Feb. 19, 2023

Confronting the Chaos

February 18 & 19, 2023

Primary Text: Isaiah 5:20-21  

Previous Teaching: Belonging to the Church

1)  The Church Body

Ephesians 5:23:  For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 

Colossians 1:24:  Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.

DQ 1) Define the “body of Christ.”  What is its purpose in this world?

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2)  Works of Service

Ephesians 4:11-13:  It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 

DQ 2) Why is service to one another central to the mission of the 

           church?

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This Week’s Teaching

1)  Woe Unto Thee

Isaiah 5:20-21:  Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.  Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.

DQ 1) Define evil.  Define good.  How is it possible to know either one?

DQ 2) Identify ways in which the current culture calls evil good.

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2)  Blinded by Darkness

Ephesians 2:1-2 (NASB):  And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, 

according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.

 2 Corinthians 4:3-4:  And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.  The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

DQ 3) Why do people call evil good?

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3)  The Last Days

2 Timothy 3:1-5:  But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.  People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God--having a form of godliness but denying its power.  Have nothing to do with them. 

2 Timothy 3:12-13:  In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 

DQ 4) What are signs that we are in the “last days”?

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4)  Rend the Heavens

Isaiah 64:1:  Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you!

Matthew 24:36-37, 42 (NASB):  But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.  For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah….  Therefore, be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. 

DQ 5) Are you prepared to meet Jesus the Christ on earth or in heaven?

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