The Master‘s Class, LifeChange Church Wichita

ISRAEL'S MISTAKE (Acts 13:26-29)

In today’s message we are going to talk about Israel’s mistake, which was the murder of the Son of God, the Promised Messiah. It was their crowning act of defiance and wickedness against God.  But they were not alone. The same attitudes of ignorance of the Scriptures, and willful disobedience are attitudes that we find in each of us.  They are the sinful attitudes that nailed Jesus to the cross. 

Self-righteous religion crucified Jesus.  Religion without true repentance and change of heart is a dangerous thing.  You have religion, but you don’t have righteousness.  You have Christian culture, but you don’t have Christ.  

Hypocrisy crucified Christ.  The real danger of hypocrisy is what it does to others around the hypocrite.  Some people will miss heaven because they have judged Christianity on the basis of what they see in a hypocrite. 

Cowardly compromise crucified Jesus. Fear is the number one reason many Christians do not take a stand for Jesus when they are out with their friends.  It is that fear of being separate, and different, that leads many into sin.  

Thoughtless conformity crucified Jesus. The biggest cult in America is the cult of conformity.  You can listen to the crowd and form your opinions from the polls of the day, or you can say, “I will follow Jesus, come what may.”

Hard-hearted cruelty crucified Jesus. We live in a world today where some people are absolutely coldhearted, especially when it comes to Jesus and His crucifixion.  A person does not have to kill someone to be hard-hearted.  They just have to reject the love of the Father.

Casual indifference crucified Jesus. It takes more than sentimentality or crocodile tears to change a life.  Some people come to church every Sunday, listen to the message, and maybe even make a few notes.  But it never changes their lives.  

Click on the link below to hear a message on the mistakes we have each made that led Jesus Christ to the cross.

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

ISRAEL'S MISSION (Acts 13:14-25)

ISRAEL’S MISSION (Acts 13:14-25)

Today’s lesson is about Paul beginning his first missionary journey. It is when we know the will of God, and we are obedient to it, that there is no challenge too great, no danger too hard to face, the key is seeking and finding the will of God. The question becomes how do you decide when and where to move in the work of Lord? Certainly, for most believers, the most difficult part is separating the desire of our own heart from the desires of the Lord. Sometimes they coincide, and sometimes they don’t.

Seeking the Lord’s will is something each Christian should be doing on a daily basis. Finding the Lord’s will is the result of quiet, careful, meditation on the Word of God with a surrendered heart, and an open ear. So how do you know which way is right? Ask these questions:

1) Is your heart in a condition that can even hear the will of God? In other words, are you speaking from a surrendered heart that is fully obedient to God?  

2) Have you prayed and asked God to reveal the sin that is in your heart, and then confessed and repented of it? If there is unconfessed and unrepented sin in your life, that sin will keep you from hearing God’s will.

3) Have you searched God’s Word for the answer to your question of God’s will for your life? The answer to most of life’s questions can be found in the Scriptures that God has given us.  

4) Have you prayed about the question and then listened for God’s response, or have you simply told God the answer you want to hear?  

5) Is what you want meeting the purpose of Christ for this church being here, or for you still being on this earth? For example, Will it bring lost people to know Him?  

6) Are you willing to accept God’s answer, whatever it may be?  

Click on the link below to hear a message on how Finding the Lord’s will is the result of quiet, careful, meditation on the Word of God with a surrendered heart, and prayer with an open ear.

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

STEPHEN SEES THE MASTER (Acts 7:38-60)

STEPHEN SEES THE MASTER (Acts 7:38 to 60)

As we go through this lesson today, I want you to think about what your faith is in.  Is it in God, or in the religious traditions, buildings, and ceremonies that we have created and become accustomed to.  

Do you know how you can tell what your faith is in?  Let me ask you a series of questions.  First, why did you choose the church that you are attending?  Was it because of a particular pastor or staff member?  You like their style of preaching, or they moved to another church, and you followed them.  Was it because of the denomination, or lack of denomination, of the church?  You wanted to be in a Methodist church, a Baptist church, or an Assembly of God church.  Maybe you didn’t want to be part of any denomination?

Was it the building that you worship in?  Is it a beautiful building, or simply functional?  Was it because of the type of music that is sung, hymns or more contemporary music?  Do you claim that you can’t worship God unless you get to sing the type of songs that you like?  Was it because you read the statement of faith of that church and agreed with it? How many of you read the statement of faith of your church before you joined?  Was it because of how the church is organized and structured?  Is it a pastor led church, or an elder/deacon board led church?  Did you read the By-Laws of the church to learn about the organization?

Understand that I am not saying these things are not important, because they are.  They can certainly be a guide to what God’s will is not.  I mean, why would you join church that did not follow God’s Word.   But, they should never be the reason for choosing a church to worship God in, and they are not what your faith should be in.  You should always choose a church because God led you to it.  You should always join a church because He called you to serve in that church.  Your faith is in God, it is in the Son of the Living God, Jesus Christ, whose blood purchased your salvation and is now sitting on the right hand of God.  If you follow God’s leading, then all of those other things will fall in line because God would never lead you to a church that was not following, teaching, and preaching, God’s Word.

That was the very problem of the Jews that Stephen is preaching to.  They chose the traditions of their childhood over the God that had chosen them.  They chose to worship man-made things, like the Temple and it’s rituals, rather than God.

Click on the link below to hear a message on who your faith should be in.

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

THE REJECTION OF MOSES (Acts 7:17-38)

THE REJECTION OF MOSES (Acts 7:17 to 38)

Last week we studied how Stephen, who was one of the seven men chosen as a servant to meet the needs of the church, has been arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin.  The Sanhedrin realized that it would take more than threats and beatings to stop the growth of the new church, and it was Stephen that became the target of a well-planned, Satan led, attack.  They began by sending out religious experts from the various synagogues to debate with Stephen.  Yet Stephen, full of the power of the Holy Spirit, defeated them handily with their own Scriptures.  

In today’s lesson, Stephen will use the story of Moses to reiterate the lost condition of the Jewish nation.  Stephen will describe how Moses, as a God chosen savior, was rejected by Israel when they were mired in slavery.  As a result of this rejection, Israel was forced to suffer 40 more years of persecution, only to have the very same rejected savior return to deliver them and rule over them.  

The Holy Spirit is using Stephen to make one last attempt at a national confession of sin and repentance for their rejection of Jesus as the promised Messiah.  Stephen has seen the judgment that is coming to Israel, and he is offering God’s plan of salvation to them.  A plan that they will reject.

Click on the link below to hear a message on the parallels between the rejection of Moses and Jesus.  The Scripture tells us that Moses returned as a deliverer to free the Hebrews from the Egyptian captivity.  And it was Moses that prophesied that Jesus would be just such a Savior that would come to deliver the Hebrews from the persecution of the Romans. 

Moses declared that they would hear the Messiah.  Stephen declares that they heard Him, then they rejected Him.  Yet, they were not finished with Jesus.  The day will come that the Son of the Almighty Living God, the name above all names, Jesus Christ, will demand that they hear Him, and they will.  

Israel is a called out group. They were called out of Egypt, by God, for a particular purpose.  Israel was a called out group that was supernaturally gathered around the Lord, who took His place in their midst.  The threefold movement in the redemption of Israel was similar to ours.  God put His people under the blood, brought them out through the water, and baptized them in the cloud and in the sea, and gathered them around the table.  

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

THE FIRST PERSECUTION OF THE CHURCH (Acts 4:1-22)

THE FIRST PERSECUTION OF THE CHURCH (Acts 4:1-22)

As believers we are to obey those that God has placed in power over us, whether they be Caesar, or Nero, or our current leaders.  Yet, there are times when Caesar so abuses his power as to command that we do something morally or spiritually wrong.  That is where the believer must draw the line, even at the cost of death.  The believer must respectfully, but firmly, refuse to obey the commands of human authority when it defies the laws of God.  And when the time comes, and it will come, that we are prohibited from preaching and teaching the name of Jesus, that is when we must refuse to obey the command of the rulers placed in authority above us.  

Peter does just that as he proclaims to the Sanhedrin, “Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”  This was Peter’s and John’s reply when they were commanded by the religious leaders to stop teaching in the name of Jesus.  They declared that they would continue to teach, preach, and heal in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, no matter the cost.  

It is not by the name of Confucius, Buddha, or Allah, that a lost person can find salvation; not even by the name of one of the great heroes of the Bible, not Abraham, or Moses, can a lost person find salvation.  Only in the name of Jesus can salvation be found.  Jesus is the world’s only Savior. 

John 14:6
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
KJV

The law can’t save you. Religion can’t save you, and there is absolutely no ceremony that can save you. You cannot get to Heaven through the pope. You cannot stand before God clothed in the robes of righteousness by doing more good works than bad works.  Your friends and family cannot pray you into heaven.  You cannot buy your way out of darkness and an eternity in Hell.

There is only one way to get rid of Satan’s darkness, and that is the light of the Word of God, Jesus Christ the Son of the living God.  We have victory in Jesus because no force on the earth, or below the earth, can stand against the mighty majesty of His name.  When you come to Jesus for salvation, it is His blood that wipes away your sin.  It is His blood that provides eternal life for you.  

Click on the play button to hear a message about the first persecution of the church that would dare to teach about the gospel message found in the name of Jesus.

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

THE GREAT DISPENSATIONAL CHANGE (Ephesians 2:11-22)

THE GREAT DISPENSATIONAL CHANGE (EPHESIANS 2:11-22)

Now, that is a great big word, dispensational.  So, what does it mean?  For purposes of studying the Bible, a dispensation is a period of time, and it defines how God deals with man during this time period, and how man interacts with God.  It has nothing to do with salvation, for salvation, throughout the Bible, has always been by God’s grace alone.  

When you think about it, those of us who were born and grew up in this age of Grace, take for granted the direct relationship we have with God, and the blessings of the Holy Spirit empowered life that we lead.  In today’s lesson, Paul is going to take us back in history and describe the relationship the Gentiles had with God prior to this great dispensational change.  And then he will describe the changes brought about by Calvary and Pentecost. 

Click on the play button to hear a message on how the church is the body of Christ, and in this body, all believers are equal members. There are no divisions based on denominations, racial origins, religious backgrounds, class distinctions, national boundaries, or color prejudices in the true church. All believers are equal members of this marvelous, mystical body. A new bond has been established.

The gospel reduces all people to the same level. All people are brought into the great equation of salvation through the same common denominator: repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

A BOX OF BONES (Genesis 50:22-26)

A BOX OF BONES (Genesis 50:22-26)

Today, we close out our study of the book of Genesis.  It has certainly been a good study about the power of God, and the faith of each of the people we have encountered.  We have studied about the wonderful creation of all things by the mighty power of God, and the destruction of The Flood as God’s judgment of evil man.  Then, we have studied about the faith of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.  Each man giving us an example of how to live a life of faith in spite of the trials and tribulations that faced them.  In fact, our closing lesson is going to be another example of the faith of Joseph.  The title of our lesson today is, “A Box of Bones.” 

The very last words of the book of Genesis are “a coffin in Egypt.”  Now, that’s a strange way for a book to end.  It begins with creation, and it ends in a coffin. The devil said to Eve at the beginning of creation, “Ye shall not surely die; that you can sin with impunity.” But, the fact is the devil lied, because we have had one funeral after another. And so, the book that begins with a blaze of glory ends with a grave. The book that begins with the vastness of eternity, ends with the shortness of time. The book that begins in a garden, ends in a coffin. And the book that begins with a blaze of brightness, ends with a box of bones, the bones of Joseph.

Did you know that the bones of Joseph are mentioned not only in the book of Genesis, but in the book of Hebrews, as well? And not only in the book of Hebrews, but in the book of Exodus? And not only in the book of Exodus, but in the book of Joshua? God tells us about those bones, and then He tells us about them three more times.  Now, what have we said about what we need to do when God repeats something multiple times in the Bible?  We need to pay real close attention because God repeats the things that He feels are very important for us to understand.  

Click on the play button to hear a message on how the faith of Joseph can be found in a box of bones.

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

REVELATION OF PROPHECY (Genesis 49:8 to 50:21)

REVELATION OF PROPHECY (Genesis 49:8 to 50:21)

This message is dramatic because it tells what will happen to the twelve sons of Jacob when they become tribes.  This is also our final opportunity to see another evidence of faith in the life of Jacob. He was speaking to his sons who were to become the twelve tribes in the nation of Israel and would be dwelling in the land of Canaan.  Jacob says, “that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.” The phrase “the last days” is an important Biblical expression.  It occurs fourteen times in the Old Testament, and it was always taken by the Rabbis to mean Messianic.  

What is important for us to understand as members of The Church, the body of believers, is that the last days of the nation Israel will be different from the last days of The Church. There is a very sharp dispensational distinction which needs to be made between the two.  

Here, Jacob is talking about the last days of the nation Israel and what is going to happen to the twelve tribes, which will develop from his sons, and will form the nation, Israel.  These prophecies, and those given by Moses in Deuteronomy 33, are directed to the tribes of Israel.

Many people talk about the fact that certain prophecies concerning the nation Israel have been fulfilled, and that is true. But we can narrow it down further by dividing Israel into twelve parts and recognizing that God has had something to say concerning each of the twelve. Not only have His prophecies concerning the nation been partially fulfilled, but His prophecies concerning each tribe have been partially fulfilled, and that makes it remarkable indeed. 

Click on the play button to hear the second part of a message about Jacob becoming the man of faith spoken of in the book of Hebrews as he shares God’s promises, blessing, and rewards to his sons. 

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

PROMISES, BLESSINGS, AND REWARDS (Genesis 47:27 to 49:7)

PROMISES, BLESSINGS, AND REWARDS (Genesis 47:27 to 49:7)

The messages over the next two weeks will talk about the blessings that Jacob gave to his sons just before he died.  This section of verses includes the promises of Joseph to Jacob, and the promises of God to each of the sons of Jacob, in the same manner that we saw Abraham and Isaac give blessings to their sons.  

As we watch Jacob give out his blessings, the scene becomes a picture of a judgment seat, where actions are judged and rewards are given, or not given out.  In fact, it looks very much like the Judgment Seat of Christ.  All of these sons are a part of the chosen family, so their place in that family is secure.  They did not earn this place, but they were given this position by the grace of God. However, what is judged are the actions and the character of each son to determine the rewards and place in the Kingdom that they, and their descendants, will receive.  

Click on the play button to hear a message about Jacob becoming the man of faith spoken of in the book of Hebrews as he shares God’s promises, blessing, and rewards to his sons. 

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

DYING GRACE (Genesis 47:28-29)

DYING GRACE (Genesis 47:28-29)

God gives us “living grace,” and “saving grace,” and God gives us “special grace.”  So, the God who saves us, and the God who keeps us, and the God who gives us rewards in heaven, is the God who will give to us “dying grace.”

The Bible is clear that there is coming a day that I am going to die, and there is a day that each one of you will die.  It is a fact that we all must die, with the one exception: should the Lord Jesus Christ come first, then we will not die, and we’ll not go to heaven by route of the graveyard, but we’ll go another way.

But before we talk about dying grace, I need to ask you this question, Have you been born again? Listen, if you haven’t been saved, then you’re not ready to die. You are also not ready to live, unless you’ve been saved. Now, you cannot have dying grace unless you’ve experienced saving grace.  That is the first thing that you need to get done.

Now, Jacob had twelve sons, and they were mean as snakes—rascals, and rebellious. They were hard to deal with. But he kept on. He prayed for those boys. He lived before those boys. He witnessed to those boys. He admonished those boys. And he brought those boys to a faith in his God. And he left behind him a spiritual blessing for his children. And I want to tell you, that’s a good way to die, isn’t it? To leave a family behind you that, because you were their daddy, because you were their mother, they know God in a better way.

I know that with my own children, I prayed to God and said, “God, I want to be a good father. I want to live so that my children will know the Lord. I want them to believe in their father’s God.”  You know, I’d rather die than betray my God before my children. And my children know that their father hasn’t been perfect, but my children know that their father loves God. They know that. And they know that their mother loves God. And I’m so glad that one of these days when I lie down to die, not only will I have a forgiving Lord with me, and I trust a fruitful life behind me, but I will have a family legacy after me. I want to leave something besides things to my children. I want to leave some spiritual vitality to my children.  

Click on the play button to hear a message on what it means to have dying grace.

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.