Epistle for April 25, 2003

#1 · April 24, 2003, 11:18 am

Quote from Forum Archives on April 24, 2003, 11:18 am
Posted by: info <info@...>

E-pistle

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr. Curt Scarborough, President FreeWay Foundation April 25, 2003

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

During this quarter (April-June) Dr. Scarborough will be presenting teachings
on all 13 chapters of Hebrews and Nehemiah
In This Issue:
"Jesus Our Great High Priest" Hebrews 4:1-16
"Fear Not! Forget Not! Fight!" Nehemiah 4:1-23
PIAC Degree Program

Jesus, Our Great High Priest
(Hebrews 4:1-16)

I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. Believers are promised divine rest, but they must be careful to receive the promise by faith
and to enter into God's rest by faith, vv. 1-3.
2. Doubt and disobedience will cause persons to miss God's promised rest; as God rested from
His creative work, so also His people may rest from their labors on earth, vv. 4-10.
3. God's word reveals man's spiritual condition, for it is "living and powerful and sharper than any
two-edged sword . . . a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart," vv. 11-13.
4. Jesus is our great High Priest, Who understands by personal experience our weaknesses; believers
are invited to come boldly to God's throne of grace to find mercy and help, vv. 14-16.
II. Meditation: on Jesus, our great High Priest (vv. 14-15)
1. He has passed through the heavens (ascension).
2. He is the Son of God.
3. He sympathizes with our weaknesses.
4. He was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin.
III. Observations: on our proper responses to Him (v. 14-16)
1. Hold fast our confession; remain faithful in our commitment.
2. Come boldly to God's throne; we're welcome there.
3. Obtain mercy - taking away the penalty of sin that we do deserve.
4. Find grace - receiving a gift/blessing that we do not deserve.
IV. Revelation: on the finished work of Christ
1. The ascended Christ deserves our faithfulness.
2. Jesus, our brother, welcomes us to God's throne, Hebrews 2:11.
3. Jesus knows our weaknesses, and He sympathizes by offering mercy . . . forgiveness to remove
the penalty of sin.
4. His sinless life is imputed to believers, and we receive eternal life (salvation) through grace.
V. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Live righteously and serve faithfully the risen, ascended Christ.
2. Pray boldly, knowing that God welcomes me and my concerns.
3. Confess my weaknesses and sins to Christ, and receive mercy (forgiveness) . . . removal
of the spiritual penalty.
4. Ask for and receive by faith God's grace and blessings.

Fear Not! Forget Not! Fight!
(Nehemiah 4:1-23)

I. Concentration: on the events in this chapter
1. Sanballat, Tobiah, and other enemies of Israel became furious and indignant at the
rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls; they attempted to stop the work by: (1) mocking,
(2) ridiculing, (3) threatening to attack, (4) sowing confusion, vv. 1-3, 7, 11-12.
2. Nehemiah prayed for God's help and encouraged the people to continue working,
vv. 4-6, 13-14.
3. He set a watch against the enemies and organized the forces both for fighting and
for building, vv. 8-10, 15-20.
4. He personally labored day and night alongside the common people of the nation,
vv. 21-23.

II. Meditation: on the encouraging challenge of verse 14
1. Fear not the enemy!
2. Forget not the Lord! (Remember the Lord, great and awesome!)
3. Fight for your family!

III. Revelation: on how to keep working while under satanic attack
1. Watch and pray, v. 9; Matthew 26:41.
2. Be equipped both for building and for fighting, v. 17; Ephesians 4:12; 6:10-18.
3. Recognize how important God's work is; get orgainzed to respond in mutual
defense wherever the attack from the enemy, vv. 19-20; Hebrews 10:22-25.
4. Both leaders and followers must be totally committed to faithful service in spite
of severe hardships and persecution, vv. 6, 21-23; I Corinthians 15:58; I Peter 5:8-9.

IV. Applications: as a christian leader, I need to . . .
1. Ignore the criticism and ridicule of those persons who oppose the work of God;
refuse to be intimidated into inactivity, but keep on working faithfully to accomplish
the Lord's purpose.
2. Equip the people for their responsibilities, both of laboring to build the kingdom and
of spiritual warfare against the forces of Satan.
3. Encourage the people to experience a deeper walk of faith with God, and challenge
them to total commitment to accomplish the task at hand . . . which is great and
extensive (spiritually important)!
4. Set the example of faithful dedication, not asking others to work and sacrifice
more than I personally am doing.

PIAC Degree Program

Doctor of Ministry (48 credit hours - $3,600) or

Master of Ministry (32 credit hours - $2,400) in

Biblical Counseling . . . by distance learning

Visit our web-site: www.freewayfoundation.org

or call Dr. Curt Scarborough: (314) 739-1121

Certified AACC Tracks

Christian Counseling * Healthy Sexuality
Marriage Ministry * Women's Issues

Pillbury Institute
of
Applied Christianity

Accredited by the Accrediting Commission International
for Schools, Colleges, and Theological Seminaries

Posted by: info <info@...>

E-pistle

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr. Curt Scarborough, President FreeWay Foundation April 25, 2003

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

During this quarter (April-June) Dr. Scarborough will be presenting teachings
on all 13 chapters of Hebrews and Nehemiah
In This Issue:
"Jesus Our Great High Priest" Hebrews 4:1-16
"Fear Not! Forget Not! Fight!" Nehemiah 4:1-23
PIAC Degree Program

Jesus, Our Great High Priest
(Hebrews 4:1-16)

I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. Believers are promised divine rest, but they must be careful to receive the promise by faith
and to enter into God's rest by faith, vv. 1-3.
2. Doubt and disobedience will cause persons to miss God's promised rest; as God rested from
His creative work, so also His people may rest from their labors on earth, vv. 4-10.
3. God's word reveals man's spiritual condition, for it is "living and powerful and sharper than any
two-edged sword . . . a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart," vv. 11-13.
4. Jesus is our great High Priest, Who understands by personal experience our weaknesses; believers
are invited to come boldly to God's throne of grace to find mercy and help, vv. 14-16.
II. Meditation: on Jesus, our great High Priest (vv. 14-15)
1. He has passed through the heavens (ascension).
2. He is the Son of God.
3. He sympathizes with our weaknesses.
4. He was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin.
III. Observations: on our proper responses to Him (v. 14-16)
1. Hold fast our confession; remain faithful in our commitment.
2. Come boldly to God's throne; we're welcome there.
3. Obtain mercy - taking away the penalty of sin that we do deserve.
4. Find grace - receiving a gift/blessing that we do not deserve.
IV. Revelation: on the finished work of Christ
1. The ascended Christ deserves our faithfulness.
2. Jesus, our brother, welcomes us to God's throne, Hebrews 2:11.
3. Jesus knows our weaknesses, and He sympathizes by offering mercy . . . forgiveness to remove
the penalty of sin.
4. His sinless life is imputed to believers, and we receive eternal life (salvation) through grace.
V. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Live righteously and serve faithfully the risen, ascended Christ.
2. Pray boldly, knowing that God welcomes me and my concerns.
3. Confess my weaknesses and sins to Christ, and receive mercy (forgiveness) . . . removal
of the spiritual penalty.
4. Ask for and receive by faith God's grace and blessings.

Fear Not! Forget Not! Fight!
(Nehemiah 4:1-23)

I. Concentration: on the events in this chapter
1. Sanballat, Tobiah, and other enemies of Israel became furious and indignant at the
rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls; they attempted to stop the work by: (1) mocking,
(2) ridiculing, (3) threatening to attack, (4) sowing confusion, vv. 1-3, 7, 11-12.
2. Nehemiah prayed for God's help and encouraged the people to continue working,
vv. 4-6, 13-14.
3. He set a watch against the enemies and organized the forces both for fighting and
for building, vv. 8-10, 15-20.
4. He personally labored day and night alongside the common people of the nation,
vv. 21-23.

II. Meditation: on the encouraging challenge of verse 14
1. Fear not the enemy!
2. Forget not the Lord! (Remember the Lord, great and awesome!)
3. Fight for your family!

III. Revelation: on how to keep working while under satanic attack
1. Watch and pray, v. 9; Matthew 26:41.
2. Be equipped both for building and for fighting, v. 17; Ephesians 4:12; 6:10-18.
3. Recognize how important God's work is; get orgainzed to respond in mutual
defense wherever the attack from the enemy, vv. 19-20; Hebrews 10:22-25.
4. Both leaders and followers must be totally committed to faithful service in spite
of severe hardships and persecution, vv. 6, 21-23; I Corinthians 15:58; I Peter 5:8-9.

IV. Applications: as a christian leader, I need to . . .
1. Ignore the criticism and ridicule of those persons who oppose the work of God;
refuse to be intimidated into inactivity, but keep on working faithfully to accomplish
the Lord's purpose.
2. Equip the people for their responsibilities, both of laboring to build the kingdom and
of spiritual warfare against the forces of Satan.
3. Encourage the people to experience a deeper walk of faith with God, and challenge
them to total commitment to accomplish the task at hand . . . which is great and
extensive (spiritually important)!
4. Set the example of faithful dedication, not asking others to work and sacrifice
more than I personally am doing.

PIAC Degree Program

Doctor of Ministry (48 credit hours - $3,600) or

Master of Ministry (32 credit hours - $2,400) in

Biblical Counseling . . . by distance learning

Visit our web-site: http://www.freewayfoundation.org

or call Dr. Curt Scarborough: (314) 739-1121

Certified AACC Tracks

Christian Counseling * Healthy Sexuality
Marriage Ministry * Women's Issues

Pillbury Institute
of
Applied Christianity

Accredited by the Accrediting Commission International
for Schools, Colleges, and Theological Seminaries