Concordia Adult Bible Class

Jesus is not always easy to understand. His parents learned that early on. What do we do when we are puzzled by Jesus’ ways? We respond like His mother: “His mother treasured all these things in her heart” (verse 51). In this message, we learn some methods we can use to better understand Jesus’ sometimes puzzling works and ways.

People often wonder, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” This was Peter’s conundrum – except that he was wondering why bad things would happen to Jesus! In Jesus’ suffering, we see how God can use suffering to accomplish His purposes.

Recently, CNN featured an article by Reza Aslan, a former Muslim turned “Christian.” He said about Jesus: “Today, I can confidently say that two decades of rigorous academic research into the origins of Christianity has made me a more genuinely committed disciple of Jesus of Nazareth than I ever was of Jesus Christ. I have modeled my life not after the celestial spirit whom many Christians believe sacrificed himself for our sins, but rather after the illiterate, marginal Jew who gave his life fighting an unwinnable battle against the religious and political powers of his day.” To Reza, Jesus was a zealot, but not the Messiah. Jesus, however, thinks of Himself as much more than a rebel. In a world that has many different conceptions of Jesus, it is important to know who He really is: God come to earth as a man to save us.

Many people worry about their friends who do not know Jesus. They ask, “Will I see them in heaven?” “How can I reach them with the gospel?” In Revelation 3, John describes Jesus’ persistent knocking on the doors of the hearts of those who either do not know Him or who are far from Him (verse 20). Though it may take a long time, we too are called to knock on the doors of our friends’ hearts with the message of Christ.

With nearly ubiquitous access to the Internet, social media, and smart phones, there is an abundance of things which can distract us from what is most important in our lives. We can even lose sleep over such distractions as we trade needed rest for mindless distractions! In Luke 10, Martha is distracted from making preparations for Jesus’ visit (verse 40). But Jesus calls her to focus on Him. He calls us to do the same.

Work can become so overwhelming that people can lose sleep over it or have nightmares about it. When Jesus was about to go to the cross to do the work of salvation, understandably, He was overwhelmed. How did He handle His heavy workload? He went to His Father in prayer. We should follow Jesus’ lead.

With increasing frequency, there are many who are expressing anxiety over the direction of our country. Can the U.S. survive many wars, high debt, and moral decay? The book of Daniel reminds us of two things. First, God cares about those in power. Again and again, God pursues Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, seeking to make him His follower. Second, even if worldly kingdoms fall, God’s Kingdom stands forever. And we are residents first and foremost of His Kingdom.

Have your kids ever woken you up at night because they thought they heard a noise? That’s what Samuel did to Eli. But in Samuel’s case, the voice he heard was the very voice of the Lord. Tragically, though Eli paid close attention to his Samuel, he paid little attention to his own children, Hophni and Phineas. Though kids cause us concern, they should, in some sense, “keep us up at night” because we love them and want what’s best for them.

The word “vocation” means “calling.” As Christians, we are called to live out our faith in every one of the callings of our lives – be that as a husband, a wife, a parent, or an employee. In this message, we look at the callings that spouses have to be loving toward each other.

To be “sanctified” means to be “made holy.” The Holy Spirit makes us holy when He guides us in the way of holiness outlined by God’s word.

As the gospel reconciles us to Christ even though we are by nature separated from Him because of our sin, we are called to be reconciled to each other. What sins, committed against us, do we need to forgive so we can be reconciled to each other?

The doctrine of justification reminds us that we are saved not because of anything we do, but because of what Christ has done. When we have faith in Christ, He shows us grace and gives us His righteousness while nailing our wickedness to His cross. The word “justify” means “to make righteous.” Christ makes us righteous through His death and resurrection.

The doctrine of predestination can be summed up thusly: “Jesus chooses you.” He chooses you not because of any merit or worth on your part, but because of His great love for you. Though this doctrine is somewhat mysterious, it need not be frightening. Rather, it can be consoling because it reminds us how far God will go to save us, even choosing to save us when we are rebelling against Him.

The truth of Christian doctrine is vitally important because it helps us defend ourselves against the lies of Satan (cf. 1 Timothy 1:3). This is the point Paul makes at the end of his letter to the Ephesians when he speaks of the armor of God. We begin with the end of Paul’s letter so we can understand the point and importance of doctrine before we unpack some individual doctrines themselves.

Dads wear many hats! From disciplinarian to bread winner to healer of hurts, dads do it all. But dads also struggle. Sometimes, their jobs and families can feel overwhelming. Sometimes, even their faith can be shaken. But no matter how tough things may become, Jesus invites dads to find their strength and solace in Him.