The Bride Church

Key Points The final chapter of Hebrews is filled with more than 14 imperatives including words on love, hospitality, marriage, sex, money, sharing, and doing good. We are all instructed to honor marriage and keep the marriage bed undefiled. Marriage is dishonored by fornication, adultery, homosexuality, prostitution, and pornography, as well as other things. Be on guard against strange teachings,...

Key Points Unity of the Spirit is pleaded for by the Apostle Paul as part of a bigger plan. Our calling is chosen, adopted as sons and daughters, redeemed by Christ’s blood, and forgiven of our sins. Unity of the Spirit is maintained or preserved, not created. It is bestowed by the Spirit to all true believers. Christ baptizes us in the Spirit… He immerses us into the unity of Triune God: Father,...

These are the testimonies of students when they returned from the Called Out Youth - Overflow Summer Retreat, followed by a brief message from Zach Miller.

Key Points In light of chapter 11... Therefore, let us run the race. We are not racing against each other. Remove the weight of sins and look to Jesus as we run the race. Don’t disregard the loving discipline of the Lord. Work hard to keep the peace with others. Forgiving others is a pathway to holiness. Take care lest you fall into bitterness and defile others. Jesus is fully approachable, access...

Key Points We are reminded of His sacrifice and the atonement necessary for the remission of sin. The blood of bulls and goats were not enough, but a body was prepared. The New Covenant is established at the death of Jesus and our lawless deeds will be remembered no more. There are 3 “let us” responses in Hebrews 10: - 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hear...

Key Points The earthly temple set up by man and designed by God was a shadow of the Messiah to come. God establishes a meeting place (tent) for communion and worship. The Ark held the law, and the mercy seat was its lid. The blood of an animal presented annually by the high priest on the Day of Atonement sprinkled on the mercy seat provided a way to God. None of this could completely solve the sin...

Key Points We do not have the strength or protection we need to stand against the schemes of the devil. God provides us His strength and His armor.  Jesus created the principalities and cosmic forces, rules over them, and will finally bring them to an end. In Christ, none of these forces will ever be able to separate us from the love of God.  Our battle is not against people. His schemes are in pl...

Key Points God has given us a greater covenant based on better promises. The Old Covenant was necessary to see that the New Covenant is greater. Jesus is the guarantor of the New Covenant. Prophetically, the New Covenant is established on God’s promise to forgive and remember our sins no more, to cleanse us from unrighteousness, to write the law on our hearts and minds, to remove our old heart and...

Key Points Melchizedek’s name means King of Righteousness and Peace. Melchizedek’s priesthood precedes the Mosaic Law. Melchizedek is a type or a foreshadowing of Jesus. God has established an eternal Priesthood for us. Jesus is our High Priest, able to save to the uttermost by being our intermediary between us and the Father. Because of Jesus’s ministry we have continuous access to the Father. We...

Key Points The elementary principles listed appear at first to be something to not leave, but they are all related to the Old Covenant.  Impossible is a strong word, especially as it relates to being restored from falling away. There is a distinction between falling and falling away. Falling away is more than falling into sin. Falling away is to deviate from the truth of salvation through Christ....

Key Points The High Priest was always appointed by God. The High Priest was only from the tribe of Levi through the lineage of Aaron. Exodus 28 outlines the details of the High Priest’s clothing. He was to bear the tribes on his shoulders and his heart.  No one else was to have this priestly position and those who asserted themselves to usurp the office were punished by God. Jesus was aquatinted w...

Key Points Our thoughts and our ways are not like God’s. The Word divides our thoughts and intentions and allows us to have His mind. The Word is alive and brings life to our souls. Christians are malnourished without the Word as their Daily Bread. Our potentially hard hearts need to be pierced by God’s Word. Jesus is approachable and desires us to enter into His throne of grace. Discussion Questi...

Key Points Jesus had to become just like us in every respect to become a perfect, merciful High Priest. Jesus ministers to us in a perfectly relational way having understood what it is like to be tempted, to suffer death, and all other human conditions. Jesus is greater and more faithful than priests or Moses.  His sacrifice was perfect as He knew no sin. We can trust Jesus to forgive us, change u...

Key Points God speaks through Jesus. God’s character is revealed through Jesus Jesus is heir, creator, redeemer, sustainer, mediator. and ruler. Six quotes from the Old Testament are used to reinforce that Jesus is greater than angels.  Angels were created to worship Jesus and act as ministering representatives. Angels are ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inhe...

Key Points GOD miraculously named Goshen and Grace to affirm HIS involvement. GOD caps the Old Testament with a charge to families followed by 400 years of silence. The passage speaks of one who comes in the spirit of Elijah the prophet. This was fulfilled by John the Baptizer whoseemergence ended the silence. A secondary interpretation: we are also called to be voices in the wilderness, preparing...

Key Points Many of the promises of God have been fulfilled.  Promises from God are found in His Word for believers to grab ahold of by faith. God’s promises are always yes in Christ. God upholds his promises to bring Glory to His name. Standing on a promise brings steadiness in storms and hope to the soul.  Fulfilled promises such as the flood, Jesus’s birth, His resurrection, and the promise of t...

Key Points Believers have a mission as reconcilers to carry the Good News with love to a lost world and to be eager to maintain unity with others. Satan’s mission is to take us off mission. Satan uses tactics like distraction, discouragement, and division. Believers who are trying to advance the Gospel are not affective when they are outwitted by Satan, holding on to unforgiveness or resentment. ...

Key Points When Jesus encounters Mary Magdalen at the tomb, He gives her insight into her new relationship status: “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God." The resurrection changes the status of our lives into a born-again life. A new life where our past is behind us and not counted against us. A new life that hinges on faith in the resurrection and not on works. A ne...

Key Points Jesus makes his entry into Jerusalem on a young colt just as prophesied in  Zechariah 9:9 . Some say he is a prophet, others the King of Israel, and others say The King. The Pharisees tell Jesus to stop the praise. Jesus said if he did, even the rocks would cry out. Four different responses are much like the way people respond to Jesus today. Jesus came to fulfill the law and atone for...

Key Points Honor is given to those who help a believer to be restored. David’s song in Psalms 51 describes how a restored sinner should respond. The restored sinner desires a clean and restored Spirit. The restored sinner worships and praises God. The restored sinner recovers and helps others to be restored. Discussion Questions 1. Read Psalm 51 together. What stands out to you and why? 2. Since y...

Key Points As part of the Body of Christ, we are obligated to bear the trespasses of others. Burden bearers gently help other believers get back on the track of becoming like Christ. Bearing the sinful loads of others is part of building each other up. Burden bearers are led by the Spirit. Burden bearers are conscious of their own propensity to sin. Burden bearers are eager to fulfill the law. Bur...

Key Points Every book in the Bible reveals and points towards Jesus Christ. Jesus is the center of time and sovereign over it. We are all drawn to God because it is our created nature to be drawn to Him. We were not created to be separated from God; separation is a result of sin. Death and condemnation are our default settings because of sin. It has always been God’s plan to save His people from t...

Stanislav and Snizhana share updates about the ministry in Ukraine and testimony of God's provision and protection.

Key Points Love must be the foundation that we build from. Spiritual gifts without love are worthless. When love for each other is pursued, the Holy Spirit acts freely in our lives and spiritual gifts abound. Love enables us to fully receive edification (even correction) from others. Spiritual gifts are given by God to whom He chooses when He chooses. The gifts are given to us to: - equip each oth...

Key Points Paul’s lists of spiritual gifts are not exhaustive. In His perfect sovereignty, God distributes spiritual gifts to the Church. We don’t get to choose which gift(s) God gives us. The Church is meant to be both diverse and unified as the Body of Christ. It is good to desire spiritual gifts, but we are not meant to chase after them or their benefits. Spiritual gifts are given to members of...