holy spirit Archives

The Greatest of These is Love (1 Corinthians 12:27-13:13)

After discussing the various gifts in the church, Paul makes a powerful, memorable point that love is the greatest of them all. He then goes on to describe the characteristics of true Christ-like love. To start: love suffers long! While we are all familiar with this passage, do we live as if this is the most

The Greatest of These is Love (1 Corinthians 12:27-13:13) View Lesson

Gifts of the Spirit and Unity (1 Corinthians 12:1-26)

Paul now begins to address problems related to the gifts of the Holy Spirit given to the church, foretold in the Old Testament Scriptures. What was their purpose? Where did they come from? Paul then paints a beautiful picture of Christian unity: a vibrant, functioning body composed of members with diverse roles and gifts. This

Gifts of the Spirit and Unity (1 Corinthians 12:1-26) View Lesson

Spiritual Warfare in Ephesus (Acts 19)

Here Paul encounters a group of believers who knew only the baptism of John the Baptist. With insights from an early Christian writer, we explore the purpose and limitations of John’s baptism. The word spreads from Ephesus throughout the region, bearing fruit and creating conflict. Many publicly burn their very expensive collections of occult scrolls,

Spiritual Warfare in Ephesus (Acts 19) View Lesson

Paul's Second Missionary Journey: Into Europe (Acts 15:36-16:40)

Paul’s second missionary trip is filled with adventures, and lessons for us. How do we handle disagreements between spiritual leaders? What can we learn from Timothy undergoing circumcision, "becoming all things to all men", to reach out to Jews? Here we see God using an unjust prison stay to bring a jailer and his family

Paul's Second Missionary Journey: Into Europe (Acts 15:36-16:40) View Lesson

Struck Dead for Lying (Acts 4:32-5:11)

Here we encounter Ananias and Sapphira, a married couple who brazenly lie to Peter in connection with a gift they gave to the church. They are each struck dead by God for lying, provoking great fear of God in the church. We take this graphic story as an opportunity to take a good look at

Struck Dead for Lying (Acts 4:32-5:11) View Lesson

Pentecost: Peter Proclaims Jesus' Resurrection from the Dead (Acts 2:1-29)

On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descends in fire on the apostles, a crowd gathers, and Peter preaches the resurrection of Jesus. He begins by explaining how Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Psalm 16: “You will not leave my soul in Hades...." Using related passages and insights from early Christians, we learn about

Pentecost: Peter Proclaims Jesus' Resurrection from the Dead (Acts 2:1-29) View Lesson

Washed, Clothed and Anointed (Leviticus 8)

Why should we care about the ordination of the first priests? If we study this passage carefully, we may find ourselves hidden in the story. Like them, we have been washed, clothed with special clothing, anointed, and called to a ministry of sacrifice and prayer. Also, we will see that this anointing points to the

Washed, Clothed and Anointed (Leviticus 8) View Lesson

As the Prophets Wrote (1 Peter 1:10-13)

The ‘Spirit of Christ’ was in the prophets, who testified of Jesus' sufferings and the glories to follow. This includes things so remarkable that even angels desire to look into them! Peter’s masterful use of the Old Testament, whether addressing Jews or Gentiles, demonstrates the practicality and usefulness of the Old Testament to us today.

As the Prophets Wrote (1 Peter 1:10-13) View Lesson

The Finger of God (Exodus 31:18)

This lesson plunges us into deep waters: to understand the very nature and character of God. Is there a topic more challenging, more impossible to grasp? Yet the Hebrews writer tells the Christians that God "is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." In Exodus 31:18 we learn that the tablets of stone given

The Finger of God (Exodus 31:18) View Lesson

The Veil and the Craftsmen (Exodus 31:1-17)

In this last lesson on the construction of the temple, we first take a look at the veil, which Hebrews tells us represents Jesus' flesh. With this in mind, we take a deeper look at the details of this veil to see if there are more parallels to Jesus. We also learn that the craftsmen who

The Veil and the Craftsmen (Exodus 31:1-17) View Lesson