Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for August 18, 2019
“Amazing Grace” Titus 2:11-14 Bible Study 08/18/19
Introduction
-understanding the idea of grace: extension of favor undeserved and unearned
-understanding the objective of grace: the concept of adornment (2:10)
-Because God personifies grace in Jesus, live a life that magnifies His saving power.
1. Grace invades dramatically (11)
• reference to incarnation
• not just a divine attribute but a divine person
• an “admirable conjunction of diverse excellencies”
• not just a past event but a continuing experience
• bringing salvation
2. Grace instructs presently (12)
• training…
• negatively: renunciation of ungodliness and worldly passions
• positively: inward, outward and upward
3. Grace incites expectancy (13-14)
• waiting
• blessed hope
• affirmation of the deity of Jesus
• grace then glory
• principle of substitution
• purchased, purified, possessed
• resulting passion
4. So What?
• Let yourself be awed continually by the wonder and worth of Jesus.
• Let the reality of grace fuel your passion to please God.
• Let the “anchor of your hope dangle out of heaven.”
Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for August 11, 2019
“Spiritual Hygiene” Titus 1:1-9 Bible Study 08/11/19
When you adhere to God’s truth, you put in place the foundation for conformity to Christ and the conduct of good works.
Background Information
-written from Nicopolis (66-67) after first missionary journey
-Crete: Mediterranean Sea southeast of Greece
-key issues addressed:
-stress on sound doctrine
-Paul: a mastered minister
-Titus: a child with a charge
1. Adhere to the truth (1-4)
• significant salutation
• embrace the mission
♦ evangelism of the “elect”
♦ edification through truth leading to godliness
♦ encouragement in hope
• maximize the message
♦ the never-lying God
♦ promised before time
♦ manifested in the word
• employ the methodology
♦ public proclamation
♦ sacred trust
♦ grace and peace
2. Appoint qualified leadership (5-9)
• assess the assignment
♦ set in order
♦ appoint elders
♦ interchangeable terms: elder, overseer, pastor
• identify the qualifications
♦ reputation
♦ purity
♦ family
♦ character
♦ teaching
3. So What? 4 Observations
• structure of governance
• significance of doctrine
• satisfaction of leaders
• centrality of God
Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for August 4, 2019
“Direct Orders for Difficult Days” 2 Timothy 3:1-17 Bible Study 08/04/19
Respond to the reality of difficult days with a firm commitment to the truth as revealed in Holy Scripture.
I. Understand the reality of difficult times in the last days (3:1-5a)
• an ongoing responsibility
• “seasons of violence”
• identification of “last days”
• people/men: within the church
• a nineteen-point description!
II. Avoid those whose conduct contradicts the truth (3:5b-13)
• the context for “avoid”
• “keep on making yourself turn away”
• “creepers” who target women
• Jannes and Jambres: seduction and rebellion
• folly exposed
• contrast: “you, however…”
• followed: accompany, conform by conviction
• ministerial duties, personal virtues and experiences of suffering
III. Continue on the track of truth (3:14-17)
• “remain” with what you have “learned”
• knowing the “whom” and “how”
• the inspiration of Scripture: God-breathed
• the OT-77% of the Bible and NT (Gal. 1)
• the implementation of Scripture: profitable/sufficient
• teaching, reproof, correction, training…
• the impact of Scripture
• purpose: adequate and enabled
IV. So What?
• Recognize the fact of spiritual warfare
• Aim to develop a discernment based on the objective truth of Scripture
• Commit yourself to continuance and saturate yourself in Scripture
• Affirm the inerrancy, sufficiency and practicality of Scripture.
Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for July 28, 2019
“Stick with the Stuff!” 2 Timothy 2:14-26 Bible Study 07/28/19
Because the Lord’s truth matters, cling to it actively and communicate it accurately.
I. Assess your stewardship of the truth (2:14-19)
• Remind…charging…
• catastrophic impact of false teaching
• the exercise of diligence
• presentation for inspection and approval
• “cutting straight” the Word…
• avoidance of “empty chatter”
• our firm foundation
II. Consider the illustration of vessels (2:20-21)
• objective of usefulness
• vessels of honor and dishonor
• sanctified…useful…ready…
III. Make the timeless application (2:22-26)
• flee and pursue
• avoidance of foolish controversies
• correction with a view to repentance
• more than facts…
Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for July 21, 2019
Guest Speaker: Dr. David Allen
Dean of the School of Preaching at SWBTS
The Call of Young Samuel: Lessons for Today
1 Samuel 3:1-4:1
I. Samuel – The Backstory (3:1)
In answer to the barren Hannah’s prayer, God gives her a son, Samuel. Hannah promised the Lord to give the child back to the Lord “to appear in the Lord’s presence, and to stay there permanently.” When Samuel was about three years old, Hannah presented him to Eli at the Tabernacle in Shiloh where Samuel began his service to the Lord.
II. God’s Call of Young Samuel to the Prophetic Ministry (3:2-14)
God’s unique call to Samuel came deep in the night while he was asleep in the Tabernacle. At first, Samuel did not understand it was God calling him. He mistook the voice of God for the voice of Eli. When Eli instructed Samuel in how to reply to the Lord, Samuel responded to the Lord’s call with the words: “Speak, your servant is listening.”
III. Samuel Deliver’s God’s Word of Judgment to Eli (3:15-18)
Through Samuel, God confirmed his prior prophecy to judge the wicked sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas.
IV. Samuel Becomes a “Confirmed Prophet” to All Israel (3:19-4:1)
Summary statement of Samuel’s growth to maturity, his prophetic standing before all Israel, and the Lord’s regular revelations of his word to Samuel to be delivered to the people.
Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for July 14, 2019
“Marching Orders” 2 Timothy 1:1-14 Bible Study 07/14/19
Because of the matchless worth of the Gospel, stand firm in it and steward it faithfully.
I. Introduction
• date/place: 66-67 from Rome
• author: Paul in his second imprisonment and near the end of his life
• recipient: Timothy the young pastor in Ephesus
• overview: hold on to it (1), teach it (2), abide in it (3) and preach it (4)
II. Paul’s opening remarks 1:1-5
• identification
• greeting
• affection
• affirmation
III. Fan the flame 1:6
• gift of God
• laying on of hands
IV. Remember your resource 1:7
• given by God
• not fear
• power, love and self-control
V. Embrace suffering for the sake of the Gospel 1:8-12a
• therefore…
• don’t be ashamed
• saved and called…
• death abolished and life brought…
VI. Rely on God’s faithfulness 1:12b
• Paul’s settled conviction
• supernatural security
VII. Guard the deposit 1:13-14
• follow “healthy” words
• Spirit-driven stewardship
VIII. So What?
• Assess your source of security
• Evaluate the stewardship of your gift
• Adjust your perspective on suffering
• Treasure the truth
Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for July 7, 2019
“Great Gain in Godliness” 1 Timothy 6:6-8 Bible Study 07/07/19
Context/Background
-instructions regarding widows, elders and slaves (5:1-6:2a)
-the stress on right belief and right behavior (6:2b-3)
-repetition of “craving” (6:4, 10)
-the danger of contentment-less godliness (6:5b)
-Properly-placed contentment positions you to enjoy the Lord’s satisfaction as His subject and invest in eternity as His steward.
1. Affirm the gain of godliness (6)
• godliness: reverence, opportunistic piety
• not what you think…
2. Avoid the danger of misplaced confidence (7)
• If I just had…
• the curse of covetousness
3. Acknowledge Jesus as your treasure (8)
• nourishment and covering
• the key to contentment
• no one and no thing…
So what?
-Assess the location of your contentment.
-Aim to live as a thankful steward.
-Repudiate the putrid perversion of the prosperity gospel.
-“All the way my Savior leads me; What Have I to ask beside? Can I doubt His tender mercy, Who through life has been my guide? Heavenly peace, divinest comfort, Here by faith in Him to dwell! For I know, whate’er befall me, Jesus doeth all things well.” (Frances Crosby)
Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for June 30, 2019
Guest Speaker: Timothy Jeffress
Mr. Jeffress is a retired, 30-year veteran of the Dallas police department and brother of our pastor.
Creating a truth-conforming church environment
1 Timothy 4:1–16
I. Book Theme: Creating a church environment so that false teaching cannot flourish
II. Review Chapters 1-3: Fight, Paul’s testimony, hold to faith/conscience, pray, ordered worship, leaders, personal conduct, doxology
III. 1 Timothy 4:1-5 False Teaching
a. Casualties/Apostasy
b. False Doctrine in other Epistles: “proto-Gnosticism”/proselytizers
c. False Doctrine in 1 Timothy
d. Rebuttal: “Everything created by God is good”
e. Application: 2 Timothy 2:23–26 (ESV)
23Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.
IV. 1 Timothy 4:6-16 Ministry Instruction:
1. V6 Rely on Scripture
2. V7,8 Train for godliness
a. Knowing ABOUT God through His Word
b. KNOWING God through means of grace (word, sacrament, prayer)
c. Expressing consequence to world
(head> heart> hands)
3. V11 Command and teach
4. V12 Set Example
5. V13 Devotion to Scripture
6. V14 Rest Assured
7. V16 Consistency
V. Application: pursue godliness
“In former centuries, the period between the Reformation and our fathers’ time, the tendency of the Protestant Church was very largely to let the conception of religion as a body of truths overshadow everything else. And nowadays, amongst a great many people, the temptation is to take the second story for the main one, and to think that if a man loves, and has the glow at his heart of the conscious reception of God’s love, and has longings and yearnings, and Christian hopes and desires, and passes into the sweetnesses of communion with God, in his solitary moments, and plunges deep into the truths of God’s Word, that is godliness. But the true exhortation to us is—Do not stop with putting in the foundations of a correct creed, nor at the second stage of an emotional religion. Both are needful.”
– Alexander MacLaren 1
1 MacLaren, A. (2009). Expositions of Holy Scripture: Philippians 4, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, and 1 Timothy (p. 364). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for June 23, 2019
“The Mystery of Godliness” 1 Timothy 3:14-16 Bible Study 06/23/19
-Because the church is a supernatural entity with a supreme Head, communicate the truth accurately and cling to it tenaciously.
-Background/Context
* connection to 2:1-3:13
* conception of the church
* confession of the mystery’s greatness
* chiastic structure and cumulative parallelism
1. Jesus: revealed and confirmed
• implied pre-existence
• unfathomable condescension
• acknowledged deity
2. Jesus: attended and extended
• presence of angels
• proclamation to peoples
• near and far
3. Jesus: believed and received
• trusted in the world below
• taken into glory above
-So What?
* “Lord, forbid that we would add to the avalanche of error spoken about Christ in the world.” (Piper)
* Hold fast to Jesus and abhor everything that dishonors Him.
* The truth: digest it, defend it, disseminate it, demonstrate it (Hendriksen)
* Determine to know Jesus better and to enjoy Him more.
Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for June 16, 2019
Guest Speaker: Sherry Forester
CHRISTIAN CONDUCT
1 Timothy 2
I. PRAYER INSTRUCTIONS (v.1-7)
A. Priority of prayer (v.1a)
B. Variety of prayer (v.1b)
C. Objects of prayer (v.1c-2)
D. Reasons for prayer (v.3-4)
E. Basis for prayer (v.5-7)
F. Prayer is good and pleases God.
II. PERSONAL INSTRUCTIONS (v.8-15)
A. Men are to pray. (v.8)
B. Women are to dress modestly and serve others. (v.9-10)
C. Women are to be humble. (v.11-15)
D. Our attitudes and actions matter to God.
