Table of Contents

Foundations Serve: Chapter 1. Serve Like Jesus

How to Understand the Bible

Lesson 1.  Basis of Bible Study Methods

I. Introduction

II. How to Interpret the Bible

Lesson 2. How to Study a Book of the Bible

I. Overview of a book of the Bible (Big Picture)

II Analysis of each chapter of the book (Details)

III. How to Study a Book of the Bible

Lesson 3. Overview of Philippians

Lesson 4. Analysis of Philippians Chapter 1

I. Start with prayer

II. Analysis of the first paragraph

III. Analysis of the remainder of Chapter 1

IV. The one thing I am going to apply to my life

How to Preach and Teach Effectively

Lesson 5. How to Prepare an Effective Biblical Lesson

I. Lesson Preparation

II. Lesson Example

Lesson 6. Lesson Presentation

I. Introduction

II. What the Lesson Can and Cannot Do

III. Principles of Lesson Presentation

Appendix

Workshop Trainer Instructions

1. The training material is available for free at foundationsglobal.com

2. Detailed trainer instructions are in the PowerPoint Notes

Foundations Serve: Chapter 1. Serve Like Jesus

A mature Christian gives and cares for others just as Jesus did without expecting anything in return. In this section you will discover how God designed you (and all Christians) for ministry and develop and use your God-given gifts and abilities in serving God and others. This is contrary to what you have learned in the world but this is how you will experience deep joy and peace.

John 15:10 – 12. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

Q. How does serving someone show that you love them?

Follow the Example of Jesus

1. What reason did Jesus give for coming to the world?

Mark 10:45. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

2. How did Jesus serve people?

a. Matthew 9:35. Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.

b. John 13:3 – 5. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;  so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.  After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

3. What do we learn from Jesus?

John 13:12-17. When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them.  “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.  Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.  I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.  I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.  Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

- I should not shrink from doing menial tasks.

- I show that Jesus is my Lord by serving others.

- I should allow others to serve me.

- I am blessed by serving others.

4. Philippians 2:5-8. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!

a. Whose attitude should you have?

b. What position did He take?

c. How did He show you the attitude he wants you to have?

He made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant.

He humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross.

5. Philippians 2:3-4. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

a. What does God want you to do?

b. Is there a situation in your life where you are not doing this?

c. What are you going to do about it?

Q. How is it possible to have the attitude God wants us to have and to serve others as described in these verses?

It is in our sinful nature to be selfish, vain, conceited, and self-centered. It is only when we give God control of our lives that we have the will and power to overcome our sinful nature and have the humility to consider others better than ourselves, look out to the interests of others, and be a servant.

What Jesus Wants for You

6. Mark 1:31. So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

a. What did Simon’s mother-in-law do after Jesus served her by healing her?

b. How has Jesus helped you?

c. What is your response?

Q. How have you allowed God to change your attitude and actions toward Him and others?

7. Whom should you serve?

a. John 12:26. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me

Serve Jesus

b. Galatians 5:13. You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.

Serve other Christians

c. Galatians 6:10. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Serve all people

d. Hebrews 13:17, Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.

Serve Christian leaders

8.      During the Last Supper just before Jesus was crucified, He taught us about serving.

Luke 22:24-27. Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.  Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors.  But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

a. What were His disciples arguing about?

Which of them was considered to be greatest

Q. What were the disciples focused on? Why?

Q. What should the disciples have been focused on? Why?

b. How did Jesus show them what they should do?

“But I am among you as one who serves”

Jesus washed their feet

c. How should you conduct yourself?

“the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves”

d. How is this different than the way the world says you should act?

“The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors”

The Joy of Serving

9. What does Jesus promise you if you will obey Him by serving others?

John 15:10 – 12. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.  11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.  12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

Q. Tell of a time you served and the joy it brought.

10.      What does Jesus promise you when you give to and serve others?

Luke 18:29 – 30. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.”

11.      Where is the attitude of joy to be found?

Psalms 16:11. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Q. What will happen to our joy of serving if we don’t spend regular time with God?

If we don’t spend regular time in the presence of God we will never know or we will lose the joy of serving Him.

Serve Others

12.      What does God tell you to do?

Proverbs 3:27. Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.

1John 3:17. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?

13. Why is it important to serve in the little things?

Luke 16:10. Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.

It shows how we will do in the big things.

14.      How can you become a better listener in order to hear needs that you can meet by serving?

Ask questions to draw people out.

Pay attention, don’t be thinking about what you want to say.

Give feedback to let people know that you understand:

- Their facts

- Their logic

- Their feelings

15.      How can you become more observant in order to see needs that you can meet by serving?

Look for things that need to be done.

Watch someone who has a servant heart and learn from them.

16. What needs are you aware of that you could meet by serving?

Read the Summary and choose the one thing that means the most to you.

“Serve Like Jesus” Summary

- Follow the Example of Jesus

- Jesus came to serve, not to be served

- Jesus served by teaching, preaching, and healing

- Jesus modeled servanthood by washing the disciple’s feet

- Jesus humbled Himself as a servant

- Don’t have selfish ambition or vain conceit

- In humility consider others better than yourself

- Look out for the interests of others

- What Jesus Wants for You

- Serve others in response to what Jesus has done for you

- You should serve Jesus, other Christians, all people, and Christian leaders

- Greatness comes through serving

- The Joy of Serving

- Your joy is made complete by loving and serving others

- The benefits of serving far outweigh the cost

- Remain in God’s presence to experience joy in serving

- Serve Others

- Serve those in need as you are able

- Learn to hear and see needs that you can meet

- Serve like Jesus and experience His joy

How to Understand the Bible

Lesson 1. Basis of Bible Study Methods

I. Introduction

This material will give you practical tools to help you understand and apply the Bible to your life. God tells us the importance of knowing and applying His Word to our lives in the following verses.

- “… [the Bereans] received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said w8as true.” Acts 17:11

- “Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” Hebrews 5:13-14

- “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

- "If you obey my teaching," Jesus said, "you are really my disciples.” John 8:31

Bible study is feeding on the meat of God’s Word. God wants to teach us directly from His Word. We are responsible to study God’s Word for ourselves instead of just relying on others if we want to grow spiritually.

The purpose of Bible study is to apply God’s Word to our lives in thought, word, and deed. Bible study involves several aspects that help us interpret it correctly so we can apply it to our lives correctly. This is how we become more like Jesus.

II. How to Interpret the Bible

A. Interpretation

- There is only one correct interpretation, that intended by the author

- There can be many applications

- We must get the correct interpretation of God’s Word before we can apply it properly

B. Two Parts to Biblical Interpretation

- The Bible is

1) The Word of God and

2) The words of men

- In order to interpret the Bible correctly, we must use:

1) The Laws of the Spirit because the Bible is the Word of God and

2) The Laws of Language because the Bible is the words of men

1. Laws of the Spirit (The Bible is the Word of God)

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living,” (2 Timothy 3:16). We must understand the Laws of the Spirit in order to understand God’s Word.

- Rules from the Bible that are essential for us to know in order to interpret it correctly.

- The Bible is God’s Word and is spiritually discerned

- Matthew 13:10-11. The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you...”

- 1 Corinthians 2:7-14

- “we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began…

- God has revealed it to us by his Spirit…

- We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us…

- words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words…

- they are spiritually discerned.”

- God hides His truth from the wise and reveals it to children. We must approach God’s word with humility.

- Matthew 11:25. you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

- How we must approach God’s Word in order to understand spiritual truth

- Commitment, obedience. Approach God’s Word with the commitment and obedience to put it into practice in your life.

- John 14:21. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.

- Faith, belief. Approach God’s Word with faith and belief.

- Romans 4:20-21. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised

- Prayer, ask. Approach God’s Word in prayer asking God to reveal His truth to you.

- Psalms 119:18. Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.

- The laws of the Spirit are an attitude of heart that continue as you apply the laws of language.

2. Laws of Language (The Bible is also the words of men)

We must also understand how God’s gift of language works before we can understand God’s Word. We must understand such things as definitions, grammar, and context. Language is God’s gift and capable of communicating spiritual truth.

Characteristics of language and resources to correctly interpret God’s Word.

1. Historical, cultural, and geographical background

- Author’s situation

- Geography and customs

- Why author wrote it

Resources:

- The Bible

- The Book of Acts is a good source for some New Testament books

2. Theme or Overview and author’s plan or outline

Resources:

- Read several times

- Write the main idea of each paragraph, each chapter, and the book of the Bible

3. Context (A central thought woven together)

- Context of a paragraph in the Bible

(A paragraph is one or more sentences that describe a single idea or thought)

- Context of a paragraph in the book of the Bible

- Context of a sentence in a paragraph

- Context of a word in a sentence

Resources:

- Read the entire Bible periodically

- What do other verses say about the topic? (Cross references)

4. Grammar

Resources:

- Understand how words are used in order to get the correct and full meaning

- Find the main idea in each sentence and differentiate it from the modifying phrases and clauses.

5. Word Definition

Resources:

- Standard dictionary

Examples of improper context:

- Colossians 2:21. Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!

This verse has been used to support legalistic external religious practices. In context it means just the opposite of how it is sometimes used.

Colossians 2:20. Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules

- Genesis 31:49. May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other

This has been used by youth groups as a benediction. In context it means that the Lord should keep Jacob and Laban apart or they will kill one another. These verses are taken out of context.

Genesis 31:52. This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap and pillar to my side to harm me

Lesson 2. How to Study a Book of the Bible

I. Overview of a book of the Bible (Big picture)

Doing an overview of the book of the Bible will help you:

- Understand the flow and logic of the author

- Properly interpret the individual verses in the proper context of the book of the Bible

Here is how to do an overview of a book of the Bible:

- Read the book of the Bible several times

- Answer the following questions about background information

1. Written by?

2. Written to whom?

3. Why written?

4. Where written from?

5. Where written to?

6. Historical and geographical background?

- Look for:

1. Main idea of each chapter (Your own, not from a Bible commentary)

2. Main idea of the book (Title)

3. Major theme in the book

4. Some other themes in the book

5. An application from this book of the Bible that you can put into practice

II. Analysis of each chapter of the book (Details)

- Read the chapter several times

- Do a verse by verse meditation and write down observations, interpretations, and potential applications for each verse as shown below.

1. Observation (What does it say?)

a. Main idea of the chapter from your overview study

b. Main idea of each paragraph (Your own, not from a Bible commentary)

c. Verse by verse meditation (What do you see?)

1) Clauses and phrases that add information to the main idea of the verse

2) Answers to the questions who, what, when, where, why, and how.

3) Key words and ideas emphasized by the author

4) The way things are described (adjectives, adverbs, and modifying phrases)

5) The logic and arrangement of the text

6) Verbs and their tenses (Past, present, future)

7) Subjects and objects in sentences

8) Contrasts, comparisons, and illustrations

9) Important connectives which bring out the contrasts, comparisons, and logic (for, but, therefore, yet, because, however, likewise, etc)

10) Emphatic connectives (truly, verily, behold, indeed, finally, especially, etc.)

11) The general tone of a passage (joy, thanksgiving, concern, humility, zeal, despair, etc.)

12) Commands and promises

13) Repetition

14) Questions

Observation not only helps with proper interpretation; it gives greater richness and depth of understanding to God’s Word. Observation is how we dig for the treasure in God’s Word.

2. Interpretation (What does it mean?) (Questions and answers)

a. Questions about the meaning of words, ideas, logic, and anything else you don’t understand or anything you would like to explore in more depth

b. Cross references help with interpretation by giving the proper Biblical context

- Find cross references to words, verses, thoughts, logic, etc.

- Use cross reference verses you already know from scripture memory or general knowledge.

3. Application (What does it mean to me?)

a. Potential applications as you do the study and then choose one to put into practice

b. How can I put God’s Word into practice in thought, word, and deed?

- What should my life be like from God’s Word? (Application verse)

- What is my life like that is different from God’s Word?

- What am I going to do to put God’s Word into practice?

- How will I check up to make sure I have accomplished what God wants me to?

III. How to Study a Book of the Bible

- Overview of a book of the Bible (Big picture)

- Analysis of each chapter of the book (Details)

1. Observation (What does it say?)

2. Interpretation (What does it mean?)

3. Application (What does it mean to me?)

Websites such as biblegateway.com, blueletterbible.org, and e-sword.net provide free Bible translations, commentaries, dictionaries, etc. Other Bible study tools can be purchased such as study Bibles. There are other websites that can help with your Bible study. Biblegateway.com has other languages of the Bible on its website.

Lesson 3. Overview of Philippians

Always start your Bible study with prayer.

- Let God know that you are studying the Bible with commitment to Him and His Word and that you are committed to not only know His Word but to obediently put it into practice in your life.

- Let God know that you are studying His Word with faith and belief that God has the power to do what He promises in His Word.

- Humbly ask God to reveal His truth to you about Himself, about yourself, and about how you can put His Word into practice in your life to become more like Jesus.

- Read the Book of Philippians

- Answer the following questions

Written by? Phil 1:1

Written to whom? Phil 1:1

Why written? Philippians 4:10-20

What is the tone of the letter?

Where written from? Phil 1:12-14, Acts 28:11-16, 30-31

Where written to? Phil 1:1

Themes

Major Theme:

The major theme is seen through the repetition of two words in the following verses:

1:4, 18, 25; 2:2, 17, 18, 28, 29; 3:1; 4:1, 4, 10

Other Themes:

- Later on read Acts chapter 16 to learn more about how Paul met Timothy, how Paul ended up in Philippi, and what happened while Paul was in Philippi.

- Later on you can read Acts 25:1-12 to see how Paul was sent to Rome. Paul was falsely accused of crimes by the Jews and a plot was in place to kill him. As a Roman citizen, Paul had the right to appeal to Caesar during his trial. This required that he be transported to Rome for disposition of his case. He avoided the plot to kill him and ended up in Rome where he had wanted to go to share the gospel.

- Later on read Acts 7:52-8:3, 9:1-9:31, 11:25-11:30, 12:25 and chapters 13-28 to learn more about Paul

Main idea of each chapter (Titles) (Not from a Bible commentary):

Chapter 1:

Chapter 2:

Chapter 3:

Chapter 4:

Main idea of Philippians (Title) (Not from a Bible commentary):

Application: (What are possible applications?)

Samples:

3:1, 4:4

4:12

The one thing I am going to apply to my life (Choose one of the possible applications)

Example:

1. What should my life be like from God’s Word? (Application verse)

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! (Philippians 4:4)

2. What is my life like that is different from God’s Word?

Many times I let things steal my joy and I don’t rejoice.

3. What am I going to do to put God’s Word into practice?

I will memorize Philippians 4:4 and meditate on it daily until I experience more of the joy of the Lord.

4. How will I check up to make sure I have accomplished what God wants me to?

I will have my accountability partner check weekly to see if I am following through and how much progress I am making.

What is your personal application?

1. What should my life be like from God’s Word? (Application verse)

2. What is my life like that is different from God’s Word?

3. What am I going to do to put God’s Word into practice?

4. How will I check up to make sure I have accomplished what God wants me to?

Always close your Bible study with prayer.

- Thank God for revealing His truth to you. Thank Him for the specific things he revealed to you.

- Thank God for revealing truth about Himself, about yourself, and about how you can put His Word into practice in your life.

- Thank God for giving you the power to put His Word into practice in your life to become more like Jesus.

Lesson 4. Analysis of Philippians Chapter 1

I. Start with prayer

- Let God know that you are studying the Bible with commitment to Him and His Word and that you are committed to not only know His Word but to obediently put it into practice in your life.

- Let God know that you are studying His Word with faith and belief that God has the power to do what He promises in His Word.

- Humbly ask God to reveal His truth to you about Himself, about yourself, and about how you can put His Word into practice in your life to become more like Jesus.

II. Analysis of each paragraph of Chapter 1

Use Lesson 2 paragraph II to help.

- Main idea

- Observations

- What does it say?

- Interpretations (Questions and answers)

- What does it mean?

- Cross references?

- Possible applications

V 1-2.

V 3-6.

V 7-8.

V 9-11.

V 12-14.

V 15-18.

V 19-26.

V 27-30.

III. The one thing I am going to apply to my life

Example:

1. What should my life be like from God’s Word? (Application verse)

Philippians 1:4. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy

2. What is my life like that is different from God’s Word?

I don’t pray as I should for the people in my small group.

3. What am I going to do to put God’s Word into practice?

I am going to create a prayer list of the people in my small group and every week I will ask them for prayer requests and ask them how they are doing

4. How will I check up to make sure I have accomplished what God wants me to?

I will ask my accountability partner to check on me weekly to see that I am following through.

Your own application:

1. What should my life be like from God’s Word? (Application verse)

2. What is my life like that is different from God’s Word?

3. What am I going to do to put God’s Word into practice?

4. How will I check up to make sure I have accomplished what God wants me to?

End with prayer.

- Thank God for revealing His truth to you. Thank Him for the specific things he revealed to you.

- Thank God for revealing truth about Himself, about yourself, and about how you can put His Word into practice in your life.

- Thank God for giving you the power to put His Word into practice in your life to become more like Jesus.

How to Preach and Teach Effectively

Lesson 5. How to Prepare an Effective Biblical Lesson

I. Lesson Preparation

You prepare your lesson by understanding the topic God is communicating, understanding the facts that support the topic, and finding the application that is most needed by your congregation. Then you create an introduction and a conclusion that best fit the topic, the facts, and the application. Of course, the order that you will teach your lesson is:

1. Introduction

Start your lesson by explaining the need that the lesson will address. Many times, the introduction includes a story illustrating the need. People will identify with you if the story is from your own life. The introduction should also connect with people at an emotional level. A good introduction will get the attention of your audience and encourage them to listen to what God has to say through you.

2. Topic

The lesson topic is the main idea or title of a passage of scripture.

3. Main Facts

The main facts of a Bible passage support the topic in the passage. The facts explain or prove the topic.  You can also add cross references and illustrations to support your facts. Jesus constantly used illustrations so that His audience would understand principles or points He was trying to make.

4. Application

Choose the application that is needed the most by your congregation. Many pastors and teachers just exhort their audience to apply God’s Word to their lives. If you don’t explain how to apply God’s Word, people become frustrated and develop spiritual apathy instead of spiritual growth. For example, if the application is to encourage people to read God’s Word, don’t just challenge them to read God’s Word but offer them a Bible reading plan, a way to have an accountability partner, etc. You could also commit to the Bible reading plan yourself and give periodic reports to encourage people to follow through with the reading plan. Application is the most important part of your personal Bible study and your preaching and teaching.

5. Conclusion (Including Summary Statement)

People listen to your preaching and teaching with their heads and their hearts. Good messages communicate emotions as well as information. Your conclusion will usually include a story or illustration to motivate people to put God’s Word into practice in their lives. Sometimes the conclusion will have a connection with the introduction. The summary statement contains the topic and main facts of the Bible passage.

You can also study a more detailed presentation at “How to Prepare an Effective Sermon” at foundationsglobal.com, “Other Discipleship Resources”.

II. Lesson Example

1. Introduction

Open in prayer.

- God, we are committed to you and your Word

- We are committed to not only know your Word but to obediently put it into practice in our lives.

- We have faith that you have the power to do what you promise in your Word.

- We humbly ask you to reveal your truth to us about how we can put your Word into practice in our lives to become more like Jesus.

- In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Our scripture for today is Philippians 2:1-3.

(1) If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, (2) then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.  (3)  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

There are churches that grow and have a lot of joy. There are also churches that have decreased in number and died. The difference is that healthy, growing churches have unity of spirit and purpose. (If possible, give an example of a church that decreased in number and died because they had many activities and programs but were not focused on God’s purpose making multiplying disciples)

2. Topic

Our topic from these verses is that we should experience

Joy in Unity of Spirit and Purpose

3. Main Facts

The Apostle Paul tells us in verse 1 what motivates us to have unity of spirit and purpose:

- Encouragement from being united with Christ

- Comfort from His love

- Fellowship with the Holy Spirit

- Tenderness and compassion

Paul also told us in Romans 15:5 “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus”

This is my prayer for our church.

In verse 2 Paul tells us what God wants us to do:

- Be like-minded

- Have the same love

- Be one in spirit and purpose.

- Make multiplying disciples (Matthew 28:19-20)

- This is the purpose of every church and every believer

As we grow in unity, we will experience joy.

In verse 3 God tells us how to have unity of spirit and purpose:

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit

But

in humility consider others better than yourselves

God tells us that being self-centered rather than Spirit-centered destroys unity.

- Selfish ambition puts your agenda ahead of God’s purpose for the church.  This leads to factions in the church which are divisive and destroy unity of purpose.

- Vain conceit seeks attention for yourself and desires praise for your accomplishments. This is self-seeking pride rather than seeking to glorify God. Our pride in ourselves rather than in God is the original sin that separated us from God and can cause disunity in our church.

- But. Paul uses this word to show a contrast. He has told us what destroys unity and now he will tell us how to have unity. Humility is the requirement for unity in our church.

- Humility is having a balanced and accurate understanding of yourself, thinking neither too highly nor too lowly of yourself. Humility doesn’t call attention to itself.

4. Application

Paul now tells us how to have humility by considering others in the church better than ourselves.

- Think about how much mercy and grace God gives you and how He forgives you every day.

- Give mercy, grace, and forgiveness to others and think of them in a more positive way.

- Do not judge the hearts and motives of people because you don’t know what’s in their hearts. Only God knows what is in their heart and only God can judge a person’s heart.

- The truth is we are all unworthy sinners before a holy God. The way to preserve unity in our church and accomplish God’s purpose is to be humble by choosing to see the good God has put in others as opposed to being critical of others.

James 4:6. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

We cannot have this kind of Christlike humility and love of others through our own efforts. As each one of us gives the Holy Spirit control of our lives, then we can experience unity of spirit and accomplish God’s purpose.

Galatians 5:25-26. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Illustration: Luke 18:9-14 The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

- The Pharisee thought: I am pretty good, God is lucky to have me!

- The Tax Collector thought: I am a sinner, I need God to show mercy to me!

- One was proud of who and what he was, the other was humble and knew he needed God to forgive him of his sins.

Luke 18:14. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

- Who in our church do you need to give mercy, grace, and forgiveness to?

- What can you say to someone in our church to encourage them?

5. Conclusion (Including summary statement)

How to have a healthy, growing, joyful church:

Be motivated by God’s blessings

To have unity in our church

to accomplish God’s purpose

by being humble

(If possible, give an example of a healthy, growing, joyful church, because they are focused on God’s purpose of making multiplying disciples)

Let’s pray.

- We thank you God for Your blessings

- We thank you for your mercy, grace, and forgiveness

- We confess our judgment of others and pride we have in our heart.

- God, we are motivated by your blessings

- we commit ourselves

- to have unity in our church

- to accomplish your purpose

- by being humble

- In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Lesson 6. Lesson Presentation

I. Introduction

In any lesson, content is paramount. Pastors and teachers have a responsibility to accurately teach God’s word. However, if a lesson is not delivered in a manner that reaches and connects with the audience, the speaker has in large measure failed in his task. Though every speaker has their own personality, gifts and abilities, everyone who teaches the Bible should make it their goal to not only preach teach the truth but reach their audience with that truth.

In 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 Paul writes:

• I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.

• To the Jews I became like a Jew

• To the Gentiles I became like a Gentile

• To the weak I became weak

• I have become all things to all people, so that by all possible means I might save some

In these verses Paul tells us that he will do anything to reach people with the gospel. Is there any doubt that Paul would make every effort to connect and relate to those he spoke to? If you look through the Book of Acts you will find that Paul spoke with great emotion and made use of his hands when he spoke (see Acts 20:19, 31 21:40 13:16). We can be sure that Paul understood that if he wanted his listeners to understand his message, he needed to be sure to have their attention and keep it. The passage in 1 Corinthians 9 leaves us with the impression that Paul would give each audience (Jew, Gentile, weak) a message that they would not only understand but deliver it in such a way that they would give him a fair hearing (see Acts 17:19-31 as an example of how Paul would speak to those without the Law).

II. What the Lesson Can and Cannot Do

1. The lesson can provide vision, instruction, encouragement, hope and challenge to the audience.

2. The lesson cannot disciple people, it cannot bring people together in fellowship, it cannot help people be accountable to one another in love and it cannot bring long term change to people’s behavior.

3. A lesson can be used to explain the Bible, but it cannot make sure that those who listen actually do what the Bible says.

4. A lesson can bring people together to share in a common vision, beliefs and service.

5. The lesson is a place for the pastor or teacher to connect and relate to the audience. The better a pastor or teacher can communicate, the more people he will reach. Then they can be discipled the way Jesus made His disciples, one on one or in a small group.

III. Principles of Lesson Presentation

1. Don’t be boring! You can tell by looking at the faces of your audience if you are connecting with them. Speak with energy and passion. Move around the stage, change the tone of your voice, use your hands.

2. Don’t overload the audience. This not only has to do with the length of a lesson but also with how much information you share with them. A church is not a seminary, don’t treat your audience like seminary students.

3. Choose your words wisely. Don’t use words that your audience may not understand. If there are non-Christians in your audience, you cannot assume they will understand everything you say, especially if you use words like reconciliation, redemption, atonement, salvation or election. Speak to the level of education in your audience, not your education level.

4. Use the word “we” instead of “you”. Pastors and teachers need to remind the church that they are just like them, with the same temptations, weaknesses and difficulties.

5. Don’t make your lesson too long. Different cultures have different expectations for how long a lesson should be. Pastors and teachers should not be afraid to ask their leaders if their messages are too long.

6. Ask questions of the audience. Some of these will be rhetorical questions, where everyone knows the answer. Some questions will force the audience to think about the implications of what you have said. After asking a question, give the audience time to think, then move on.

7. Use an illustration about every five minutes. Successful communicators use lots of illustrations to make their messages personal. Be careful to not make every illustration about yourself.

8. Beware of distracting mannerisms. Nearly every speaker has some type of mannerism that might be distracting. Running your hand through your hair, touching your face or repeating the same word like “huh, uh, um”. Ask someone you trust what kind of mannerisms you have that might be distracting to an audience.

9. Be willing to change your presentation style if it’s not being effective. Many pastors and teachers feel they cannot change how they present their messages because they feel they have to change who they are as a person. This is not true; many pastors and teachers have become better speakers by focusing on changing one thing at a time in how they speak.

This list may seem overwhelming, but a wise speaker will recognize which of these points relate to them and their speaking style. By working on just one of these each week a pastor or teacher can over time become much better at communicating the Bible.

Possible Topics for Lessons:

Fear, Joy, Marriage, Family, Worry, Patience, Peace, Sex, Money, Death, Humility, Selfishness, Greed, Anger, Forgiveness, Reconciliation, Kindness, Language, Depression, Sickness, Love, Pride, Jealousy, Envy, Faith, Prayer, Relationships

Pick a passage and stick with it. Five passages aren’t better than one. Five passages make a series.

Appendix

Philippians Commentary

Overview of Philippians

Read the Book of Philippians several times and answer the following questions.

Written by? Phil 1:1

The Apostle Paul along with Timothy

Written to whom? Phil 1:1

The Christians at Philippi and the Christian leaders

Why written?

Paul states that the purpose of Philippians is to thank them (4:10-20); but writing from prison he also wishes to address some other issues, including the likely further persecution the church will face and an exhortation to work together.

What is the tone of the letter?

Philippians is personal and practical in its tone and teaching. Paul emphasized the need for believers to rejoice in Christ.

Where written from? Phil 1:12-14, Acts 28:11-16, 30-31

Written from Rome while Paul was in jail chained to a Roman soldier.

Where written to? Phil 1:1. 12. Philippi

Themes

Major Theme:

The major theme is seen through the repetition of two words in the following verses:1:4; 1:25; 2:2, 29; 4:1 and 1:18; 2:17, 18, 28; 3:1; 4:4, 10. Joy/Rejoice.

Other Themes: In Christ. Partnership in the gospel.

Read Acts chapter 16 to learn more about how Paul met Timothy, how Paul ended up in Philippi, and what happened while Paul was in Philippi.

Read Acts 25:1-12 to see how Paul was sent to Rome. Paul was falsely accused of crimes by the Jews and a plot was in place to kill him. As a Roman citizen, Paul had the right to appeal to Caesar during his trial. This required that he be transported to Rome for disposition of his case. He avoided the plot to kill him and ended up in Rome where he had wanted to go to share the gospel.

Read Acts 7:52-8:3, 9:1-9:31, 11:25-11:30, 12:25 and chapters 13-28 to learn more about Paul.

Main Idea of each chapter (Titles):

Chapter 1: Joy in All Circumstances

Chapter 2: Joy in Humility

Chapter 3: Joy in Christlikeness

Chapter 4: Joy in Contentment

Main idea of Philippians (Title): Rejoice!

Application:

Samples:

3:1. Rejoice in the Lord

4:13. Be content.

The one thing I am going to apply to my life: (Choose one of the possible applications above)

Example:

1. What should my life be like from God’s Word? (Application verse)

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! (Philippians 4:4)

2. What is my life like that is different from God’s Word?

Many times I let things steal my joy and I don’t rejoice.

3. What am I going to do to put God’s Word into practice?

I will memorize Philippians 4:4 and meditate on it daily until I experience more of the joy of the Lord.

4. How will I check up to make sure I have accomplished what God wants me to?

I will have my accountability partner check weekly to see if I am following through and how much progress I am making.

Write in your own application:

1. What should my life be like from God’s Word? (Application verse)

2. What is my life like that is different from God’s Word?

3. What am I going to do to put God’s Word into practice?

4. How will I check up to make sure I have accomplished what God wants me to?

Analysis of Philippians Chapter 1

I. Observation (What does it say?)

Main Idea of Each Paragraph (Your own, not from a Study Bible or commentary):

V 1-2. Introduction and greetings

V 3-6. Thanksgiving and joy for the Philippians

V. 7-8. Paul’s love for them

V 9-11. Paul’s prayer for them

V 12-14. Joy in imprisonment

V 15-18. Joy that Christ is preached even with bad motives

V 19-26. Joy in life or death

V 27-30. Joy in all circumstances

Main Idea of Chapter 1: Joy in All Circumstances

Verse by verse meditation:

For each verse using what you learned in Lesson 2, write down:

- Observations (What you see)

- Interpretations (Questions you have with answers if possible, and cross references)

- Applications (Possible things to put into practice in thought, word, or deed)

Joy in all Circumstances (Main idea of chapter 1)

Verses 1-2. Introduction and Greetings (Main idea of first paragraph)

Verse 1:

- Who wrote the letter? Paul and Timothy

- Identified selves as servants not leaders.

A - Be a servant in leadership positions.

- Servant - For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45)

- What is a saint? All Christians

- Saints. Written to Christians.

- Saint -  But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." (1 Peter 1:15-16)

A – Be holy because God is holy.

- Overseers and deacons? Church leaders

Verse 2:

- Grace? The unmerited love of God

- Grace - The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

A – Is there someone I need to give grace to and forgive?

- Peace? The results of receiving God’s love

- Peace - Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27)

A – Is there something in the world that is stealing my peace that I need to rely on God for?

Verses 3-6. Thanksgiving and Joy for them

Verse 3:

- Thanks - give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus

(1 Thessalonians 5:18)

A – Am I seeing things to be thankful for in a bad circumstance?

- Starts positively by letting them know he thanks God for them and that he remembers them often (every time)

A – Is there someone I need to remember often and thank God for?

Verses 4-5:

- Paul prays with joy for all of them because of their partnership in the gospel. This is not a letter of rebuke or correction or doctrine; it is a letter of encouragement and affirmation.

Verse 4:

- Pray - pray continually; (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

A – How can I pray continually?

- Joy and Rejoice? Rejoice used 6 times in Philippians. Joy used 6 times. Paul speaks of joy as one of the fruits of the spirit (Gal 5:22). What is the difference between joy and happy?

- Joy - Be joyful always; (1 Thessalonians 5:16)

A – Is there something in the world that is stealing my joy that I need to trust God for?

- All. Mentioned twice. Provides emphasis.

Verses 4-5:

- Paul prays with joy for all of them because of their partnership in the gospel. This is not a letter of rebuke or correction or doctrine; it is a letter of encouragement and affirmation.

Verse 5:

- Partnership in the gospel. They are co-laborers in sharing the gospel.

A – Do I recognize and value the people who are partners in ministry with me?

- From the beginning. They have been faithful over the long haul in their ministry and support of Paul.

Verse 6:

- Confident. Paul shows confidence in them.

- Began a good work in them – will complete it at the day of Christ Jesus? The beginning was justification by the forgiveness of sins through Jesus’ sacrifice. The present is becoming like Jesus through sanctification. The future is being like Jesus in heaven at glorification.

A – Am I confident that God will complete the process of spiritual growth in the people I am discipling?

- At the day of Christ Jesus? “Day of Jesus Christ” is a reference to the second coming of Christ.

Verses 7-8. Paul’s Love for them

Verses 7-8:

- Feels. Paul is expressing his great feelings of love for the Philippians. They are in his heart. They participated in sharing the gospel. Paul longs for them. Paul has the same affection as Jesus for them.

A - Do I share my feelings with the co-laborers I love?

Verse 7:

- Share in God’s grace? They had participated with him in sharing the gospel.

A – Do I value friends who stand by me in bad and good circumstances?

Verse 8:

- With the affection of Jesus? Since Jesus Christ lived in Paul, Paul shared in Jesus Christ’s love for the believers at Philippi.

A – Do I love co-laborers with the love of Jesus?

Verses 9-11. Paul’s prayer for them

Verse 9:

- The love that Paul sought for the believers is the highest form of Christian love, based on a lasting, unconditional commitment, not on an unstable emotion.

- Knowledge? The first of two terms on which a directed love is built, knowledge suggests an intimate understanding based on a relationship with the person. Here the focus of this knowledge is God.

- Depth of insight? Discernment

Verse 10:

- So that. Connective. Paul wanted their love to grow in knowledge and insight so that they could know what is best, be pure and blameless, and be filled with the fruit of righteousness

- Pure? Paul wanted his readers to be rightly related to God and in fellowship with Him. Paul also was concerned that their relationships with others be what God would have them to be.

A – Do I pray these things for the people I love?

Verse 11:

- Fruit of righteousness - Galatians 5:22-23. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

John 15:5. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

- All spiritual fruit comes from choosing to be plugged into the vine of the Spirit of Christ in us. The spiritual disciplines do not by themselves bear spiritual fruit. The spiritual disciplines done with the right attitude are essential to staying plugged into the vine of Christ.

Verses 12-14. Joy in Imprisonment

Verse 12:

- Advance of the gospel? Paul’s imprisonment was a strategic advance in the kingdom of God because it was clearing the way for the gospel to penetrate the ranks of the Roman military and even the royal house. These were two areas that under normal circumstances would have been closed to the gospel.

Verse 13:

- Palace guard? The palace guard (Praetorian Guard) consisted of several thousand highly trained, elite soldiers of the Roman Empire who were headquartered at Rome. For the one to two years that Paul had been under house arrest in Rome, different soldiers had taken turns guarding him. Because they were chained to Paul, they had no other choice but to listen to him proclaim the gospel; they could not beat him into silence because he was a Roman citizen (see Acts 16:37-38). Although Paul could not go to the world to preach, in this way God brought the world to Paul. In an ironic twist, they were the captives and Paul was free to preach.

- Everyone else? Paul’s visitors—heard the gospel. Some of his visitors were leaders of the Jews in Rome (see Acts 28:17).

A – Do I have the perspective to trust God in bad circumstances and experience joy?

Verse 14:

- Courageously and fearlessly - For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)

A - Do I minister courageously and fearlessly?

Verses 15-18. Joy Even When Christ is Preached with Bad Motives

Verse 15:

- But. A connective to show contrast. Contrasts preaching with bad motives with preaching with good motives.

Verses 15-18:

- Note that Paul was not condoning the preaching of false doctrine. He rejoiced at the preaching of the gospel even if the preacher had bad motives.

A – Do I minister with proper motives?

A – Do I rejoice when Christ is preached even with bad motives?

- But. A connective to show a conclusion. The conclusion is that the motives don’t matter as long as Christ is preached.

Verses 19-26. Joy in Life or Death

Verse 19:

- For. Connective meaning because. Paul rejoices because their prayers and the Spirit of Christ will lead to his deliverance.

- Deliverance? Paul knows that whether he is given the death penalty or released from prison so he can continue ministering, he is delivered.

- Deliverance - And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

A – Do I believe that I will be delivered from a bad situation regardless of the outcome?

Verse 20:

- Eagerly? Heightened emotion shown by modifying adverb

- Hope? This is not just wishful thinking but confident expectation.

- Courage - Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. (Eph 6:19-20)

A – Do I have enough courage to live or die for Christ?

- So that. Connective. Paul’s desires to have courage so that Christ will be exalted.

- In his body? In Paul’s being and living.

Verse 21:

- For to me? As far as I’m concerned.

- To live is Christ? Whatever life I have to live, that life is Christ’s, for Christ is the sole object for whom I live and the unique source of my life.

- To live is Christ - I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Gal 2:20)

Verses 22-26:

- Benefits of living and dying are listed.

- Benefits of living:

Fruitful labor for him

For progress and joy in the faith for the Philippians

The Philippians’ joy in Christ will overflow

- Benefits of dying:

Paul will be with Christ

This is better by far

Verses 27-30. Joy in All Circumstances

Verse 27:

- Conduct worthy of the gospel

Good behavior in all circumstances (Whatever happens)

Stand firm in one spirit

Contend as one man

- Conduct worthy of the gospel? Live as citizens of heaven, (Philippians 3:20)

Verse 28:

A – Am I afraid of opposition?

Verse 29:

- Granted to you to believe and to suffer? God concedes to you this privilege or advantage.

Suffering for Christ was not to be considered accidental or a divine punishment. Paul referred to a kind of suffering that was really a sign of God’s favor. Believing on Christ and suffering for Him are both associated with God’s grace.

A – Do I receive suffering as something given to me as part of God’s grace?

The one thing I am going to apply to my life:

Leave time at the end of each meeting to ask how God has spoken to them and what one thing do they feel led to apply in their life.

Example:

1. What should my life be like from God’s Word? (Application verse)

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy (Philippians 1:4)

2. What is my life like that is different from God’s Word?

I don’t pray as I should for the people in my small group.

3. What am I going to do to put God’s Word into practice?

I am going to create a prayer list of the people in my small group and every week I will ask them for prayer requests and ask them how they are doing

4. How will I check up to make sure I have accomplished what God wants me to?

I will ask my accountability partner to check on me weekly to see that I am following through.

Write in your own application:

1. What should my life be like from God’s Word? (Application verse)

2. What is my life like that is different from God’s Word?

3. What am I going to do to put God’s Word into practice?

4. How will I check up to make sure I have accomplished what God wants me to?

Table of Contents

Foundations Serve: Chapter 1. Serve Like Jesus

How to Understand the Bible

Lesson 1. Basis of Bible Study Methods

I. Introduction

II. How to Interpret the Bible

Lesson 2. How to Study a Book of the Bible

I. Overview of a book of the Bible (Big picture)

II. Analysis of each chapter of the book (Details)

III. How to Study a Book of the Bible

Lesson 3. Overview of Philippians

Lesson 4. Analysis of Philippians Chapter 1

I. Start with prayer

II. Analysis of each paragraph of Chapter 1

III. The one thing I am going to apply to my life

How to Preach and Teach Effectively

Lesson 5. How to Prepare an Effective Biblical Lesson

I. Lesson Preparation

II. Lesson Example

Lesson 6. Lesson Presentation

I. Introduction

II. What the Lesson Can and Cannot Do

III. Principles of Lesson Presentation

Appendix