Justice Will Prevail (Jeremiah 50)

August 14, 2023 Stephen Jones Leave a comment

This royal seal shows Darius I, king of Persia, riding in a chariot with bow in hand. He shoots a lion which is the embodiment of chaos. The Medes had once been a remote, inconsequential mountain-dwelling people south of the Caspian Sea, but they united with the Persians and rose to power under God’s sovereign hand to bring judgment on Babylon. Seal on display in the British Museum.

For many years, Babylon had been the “hammer of the earth,” smashing other nations and carrying out God’s judgment (Jer. 50:23). But in Jeremiah 50-51, the time has come for Babylon itself to experience God’s vengeance. In this lesson, we learn…

A quick overview of the final chapters of Jeremiah
How Jeremiah connects to other events happening in the ancient world
Who is the “nation from the north”?
How should Christians react when wicked people get caught and punished?
Why Christians should thank God for his wrath
What “Babylon the Great” refers to in the Book of Revelation
God’s covenant faithfulness to Israel, and what this means for us today

Here’s the audio recording:

And here’s a copy of the lesson handout:

jer-50-justice-will-prevail-1 Download

Thanks for listening! This lesson was taught at the median adults Bible Study Community at Immanuel Baptist Church. We meet Sunday mornings at 9am in the Fellowship Hall and are using Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” curriculum. We’d love to have you join us!

Teaching

God Says Not to Go (Jeremiah 42)

August 10, 2023 Stephen Jones Leave a comment

The little town of Anathoth north of Jerusalem is where the prophet Jeremiah grew up. This photo was taken around 1900.

Have you ever asked God for direction, only to be unhappy with the answer he gave? In Jeremiah 42, the people of Israel come to Jeremiah asking for counsel, and pledging their obedience. No sooner does the prophet respond, then they press forward with their own plans, call Jeremiah a liar, and head straight into destruction in Egypt. Now that’s what I call hard-hearted! In this lesson I share…

Our goal for this brand new Bible Study Community
A quick fly-over of Israel’s history from Genesis to Jeremiah
How to figure out the quirky order of the Book of Jeremiah
God’s surprising advice to the nation of Israel
Why we don’t need to be afraid, even when the odds seem overwhelming
The danger of asking God for advice, then doing the opposite of what he says

Here’s the audio recording:

And here’s a link to the lesson handout.

Thanks for listening! This is our first week in a new Sunday morning Bible Study Community aimed at median adults (age 30s thru 50s). We are using Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” material. I will try to record these lessons each week and post them here for those who miss class or want to share with others. Next week’s lesson will be on Jeremiah 50. If you live in the Highland area, you’re welcome to join us Sunday mornings at 9am in the Fellowship Hall.

Counseling

Do We Really Need Help?

August 5, 2023 Stephen Jones 1 Comment

Last Wednesday night, we began a new discipleship class called, “Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands” based on the excellent book and video series.

Maybe you don’t feel like you can do much for the Lord. The fact is, every Christian is designed by God to yield to his loving touch and be used as a channel of blessing in the lives of others. Consider these verses:

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

2 Timothy 2:21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.

Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.

To begin this new series, we learned everyone needs help. In fact, you were created by God with an intrinsic need for guidance and accountability. You need someone to help you understand life, to know how to act, and to interpret your circumstances properly.

This class is a wonderful introduction to biblical counseling. It will teach you how to face everyday problems like anger, worry, grief, lust, abuse, and addiction as you pursue a vibrant relationship with Christ. In the first lesson, I share…

My goal for this course
A fly-over of what we’ll cover in the next eleven weeks
Lessons from Israel’s “rebellion”
Why you can’t properly handle your situations without outside help
How God can use you to help others

Here’s the full audio recording:

You can also download and view the lesson handout here.

Thanks for listening! This is week one in an 11-week series called, “Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands.” If you live in the Highland area, we invite you to join us in person at IBC Wednesday nights at 6pm.

Science

Made in The Image of God

July 31, 2023 Stephen Jones 1 Comment

Wayne Grudem says, “Out of all the creatures God made, only one creature, man, is said to be made ‘in the image of God.'” What does it mean to be made in God’s image? What sets us apart from the animals and the rest of creation?

In April, May, and June, I taught a class called “Is Genesis History?” Among many interesting topics, one that we covered was the image of God. In this lesson, we discuss:

The nature of Genesis as history
The many amazing facets of being made in God’s image
Why this doctrine does not teach God has physical form
Some helpful illustrations of the image of God
How Adam was actually the first scientist
A surprising hierarchy of authority found in our universe

Here’s the full audio recording:

You can also download and view the handout here.

Thanks for listening. This was week 6 in a 9-week study called, “Is Genesis History?” For more information on Immanuel Baptist Church, please visit our website. For more info and a link to the full length documentary, “Is Genesis History?” please click here.

Counseling

New Counseling Class

July 12, 2023 Stephen Jones Leave a comment

Last summer, we met up in the Fellowship Hall and studied the topic of worry and anxiety. (I posted a one-session summary of that material here).

If you found that class helpful, I wanted to let you know about an exciting new opportunity. Several weeks ago, I told Scott Stevenson I’d be interested in teaching another discipleship class on a biblical counseling topic, and asked his opinion of what might benefit our people. He put a copy of Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands on my desk with a note saying this is what he recommends!

If you’re not familiar with this material, it’s an excellent introduction to biblical counseling, and has been used by thousands of Christians across the world to receive basic training on counseling issues. I taught this material several years ago, and am excited for the opportunity to do it again.

We will be starting this new series on Wednesday, August 2, at 6pm in A202. Some of the topics we will discuss include:

The Heart is the Target
Following Jesus, the Wonderful Counselor
Building Relationships that Thrive
Getting to Know People
Applying Change to Everyday Life
And much more!

Galatians 6:1 challenges us that “we who are spiritual should restore others in a spirit of gentleness.” You may not feel qualified to counsel. But as you grow in your walk with the Lord, and better know his word, you’ll be surprised how often God uses you as an instrument in his hands to be a blessing to others. I invite you to join us Wednesday, August 2!

To pre-register or learn more, please click here.

Pinch Of Clay