Mt Zion Christian Church

Several characters in the Christmas account had lost hope. Matthew 1:19, Luke 1:13, 18, 20 Waiting erodes hope. Proverbs 13:12, Romans 8:24 Faith is the substance of things hoped for. Hebrews 11:1 Simeon and Anna kept their faith in God’s promises for a long time. Luke 2:25-26, 36-37 God always keeps His promises. Matthew 1:22-23, Luke 1:20, 37, 45, 54-55, 2:29-30, 38 Without hope in God, your sou...

In the waiting - Advent - we place ourselves in the shoes of ancient Israel who were waiting and preparing for the appearing of the Messiah. Malachi 3:1-2 In the waiting, we must prepare our hearts so that we don’t kill what Jesus is trying to do in us. Luke 3:1-19 In the waiting, we must disentangle ourselves from the world. James 4:4, Luke 18:8b In the waiting, we need to live out the fruit of r...

Matthew 25:1-13 This parable is about being in the kingdom of heaven with Jesus. All ten virgins and their lamps looked the same at first. Matthew 13:30 Waiting is part of everyone’s life. Isaiah 40:30-31, Matthew 24:13 All ten virgins slept. Jonah 1:5-9, Matthew 26:40-41 All ten virgins where awakened when the bridegroom arrived. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 A lit lamp gave the five wise virgins access t...

If My People 1 Chronicles 29:1-9 The temple was to be the place where God’s presence dwelt and where His people would connect with Him. 2nd Chronicles 7:1-16 Though God’s eyes and heart remain steadfast for His people, He knows His people’s eyes and hearts are prone to wander. God gave His people a blueprint for returning to Him in 2 Chronicles 7:14. Ephesians 2:17-22 Jesus' death and resurrection...

TIME TO SERVE GOD Haggai 1:1-15 We have been called to know Christ, to be reconciled to God, to adore him, to obey him and to serve him. 1. Haggai said to them: Do you think it is time to live in luxurious houses, while God's house is deserted? The house of God is a symbol of the relationship with God. Haggai 1: 1-4 2. You work hard, but you are not satisfied because you have focused on material t...

2 Corinthians 5:16 Before he God saved him, the apostle Paul saw Jesus from a worldly point of view. Acts 9:4-5, 1 Corinthians 15:9-10 Paul saw the Corinthians from a worldly point of view at first. Jesus’s death on the cross changed the way Paul viewed the Corinthians. The Corinthians viewed Paul from a worldly point of view because of the “super apostle’s” influence. John 10:10 The Corinthian’s...

2 Corinthians 13 The apostle Paul expected his future visit to Corinth to be a trying time. What was Paul referring to when he told the Corinthians he would not spare sinners in his next visit? 1 Corinthians 5:2-5, Acts 13:6-12 Paul urges the Corinthians to examine themselves and to test their faith. Paul spoke and lived the truth of Jesus’s teaching. Paul refused to allow the Corinthians to forge...

2nd Corinthians 12 The apostle Paul added a vision and revelation of paradise to his resume demonstrating that he was an authentic apostle sent to the Corinthians by God. A man that goes to heaven is someone to boast about. John 1:51, Matthew 26:64 Because of his supernatural experiences, Paul was in danger from his ego and from becoming proud. Paul was given a preventative “thorn in the flesh” in...

2 Corinthians 11 Apostle Paul felt responsible for the Corinthians right standing with God. John 3:27-30 Paul was afraid that the “super-apostles” were deceiving the Corinthians the same way the serpent deceived Eve. The devil preaches a different Jesus, a different spirit, and a different gospel than the message Paul preached. Paul compared his character to the character of the “super-apostles. S...

2 Corinthians 10 There will always be voices around us that try to exalt themselves above the knowledge of God. 2nd Timothy 4:3-5 When we know and study the original, we will not fall for the counterfeit. Paul’s belief was that as the Corinthian's faith grew, so would their ministry to the surrounding areas. Paul’s desire was simply to boast in the Lord and be approved by Him. Jeremiah 9:23-24,1 J...

2 Corinthians 9 The Apostle Paul encourages the Corinthian Church to keep their promise to give a generous gift to the church in Jerusalem. Paul is using barnyard theology to teach an important spiritual lesson. God loves a cheerful giver. It does not pay to lay up treasure on earth. Proverbs 23:4-5, Matthew 6:19-21, Galatians 6:7-9 God meets the physical and spiritual needs of abundant sow-ers. P...

2 Corinthians 8 The Apostle Paul cites the Macedonian churches as an example of giving. Christians must first give themselves to God before they can excel in giving to others. Paul compares the gift of giving to other gifts that the Corinthians excelled in. Giving is the result of sincere Christian love. Jesus is the greatest example of God’s love. Willingness makes all gifts acceptable. God’s eco...

2 Corinthians 6 The Apostle Paul’s ministry was yoked with Jesus’s ministry. Do not delay in accepting God’s grace. Paul’s enduring victories in the midst of hardships became his reference letter to the Corinthians. The Holy Spirit was the source of Paul’s strength and victory. Outside worldly influence created resistance to Paul’s teachings in the Corinthian’s hearts. Clean and unclean cannot ass...

2nd Corinthians 5:1-21 Be confident in what is to come not the here and now Phil. 3:20-21 Phil. 1:18-24 Our chief goal should be to honor and please God Rom. 14:7-13 Let the love of Christ be the controlling force in your life 1st Cor. 4:1-7 Be a reconciling ambassador for Christ Rom 5:10-11

2 Corinthians 4 The Apostle Paul preached and preserved the plain truth about Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, 2 Corinthians 11:1-4, Galatians 1:6-9 The devil tries to hide God’s glory. God has placed His glory in human jars of clay. Every crack in a clay Christian should let the glory of God shine through to a dark world. Judges 7:20 Every wound in Jesus’ body released eternal light into the wo...

2 Corinthians 3 The Apostle Paul tells the Corinthians that they are his letter of recommendation. Paul replaces the tablets of stone written on by God’s finger with human hearts written on by the Holy Spirit. Exodus 31:18, 34:1, Psalms 40:8, Jeremiah 31:33, Ezekiel 11:19, 36:25-27, Hebrews 8:10, 10:16 Moses’ face was a reflection of God’s Glory. Exodus 34:29-35 Paul was telling the Corinthians th...

2nd Corinthians 2 Enmity between Paul and the Corinthians was stealing the godly joy from their relationship. Because Paul loved the Corinthians, he had instructed the church to discipline an immoral man in their congregation. 1st Corinthians 5:1-5 Sin caused grief in the church. The Corinthians obeyed Paul. The purpose of church discipline is repentance, forgiveness, reconciliation, and restorati...

2nd Corinthians 1 The Apostle Paul loved the Corinthians. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians corrected problems in the church. Paul’s first letter followed by a personal visit caused the Corinthians great discomfort. Salvation can be uncomfortable. The Apostle Paul’s trials and his delayed return caused the Corinthians to question his anointing and ministry. Paul explains that his trials and d...

1st Corinthians 12:12-27 One thing you can’t do when you have church at home by yourself is gather. The Greek word translated as church literally means called out. The first time it is used it is speaking of the universal Church. (Matt 16:18) (Acts 7:38) Most of the other times it is used (over 100) it refers to individual local churches. . The church is not just the church when it gathers but esp...

2nd Corinthians 2:14-16 2nd Corinthians 3:3 God wants to work through your life by His Holy Spirit to help write living eternal letters into the hearts of His children and to draw others to himself. Spiritual Gifts are divine enablements given by the Holy Spirit to build up the body of believers and to reach the lost. 1 Corinthians 12:4-8 Romans 12:4-8 1 Peter 4:10-11 Every gift that comes from th...

Adults must change and become like children to enter the kingdom of heaven. Romans 12:1 An encounter with God reveals how big God is and how small we are. James 4:10 Children believe their parents. Genesis 15:6 Children depend upon their parents. Psalms 73:25, John 15:1-5 Jesus was not telling his disciples to become immature. Matthew 18: 6-10 If you are altered at the altar and become like a chil...

Covenant is a voluntary oath between God and man or between people. All covenants between God and people require obedience. Disobedience has consequences. Covenants contain altars. Adam and Eve broke their covenant with God when they ate forbidden fruit. To clothe Adam and Eve, God sacrificed animals on an altar. Genesis 3:21 God’s judgement contained hope. Genesis 3:14-15 God entered into covenan...

Acts 8:26-40

Genesis 28:10-22 Temples have altars. An altar is a place where a person encounters their God or gods. Jacob had an unexpected meeting with the God of his father and grandfather while he was fleeing from his brother. God revealed His vision for Jacob at their first personal meeting. Jacobs worldly fears were replaced with faith and fear of God. Jacob pledged allegiance to God at their first meetin...