Chiangmai Christian Fellowship

Big Idea - How are we to handle sin in the community of faith? Who has the authority to call people to account when they go astray? Jesus began this teaching by explaining that the community of His followers were not to pursue greatness or status, like the world. If you want to enter the kingdom at all you must humble yourself and take the position of a child - the lowest rank of all. We are to we...

Big Idea - How are we to handle sin in the community of faith? Who has the authority to call people to account when they go astray? Jesus began this teaching by explaining that the community of His followers were not to pursue greatness or status, like the world. If you want to enter the kingdom at all you must humble yourself and take the position of a child - the lowest rank of all. We are to we...

Big Idea - In the Kingdoms and systems of the world, no one is really equal in status or rank. We find ways to measure ourselves against others to know who is better, who ranks higher, and who is more important. How do rank and status work in the Kingdom of God? Jesus makes it very clear that this kind of thinking and practice has absolutely no place in the Kingdom of Heaven. The rank of every per...

Big Idea - In the Kingdoms and systems of the world, no one is really equal in status or rank. We find ways to measure ourselves against others to know who is better, who ranks higher, and who is more important. How do rank and status work in the Kingdom of God? Jesus makes it very clear that this kind of thinking and practice has absolutely no place in the Kingdom of Heaven. The rank of every per...

Big Idea - Why doesn’t Jesus have to pay the Temple tax? The Temple was the very center of Jewish religion and worship. The tax was used for upkeep and improvements at the Temple in Jerusalem. If you were serious about God and the Temple you would be diligent in paying this tax, as all devout Jews were. But, Jesus claims He is exempt - on what grounds? Jesus is exempt from paying the tax because H...

Big Idea - Why doesn’t Jesus have to pay the Temple tax? The Temple was the very center of Jewish religion and worship. The tax was used for upkeep and improvements at the Temple in Jerusalem. If you were serious about God and the Temple you would be diligent in paying this tax, as all devout Jews were. But, Jesus claims He is exempt - on what grounds? Jesus is exempt from paying the tax because H...

Big Idea - Faith is the single most important element in the life of any disciple. How can we have the kind of faith that moves mountains? We are called to be disciples, followers of Christ, who carry on His mission of bringing His salvation to a lost world. The work that Jesus calls us to is difficult at best, impossible at worst - overcoming our own fear and weakness, countless obstacles, the po...

Big Idea - Faith is the single most important element in the life of any disciple. How can we have the kind of faith that moves mountains? We are called to be disciples, followers of Christ, who carry on His mission of bringing His salvation to a lost world. The work that Jesus calls us to is difficult at best, impossible at worst - overcoming our own fear and weakness, countless obstacles, the po...

Big Idea - How are we to understand who Jesus is? In the parable section, Jesus made it clear that the key to being a faithful follower and being in the Kingdom depended on their understanding of the word - all that He was teaching them. Peter's confession that Jesus is the Messiah is a huge step forward, but it is clear that their understanding still falls short of all that Jesus truly is. What i...

Big Idea - How are we to understand who Jesus is? In the parable section, Jesus made it clear that the key to being a faithful follower and being in the Kingdom depended on their understanding of the word - all that He was teaching them. Peter's confession that Jesus is the Messiah is a huge step forward, but it is clear that their understanding still falls short of all that Jesus truly is. What i...

Big Idea - To what end has Jesus given His life for us? Jesus is going to Jerusalem to be mistreated, killed, and raised on the third day. That is a pretty extreme course of action. Why would Jesus do that? Jesus died for us, to deal with our sin, but that is not the whole story, it is not the final goal. He died so that we could follow Him. This is not just the words of a Rabbi seeking students w...

Big Idea - To what end has Jesus given His life for us? Jesus is going to Jerusalem to be mistreated, killed, and raised on the third day. That is a pretty extreme course of action. Why would Jesus do that? Jesus died for us, to deal with our sin, but that is not the whole story, it is not the final goal. He died so that we could follow Him. This is not just the words of a Rabbi seeking students w...

Big Idea - Who is Jesus and where does the true knowledge of Christ come from? This is the main question that has been posed through the first half of the book. Jesus has been careful to not disclose His identity directly, even though His miracles would indicate He is no ordinary person. Matthew has already given the answer in the introduction, but the crowd and the disciples have struggled to ans...

Big Idea - Who is Jesus and where does the true knowledge of Christ come from? This is the main question that has been posed through the first half of the book. Jesus has been careful to not disclose His identity directly, even though His miracles would indicate He is no ordinary person. Matthew has already given the answer in the introduction, but the crowd and the disciples have struggled to ans...

Big Idea - After seeing Jesus do so many incredible miracles, how could the disciples still be so slow to understand what Jesus can and will do for them? How can they so easily misunderstand what Jesus is telling them and showing them? It is easy to look from a distance and puzzle at how the disciples could be so dense, but we are probably not much better. How often are we overcome by fear and wor...

Big Idea - After seeing Jesus do so many incredible miracles, how could the disciples still be so slow to understand what Jesus can and will do for them? How can they so easily misunderstand what Jesus is telling them and showing them? It is easy to look from a distance and puzzle at how the disciples could be so dense, but we are probably not much better. How often are we overcome by fear and wor...

Big Idea - What does it mean when God does not seem to hear our prayers or respond to our cries for help? How do we walk by faith when it feels like God is ignoring us? We may think that God has turned His back on us because we have messed up. We may tell ourselves that we are no good, so why would God love us or help us, or we may feel angry because we have been trying so hard to be good, serving...

Big Idea - What does it mean when God does not seem to hear our prayers or respond to our cries for help? How do we walk by faith when it feels like God is ignoring us? We may think that God has turned His back on us because we have messed up. We may tell ourselves that we are no good, so why would God love us or help us, or we may feel angry because we have been trying so hard to be good, serving...

Big Idea - We are called to be holy as God is holy. The Jews strived to accomplish this by a very strict observance of the commandments as interpreted and applied according to their own traditions. But Jesus points out the flaws of this approach and makes it clear you cannot achieve holiness through the law. The law is not wrong, but their understanding and application of the law were deeply flawe...

Big Idea - We are called to be holy as God is holy. The Jews strived to accomplish this by a very strict observance of the commandments as interpreted and applied according to their own traditions. But Jesus points out the flaws of this approach and makes it clear you cannot achieve holiness through the law. The law is not wrong, but their understanding and application of the law were deeply flawe...

Big Idea - Is God really able to help us and save us? Life is full of many threats and dangers - the storms of life that threaten to sink us. Is Jesus greater than all of these? Of Course, Jesus is greater than any obstacle or problem we will ever face, and He will without a doubt help us overcome every trouble. We know this is the right answer, but when things are going bad, it is not enough to j...

Big Idea - Is God really able to help us and save us? Life is full of many threats and dangers - the storms of life that threaten to sink us. Is Jesus greater than all of these? Of Course, Jesus is greater than any obstacle or problem we will ever face, and He will without a doubt help us overcome every trouble. We know this is the right answer, but when things are going bad, it is not enough to j...

Big Idea - S - How does Jesus respond to those who do not understand His message? How would he want us to respond as his disciples? Those who have shown themselves to be soil that bears no fruit - because it is hard, or shallow, or crowded by thorns - is Jesus done with them? What about those who have rejected Him, and shown themselves to be His enemies? Does He avoid them, or call down God's wrat...

Big Idea - S - How does Jesus respond to those who do not understand His message? How would he want us to respond as his disciples? Those who have shown themselves to be soil that bears no fruit - because it is hard, or shallow, or crowded by thorns - is Jesus done with them? What about those who have rejected Him, and shown themselves to be His enemies? Does He avoid them, or call down God's wrat...

Big Idea - What is the source of Jesus' wisdom and power and why does it matter? Is it really all that important to have the right theology about Jesu, to understand accurately who He is and where He came from? No one can dispute His miracles. It is far beyond what any normal person could do. So, this power and wisdom must come from somewhere else. Having the right understanding of who Jesus is an...