Thursday, April 28, 2011
by Robert Dean
Passage: Romans 1:28-32
Series: Romans (2010)
Duration: 1 hr 3 mins 49 secs
We don't witness to everyone the same way. The apostles began with Abraham when talking to Jews and Gentiles with an Old Testament background, but with the God of creation, when talking to pagan Gentiles.When Paul came to Athens, he first went to the synagogue, and then to the agora, the marketplace. There he attracted the attention of the intellectual elites, the Stoics and Epicureans. They could not understand what he was talking about when speaking of the resurrection. It did not fit their preconceived notions, their religious framework. So they asked for more. They invited Paul to address them at Mar's Hill, a rock outcropping beneath the Acropolis. There we have a tremendous example of Paul's explanation of the gospel by defining God and then man.
Thursday, May 05, 2011
by Robert Dean
Passage: Romans 1:28-32 & Acts 17:16-32
Series: Romans (2010)
Duration: 59 mins 14 secs
How do we communicate biblical truth to unbelievers? On the one hand we don’t want to compromise the authority of Scripture by appealing to another authority to validate truth, but then we also don’t want to ignore evidence. We must realize the dynamics that enter into a conversation with the unsaved. We see this with Paul in Athens.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
by Robert Dean
Passage: Colossians 1:24
Series: Colossians (2011)
Duration: 48 mins 8 secs
In our continuation of the Sufficiency of Christ segment of this study, there is much Paul has to say about suffering, and includes some very interesting comments about joy and happiness. Many questions are raised.What is the true meaning of joy and happiness? How can you rejoice in your sufferings, as the Bible instructs us to do? Can a believer actually have joy in the midst of adversity? These questions cause us to look back to the suffering and afflictions Christ endured. What did He rely upon? Our attitude should be one focused upon the sufficiency of Jesus Christ in all areas. He didn't leave anything out, did He? To have that joy we keep our eyes on the end game - on Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. And through that, we learn to love the battle!