series “The Basics of the Christian Life by Sinclair Ferguson | Ligonier Ministries” (Lesson 1)

John 8:12 (ESV)
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 

Walking in Spiritual Darkness

• John 8:12-20 
• Darkness hinders our understanding of the gospel
• We live according to the flesh (worldly)
• Lies we tell ourselves

In this section, Jesus tells the listeners that they are walking in spiritual darkness and are in dire need of the spiritual light that is Jesus himself. Though he was speaking to people who were not already his disciples, his followers needed to be reminded of this every day. We are easily led astray by the lies we tell ourselves and often wander off the straight and narrow path of obedience. We grow more accustomed to living in the world and our fleshly desires cloud our ability to both see and respond to the gospel light.

Continue reading “Becoming a Christian” →