Lesson Of The Hour

While at a great feast in Levi’s house, Jesus revealed, “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” Jesus’s mission included calling sinners to repentance. Biblical repentance is the change of one’s mind against sinning. Christ came proclaiming the Gospel, “repent and believe in the gospel.” The Gospel contains the plea to repent for the forgiveness of sins. Many people do not come to Christ because they do not want to repent. This message examines what is behind the refusal to repent. However, the call to repent is an act of love according to Jesus. The world hears judgment from the call to repent and rightly so. How can Christians encourage friends, family, and ourselves to repent? What can Christians gain from understanding how the lack of faith hinders repentance and how rejecting repentance hinders faith?Scripture Reading: Acts 2:38-41 (read by Gene Bryant)Lesson by Scott ShifferdRecorded September 10, 2017 at the Dean Road church of Christ in Jacksonville, FL

Christians are to forgive as God forgives in Christ (Eph 4:32; Col 3:13). How does God forgive sins? Does God forgive sins for any reason? Can Christians forgive sins for any reason? God forgives those who repent or commit unintentional sins (Luke 23:34; 24:46–47). Jesus teaches the same forgiveness for repentance (Luke 17:3–4). Jesus revealed that no one would receive forgiveness sins unless they forgive the debt of trespasses from others. Much of the misunderstanding of forgiveness is the difference between the biblical definition and the secular definition of forgiveness. Secular forgiveness is moving past people who have offended or hurt oneself, family, or friends. However, biblical forgiveness is the release of sins. This message addresses the necessity and condition of forgiving the sins of others as God forgives Christians.Scripture Reading: Matthew 6:14-15 (read by David Johnson)Lesson by Scott ShifferdRecorded September 3, 2017 at the Dean Road church of Christ in Jacksonville, FL

A person’s prayer life reveals a lot about their relationship with God. “I prayed for my marriage and my spouse, yet my spouse left me.” “I asked God to heal my best friend, but my friend died.” This message is a plea not to lose faith over “unanswered prayers.” God works all things together for good for those who love Him. God certainly answers the prayers of the righteous who pray according to His will. Some have thought, “A good God should fulfill my requests for good things.” However, the believer must think deeper and recognize that God is able to do and think far beyond what each person is able. God is not a man that anyone may judge Him or think that His actions are arbitrary or matters of opinion. Many lose their faith because God did not grant their request as that expected. This message explores the Bible concerning God’s condition for giving “whatever” a faithful Christian requests.Scripture Reading: Matthew 7:7-11 (read by David Johnson)Lesson by Scott ShifferdRecorded August 27, 2017 at the Dean

At what age are Christians done with Christ’s commission? When Jesus finished when he declared, “It is finished.” Christ accomplished his suffering on the cross when he said, “It is finished.” However, Luke reported that his Gospel was of what Jesus began to teach and do. Christ did more. He added to his church. Jesus revealed that he would build his church. Paul professed that all that he did was Christ working through him. This message examines these passages that compel Christians to continue the mission of making disciples. Jesus revealed himself to his apostles with many proofs. Do Christians have the same or similar blessings that the apostles had to spread the Gospel? This message presents Christ’s proofs that remain evidence today.Scripture Reading: Acts 1:1-3 (read by David Johnson)Lesson by Scott ShifferdRecorded August 20, 2017 at the Dean Road church of Christ in Jacksonville, FL

Does your focus clothe your appearance? Paul instructed disciples to put on the qualities of God’s chosen, holy, and beloved people. These faithful followers clothed themselves in Christian virtues. Where do we begin? In Colossians 3, Paul also exhorted Christians to look to things above and not earthly things. Paul even specified that the earthly things were sexually immoral and prideful speech. How do people lose their focus on what really matters? Everyone faces death and yet many try to distract themselves from reality. The hope of change begins in the Gospel message of Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection. In this process, Christians mature and put on the Christian virtues like compassion. Those qualities are what unite Christians and cross racial and social divides. May God bless those who consider this biblical message from the Holy Spirit.Scripture Reading: Colossians 3:12-17 (read by Gene Bryant)Lesson by Scott ShifferdRecorded August 13, 2017 at the Dean Road church of Christ in Jacksonville, FL

The world wants everyone to accept them as they identify themselves, but they refuse to accept how God made them in His image. They refuse to accept the identity of Christ. They want others to accept their way of life while they reject the Christian’s way of life. People are confused. If we look, one thing that all people can see is that no one can keep their own moral code perfectly. Most people rationalize immoral behaviors. Immorality increases to more immorality. People corrupt their own morality. That morality they have invented comes selfishly for themselves. Humanity is guilty and needs a Savior. However, God loved humanity while yet sinners and sent Jesus Christ. God’s grace has come through Christ. However, God’s grace does not permit that we continue to do wrong but that we are saved from evil, sin, and lawlessness to turn from such evil. This message presents that God forgives us of all sins as long as we walk in the light. How do we walk in the light?Scripture reading: 1 John 1:5-10 (read by Gerri

What is so amazing about God's grace? Humanity does not deserve grace. No one can earn salvation from the guilt and eternal consequences of sins. However, while dead in sins, God demonstrated His love and mercy to all in grace giving salvation through Christ. This message presents a concise definition of God’s forgiving grace. God’s grace works through the Gospel — the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. The Scriptures are clear about the devastating state of humanity. All by nature were children of wrath. “For by grace you have been saved through faith.” God’s grace compels the believer to live godly and upright. By grace, God has purified for Himself a people of His own possession. Grace changes believers.Scripture Reading: Ephesians 2:1-10 (read by David Johnson)Lesson by Scott ShifferdRecorded July 30, 2017 at the Dean Road church of Christ in Jacksonville, FL

God regards the righteous offering of faith. Contention and anger grows among those who argue how to worship God. The Bible teaches that worship must come from faith as Abel offered a more acceptable sacrifice by faith than Cain. This message explores that faith. Acting on doubt instead of faith is sin (Rom 14:23). Faith comes from the Word of Christ. Christians must return to the faith that is an assurance of things hoped for, a presentation of things not seen, and knowing that God’s Word created the universe. No one can please God without this faith. This message focuses on true faith and supplementing a growing faith.Lesson by Scott ShifferdRecorded June 25, 2017 at the Dean Road church of Christ in Jacksonville, FL

Where is God’s grace? This message presents the broadness of God’s grace often known as God’s providence. God blesses people through hard times. Paul prayed three times for God to remove a thorn in the flesh, and God responded that His grace is sufficient. God’s power is complete through human weakness. At Corinth, the apostle Paul faced slanderers. His reaction was to boast of his weaknesses so that the power of Christ rested upon him. Paul’s concern was not so much about the slander than the false apostles who would lead the congregation astray. Paul’s approach remained the same. He boasted in his weaknesses. Paul’s weaknesses included insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. Let this message encourage you to better address life’s struggles and further trust in God.Scripture Reading: II Corinthians 12:7-12 (read by Gerrit Dekker)Lesson by Scott ShifferdRecorded July 23, 2017 at the Dean Road church of Christ in Jacksonville, FL

Must a Christian believe that God created the universe in six literal days? Jesus did use Genesis to demonstrate that God created Adam and Eve in the beginning. How much did Jesus rely upon Genesis? Jesus did refer to the writings of Moses. He emphasized how essential faith in these texts are to believing Jesus. Must faith in Christ require faith in six-day creation? The Scriptures are emphatic that God spoke the creation into existence. God created the universe by His Word. This message will explore the Genesis account of creation and its harmony with science.Scripture Reading: Genesis 1:1-5 (read by David Johnson)Lesson by Scott ShifferdRecorded July 16, 2017 at the Dean Road church of Christ in Jacksonville, FL

Can hope of eternal life help someone to live a holy life? That should be true, but many claim a confidence in eternal life apart from Christ. Many Greeks and Romans did the same in the first century. However, God promises eternal life through Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection. This is a much greater assurance of things hoped for. This lesson explores the hope that overcomes sin. The apostle John revealed that those who hope purify themselves as Christ is pure. Some hope in an eternal life different from what the Scriptures describe. Their hope is not a living hope based in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The hope of eternal life for Christians is a bodily rising from the dead and transformation by putting on immortality. This message emphasizes a true hope that encourages believers to purify themselves as Christ is pure.Scriptrue Reading: Philippians 3:8-12 (read by Don Kovar)Lesson by Scott ShifferdRecorded July 9, 2017 at the Dean Road church of Christ in Jacksonville, FL

Should the Bible have to warn believers of lewdness and sensuality? The Scriptures do. Peter warned of the passions of the flesh that wage war against the soul. Peter described those who try to entice and allure others astray by such passions. Whose fault is it if one person tempts another? Jesus spoke against tempting others to sin. Such temptations can come through the immodesty of others in obscene talk or lack of clothing. Modesty is a part of self-control. The world wants to place the blame on the one of whom others entice and tempt. All believers are accountable and must prepare themselves to resist such evil. Jesus described lewdness as evil that defiles the heart (Mark 7:20–23). God demonstrated modest clothing by what He gave Adam and Eve when they were clothed with figs leaves and yet were naked. This message will also offer the biblical guidance for self-control and modesty. May God bless all who listen.Scripture Reading: Ephesians 5:3-5 (read by Christopher Howell)Lesson by Scott ShifferdRecorded

Can a biblical command cause you to turn from Christ? The biblical instruction of Paul for women to remain silent in the assembly is one of those commands that many people decide to reject or leave. In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul taught these Christians that two or three are to speak and one by one in turn. Everyone else was to remain silent, listen to the teaching, and weigh what the speaker taught. Paul then commanded that women remain quiet in the assemblies as commanded among all churches. Why? Is this sexism? Paul explained that this was God’s design that men lead because God created man first. This message will weigh the position of whether genders complement each other in different glories or that both genders are completely equal in capability. This message will also clarify the decency and order that God desires for the assembly of the whole congregation.Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 14:20-40 (read by Barry Rutkowski)Lesson by Scott ShifferdRecorded June 25, 2017 at the Dean Road church of Christ in Ja

The assembly of Christians is not only for worship but explicitly for the edification of Christians. Edification means “building up” and includes teaching of revelation and knowledge for encouragement and consolation. In 1 Corinthians 14, the apostle Paul established that understandable words are essential to the edification of the church. Because of the necessity of words for edification, Paul excluded foreign languages (without interpretation) from the assembly. Paul established a principle that excluded anything in the assembly lacking understandable words. Paul taught that one must pray and sing with the spirit and the mind. Many today have added musical instruments to singing in the assembly, yet these instruments cannot communicate words. No one can preach, pray, or praise with an instrument. For this reason, most churches throughout history have excluded the instrument from the assembly. In fact, the apostle Paul described such instruments as “lifeless” and “soulless.” This message challenges the liste

This message presents the purpose of the assembly especially the necessity of edification through intelligible words. The concept of “worship service” originates from man’s tradition and not the Bible. The New Testament described the gathering of Christians for the Lord’s Supper as “the assembly.” The church of Christ must restore the assembly. Paul wrote the church at Corinth to overcome the display of spiritual gifts for pretense. Instead, Christians are to strive to excel in the edification of the church. Should Christians expect to contribute to edification in the assembly? Yes. The Scriptures exhort followers of Christ to stir one another to love and good works. This is the beginning of a series to depict a biblical picture of the assembly.Scripture Reading: I Corinthians 14:1-12 (read by Ken Adams)Lesson by Scott ShifferdRecorded June 11, 2017, at the Dean Road church of Christ in Jacksonville, FL

The Apostle Paul was confident in his salvation because devoted himself to obeying God’s will. Paul wants all Christians to focus on the Spirit because there is life in the Spirit; but many focus too much on the flesh. If we want to get into heaven, we must learn to overcome the desires of the flesh and focus on the things that do not perish. But then again, what does it mean to be focused on the flesh and how do we know if we are concentrating on the Spirit? What are the consequences of focusing too much on the flesh and the rewards of devoting ourselves to the Spirit? Lastly, can we be as confident in our salvation as Paul was in his; and if we can, how? We will answer these questions and more by discussing three aspects of Paul’s ministry: (1) life in the Spirit, death in the flesh; (2) Traditions of the men are traditions of the flesh; and (3) focusing on the Spirit of God.Scripture Reading: 2 Timothy 4:1-8 (read by David Johnson)Lesson by Undre GriggsRecorded June 4, 2017 at the Dean Road church of

Jesus revealed that Satan was a murderer from the beginning. He is the father of lies, and his lies brought death to humanity. He was seeking to murder humankind and he did (John 8:44). God worked through the history of time to defeat sin. God was patient not to exclude free will and most importantly give opportunity for repentance (2 Pet 3:9). God set forth in Christ a plan for the fullness of time. This message observes how Christ came and defeated Satan, death, and sin.

How can Christians pass on their hope of eternal life to their children? Christians need the hope of the redemption of the body and the mortal body putting on immortality. This is the victory of Jesus’s resurrection over death. Children are dependent on their parents, and humanity is dependent on their heavenly Father. Christ wants the little children to come to him and everyone to become like these little children in humility and dependence on God. The Bible encourages youth to remember their Creator in their youth because old age can hinder faith. The message will consider the similarities between Christians to the heavenly Father and as children to their parents. Christians must pass their hope to the next generation.Scripture Reading: Psalm 71:17-21 (read by Christopher Howell)Lesson by Scott ShifferdRecorded May 28, 2017 at the Dean Road church of Christ in Jacksonville, FL

The purpose of this message is to challenge believers to see why sin is sin and how sin is contrary to God’s nature. Sin is not an arbitrary invention of some “man in the sky.” Sin is lawlessness. Sin is any act contrary to God’s Law. While many think that God’s Law is arbitrary and they wish that God would change His Word, His Word is according to nature of love, holiness, and righteousness. Sin does have a depraving effect upon those who sin, and all do sin. This lesson addresses the question, “Because God created everything, did God create sin?” and “Why did God make a world where people can sin?”Lesson by Scott ShifferdRecorded May 21, 2017 at the Dean Road church of Christ in Jacksonville, FL

This message is to challenge the church to encourage and anchor hope in our children. This message addresses the question, “Why do so many children leave the church?” Besides passing the blame to parents or society, the church must consider what is lacking in their faith that causes adolescents to leave the church in adulthood. Holiness in the home is essential. From where does that holiness come? This message presents some essential points from the Scripture to secure our children including the need for a believing parent in the home, fathers who do not embitter their children, and parents who can evangelize the Gospel to their own children. However, one may observe the lack of holy living among young believers. Why? Hope and its resulting holiness are an essential conviction for parents and the church to pass onto their children. Christians must hope in eternal life through Jesus’s resurrection. Our children need the hope that is the anchor of the soul.Scripture Reading: Matthew 11:25-27 (read by Don Kovar)