Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for July 5, 2015

“Amazing Love” 1 John 4:7-11 Bible Study 07/05/15

The term “amazing” regularly is overworked and overused in our culture. However, some matters remain truly amazing. We come to one of those matters in this morning’s text. God’s love for us is so amazing that it defies tangible linguistic expression. In 4:7-11, John returns for the third time in his letter to the subject of love. Here, he intensifies the discussion and elaborates on love’s source and supernatural accomplishment. God’s amazing love is the foundation and motivation for loving one another. Because God’s love is truly amazing, transmit it to others passionately.

I. Trace love to its source (7-8)

-definite origin
-distinctive attribute
-determining factor

II. Treasure love in its expression (9-10)

-preciousness
-purpose
-provision

III. Transmit love to others (11)

-magnitude
-moral obligation

IV. So what?

-Those greatly loved love greatly.
-“And Can It Be” -Charles Wesley
-“As the bridegroom to His chosen, as the King unto His realm, as the keeper to the castle, as the pilot to the helm, as the captain to his soldiers, as the shepherd to his lambs; as the fountain in the garden, as the candle in the dark, as the treasure in the coffer, as the manna in the ark, as the firelight in the winter, as the sunlight in the spring, so Lord, art Thou to me.” -John Tauler
-“The bottom line is always red for the believer.” Lloyd Ogilvie

Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for June 28, 2015

Guest speaker: Daniel Weaver
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, PhD Student

“Test the Teaching!”

1 John 4:1-6

I. We must test all teaching claiming to be from God.

II. We must test according to their Confession of the True Christ.

III. We must test according to their Reception of the True Christ.

Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for June 21, 2015

“Treasuring the Truth” 1 John 2:18-27 Bible Study 06/21/15

Sincerity can be a commendable virtue, but something more than sincerity is required to make a thing true. There must be substance. For the believer, this ‘substance” is the objective standard of Holy Scripture. Faith in a lie inevitably leads to disaster. In contrast, faith grounded in truth is never misplaced. With this morning’s text, John directs us to the third mark or “test” of authentic faith. Previously, he has covered the moral/light test and the social/love test. This morning we continue on to consider the doctrinal/truth test. John is fond of striking contrasts such as light/darkness, love/hate and truth/error. Our culture may be blurring the distinction between truth and error but God’s Word draws a timeless line of distinction between the two. Doctrine often gets a “bad rap” both outside and inside of the church. We must avoid the false idea that doctrine/teaching is disconnected from “practical” living. When time is short and truth is attacked, believers must respond with a commitment that includes profession and practice.

I. God’s Word expresses a distinction between truth and error (18-21)

-environment: last hour, antichrist/antichrists
-exit: departure of false teachers from the fellowship
-evaluation: fellowship, anointing, discernment

II. God’s Word exposes defective doctrine (22-23)

-denial: with reference to Christ
-damage: dishonor and deprivation
-determination: basic doctrinal test

III. God’s Word encourages an active defense (24-27)

-principle: “abide”- 6 times
-protection: Word and Spirit

IV. So what?

-Understand the danger of deficient thinking about Jesus.
-Communicate the exclusivity of Jesus with compassion and without compromise.
-Denial of Jesus deprives one of the Father.
-The Spirit of God never contradicts the Word of God.
-Beware of membership without meaning.
-Abiding enables intimacy and expectation.
-Cling to Jesus!

-“I love to tell the story, for those who know it best seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest. And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song, twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long.” (Katherine Hankey)

Here is the prayer adapted from John Piper that many have requested:

O Christ, take my son/daughter for your servant. Turn his/her heart to You. Obliterate rebellion from his/her heart. And may he/she grow to godly manhood/womanhood, full of love to You and to others. Let him/her not love the world nor give a hoot for things or praise. But may Your glory be his/her passion day and night until the Kingdom comes.

Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for June 14, 2015

“Meet Your Advocate” 1 John 2:1-2 Bible Study 06/14/15

This morning we will focus on two remarkably rich verses in 1 John. They are closely connected to and flow out of John’s emphases in 1 John 1:5-10. We are to have a biblical view of sin as well as a clear understanding of the appropriate biblical response to sin when it occurs in our lives. These two verses offer great comfort and assurance to the believer and invite him/her to prize the promise of the absolutely unique advocacy of Jesus Christ.

Introduction

-Sin is always bad news.
-Three responses: denial, dismissal and despair
-Biblical balance: warning and consolation
-When sin threatens to paralyze you, remember the provision of an Advocate for you.

I. Consider your Advocate’s unceasing action

-“…we have…”

-Advocate: counsel for the defense, to speak up/lift up the voice in behalf of…

II. Consider your Advocate’s premium location

-“…with the Father…”
-face-to-face

III. Consider your Advocate’s matchless qualification

-Jesus, Christ, righteous
-Every believer has an Advocate at all times in the best place who offers real help.
-the justification/sanctification connection

IV. Consider your Advocate’s prior substitution

-present advocacy based on prior activity
-propitiation: atoning sacrifice

V. So what?

-“The wisdom of God ordained a way for the love of God to deliver us from the wrath of God without compromising the justice of God.” (J. Piper)
-When you take the cross seriously, you take sin seriously.
-“Savior, teach me day by day, Love’s sweet lesson to obey, Sweeter lesson cannot be, Loving Him who first loved me.” (J. Leeson)

Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for June 7, 2015

Guest speaker: Adam Mallette
M.Div. student at Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary

WALKING IN THE LIGHT OF THE WORD

1 JOHN 1:1-10 (FOCAL TEXT: Verses 5-10)

TEXT: CONTEXT & STRUCTURE
JOHN’S WRITINGS
GNOSTICISM
VERSES 1-4: THE WORD OF LIFE

VV.3-4 = PURPOSE STATEMENT FOR 1 JOHN

VERSES 5-10: POSITIVE & NEGATIVE STRUCTURAL FLOW

MAIN IDEA: A CLEANSING CONFESSION & TRUTHFUL WALK ALLOW FOR FELLOWSHIP WITH THE GOD OF
LIGHT

I. WHO IS GOD? – Verse 5
II. OUR SIN & PRE-REQUISITES TO FELLOWSHIP – Verses 6-10

CONCLUSION

Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for May 31, 2015

“Mercy and the Messenger of the Covenant” Malachi 2:17-3:6, 4:1-2 05/31/15

I. Introduction

-between the issues of marital and material unfaithfulness
-three identities in this text: Lord of Hosts, John the Baptist and Jesus Christ

II. Recognize the rationale for a refiner’s fire

-we need to be refined
-there are no alloys in heaven
-our God is a covenant-keeper
-delay does not mean denial

III. Acknowledge the refining and consuming qualities of His fire

-some will be consumed
-trust the purifying mercy of God
-fear to dishonor Him with unbelief

IV. Cling to the promise fulfilled in Jesus

-righteousness
-light for a dark world
-health for a diseased world

V. So what?

-Because the Lord does not change, anchor your hope in the refining fire of His mercy
-Avoid the sinful tendency to put God “in the dock”
-The only route of righteousness is the road that leads to the cross

Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for May 24, 2015

“Malpractice or Magnification?” Malachi 2:10-16 Bible Study 05/24/15

I. Introduction

-context: priestly failure of 2:1-9
-connection: defective worship and decline in morality

II. Discern the dishonor of “mixed” marriage (2:10-12)

-the prohibition
-violation of an intimate bond/covenant
-“Father…created…”
-profaning/polluting
-faithless
-abomination
-weighty sentence

III. Discern the dishonor of divorce (2:13-16)

-loss of “favor”
-reason: faithlessness
-the marriage “mystery”
-goal of godly offspring
-take care!!!
-why God “hates” divorce

IV. So what?

-Because God designs marriage to be a reflection of His covenant faithfulness, magnify His character in your marriage.
-Relish God’s reputation.
-View marriage as a “window…” (Eph. 5:22-33)

Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for May 17, 2015

“When Leftovers Will Not Do” Malachi 1:1-14 Bible Study 05/17/15

Malachi’s prophecy is dated sometime between B. C. 475-450. It apparently occurs before Nehemiah’s second return to Jerusalem in which he led in the completion of the wall around the city. Clearly, at the time of writing, the Temple has been rebuilt and regular Temple practices have been reestablished. A key focus in the prophecy of Malachi, whose name means “My Messenger” or “My Servant,” is the substandard or defective worship in Jerusalem and the defective leadership of priests and religious leaders of the day. Structurally, the prophecy contains six “oracle” disputations between the Lord and the priests/people of Israel. In each of these oracles, one finds a similar pattern: The Lord makes a charge, the people question the charge and then the Lord defends His charge. Our text this morning includes an opening affirmation of the covenant faithfulness of the Lord which is followed by the first of six oracles.

I. Affirm the Lord’s covenant love (1:1-5)

-He rescues the unworthy
-He conquers sinful strongholds
-He declares His greatness to the world
-In light of God’s unchanging love, fix your attention on His greatness and focus your affection on His glory

II. Purify your worship (1:6-14)

-the charge of worthless worship
-the cause of worthless worship
-the cure for worthless worship
-Because the covenant-keeping God deserves honor, purge your life of worthless worship and proclaim His greatness with your lips and your life.

III. So what?

-Recognize the danger of “open hearts, open minds, open rebellion”
-Reject spiritual mediocrity
-Join God’s global “choir”
-Magnify the matter of ultimate fulfillment in Christ

Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for May 10, 2015

Guest speaker: Dr. Jim Sibley

“How to live in a World of Spiritually Blind” – Isaiah 8

Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for May 3, 2015

“No Matter What: Habakkuk’s Prayer and Perspective” Hab. 3:1-19 Bible Study 05/3/15

This morning we continue our study of Habakkuk’s prophecy. Habakkuk’s prayer is a model for God-centered prayer. Such a prayer involves remembering who we are, remembering who God is and remembering what really matters. We will also address Habakkuk’s perspective. His prophecy reaches a joyful conclusion as he worships in faith and banks all his hope on the Lord.

I. A God-Centered Prayer (1-2)

Introduction

-Shigionoth: to “reel”
-understand this prayer in the context of the total prophecy
-the “hush” of 2:20
-a composed approach to God

A. Approach with humility

-from complaint to consideration
– a sense of awe
-from the horizontal to the vertical
-the absence of comparison

B. Approach with adoration

-acknowledging worth
-rehearsal of attributes

C. Approach with coordination

-in accord with God’s desires
-not my work but God’s work
-renew and remember
-plead for that which is central to His character

II. A God-Centered Perspective (3-19)

A. Reflect on the Lord’s faithful works (3-15)

-delivering His people
-displaying His splendor
-demonstrating His sovereignty

B. Confess your personal weakness (16)

-bone-shattering fear
-not resignation, detachment or pride

C. Rejoice in the Lord for His own sake (17-19)

-when “worse” becomes a reality
-pictured agriculturally
-citadel and stabilizer
-invitation to worship

III. Addressing the “so what” question

-“We should never forget that in any case theology is for doxology: the truest expression of trust in a great God will always be worship, and it will always be proper worship to praise God for being far greater than we can know.” (J.I. Packer)

-“Though vine nor fig tree neither
Their wonted fruits should bear,
Though all the fields should wither,
Nor flocks nor herds be there;
Yet, God the same abiding,
His praise shall tune my voice;
For, while in Him confiding,
I cannot but rejoice.” (William Cowper)