IN CHRIST: Walking Armed for Battle 4

Ephesians 6:17 CSB

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the word of God.

INTRO—

2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness,”

Like we talked about Wednesday night…even Matthew 27.52-53 holds profitable ENCOURAGEMENT for you and me...

Review:

Gospels - Biography & Teaching of Jesus

History - God’s Involvement in the Lives of His People

Prophecy - Call to the Truth…Repentance & Prediction

Strengthens ‘Assurance” - We know who holds the future!

Law - God’s Expectations for His People

Strengthens ‘Direction’ - We see God’s requirements & plan!

… Next,

WISDOM

Truth for Making Godly Decisions in Life; BOOKS = Job - Song of Solomon

Poetry (Psalms)

Psalm 67. [Read in total first]

67.1 (May God Bless Us)

67.2 (So the Earth May Know)

67.3 (Let All the People Praise You)

67.4a (Nations, Be Glad)

67.4b (God Judges People Fairly)

67.4c (Nations Governed)

67.5 (Let All the People Praise You)

67.6 (The Earth Responds)

67.7 (God Will Bless Us)

Proverb (Short [memorable] statement of general truth [principle])

Proverbs 26:4 “Don’t answer a fool according to his foolishness or you’ll be like him yourself.”

Proverbs 26:5 “Answer a fool according to his foolishness or he’ll become wise in his own eyes.”

Traditional (Typical) Proverbs [“Of Solomon,” chapter 10 to end; Best read in broad context…multiple chapters, etc.]

Proverbs 14. [14.7-17]

Proverbs 14:7 “Stay away from a foolish person; you will gain no knowledge from his speech.”

Proverbs 14:8 “The sensible person’s wisdom is to consider his way, but the stupidity of fools deceives them.”

Proverbs 14:9 “Fools mock at making reparation, but there is goodwill among the upright.”

Proverbs 14:11 “The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish.”

Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death.”

Proverbs 14:16 “A wise person is cautious and turns from evil, but a fool is easily angered and is careless.”

Proverbs 14:17 “A quick-tempered person acts foolishly, and one who schemes is hated.”

LETTERS

Correspondence for Comfort, Challenge, & Change; BOOKS = Romans - Philemon, Hebrews - Jude

Pauline (Prose; Teaching)

Ephesians 2. [2.1-10]

[DEAD] Ephesians 2:1–3 “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.”

[ALIVE] Ephesians 2:4–7 “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”

[ACCOMPLISHED] Ephesians 2:8–10 “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.”

General (1 Peter; Prose; Encouragement)

1 Peter 1. [1.1-9]

[RECOGNITION] 1 Peter 1:1–2 “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ: To those chosen, living as exiles dispersed abroad in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient and to be sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ. May grace and peace be multiplied to you.”

[HOPE] 1 Peter 1:3–5 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”

[TRIALS] 1 Peter 1:6–7 “You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials so that the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

[REJOICE] 1 Peter 1:8–9 “Though you have not seen him, you love him; though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

CONCL—

2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness,”

Teaching (Informing; Introducing…Truth)

Rebuking (Stopping Wrong…Thinking or Actions)

Correcting (Changing Thinking…from Wrong to Right)

Training (Equipping for Right…Thinking or Actions)

2 Timothy 3:17 “so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

INVITATION:

Salvation

Wisdom (God’s Eternal Truth…DEEP, INEXHAUSTIBLE, UNCHANGING)

Connection (Relationships…The Body of Christ/Family of God; Life Together = Growing Disciples)

2 Timothy 3:16–17 CSB

All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.