Home » Bible study (Page 30)

Category Archives: Bible study

The narrow gate.

Posted on by | Leave a comment

Jesus taught in every town he went through while on his way to Jerusalem. “Lord,” someone asked him, “are only a few people going to be saved?”

Jesus said “The only way to get into the kingdom of heaven is to enter through the narrow gate. Many people take the broad road and the wide gate, but those lead to destruction. The road that leads to life is difficult and the gate is narrow. Very few people find it. Many will try to enter heaven and will be turned back. The owner of the house will get up and lock the door.

Then they will stand outside knocking, saying ‘Lord, open up! Let us in!’ And he will answer ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Get away from here all you guilty people!’

Then they will say ‘We ate and drank with you and you taught in our towns!’ But he will say again ‘I don’t know you or where you’re from! Get away from me!’

Then there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when they see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets of the kingdom of God thrown into the outer darkness, except for the true disciples. Many will come from the east and west to take their places in the kingdom of God. Mark my words, some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last.”

MT 8:11-12, MT 7:13-14, LK 13:22-30

Your eyes reveal what is inside you.

Posted on by | Leave a comment

Your eyes reveal what is inside you. They are the lamps of your body. If they have light within them, then that is a sign that your whole being is filled with light. If your eyes are filled with darkness, then it is proof that your whole being is filled with darkness. Be mindful of the light within you. If your whole being is filled with light, then your spirit will shine forth like a lamp does.

LK 11:34-36, MT 6:22-23

Serving two masters

Posted on by | Leave a comment

Jesus then told the story to his disciples. “There was a rich man who heard that his accountant was mishandling the books. He called the accountant in and told him to defend himself against these accusations, because he was about to fire him.

The accountant was really worried about what to do. He knew he wasn’t strong enough to be a laborer and he was too proud to beg. He came up with a plan so that after he got fired people would welcome him into their homes.

He called everyone who owed money to his master, asking them how much they owed. After each told him, he had them mark down the amount they owed dramatically, even cutting some bills in half.

The manager praised his dishonest accountant because he had acted shrewdly. The people who are more worldly are far more shrewd at dealing with their own kind than godly people are. I tell you, use the wealth of this world to get friends, so that when that money is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal homes.”

LK 16:1-9
——–
“If you are honest in handling small matters, you will be honest in handling large ones. If you are dishonest with small matters you will also be dishonest with large ones. If you have not taken care of what little has been given to you, who will give you anything more? If you have not taken care of what was entrusted to you by someone else, who will give you anything of your own to take care of?

You can either serve God or money. You can’t serve both. God is either your master or money is your master. If you try to serve both at the same time, you will end up being devoted to one of them and despising the other.”

MT 6:24, LK 16:10-13
—-
“Don’t store up treasures for yourself here on earth, where they can be destroyed or stolen. Instead store up treasures in heaven, where they can’t be destroyed or stolen but instead will last forever. Because where your treasure is, there your heart is as well. Sell what you have and give it to those who don’t have anything. This is the best kind of wealth to have.”

MT 6:19-21, LK 12:33-34

Use your gifts

Posted on by | Leave a comment

On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus told the disciples a parable because they thought that the kingdom of God was coming soon.

“A rich man went away on a long journey. He called his servants to him and gave them some of his money to do business with until he returned. To one he gave five coins, to another, two, and to the last, only one. He gave each servant only what he could handle, dividing it according their ability.

When he returned he asked the servants about the money he had entrusted them with. The first had doubled the money, turning five coins into ten. The second had also doubled his money turning two coins into four. The last returned the money that the master had given him because he had buried it in a hole to keep it safe.

The master was pleased with the first two. He said ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You were responsible with a few things, I will now put you in charge of many things.’ They were entrusted with even more responsibility.

When he spoke with the last servant he was dismayed. The servant said ‘I was afraid of you. You’re a difficult man. You collect what you don’t deposit and reap you don’t sow. Because I was afraid of you, I hid your money in the ground so that I could give it back to you.’

The master started yelling at him saying ‘If you knew this is how I acted then why did you bury my money? You knew that I was going to want it back with interest. You should’ve at least put the money in the bank, not bury it in a hole, doing nothing with it.’ He said to the other servants nearby ‘Take the one coin he has and give it to the one who has made the most coins.’ The other servants looked at him and said ‘But he already has 10 coins – why would you give him more?’ The master replied ‘Because if you use what you have properly you will get more, but if you don’t use it all you will have even less.’”

LK 19:11-27, MT 25:14-30, MK 4:25, LK 8:18, MT 13:12

A student is not above his teacher

Posted on by | Leave a comment

When they harass you in one town, escape to the next. Mark my words, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes again.

A student is not above his teacher, or a servant above his master. Likewise, a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. It is enough for a student to become like his teacher and a servant like his master. Every student who is fully trained will be like his teacher.

Students and teachers, like servants and masters, share the same fate. Since they have accused me of being Satan, they will certainly accuse you of the same!

MT 10:23-25, LK 6:40, JN 13:16

You are the light of the world.

Posted on by | Leave a comment

Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. A lamp is meant to be used, so don’t hide it under a basket or a bed. Put it on a stand so it can give light to all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before everyone so that they may see all the good that you do and give glory to God because of it. The purpose of hidden things is that they be revealed. Don’t hide your light around others.”

MT 5:14-16, MK 4:21-22, LK 8:16-17, LK 11:33

Signs of the destruction of the Temple

Posted on by | Leave a comment

As Jesus was leaving the Temple complex, the disciples noticed how ornate and impressive it was. One disciple exclaimed “Look, Teacher! This building has such massive stones!” Jesus said to him “Notice all of this now, because mark my words, the day is coming when not one stone will be left standing on another!”

A little later, Peter, James, John, and Andrew approached him privately when he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, across from the Temple complex. They begged him to tell them when this destruction would happen, and what the warning signs would be.

Jesus said “Be alert so that you are not deceived, for many will come in my name saying ‘I am the Messiah’ and they will lead many people astray. Don’t be alarmed when you hear of wars and rumors of wars. These things have to occur, but the end isn’t happening yet. There will be battles between nations and kingdoms. There will be earthquakes and famines all over and there will be terrifying sights in the skies. But all these events are just the beginning of what is to come.

Then the authorities will grab you and hand you over to the local courts and you will be flogged in the synagogues. You will be brought before kings and governors because you follow me. This will give you an opportunity to reveal the Gospel, because it must be proclaimed to all nations. Therefore, don’t worry beforehand about what you are going to say, because the Holy Spirit will give you the words when you need them. You will have all the wisdom and words you need so that your enemies will not be able to contradict you.

At that time families will betray one another. You will be hated by everyone because you follow me but by your endurance you will be saved.”

MT 10:17-22, MT 24:1-10, MK 13:1-13, LK 12:11-12, LK 21:5-19

Acknowledging Christ and Take up your cross

Posted on by | Leave a comment

Jesus said “I will acknowledge to God everyone who acknowledges me to other people. But if they deny me to other people, I will deny them when I stand before God. Anyone who wants to save his life will lose it, and the one who loses his life because of following me and my teachings will find it. You can only be my disciple if you deny your desires, bear your own cross, and follow me. How does it benefit you if you have all the possessions in the world but you lose your life? What can you exchange to get your life back?”

LK 9:23-26, LK 12:8-9, LK 14:27, LK 17:33, MK 8:34-38, MT 10:32-33, MT 10:38-39, MT 16:24-27, JN 12:25-26

Gospel causes division

“You assume that I have come to bring peace on earth, and you are mistaken. I’ve come to bring a sword, cutting old family ties. I’ve come to turn sons against fathers, daughters against mothers, daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law. Your worst enemies will be members of your household. Anyone who loves their family more than me cannot be my disciple.”

MT 10:34-37, LK 14:25-26

Some will not die.

“However, I tell you, there are some people standing here who won’t die before they see the kingdom of God.”

MK 9:1, LK 9:27, MT 16:28

Don’t be afraid.

Posted on by | Leave a comment

My friends, don’t be afraid of those who can kill the body, because that’s all they can do. They are not able to kill the soul. If you have to be afraid, fear the One who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell after you die.

There is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered, nothing hidden that won’t be revealed. Whatever you have heard in the dark you should speak in the light, and whatever you have heard whispered in your ear you should shout from the rooftops.

Aren’t sparrows sold for a penny? Yet God notices if even one of them falls to the ground. Even the hairs of your head are counted. Therefore, don’t be afraid – you are worth more than many sparrows.

MT 10:26-31, LK 12:2-3

A question about fasting.

Posted on by | Leave a comment

Some people asked Jesus, “John’s disciples and the Pharisees fast, so why don’t your disciples do the same?”

Jesus answered “Would the wedding guests fast while the groom is with them? They will fast when he is taken away from them.”

To illustrate his point, Jesus said “Nobody uses a piece of unshrunk cloth to patch an old garment, because the new patch will tear the hole even bigger. And nobody puts new wine into old wineskins, else the old wineskin will burst and spill all of the wine. Instead, they should put new wine into new wineskins. But nobody wants new wine after drinking old wine, because he says ‘The old is better.'”

MT 9:14-17, MK 2:18-22, LK 5:33-39