Opened Scriptures Bible Studies

We are studying through the gospel of Matthew and are in chapters five through seven.  This well known section contains Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount." Matthew's gospel presents Jesus Christ as Israel's Messiah and King. Thus, Matthew's record of Jesus' genealogy contains His racial connection to Abraham and His royal connection to King David.  This beautiful extended discourse of Jesus represents how He will rule and reign with righteousness. Jesus upheld the law of Moses as God's unchanging, absolute moral standard. Jesus then corrected false interpretations that scribes and Pharisees taught to the people.  In their view, righteousness was achieved by focusing on the externals, while never addressing corruption within their hearts. Those who appeared outwardly religious and did the external things they commanded them to do, were regarded as a person justified before God. Jesus strongly rebuked this faulty thinking because the Bible's testimony is c...

We will encounter the scribes and Pharisees more frequently. I recommend that you re-read the posts from May 21 & 22, 2025 because it discusses the origin and beliefs of the scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees.  Essentially, Pharisees were religious hypocrites who had a prideful spirit of disdain for those who were not like them. They added works and rule keeping as a means of obtaining favor of God and salvation. They placed traditions of men higher than the authority of the inspired scriptures.  Spiritual leaders must beware diminishing God's commands.  Matthew 5:21-22  Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:  22)  But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of...

Here is a note about indexes containing all Bible lessons posted on this blog since its inception in 2019.   I hope this will help you find lessons on a particular book of topic that we have studied through. An index for  all lessons  posted from 2019 through 2021, was published on  September 7, 2022. An index for all lessons posted in 2022, was published  J anuary 24, 2023. An index for all lessons posted in 2023 was posted on  February 28, 2024.  The index for all lessons posted in 2024 was published on January 21,2025.   Below is a link to Pastor Alvis' sermon from the book of Ephesians. I ask that you pray for Pastor and his wife Laura, as she is greatly suffering from an as yet unknown disease. Pastor has spent a lot of time in waiting rooms with Laura and has spent much time in the Word of God. This sermon is definitely a revival sermon and all who can listen to the audio in English will truly be blessed.  I strongly urge all of our rea...

Christ fulfilled and upheld all the provisions in God's moral law.  Matthew 5:17-18  Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.  18)  For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.  We previously discussed the implication of Jesus statement that He came to fulfill the law of God in every detail. We also noted that the Old Testament priesthood has been replaced with Jesus Christ being our eternal high priest after the order of Melchizedek.  Thus, Christ satisfied every righteous demand of the law on our behalf, so that He could give eternal life to all who hear the gospel and believe on Him. We saw that the moral law of God is an absolute, unchanging moral standard from God that His children are to seek to obey. It is important to note this truth because some churches and governments are endorsing sinful acts th...

Jesus the Son of God fulfilled the law's righteous demands for us. Matthew 5:17-18  Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.  18)  For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.  Jesus' declaration is most important to His church and to the Jewish people. He said clearly that He came to fulfill the law not to destroy it. This means that the perfect life of Jesus Christ the Son of God, fully satisfied and fulfilled all righteous requirements of God's holy law. Jesus fulfilled all it's obligations down to the smallest jot or tittle (small Hebrew punctuation marks). God's law is the moral standard by which sinners will be judged.  However, in the greatest display of love for mankind, God sacrificed His only Son for us. Jesus was born to be the second Adam, in order to undo the first Adam's sin. Jesus was God manifest...

What does it mean for Christians to be the salt of the earth? Matthew 5:13  Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men Jesus declared that His disciples (which includes Christians living today) are the salt of the earth. He gave us a simple yet powerful picture of how Christians are related to the world. "Ye are the salt of the earth."  This picture of our role as disciples of Christ is simple and understandable with regard to its application.  The context of Jesus' statement involves God's judgment on the corrupt society, and a lofty goal for how His disciples respond to the corruption.  An abundance of evidence around us shows that the culture is a cesspool of depravity. Substance abuse, sexual perversion, dishonesty and heinous crimes all point to moral decay. Our whole world is waxing worse and worse just as the apostl...