Category Archives: Children’s Ministry

Romans Outline

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Outline of the book of Romans

Romans 1:1-17 ——-  Introduction

Romans 1:17———- Theme of the book of Romans

NEED OF SALVATION

Romans 1:18-32——- Sin of the Gentiles

Romans 2-3:8——— Sin of the Jews

Romans 3:9-20——– Sin of All

WAY OF SALVATION

Romans 3:21-5——– Defines Salvation

      Romans 3:21-30 (justified by faith apart from Law)

      Romans 3:31-4:25 (Abraham is our example of faith)

      Romans 5 (our relationship to Adam and Christ)

LIFE OF SALVATION

Romans 6————- Dead to Sin

Romans 7————- Dead to the Law

Romans 8————- Alive to the Spirit

SCOPE OF SALVATION

Romans 9————- God’s Choice

Romans 10———— Man’s Responsibility

Romans 11———— Israel Not Forgotten

SERVICE OF SALVATION

Romans 12———— Present Body as Living Sacrifice

Romans 13———— Obey Governing Authorities

Romans 14———— Respect What Matters to Others

Romans 15———— Accept One Another

Romans 16———— Goodbye and Final Warnings

 

Romans Study For Kids (Rom 2:1-11)

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Here is the latest handout for the Romans Study for Kids.  You can find any previous information in this study in my Romans Project category.

Romans 2:1-11

1 Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.

And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things.

But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?

Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,

who will render to each person according to his deeds:

to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality,eternal life;

but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.

There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek,

10 but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

11 For there is no partiality with God

 

Read Romans 2:1. What word does this verse begin with? 

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Remember that when we see a “therefore” we want to ask ourselves what the “therefore” is there for… think about this “therefore” as you continue your study in Romans 2:1-3.   

 

Read Romans 2:1 again. Who is the “you” in this verse? Look at Romans 2:17 to find out.

if you bear the name __ __ __

 

Look to the Romans outline that was given. What is the focus of Romans 2?

__ __ __ of the __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 2:1 again. What were the Jews doing? 

passing  __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Who were they passing judgment on? Remember the “therefore” in Romans 2:1. The Jews were passing judgment on those who practiced the things Paul wrote of in Romans 1:18-32. The Jews thought they were better because they had the Law to make them righteous, but when Jesus came he showed them that they were guilty of these sins even if they thought them one time. 

 

Read Romans 2:2. What did the Jews know about the judgment of God?

it __ __ __ __ __ __ __ falls upon those who practice such things (Rom 1:18-32) 

 

Read Romans 2:3. What word does this verse begin with? 

__ __ __ 

If you have time and availability type this in your URL to find out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeaVb242Kgg

 

The book of Romans is full of “but’s”. This is another word that you will want to pay close attention as you study through this whole book. 

 

Read Romans 2:3 again. The Jews were passing judgment on others, but what were they doing?

the __ __ __ __

 

Remember when I asked you to think about the last time you “told on” someone? Now knowing that you told on someone for that… have you ever done it yourself? 

I bet that you have.

 

Read Romans 3:23 and fill in the blanks.

for __ __ __ have __ __ __ __ __ __ and fall short of the glory of God

 

According to Romans 3:23. What do we all have in common, no matter who you are or where you are from?

__ __ __

If you have time and availability type this in your URL and see how even the Disney Channel recognizes that it is sin that unites every human being on this earth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xedx1AeYRc

 

Read Romans 2:3-4. What do you think Paul wanted everyone in the church in Rome to understand? Do all of us need the kindness the God? Do all of us need a Savior? 

YES     or      NO

 

If you grew up in church and still go to church every Sunday and Wednesday and you read your Bible every day and you try very hard to keep all the Ten Commandments does this mean that you are good enough to get into heaven?

YES      or       NO

 

Read Romans 2:4. What does the kindness of God lead to?

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 2:5 What word does this verse begin with?

__ __ __

 

Read Romans 2:5 again. What do they have that is causing them to store up the wrath of God for themselves?

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

and  __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __   heart

 

Here’s what stubbornness looks like:

stock-images-stubborn-funny-guy-standing-firm-36809343

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

Have your parents ever said you were being stubborn? This is what stubborn looks like on the outside. 

God can tell when our hearts look like this on the inside.

 

Read Romans 2:5 again. What word is used to God’s judgment?

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 2:6. How will God render His judgment and wrath?

according to our __ __ __ __ __

 

Look up and read Psalm 62:12, Proverbs 24:12, Matthew 16:27, and Revelation 22:12. 

Write out how God will repay and judge us according to these verses?

_____________________________________________

____________________________________________

 

 

Read Romans 2:6-8. 

What do those who persevere in doing good by seeking for glory and honor and immortality receive?

__ __ __ __ __ __ __       __ __ __ __

 

What do those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness receive?

__ __ __ __ __    and __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 2:9. What will there be for every soul of man who does evil?

tribulation and __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

When was the last time you did something you knew you should not have done and you did not get caught doing it. How did you feel in your stomach? How long did it take you to tell your parents or someone else what you did? How did you feel after you told?

 

Read Romans 2:10. What comes to those who do good?

__ __ __ __ __  and __ __ __ __ __ and __ __ __ __ __ 

 

Read Romans 2:9-10 again. Who is included in these verses?

the __ __ __ first and also to the __ __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 2:11. What do we learn about God in this verse?

there is no __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ with God

God doesn’t play favorites. He treats everyone the same.

 

This is what the Pre-K through 5th grade studied last Sunday in Children’s Church. They will get this handout to take home with them after we have completed all of Romans 2 in class together. I hand out the take home study at the conclusion of each chapter (unless there is a major divide within the chapter) so that they can over the chapter at home with their parents.  Their parents are also studying through the book of Romans in “Big Church”.

 

Spare the Rod

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He who withholds his rod hates his son,
But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.

Proverbs 13:24

Today in my personal study time I was in Ezekiel 40-42. As I read through these verses of Scripture trying to imagine what Ezekiel must have felt as he experienced this amazing vision and feeling the overwhelming desire myself to have palm tree ornaments placed all over my house… my mind caught attention to the rod in the angels hand that was used to measure the temple.

As I read about the measuring rod in Ezekiel 40 my mind went to the rod mentioned in the Proverbs. As I was studying I jotted down in my notebook, spare the rod – spoil the child – the rod is used as a measuring tool in Scripture.  After I came to a stopping point in my Ezekiel study time I began researching the rod. 

The rod is mentioned quite often in Scripture. The first mention of a rod is in Genesis 30 with Jacob. Jacob uses this rod to separate his sheep from Laban’s. Then in Numbers we see that the leaders of tribes were given rods. Moses had a rod, Aaron had a rod. The rod became a symbol of authority. Then in the book of Job we see the rod become a tool of discipline. Finally in Ezekiel we see it as a tool for measuring.

In Genesis 30 the word rods is maqqel and it means rod, staff, rod, stick, staff (in travel), wand (of diviner)

In Numbers 17 the word rod is matteh and it means staff, branch, tribe, staff, rod, shaft, branch (of vine), tribe, company led by chief with staff (originally)

In Job 9 the word rod is shebet and it means rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe, rod, staff, shaft (of spear, dart), club (of shepherd’s implement), truncheon, sceptre (mark of authority), clan, tribe

In Ezekiel the word rod is qaneh and it means reed, stalk, bone, balances, stalk, water-plant, reed, calamus (aromatic reed), derived meanings, measuring-rod, reed (as unit of measure – 6 cubits), beam (of scales – for scales themselves), shaft (of lampstand), branches (of lampstand), shoulder-joint

Well, after that lesson in Hebrew translations you can see that a rod is not just a rod 🙂 We have to look a little deeper into the word to understand the full benefit. With all that being said, lets get into the whole spare the rod spoil the child thing.

When we look at the Hebrew translation of the word rod in Proverbs 13:24 we see that the word rod in this verse is shebet, the same as in Job 9. As I read this definition of the word rod in the context of this Scripture, this is what I see:

He who withholds his mark of authority hates his son.  

Our children have got to have the mark of authority. They have to know clearly who to obey. As we look further into this verse we see that they also have to know this early.

The word diligently in Proverbs 13:24 is shachar and it means to seek, seek early or earnestly, look early or diligently for, to look for diligently, see, to seek, seek early. As I read this definition of this word in the context of this Scripture this is what I see:

He who loves him disciplines him early. He earnestly looks early for areas that need correction.

You see, for me this verse in the Proverbs, where we get the phrase spare the rod spoil the child has absolutely nothing to do with beating our children into submission. It has everything to do with leading them in the right direction from the very beginning. It has everything to do with our children knowing who the authority figure is in their life. It has everything to do with a being a parent that is studying their child and doesn’t wait for an issue to explode before they address it. 

If you deal with an issue at first sight then it doesn’t have the opportunity to escalate. Our children never threw tantrums. They never threw tantrums because their very first attempt at one was dealt with immediately. They never hit us because the first time they attempted to we dealt with it clearly and firmly. They have never told us “no” or back-talked us, because when the first attempt of “no mommy” began to come out of their mouths it was dealt with immediately. We never counted to three. We never sent idle threats. Nor did we, or do we, ever allow anyone else to undermine our authority with our kids. No one. Absolutely no one overrode any of our decisions or choices concerning our children. Not grandparents, not aunts or uncles, not the school system, not the government, and certainly not them.

When we deal with an issue of correction immediately the correction is much gentler, their is much less to it, it is so much less harsh. Just like anything else we choose to ignore in this life… the longer we ignore it the more difficult correcting it becomes. We must address issues of correction early in our children.

One of the issues I see today is that in general many kids don’t know who is in control, so therefore they are out of control.

The parents send their kids to school or even daycare and the schools have the parents jumping telling them what they can and can not do with their kid and that the parents have to send the schools explanations for what the parents do with their kids and when. Parents are wringing their hands making sure they have all the doctor excuses and fill out all the details and say yes sir and no ma’am to who can go on what field trip and when and how many times they can check their kid out of school… and the kids are watching. Mom and Dad don’t call the shots. The school system does.

Then the kid gets in trouble at school and the parents turn around and tell the schools how they can or can’t discipline their kids. Kids see the schools can’t do anything to them if they break the rules… so the schools control their parents… and the parents tie the hands of the schools…

So what you have in the middle is this kid who really has no authority figure over them because the authority figures cancel each other out.

Thus they, the kids, are out of control… because no one actually has a mark of authority on them.

Notice also that definition of rod in Proverbs 13:24, rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe, rod, staff, shaft (of spear, dart), club (of shepherd’s implement), truncheon, sceptre (mark of authority), clan, tribe. Notice that not only is it meant as a mark of authority, it is meant to denote a clan, a tribe, a family. As I read this definition of this word in the context of this Scripture this is what I see:

He who withholds his his clan, his tribe, his family hates his son.  

Our kids need a family. 

Why do we have gangs?

Kids need a clan. They need a tribe. They need a family. They need a family with a clear mark of authority at its head. Never, ever, ever, ever, let the enemy of our souls convince you that your kids do not need a family. It doesn’t have to be perfect… My goodness, look at the kids that prefere a gang that beats them into initiation rather than being without a family at all… think about it.

Don’t let the enemy destroy your family.

Don’t let the enemy lead you to undermine the authority of the head of that family. Mom your job is to lead your children in the way that you show respect to their father. If you respect him, they will.

and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

Ephesians 5:33

Dads, your children see how you love them by the love they see you give their mother. Love her according to Scripture… not according to the world. The more love you give, the greater the respect you receive.

So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies.

He who loves his own wife loves himself;

Ephesians 5:28

Spare the rod spoil the child?

No.

Spare the family, the mark of authority, hate the child.

Ignorance Does Not Keep Innocence

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Sometimes in Children’s Ministry or with our own kids its easy to skip the hard things of the Word. We want to play God in our kids lives and decide when we think they are ready to learn certain things in the Scriptures. Romans chapter one is one of those passages… and well so is Genesis chapter two, and well so is the majority of the Scriptures… I mean have you ever read Ezekiel or Hosea or Revelation? As my husband said, you can only teach David and Goliath and Daniel and the Lion’s Den so many times before you have to move on.

Our kids live in a world that is not willing to protect their innocence. Our God knows that. That is why He has recorded all that He has in His Word. The world does not protect our kids innocence and so God has provided us with the tools we need to keep them from being ignorant. Ignorance leads to wrong choices and wrong assumptions and it leads to hunger and thirst that is satisfied with unhealthy things. A starving person will become hungry enough that they will even eat food that comes out of the trash and is filled with rats and roaches.

 Therefore My people go into exile for their lack of knowledge;
And their honorable men are famished,
And their multitude is parched with thirst.

Isaiah 5:13

We also cannot train our children up in a way that has them picking and choosing what parts of the Scriptures are relevant to them and when. Who are we to make that call? Who are we to decide that God has not brought them to this passage in Scripture at this very time for such a time as this to prepare them for something they will face possibly the very next day?

A friend of mine shared with me about a time when she was going through the book of Genesis and she came upon a passage of Scripture she did not want to discuss just yet with her little girl… as she read skipping over this particular passage her daughter stopped her and pointed to the passage she skipped and let her know that she had missed that part.

My friend then had a choice. She could deny her child knowledge of the Word of God because it was uncomfortable for her to have to share it. Or she could go back, say she was sorry she skipped that part, and share the whole counsel of the Word of God with her child.

She chose to go back and read and discuss the passage of Scripture with her daughter.

No, discussing sex, and spilled semen, and rape, and incest, and degrading passions, and  homosexuality with our kids is not comfortable for us… but let me assure you that this world is perfectly comfortable with teaching them all about it. Kids at school are perfectly comfortable. Our government is perfectly comfortable. Television is more than comfortable. Music on the radio is more than comfortable.

The world is ready to shock and awe your child. The world is ready and willing to work with Satan and the sin nature in your child to lead them down a path of slavery and destruction.

As parents, as Christians, we must not let the world blindside our kids. Ignorance does not keep innocence.

My husband and I have decided that it is our responsibility to keep our kids one step ahead of the world. We protect their eyes and ears and minds by letting our kids know that we say yes and no according to what God tells us in Scripture. They must know the truth, so that when the enemy tries to sneak in a lie they can recognize it and will be able to turn away before they are sucked into it and held captive.

I do not know what lies are being whispered into my child’s ears as they go in this life. I do not know what sins of which they are predispositioned. I do not know what traps have been laid ahead of them. I do not know what evils they will encounter when. All I can do is prepare them for all of them and pray that when the evil one comes against them they have their armor on and that they stand firm.

and you will know the truth,

and the truth will make you free.

John 8:32

God tells us to teach the Word. He doesn’t tell us to pick and choose what of the Word we teach as according to what is comfortable. As for us and our house we start with a book and we teach the whole book. Come what may… we pray… and we teach with as much conviction and straight face and forwardness we can with all the grace and tenderness that we can. Preserving innocence through knowledge of what is evil and good according to God’s Word… not the world.

Right now our eleven year old is studying inductively through the book of Exodus in her personal study time having completed the book of Genesis. She is going through the entire Bible book by book. Our eleven and eight year old are currently studying through Romans at church, having just completed the entire book Revelation. Our eight year old also is studying through the names of God in her personal study time and will next begin the book of John and then she too will begin at Genesis.

Please know that your kids can handle truth. Give it to them. Lay a solid foundation on which truth can build. Don’t set a brick here and there all over the place. A foundation is laid by connecting brick to brick.  Precept upon precept. Line upon line.

Have I not written to you excellent things
Of counsels and knowledge,
To make you know the certainty of the words of truth
That you may correctly answer him who sent you?

Proverbs 22:20-22

 

Names of God: Parakletos

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Last week we saw that Jesus is the Logos. This week we will see that He is our Parakletos.

My little children,

I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.

And if anyone sins,

we have an Advocate with the Father,

Jesus Christ the righteous;

and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins;

and not for ours only,

but also for those of the whole world.

1 John 2:1-3

Parakletos is the Greek translation of the word Advocate. Jesus is our Advocate with the Father. The word Parakletos means summoned, called to one’s side, esp. called to one’s aid, one who pleads another’s cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant, an advocate, one who pleads another’s cause with one, an intercessor.

Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham. Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.

Hebrews 2:14-18

Our Parakletos is able to come to our aid because He is able. He is able because He is the Logos that became flesh and dwelt among us. He is a worthy Advocate because He knows us and He understands us… He has literally walked in our shoes and lived in our skin. He came to this earth and lived with us and He died for us, and He was buried, and three days later He was raised to never die again. Today He lives still. His ministry continues as He sits at the right hand of the Father and serves as our Great High Priest before Him.

The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.

Hebrews 7:23-27

 

He ever lives to make intercession on our behalf. When we call on His name He comes to our side and He stands with us. He is our go-between to the Father. We who believe, have today, in our Parakletos, the relationship with the Father that Job cried out for in the days of old…

 

“For He is not a man as I am that I may answer Him,

That we may go to court together.

“There is no umpire between us, 

Who may lay his hand upon us both.

“Let Him remove His rod from me,

And let not dread of Him terrify me.

“Then I would speak and not fear Him;

But I am not like that in myself.

Job 9:32-35

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“O earth, do not cover my blood,

And let there be no resting place for my cry.

“Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven,

And my advocate is on high.

“My friends are my scoffers;

My eye weeps to God.

“O that a man might plead with God

As a man with his neighbor!

Job 16:18-21

Job cried out to God for an Advocate. He cried out to God for an umpire to call the shots on the field. We have what Job cried out for… We have WHO Job longed for. Have you ever considered the magnitude of this reality. The reality that the Creator of the Universe made a way for you to have representation before His throne… a court appointed attorney… one that just is not going through the motions, but One that gave His life and is giving His eternity to eternally represent you as your personal legal representative before the highest court of all creation. Has the magnitude of this truth ever really resonated within you… or are you like the majority of modern American man who casually consider it your due right to have representation before the court even when you know beyond the shadow of a doubt you stand their guilty on all charges and yet you are hoping for a legal loop hole to jump through that will keep you from reaping the consequences of your crime on his earth?

Jesus has come as our Parakletos, but we must never forget that He does not negate, belittle, or malign the Law in order to set us free from our charges… He fulfilled the Law and yet He still chose to suffer the consequences of our sin on our behalf… this is why He says

“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 

I will ask the Father,

and He will give you another Helper,

that He may be with you forever; 

that is the Spirit of truth,

whom the world cannot receive,

because it does not see Him or know Him,

but you know Him because He abides with you

and will be in you.

John 14:15-17

If we have Jesus as our Parakletos, then we must understand what all He went through in order for us to be able to have Him as such… and in this we should willingly and earnestly desire to keep His commandments. If we love Him our obedience to His Word should follow. It should follow because He doesn’t leave us alone to follow it… He not only intecedes on our behalf before the Father, but He also sends us a Helper to not just live with us… but IN US.

The word Helper in the Greek here is Parakletos. Yes, the same word for Advocate from 1 John 2:1-3. You see Jesus pleads for us on high and the Holy Spirit pleads with us with in. The Holy Spirit is here within us pleading with us, aiding us, interceding for us. He has summoned to our side to lead us in the way that we should go, to strengthen us to walk in obedience to the commands of God, to correct us when we stray, and to guide us to our Advocate on High so that we might call on His name and be represented before the Father… and Jesus, our Parakletos, pleads with the Father not on behalf of our righteousness… but on behalf of His.

He is with us and in us that we might not sin as children of God… but if we do sin… He is there to intercede on our behalf and to be the propitiation for our sin… because our justification is not determined by our righteousness… but by His sacrifice  Our forgiveness is not based on our ability to ask for it, but by the very fact that it was God’s desire to grant it. He made the way for forgiveness long before we even realized we needed it.

And if He did not come and seek us out, and draw us to confession and repentance, we, left to ourselves, would die in our sin because we would never come out of our little hiding places. We would continue to point our fingers at others instead of ourselves. And we would miss the beautiful joy of grace…

 

Names of God: Logos

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I love this study on the Names of God series. Last week was Valentines week, so in our names of God study we saw that Jesus is the Beloved. This week we saw that He is Logos.

In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God. 

He was in the beginning with God. 

All things came into being through Him,

and apart from Him

nothing came into being that has come into being. 

In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 

The Light shines in the darkness,

and the darkness did not comprehend it. 

John 1:1-5

Logos is the Greek word for Word and it means of speech, a word, uttered by a living voice, embodies a conception or idea, what someone has said, a word, the sayings of God, decree, mandate or order, of the moral precepts given by God. It comes from the root word lego which means to say, to speak, affirm over, maintain, to teach, to exhort, advise, to command, direct, to point out with words, intend, mean, mean to say, to call by name, to call, name, to speak out, speak of, mention

Now in Genesis 1:1 we read “in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth“. Here begins our time, the creation of the heaven and the earth, but John 1:1 takes us even before the creation. It takes us to eternity. In the beginning was the Word and it was the Word that created the beginning of creation. Jesus, the Word was in the beginning, was with God, and is God. All things were spoke into existence by Him, the Word.

He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

Colossians 1:17

 

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.

Hebrews 1:1-3

Just as the laminin in our physical bodies is the glue that holds us together and tells the cells what its job is in the body. So the Word, the Logos, is the glue that holds the church, the body of Christ, together and it is the Word that tells us what our job is in the body. As long as we stay in the Word, in Jesus, He will hold us together.

It doesn’t matter what we are going through. If we will just take in the Word, build up our Logos intake, then we will be held together. I can promise you that the glue of the Word will hold you.

Then as we look further into John 1, we see that this Logos, that holds us together, that holds the church together, that holds the universe together. The Logos that was in the beginning, the Logos that was with God, the Logos that is God… this is the Logos that became flesh… Became flesh and dwelt among us.

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’” For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

John 1:14-18

Herbert Lockyer shares that “As the spoken word reveals our invisible thoughts the Living Word reveals the invisible God.” He also shares that “Christ came not as a Word of God, but the Word, the only revelation of God to man, and He declared all God had to say to man. In Creation, He was the expression of divine power, but in His Incarnation He became the revelation of the divine character. He is the Word, cleansing from sin, and if hid in our heart, will keep us clean.”

How can a young man keep his way pure?

By keeping it according to Your word.

With all my heart I have sought You;

Do not let me wander from Your commandments.

Your word I have treasured in my heart,

That I may not sin against You.

Psalm 119:9-11

 

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you,

with all wisdom teaching

and admonishing one another

with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,

singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Colossians 3:16

Names of God: Agapao

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We continue in our names of God study today.

In our last lesson we saw that Jesus is the Teacher.

Today we will see that He is the Agapao. 

In love He predestined us to adoption as sons 

through Jesus Christ to Himself, 

according to the kind intention of His will, 

to the praise of the glory of His grace, 

which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

Ephesians 1:5-6

 

Agapao is the Greek word for Beloved and it means to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly…

The beautiful thing about this name (or title) of our Jesus is that this is the name that God the Father calls Him from the heavens as He introduces and confirms Him to those He came to save.

After being baptized,

Jesus came up immediately from the water;

and behold, the heavens were opened,

and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove

and lighting on Him,

and behold, a voice out of the heavens said,

“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”

Matthew 3:16-17

As Jesus was coming up out of the baptismal Jordan the heavens opened up and God declared to all… this is my Beloved

This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: 

“Behold, My Servant whom I have chosen; 

My Beloved in whom My soul is well-pleased; 

I will put My Spirit upon Him,

and He shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles.

Matthew 12:17-18

Here He was, the Beloved. The Promised One. The One in whom the soul of God was pleased because it was the soul of God in human flesh. Here God declared to all His Love for this One who would die a sinners death on that wretched Roman cross. The Father cried out from heaven and said Here! Do you see Him. I love Him. I dearly love Him. No matter what His accusers say of Him… No matter what human judge condemns Him… My soul is well-pleased in Him. In Him. The very soul of God, is well pleased in this One that is His dearly loved… the Agapao, the Beloved.

Then the crazy of crazy of all this is that even though much of mankind exulted with the demons of hell on the day that the Beloved bled and died on that cross, the Beloved still chose to return for us… Risen from the dead in resurrection power and glory and coming to the rescue of any and all who believe and call on His name, Jesus, Iesous, Jehovah-Saves.

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness,

and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son

Colossians 1:13

Not only does He rescue us, but now the Beloved calls us beloved…

So, as those who have been chosen of God,

holy and beloved,

put on a heart of compassion,

kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;

bearing with one another, and forgiving each other,

whoever has a complaint against anyone;

just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

Beyond all these things put on love,

which is the perfect bond of unity.

Colossians 3:12-14

 

What unites God the Father and God the Son is Love. Jesus is His Beloved, He called Him My Beloved. It is a soul to soul love. Then what unites us with Christ is His love for us. He, the Beloved, calls us beloved…

Before I met my husband, I did not know his family. My husbands family loved him. He was their beloved son… but then my husband united with me in love. Their beloved now called me beloved… and when he took me to his family I came in as His beloved, and then I became their beloved as well.

We become the beloved of God because His Beloved unites with us in love and He brings us to His Father and we become the Father’s beloved, holy and beloved…

It’s beautiful isn’t it.

This crazy thing called love… <3

Just for fun here’s a little Looney Tunes love… my favorite line is the last… “The game of love is never called because of darkness.

Romans Study For Kids (Romans 1:8-17)

The Romans project/study continues… I made it through Romans 1:17 with the kids this past Sunday, but I believe this coming Sunday we will go back and dig deeper into Romans 1:16-17 before we move forward into the next section of Romans.

Here’s some more of the study that I put together for the kids to take home and work on with their parents as we looked at Romans 1:1-17:

 

Read Romans 1:15, what is Paul eager to do?

He is eager to __ __ __ __ __ __ the __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 1:16, what do we learn about Paul?

He is not __ __ __ __ __ __ __ to __ __ __ __ __ __ the gospel

 

THINK ABOUT IT….

If Paul was not ashamed to preach the gospel, then we shouldn’t be either! What is the gospel? What does it mean to preach the gospel? How can you preach the gospel?

 

Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, what is the gospel?

Christ __ __ __ __ for our __ __ __ __ according to the S__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __,

and that He was __ __ __ __ __ __, and that He was

__ __ __ __ __ __ on the  __ __ __ __ __  day according to the S__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 1:2, what do you learn about the gospel?

It was __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ beforehand through His prophets in the __ __ __ __   S__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 1:16, what do you learn about the gospel?

It is the __ __ __ __ __ of God for salvation to everyone who __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

 

Read Romans 1:17, what do you learn about the gospel?

In it the righteousness of God is __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _ from __ __ __ __ __ to faith

 

Read Romans 1:17 again and write it below. This verse is the theme of the book of Romans.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Read Romans 15:19, where all has Paul preached the gospel? 

 

From __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ to __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

Where have you preached the gospel? Where can you preach the gospel? Draw a map from your house to the places you go (school, church, ballgames, friends, etc) and put an X on the places you shared with others about Jesus.

YOUR GOSPEL PREACHING MAP

____________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

____________________________________________________

 

Read Romans 16: 1-3 and 21-23, how many friends did Paul have with him who helped him share the gospel?

He had _______ friends helping him

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

Who are the friends that you have that will help you share the gospel with others?

 

Read Romans 1:7, who is Paul writing this letter to?

He is writing to the __ __ __ __ __ __ __ of God in __ __ __ __, called as __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 1:8, what do you learn about their faith?

Their faith was being __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ throughout the whole __ __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 16:17-19, why is Paul writing the church in Rome?

He wanted them to keep __ __ __ __ __     __ __ __  on those who cause dissensions (fights, separations, quarrels) and he wanted them to be __ __ __ __  in what is __ __ __ __ and __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __  in what is __ __ __ __

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

What do you need to change about the people you hang around, watch, listen to, and learn from in order to pay attention to Paul’s warning to the church?

 

Read Romans 1:12, what did Paul want the church of Rome to be? Unscramble the letters to find the answer.

EURGDEOCNA      __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 1:12 again, did Paul also need to be encouraged by the saints in Rome? Circle your answer.

YES                   NO

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

Paul wrote to the church of Rome to warn them, to teach them, and to encourage them. He also needed to be encouraged by them. Who is someone is leadership, someone who teaches you, encourages you, helps you that you could encourage today? Think about it and maybe send that person a card or just give them big hug.

Below is what my children’s church kids did to encourage our “Paul” our Pastor Charles 🙂

The kids all wrote encouragement on the post-it notes and then we snuck out during service and covered his office door with them 🙂

 

By the way, how’s that memorizing of Romans chapter 1 going?

Names of God: Didaskalos

 

Today we continue in our Names of God series with another one of my favorite titles/names of Christ… Today we will be learning that Jesus is Didaskalos.

Then a scribe came and said to Him,

“Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.”

Matthew 8:19

Didaskalos is the Greek word for teacher and it means: a teacher, in the NT one who teaches concerning the things of God, and the duties of man one who is fitted to teach, or thinks himself so, the teachers of the Jewish religion, of those who by their great power as teachers draw crowds around them, by preeminence used of Jesus by himself, as one who showed men the way of salvation.

Jesus is our Teacher. He is Didaskalos. Even those who deny His Deity will profess that His teachings are amazing. Even those who refuse to acknowledge Him as the Son of God and the Only Way unto salvation study His teachings and marvel at them. Many that deny Him as Lord still seek to understand His teachings on love, humanity, justice, and mercy.

When we go to the Old Testament in the book of Isaiah we see that God pointed to the day that the Didaskalos would come…

Although the Lord has given you bread of privation

and water of oppression,

He, your Teacher will no longer hide Himself,

but your eyes will behold your Teacher.

Isaiah 30:20

When these words were spoken through the prophet Isaiah the nation of Israel was living in rebellion towards their God. Their worship of Him had become simply a religious ritual. They also had added the worship of false gods into the temple of the One True Living God… It was a sad day. God would discipline His people with bread of privation and water of oppression, but because He loved them with an everlasting love and was bound in covenant to them, He would one day also send them the Bread of Life and the Living Water… He would send the Teacher.

The word Teacher in the Hebrew, here in Isaiah 30:20 is Mowreh and it means, (early) rain, and it comes from  the word  Yarah which means to throw, to cast, lay, set, to shoot arrows, to throw water, rain, to point out, show, to direct, teach, instruct

I read this definition and I thought how true this is of the Word of God, the Word made flesh, Jesus came to throw water in our face…

When Jesus came on the scene teaching, His teachings came to wake people up out their slumber.

His watchmen are blind,
All of them know nothing.
All of them are mute dogs unable to bark,
Dreamers lying down, who love to slumber;

Isaiah 59:10

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For this reason it says,“Awake, sleeper,

And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.”

Ephesians 5:14

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Jesus was going throughout all Galilee,

teaching in their synagogues

and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom,

and healing every kind of disease

and every kind of sickness among the people.

Matthew 4:23

When Didaskalos showed up teaching, His words shot throw the hearts of those who listened. His teachings pointed out things the scribes and pharisees could not see. He came and He taught people the law of God in a way in which they had never heard it… He came and He taught and the crowds came to hear Him speak and teach.

When Jesus saw the crowds,

He went up on the mountain;

and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.

He opened His mouth and began to teach them…

Matthew 5:1-2

People would come from all over to hear Him teach because He did not teach with mere repetition and rote…

Jesus did not teach in a way that left people staring into a zoned out space and drooling in their sleep… He taught with authority and power.

When Jesus had finished these words,

the crowds were amazed at His teaching; 

for He was teaching them as one having authority,

and not as their scribes.

Matthew 7:28-29

Now here’s the thing that got me as a teacher and writer and speaker… I tend to judge my efficiency according to how many “likes” and “shares” and “repost” I receive. The enemy of my soul is very good at heaping condemnation and ineptness upon me by using the lack of “crowd” against me. However as I studied this lesson my God brought me to tears and to my knees as He showed something I hadn’t really seen before…

Yes Jesus taught and the crowds came to hear Him… but it was the recorded one on one, face to face ,and heart to heart moments of His teaching that were the most amazing and life changing and poignant for humanity.

In John 3:1-21 when Jesus shared that one must be born again to enter the kingdom of heaven, when He shared that God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life… when He shared these truths of salvation it was with Nicodemus alone. It was one on one, face to face, and heart to heart… and Nicodemus would never be the same.

In John 4:7-26 when for the first recorded time in Scripture, Jesus reveals Himself as the Messiah. He says, “I who speak to you am He.” it was to one woman, the woman at the well. He was one on one, face to face, and heart to heart with this woman… and this woman would never be the same.

Precious one, we may join the crowds to hear someone speak an teach amazing things. I have been there at the conferences when the teacher taught and the people cried and shouted and walked away exclaiming how great the message was… but it only changed them long enough to get out to the parking lot. It only changed them long enough to meet their current need… it was not enough to change them.

If we choose to keep Jesus on the mountain, if we choose to leave His Word at the podium on the stage, if we choose to remain a part of the crowd… then we can take Him or leave Him. We can remain apathetic and unchanged… but if we choose rather to leave the crowd as the disciples did…

When Jesus saw the crowds,

He went up on the mountain;

and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.

He opened His mouth and began to teach them

Matthew 5:1-2

We cannot remain the same.

Precious one, don’t leave Him on the mountain! Don’t stay a part of the crowd. Don’t keep the Didaskalos at a distance. Come to Him and sit at His feet. If you are in a group that ridicules the Teacher, that mocks the Christ, that sets up legalism over grace, that preaches a religion instead of a relationship, and you might be afraid to come boldly out of the crowd because you are just not sure about this Jesus, this Teacher, this Didaskalos, then my friend come as Nicodemus came, come at night, come alone… open the Word of God and ask the Teacher to teach you one on one, face to face, and heart and to heart. He will!

Maybe you are involved in a lifestyle that has covered you in shame. Maybe you are shunned by society. Maybe you are mocked. Maybe you fear the rejection of the church, of those who profess to be Christians, maybe you even fear the rejection of Christ… maybe you have to come to sneak out to get nourishment for yourself when you know no one will be around because you don’t want to be subjected to the judgmental stares and offhanded remarks and sneers…  then beloved come as the woman at the well came. Come and open the Word of God and ask the Teacher for a drink. He will give you His living water and you will never thirst again.

When we come to Him He will teach us… He has promised He would… He will teach us Himself if we will just simply leave the crowd and come and sit at His feet. Then He will give us His Spirit and His Spirit will teach us all things and bring to remembrance all that He has taught us…

“These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you.

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit,

whom the Father will send in My name,

He will teach you all things,

and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

John 14:25-26

I can testify to you that if you come with a seeking heart, the Teacher will indeed teach.

O how I love Your law!

It is my meditation all the day.

 Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies,

For they are ever mine.

 I have more insight than all my teachers,

For Your testimonies are my meditation.

 I understand more than the aged,

Because I have observed Your precepts.

 I have restrained my feet from every evil way,

That I may keep Your word.

 I have not turned aside from Your ordinances,

For You Yourself have taught me.

 How sweet are Your words to my taste!

Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

 From Your precepts I get understanding;

Therefore I hate every false way.

Psalm 119:97-104

And never forget that it’s not about the crowds.

Mom… Dad… think about the opportunity you have to teach the beautiful truths of God one on one, face to face, and heart to heart with your child. Don’t leave the teaching of the Word of God to the preacher at a distance… don’t leave it at the podium on Sundays. Never underestimate the power of your one on one with your child.

Pastor, teacher, writer never forget its not about how many come… its about who leaves changed.

Names of God: Akrogoniaios

We continue in our Names of God series…

Today we will see that our Jesus is the Akrogoniaios.

For this is contained in Scripture:

“Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone,

And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.”

1 Peter 2:6

Akrogoniaios is the Greek word for Cornerstone and it means placed at an extreme corner, the corner foundation stone. Jesus is the Cornerstone. He is Akrogoniaios.

As look further at this verse, we also see that He is the choice stone. Choice in the Greek is eklektos and it means picked out, chosen, chosen of God, choice, select, best of its kind, excellence, preeminent. The word stone is lithos and it means a stone, of small stones, of building stones, of Christ.

So Jesus is the Cornerstone. He is the choice stone and He is the tested and costly stone.

Therefore thus says the Lord God,

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone,

A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed.

He who believes in it will not be disturbed.

Isaiah 28:16

He is the Cornerstone and this Cornerstone comes from the house of Judah…

For the Lord of hosts has visited His flock, the house of Judah,

And will make them like His majestic horse in battle.

From them will come the cornerstone,

From them the tent peg,

From them the bow of battle,

From them every ruler, all of them together.

Zechariah 10:3-4

Not only the Cornerstone, but also the tent peg… I have a funny, yet pertaining story to share about the tent peg…

I was talking with my husband about some BIG PLANS I had come up with for a children’s ministry event. I was going to take our gym and transform it into an indoor campground. I was going to build a big “campfire” in the middle with lights and tissue paper and logs and limbs and everyone cold bring their tent and pop it in the gym… and while I am expounding in all my excitement in what I thought was a well planned out event… my husband looks at me and says, Nicole how are you going to stake the tents? You can’t drive the stakes in the gym floor…

Ugh! Well, that burst my bubble. The plan would never work because the tents were useless if they could not be properly staked to the ground.

Christ is the Cornerstone and He is the tent peg. Our house, our plans, no matter how grand or greatly connived or conceived will not stand if Christ is not the one that has them held firmly to the ground. He must be the beginning peg from which everything else is popped up and held.

He is the beginning of the tent and He is the beginning of the house, the beginning of the foundation, the Cornerstone, the Akrogoniaios

 

He is the Cornerstone and for the rest of the house to stand it must be evenly lined up and connected to the first stone, the cornerstone. If we are connected to this cornerstone, this foundational wall, then we too are a part of His house…

Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of ourconfession; He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house. For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.

Hebrews 3:1-6

Jesus our Cornerstone is the Choice Stone, the Tested stone, the Costly Stone, and He is also the Living Stone. He is the Living Stone and those who come to Him come as living stones and they come to be apart of the building up of His house…

And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men,

but is choice and precious in the sight of God,

you also, as living stones,

are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood,

to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:4-5

Jesus is the Cornerstone of the house of God and if we are to be a part of this house then we must come to Him and through Him… because as we have already learned in our study of His names, not only is He the Rock from which the Cornerstone is hewn by which the house is built and the foundation is begun but He also is the Door of entrance into the house and not only is the Door, but He is the Bridegroom that carries His bride over the threshold of that Door and He not only is the Bridegroom of the house and the Door to the house, but He also is the Light in and of the house… oh my goodness are you shouting yet?!? This is our Jesus!

for through Him

we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens,

but you are fellow citizens with the saints,

and are of God’s household, 

having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,

Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,

in whom the whole building,

being fitted together,

is growing into a holy temple in the Lord,  

in whom you also are being built together

into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

Ephesians 2:18-22

It is only through Jesus that we have access to the house and it is only Jesus who is the Cornerstone of the house… He must be the foundation. It doesn’t matter who lays the next brick or how they lay it as long as it is connected and laid in line with the Cornerstone.

What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:5-11

What then is Baptist? What then is Assembly of God? What then is Church of Christ? What then is Nazarene? What then is Presbyterian? What then is Catholic? Only servants through whom you have been taught and given an opportunity to hear the Word… maybe here the seed was planted, maybe here the seed was watered, maybe here the soil was worked… but only God can cause the seed to grow.

It doesn’t matter who planted. All that matters is that the seed was planted in Christ. If the seed is not planted in Christ, then the seed will rot in the ground. If Jesus is not the foundation’s Cornerstone then it doesn’t matter how strong the building appears, it will collapse.

However, if you come as a living stone to the Living Stone and you are of the house of God then one day…

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper. It had a great and high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names were written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. There were three gates on the east and three gates on the north and three gates on the south and three gates on the west. And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. The one who spoke with me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city, and its gates and its wall. The city is laid out as a square,…

Rev 21:1-4, 9-15

 

You can come to the Cornerstone and become a part of the house… and let me tell you from experience that as the Word declares, you will never be disappointed or you will come to the Cornerstone and you will stumble over Him and He will even offend you by His Word…

For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.” This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, “The stone which the builders rejected, This became the very corner stone,” and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word…

1 Peter 2:4-8

If you stumble over the Cornerstone, it s because you are disobedient to the Word… but those who come to the Word to obey it… they find that the foundation on which has been laid with this Cornerstone is strong, firm, steady, solid, dependent, steady, unwavering, trustworthy, no matter the storm.