Bible Knowledge Project: Genesis 2
READ: Genesis 2
Genesis two has been regarded by most scholars to be a microscopic look into the creation of man. It is another account of the creation of our first parents. Additionally, this chapter highlights the nature and importance of the Sabbath and that of marriage.
2:1-3
This section highlights the importance of the Sabbath day. That day is significant and set aside by God for the express purpose of worshiping him. On the other six days, God called his work “good.” On the seventh day, no such reference is made. Instead, he calls it holy – a day set apart from the other activities accompanying creation week. There is a second observation of significance in this section: the absence of the phrase “evening and morning,” which we find connected to the other days of creation. There is a good reason for that: the seventh day is the day of worship, and worship never ends. Man was made on the sixth day to worship God on the seventh. All of our life is to be an act of worship, and we were made to glorify God with everything we do, say, or think (1 Cor. 10:31; WSC 1).
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Bible Knowledge Project: Matthew 1
Read: Matthew 1
1:1-14
The gospel of Matthew begins with a genealogy ending with the birth of Christ. Matthew’s genealogy is designed to show us the kingly line of Christ and is divided neatly into three 14 generation cycles.
1:18-25
This section highlights the birth of Christ. The critical aspect of the narrative is found in 1:18, where we read that his name “will be called Jesus for he will save his people from their sins.” At the very beginning of the earthly ministry of Christ, we have a clearly stated purpose for his advent: the salvation of sinners. The whole purpose and mission of the Savior is to give his life a ransom for sin.
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Bible Knowledge Project: Genesis 1
Read: Genesis 1
The opening chapter of the Bible starts with a grand declaration, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” There is no defense of God’s existence. There is only a statement that it is God who created all things, visible and invisible.
God determined to create all things in the space of six days, and the account of it is given to us in 1:3-31. The following is a short summary of the days of creation:
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Bible Knowledge in a Modern World
We live in a world of instant information. Yet, with our access through various mediums and devices, God’s people are more biblically illiterate than ever in history. Not long ago, parents catechized their children, conducted family worship each evening, and spent time praying together as families. Not long ago, missing worship (both services) would have been unthinkable. Things have changed in our modern world, and I am not convinced they have changed for the better. The fruit of our failures to catechize, conduct family worship, and teach the importance of corporate worship each Lord’s Day is rotten. Its effects are visible across the spectrum of our culture and, worse, our churches.
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The Basics of the Christian Life
Another new year is upon us, and if you are anything like me, you take the time to reflect on the previous year and make plans and goals for the new one. In some sense, this time of the year allows you to hit the "reset" button on your lives and adjust what needs to be changed related to your families, your relationship with Christ, and other essential matters. It is the second item, your relationship with Christ, that I want to focus on briefly, especially related to the fundamentals of the Christian life.
The basics are very important. If you watch sports, you will notice that when athletes competing at the highest level are in a tight spot and the game is on the line that their fundamentals are what gets them that hit that is needed or golf shot within feet of the hole, or the important pass to win the game. So much depends on the basics – the fundamentals. It is no different in the Christian life.
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Bible Reading and Devotional Planner 2022
Starting on January 2022, I will be writing a brief devotional each day of the week covering a Bible Reading Plan that I have developed. My goal is to see the members of the church engage in concerted Bible Reading and study over the next year. The plan will look as follows:
January 1:
Genesis 1 | Matthew 1
January 2
Genesis 2 | Matthew 2
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Key Bible Passages from Exodus
Exodus 1 -- The people of God are located in Egypt under a Pharaoh that did not know Joseph.
Exodus 3 -- Moses is called by YHWH at the burning bush and commissioned to lead the people out of Egypt.
Exodus 7-11 -- The nine plagues/signs of YHWH.
Exodus 12 -- The institution of the Passover and the tenth plague/sign.
Exodus 14-- The crossing of the Red Sea
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Key Bible Passages from Genesis
Introduction to the series
As I was driving to the church this morning, I listened to a podcast that prompted the idea of putting together a catalog of key passages of Scripture that every Christian should know and, perhaps, memorize. My goal is to provide such a catalog listed by the book of the Bible. Therefore, each entry will be a particular book of the Bible, beginning with Genesis. At the conclusion, I will collate the entire series into a PDF document for distribution. The structure of these entries will be as follows: First, the chapter will be listed with a brief description. Second, a key verse or verse will be offered to encourage Scripture memorization. If a reader marries the understanding of the chapter with the key verse, it will provide a ready reference of the main material in Scripture. I intend to produce one or two of these entries each week.
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