Everything you need to kick start your study of the Gospel of Mark: maps, charts, key words, history, background, outlines, and links to help you study.
Gospel of Mark Bible Study Resources
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Latest Blog Posts from Wednesday in the Word, the podcast about what the Bible means and how we know.
What are Life & Death in the New Testament?
Understanding the gospel means we must understand the problem that the gospel solves. While the word gospel means “good news,” understanding the gospel begins with bad news: death.
What is the Gospel?
A friend once asked me if I was on an airplane that was about to crash and had only a couple minutes to use my cell phone to call my family, what would I say? What would I tell them if I knew this would be our last conversation on earth? At first my mind when blank, but then the answer seemed obvious: Hang on to your faith. But to understand why saving faith is that important, you have to really understand the gospel.
Gospel of Matthew Bible Study Resources
Everything you need to kick start your study of the Gospel of Matthew: maps, charts, key words, history, background, outlines, and links to help you study.
24 Romans 16 Paul’s Roman Yearbook
Compare Romans 16, Paul’s conclusion of his letter to the Christians in Rome, to a high school yearbook. During the high school years, we are supposed to learn skills, knowledge, and an approach to life that will get us launched into adulthood. The book of Romans also records truths that should be foundational building blocks for life, the essentials upon which we ought to build our lives. The high school yearbook is the history of the events, ideas, and accomplishments that took place during the year, but it also contains a collection of handwritten names, greetings, memories, and thoughts about life. We find at the end of the book of Romans some very personal words, too.
Women’s Ministry Evaluation Sample
It’s always helpful to get feedback from your students at the end of a Bible study year. But evaluations can be a problem. If they are too short, your leaders don’t gain any useful information. If they are too long, few students will not fill them out. Here’s an example we’ve used at Wednesday in the Word that seems to find the right balance.
23 Romans 15:14-33 Paul’s Reflections
Paul closes Romans as he began, with a personal word about himself and the church in Rome. Reflecting on his life so far and where God will take him next, Paul discusses two themes: 1) the situation of church at Rome, and 2) the future of his ministry. As you study Romans 15, you might want to compare what Paul says to your own church and ministry.
22 Romans 14:19-15:13 Handling Disagreement
Have you ever noticed, how much easier it is much easier to destroy something beautiful and worthy than to build it? Building up and tearing down is at the heart of Romans 14-15. Paul’s going to encourage us to build each other up and remind us that this building takes a lot longer to accomplish, than does tearing down.
2Peter and Jude Comparison
A comparison of 2Peter and the Epistle of Jude (offered to help you study both books).
21 Romans 14:1-20 The problem of Christian taboos
The issue Romans 14 concerns one of our favorite sports: How and when should Christians meddle in each other’s lives?
20 Romans 13:8-14 Freedom in Christ
In Romans 13:8-14, Paul explains what it means to be able to live as people who are free to love one another and free of self-recrimination, guilt, uncertainty, or doubt. The passage speaks of freedom from debt and freedom from darkness.
19 Romans 13:1-7 Submission, Fearlessness and Conscience
In Romans 13, Paul continues in his application of how we should live in light of the gospel. In this often-discussed and debated passage, he explains how to be good citizens: submission, fearlessness and conscience.
18 Romans 11:33-12:21 How Shall We Live?
In part, Romans 9-11 is an explanation of how people can be caught in spiritual pride and how the advantages of knowing about God and His truth can be twisted into something that actually drives us away from God.
12 Isaiah 55:6-13 Invitation to Repent
In Isaiah 55:1-5, Isaiah describes the glorious and abundant banquet that God has prepared and bids all to attend — both Israel and the Gentle nations. This banquet is none other than the life offered through the work of his Servant, Jesus Christ. We saw that the way into the feast was to listen and believe. Now we’re going to see that part of that listening and believing is repentance.
Parables of Jesus List
Jesus often taught in parables. Parables are stories which include a dramatic illustration that makes and impact on the listener and calls for a response. Parables are serious theology. But they are metaphorical theology. They teach through metaphor, simile, and dramatic action rather than through logic or reasoning. Here’s a list of the parables of Jesus as recorded in the gospels.
11 Isaiah 55:1-5 Invitation to the Feast
In the Servant Songs, we saw that a Servant would come who would bear our iniquities and inaugurate a new age through his death and resurrection. Now Isaiah invites all to a banquet feast to celebrate and share in the reign of the Messianic King.
1 Corinthians Bible Study Resources
Study questions, maps, charts, key words, history, background, outlines, and links to help you study Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians.
10 Isaiah 54:11-17 Birth of a New City
In 54:11-17 Isaiah speaks of a New City to demonstrate that what the Servant accomplished through his death and resurrection not only fulfilled the Old Covenant, but it far surpasses Israel’s grandest dreams.
Philemon Bible Study Resources
Study questions, maps, charts, key words, history, background, outlines, and links to help you study both Paul’s epistle to Philemon.
09 Isaiah 54:1-10 Birth of a New Age
Can believers expect prosperity in this life? What happened to the promises of prosperity in the Old Covenant? When the Servant finished his work of atonement, a new age will be born which promises a prosperity which far surpasses the prosperity of this age.
Basic Retreat Planning
Church women’s retreats offer one of the best opportunities of the church for women to step away from their daily responsibilities, rest and connect with other women in the church and spend some concentrated time learning more about the Lord. While retreats require a lot of planning, they are worth it in the long run.
Romans Chapter Summary
The apostle Paul writes to give his systematic presentation (including implications) of the good news of Jesus Christ, who as Messiah is the Savior for all people, who as the Transformer of lives writes His Law on our hearts, and who as the Lord of history is carefully bringing this salvation to all nations — culminating in the full restoration of Israel. Here’s a chapter by chapter summary.
08 Isaiah 53:7-12 Work of the Servant 2
Isaiah describes the work of the Servant and how his work will be received by the Lord, by the nations and by Israel.
How to handle too many announcements
Runaway announcements seems to be a particular problem of running a women’s ministry. How do you handle it? What kind of limits should you put in place? After 25 years, in women’s ministry, here’s the policy I’ve found best.
Romans at a glance
The apostle Paul writes to explain the good news of Jesus Christ, who as Messiah is the Savior for all people; who as the Transformer of lives writes His Law on our hearts; and who as the Lord of history is carefully bringing this salvation to all nations — culminating in the restoration of Israel.
07 Isaiah 52:13-53:6 Work of the Servant 1
Isaiah describes the work of the Servant and how his work will be received by the Lord, by the nations and by Israel.
06 Isaiah 50:4-11 School of the Servant
The Servant will be equipped with divine speech as he goes through the school of suffering.
Isaiah: Servant Songs Overview
The exile raised the question, can we forfeit the promises of God? Can God’s people fail in such a way that God will abandon them? In the Servant Songs, God demonstrates that not only will He remain committed to His people, He will willingly choose to endure horrific suffering in order to free His people from their sinful hearts and make them righteous before Him.
05 Isaiah 49:1-13 Ministry of the Servant
The Servant will not only restore the people of Israel, He will also bring salvation to all the nations.
04 Isaiah 42:1-9 Foundation of the Kingdom
If God is truly sovereign, where is justice to be found? Where is justice to be found when terrorists plan attacks on tourists and innocent bystanders? Where is justice n the face of school shootings and other acts of senseless violence? Isaiah answers that question for the Jewish exiles in Babylon in the first Servant Song. The foundation of this new kingdom will be a suffering servant who will be everything Israel was intended to be and who will bring justice to the nations.
03 Isaiah 40:12-31 Power Behind the Kingdom
The exiles in Babylon faced three insurmountable obstacles: the nations, their rulers and their religions. These 3 obstacles dominated and permeated every aspect of their daily lives. How could they be overcome? In 40:12-31, Isaiah contrast these three formidable adversaries with the power of God as author and creator of history. He concludes this new kingdom God is announcing is so powerful nothing will threaten it and it will stand forever because it is build by the word of the Lord.
02 Isaiah 40:1-11 Announcement of the New Kingdom
The nation of Judah was facing exile, the destruction of their land, their community, their temple, and their religion. The critical question before them was: Have we forfeited the promises God made to Abraham and David? Into that despair and doubt, Isaiah announces the end of the exile, the birth of a new kingdom and the arrival of its King.
01 Isaiah 6:1-13 Servant Songs Introduction
Isaiah wrote these prophecies of the Servant about a time when all God’s people are scattered and the Davidic throne has disappeared into the sands of Babylon. Does the exile mark the end of the history of God’s people? Have they forfeited the divine promises made to Abraham?
17 Romans 11:1-32 Did God Reject His People?
Twice Paul raises the question: “Did God reject His people?” Twice he answers: “By no means!” In Romans 11:1-15, Paul gives five reasons why it is evident that God has not forgotten His people, the Jews.
16 Romans 10 Prayer & Legalism
In Romans 10, Paul is answering the question of why some people who have little knowledge are saved while some who have much knowledge are not saved. He gave part of his answer in Romans 9. All of us are born lost, and God in His mercy and grace chooses to call some people to him. Paul continues his answer into chapter 10. Taking religion seriously is not the answer.
15 Romans 9:14-33 God’s Sovereign Choice
On what is the basis does God choose the elect? Paul’s answer is that God — as God — has a sovereign right to choose who receives mercy.