Some thoughts about the flag, standing, and kneeling

What we love about this country – what the veterans served and died for – is more than a flag, it’s an ideal, a system of values. Freedom.

So we respect the flag, not because of what it is but because of what it stands for. We support those ideals and we understand how much better life is with that freedom intact.

But don’t Americans also wish for everyone on earth – and especially other Americans – to enjoy those same freedoms? Those who abide by the law and who work to preserve the ideals that our country’s forefathers have given to us should certainly be blessed to bear the fruit of freedom and the American way.

Do we turn a blind eye to the cries of our American neighbors simply because we disagree with the way they make their voices heard? Are their struggles real? Are their complaints valid? Do we even care enough to find out?

Or does the flag only represent what we want for ourselves and our family, with total disregard for the welfare of others? In other words, is our pursuit of the “American way” rooted in selfishness or in the pursuit of the wellbeing for all human beings?

I don’t know how Americans should respond to all of this. Some think everyone must stand to honor the flag and those who served to defend it. Others think that those veterans served and died to give people the right to stand or not to stand.

But I do know how Christians should respond. They should, “Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king” (1 Pet. 2:17). They should love their neighbors as themselves (Mat. 22:39). They should treat other people with respect (Mat. 7:12) and love (Rom. 13:8). They should consider others before themselves (Phil. 2:3-4), serving them (compare Mat. 20:28), rejoicing in their happiness and weeping with their pain (Rom. 12:15; Mat. 25:31-46). They should love God with their entire being (Mat. 22:37-38), seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Mat. 6:33).

Whatever we do, we must do that.

For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s (Rom. 14:8).

Isaiah Outline Directory

IsaiahStudy

During the latter half of 2016, I had the distinct (and overwhelming) privilege of teaching Isaiah on Sunday Mornings at North Charleston. The following is a digital directory of my teaching notes from the class.

Note: These are unedited notes from which I taught. They may have strange, place-holding marks in them (I typically use “ZZZZ” … no that’s not the part where everyone falls asleep). They may also have odd abbreviations or undocumented citations. I’ll be happy to provide any information for questions you may have.

Isaiah Outlines

 

Lesson 1 – Introduction to Isaiah

Lesson 2 – Isaiah 1-2

Lesson 3 – Isaiah 3-4

Lesson 4 – Isaiah 5-6

Lesson 5 – Isaiah 7

Lesson 6 – Isaiah 8-9a

Lesson 7 – Isaiah 9b-10

Lesson 8 – Isaiah 11-12

Lesson 9 – Isaiah 13-14

Lesson 10 – Isaiah 15-16

Lesson 11 – Isaiah 17-19

Lesson 12 – Isaiah 20-21

Lesson 13 – Isaiah 22-23

Lesson 14 – Isaiah 24-25

Lesson 15 – Isaiah 26-27

Lesson 16 – Isaiah 28-29

Lesson 17 – Isaiah 30-31

Lesson 18 – Isaiah 32-33

Lesson 19 – Isaiah 34-35

Lesson 20 – Isaiah 36-37

Lesson 21 – Isaiah 38-39

Lesson 22 – Isaiah 40-41

Lesson 23 – Isaiah 42-43

Lesson 24 – Isaiah 44-45

Lesson 25 – Isaiah 46-48

Lesson 26 – Isaiah 49-50

Lesson 27 – Isaiah 51-53

Lesson 28 – Isaiah 54-56a

Lesson 29 – Isaiah 56b-59

Lesson 30 – Isaiah 60-62

Lesson 31 – Isaiah 63-64

Lesson 32 – Isaiah 65-66

Studies in Isaiah, Lesson 4: Isaiah 5-6

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IsaiahStudy

During the latter half of 2016, I had the distinct (and overwhelming) privilege of teaching Isaiah on Sunday Mornings at North Charleston. Click the play button above to listen to the recording of our discussion. Below are notes and other helpful resources for this lesson.

Lesson #4: Isaiah 5-6

Presented Sunday, April 24, 2016 at the North Charleston church of Christ

Click here to download the slides (PDF).

Studies in Isaiah, Lesson 3: Isaiah 3-4

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IsaiahStudy

During the latter half of 2016, I had the distinct (and overwhelming) privilege of teaching Isaiah on Sunday Mornings at North Charleston. Click the play button above to listen to the recording of our discussion. Below are notes and other helpful resources for this lesson.

Lesson #3: Isaiah 3-4

Presented Sunday, April 17, 2016 at the North Charleston church of Christ

Click here to download the slides (PDF).

Studies in Isaiah, Lesson 2: Isaiah 1-2

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IsaiahStudy

During the latter half of 2016, I had the distinct (and overwhelming) privilege of teaching Isaiah on Sunday Mornings at North Charleston. Click the play button above to listen to the recording of our discussion. Below are notes and other helpful resources for this lesson.

Lesson #2: Isaiah 1-2

Presented Sunday, April 10, 2016 at the North Charleston church of Christ

Click here to download the slides (PDF).

A Vital Sermon on Modesty

Cliff_Goodwin

I preached about modesty yesterday. Needless to say, it’s not the most popular sermon that I have preached this year. That’s not to say that the Christians at North Charleston were hostile to the message. They love the truth and willingly receive it into their hearts. The problem with the modesty sermon is that it is just difficult to apply.

It seems to me that the issue is so difficult because it forces us to take a long hard look in the mirror. The Bible implores women to think biblically about what they will wear, and whether it will be a stumblingblock to their male contemporaries (1 Timothy 2:9-10). Men are implored to examine their hearts and not be brought under the sway of lust (Matthew 5:28).

People like to point fingers when modesty is discussed. Some say that men should simply learn to control their “perverted” minds and grow up (which, by the way, I’m sure needs to happen, too). However, the key to understanding God’s standard for modesty is to understand God’s definition of nakedness.

In 2015, Cliff Goodwin preached an incredible sermon about taboo subjects. Modesty was a part of his discussion. Cliff struggled with his voice for the first half of 2015, rendering him unable to preach for months. This lesson, preached in July of that year, was among the first that I heard him deliver following his difficulties. Cliff is now even more determined (though he has always had this kind of conviction) to employ his voice in preaching a message that honors God and that is less concerned with how the hearers will take the culturally unpopular parts of that message.

All Christians should learn from Cliff’s experiences. We cannot be silent. We should use our voices to urgently, courageously, and clearly communicate God’s saving truth, and we should do it now – while we still have the ability to do so.

You will be blessed by taking the time to hear the following remarks from Cliff Goodwin. Skip ahead to 47:03 on the video for the beginning of his lesson.

Studies in Isaiah, Lesson 1: Introduction

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IsaiahStudy

During the latter half of 2016, I had the distinct (and overwhelming) privilege of teaching Isaiah on Sunday Mornings at North Charleston. Click the play button above to listen to the recording of our discussion. Below are notes and other helpful resources for this lesson.

Lesson #1: Introduction

Presented Sunday, April 3, 2016 at the North Charleston church of Christ

Click here to download my outline for an introduction to Isaiah (PDF).

Note: The material in the above PDF has been compiled from a variety of sources. Special thanks to my friend Brad McNutt for providing his introductory notes, which provided the template for the outline.

Effective Bible Study Lesson 11 – “Meditating On and Teaching the Bible”

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EffectiveBibleStudy

Note: Effective Bible Study is a Sunday morning study for Q1 2016 at North Charleston. Below are slides and helpful resources pertinent to our class discussions.

Lesson #11: Meditating On and Teaching the Bible

SUMMARY: The final two foundations of Bible study are meditating on the Bible, and teaching the Bible. These two disciplines and duties will aid your understanding of God’s word in wonderful ways.

Click here to download this lesson’s study sheet (PDF).

Click here to download a printable handout of the slides (PDF).

SLIDES:

Effective Bible Study Lesson 10 – “Topical Bible Study”

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EffectiveBibleStudy

Note: Effective Bible Study is a Sunday morning study for Q1 2016 at North Charleston. Below are slides and helpful resources pertinent to our class discussions.

Lesson #10: Topical Bible Study

SUMMARY: Topical Bible study is the process of selecting a subject and researching that subject in the Bible. “Topical” Bibles and concordances are helpful in this method of study. However, one must be careful to study the word honestly and draw his or her own biblical conclusions.

Click here to download this lesson’s study sheet (PDF).

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Effective Bible Study Lesson 9 – “Comparative Bible Study”

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EffectiveBibleStudy

Note: Effective Bible Study is a Sunday morning study for Q1 2016 at North Charleston. Below are slides and helpful resources pertinent to our class discussions.

Lesson #9: Comparative Bible Study

SUMMARY: Psalm 119:160 says, “The sum of your word is truth” (ESV). This means that God’s word is true in each of its individual parts. When studying a passage of Scripture, it is extremely important to determine whether the Bible gives more information about that passage elsewhere in Scripture. This is called comparative Bible study.

Click here to download this lesson’s study sheet (PDF).

 

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