Sirius Taylor talks about a life of character building as we explore the life of Moses. Different experiences in Moses' life caused him to cry out to God. Why is it that we often need to cry out? How is Moses' experience so much like our own as Christians? What can we learn from the lessons of Moses' life?
Does God care when we're at our lowest point? Can we ever do so much wrong or mess up so bad that God can't forgive us? When God forgives do our actions still have consequences? Is it a sign of weakness to admit when you're wrong? Pastor Mirra follows the story of Manasseh which has much to say to hearts too proud to repent, even when they are brought to really low places in life.
Who was the Apostle Peter? What was he like before and after he met Jesus? How did Peter’s failures prepare him for his ministry? What were Peter’s strong points before his conversion experience? What lessons can we learn from the life of Peter as people who struggle, have flaws, and make similar mistakes? Was Peter perfect after his conversion?
Note: There was an audio problem toward the beginning.
What does it mean to live for God? What does dying to self really mean in the life of a Christian believer? What about a person changes when they become a Christian? How is the new life, in Christ, different from that of those who live in the world? In what way are we to crucify self? Does a Christian truly need victory over sin? How can Christians be of one mind?
What does it mean to be a leader? How are leaders to shepherd God’s flock? How does worldly leadership compare with spiritual leadership? What can we learn about leadership from God Himself? Is it really possible to have leadership without partiality? What is the role of an elder? What did Peter learn about leadership from Jesus? How does all this compare with Satan’s rebellion and counterfeit leadership?
How did Peter describe the Christian experience? What virtues of Christianity did he emphasize? Do Christians have a role to play in the salvation experience? What is the most important virtue of all? How did Peter view the life after death experience? What did he mean by putting off my tabernacle? As Peter writes his final letter before following Jesus to the cross, what can we learn and apply to our lives today?
Peter warns of false teachers that would invade the early church. Does the church still struggle with false teachers today? What were they teaching in Peter’s time? What hints do we have about these individuals in the writings of Peter, Paul, and Jude? What does freedom in Christ really mean? Are we free to live in sin? What effect do false teachers have on the church?
Peter continues to warn about scoffers, false prophets, and teachers. He talks about the misinterpretation of Paul’s writings to promote lawlessness. What are the dangers in losing faith in the second coming of Jesus? Should Christians continue to hope in the advent of Jesus even though it hasn’t happened in 2000 years? Is there a reason behind the apparent delay? Will the prophecies about the Day of the Lord really come to pass?
This quarter we focus on the book of Galatians. What can the life of Paul, starting out as Saul of Tarsus, tell us about the context of Galatians? What were the historical circumstances under which the book was written? What happened in the early church between the Jewish and Gentile converts to Christianity? How can this help us to understand the themes of the book of Galatians?
As we conclude our study on the books of 1st and 2nd Peter, what are the major themes brought out in these epistles? What does Peter have to say about persecution, the suffering of Christ, the Second Coming, and the Judgment? What do these things mean for Christian faith and practice? Are Christians saved by grace to continue in sin? How did Peter view the importance of Scripture?