10250 North Freeway @ West Road
Houston, Texas 77037
Tel: (281) 447-8484

BASIC BIBLE TRUTHS
Written by Dr. Lester Hutson

Copyright - Lester Hutson - 1986
This material is copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of Dr. Lester Hutson.

 

STUDY SHEETS AND LESSON PLAN

 

STUDY SHEET AND LESSON PLAN
FOR LESSON ONE

 

TITLE

"LOOKING AT THE WORLD THROUGH THE EYES OF GOD"

 

THOUGHT

The only way to look accurately at any thing is to look at it from God's viewpoint, which is only possible through the Bible.

 

APPLICATION

To bring the student face to face with the reality of God's superior knowledge, and the realization that no mortal can really be sure of truth and reality apart from God's revelation which is the Bible. Although as long as any man is true to the Bible, he can be sure he is right.

 

BIBLE VERSES TO MEMORIZE

I Samuel 16:7, "But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man tooketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart."

I Cor. 2:9-10, "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God."

Romans 14:11-12, "For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God."

Romans 2:2, "But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things."

John 17:17, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."

 

OUTLINE

 

I. Setting many fundamental or basic Bible truths in order:

A. No attempt to teach the whole Bible; only the basics.
ILLUSTRATION: Like framework to a house, it won't tell all; but it will tell much.

B. The basic truths will be arranged in a systematic order. ILLUSTRATION: Building materials must be arranged to form a house.

TRANSITION THOUGHT: A systematic approach.

II. ln all lessons, we shall attempt to look at things the way GOD does:

A. Many opinions among men, and they change; but God's opinions never change.

B. His basis of consideration is different and far superior to man's. I Samuel 16:7
ILLUSTRATION: The anointing and performance of King David. The trend among men continues.
TRANSITION THOUGHT: God's opinion is based upon the true condition of the heart.

III. Knowledge of what God thinks is possible only through the Bible:

A. How we know the Bible is God's word:

1. Construction
2. Prophecies
3. Claims: II Pet. 1:21; IITim. 3:16; 1 Cor. 2:9-10.

B. If we stay with the positions of the Bible, our doctrine becomes Bible doctrine.
TRANSITION THOUGHT: Not Baptist or denominational doctrine; but Bible doctrine.

IV. What God thinks does matter:

A. Every man shall face Him in judgment. Romans 14:11-12.

B. His judgment will be according to His word of truth. Romans 2:2.

C. The Bible is His word of truth. John 17:17.
ILLUSTRATION: Preannounced test in school.
TRANSITION THOUGHT: Importance of taking a careful look at what God thinks.

V. God has divided the world into two basic divisions.

A. No relationship. LOST

B. Relationship. SAVED

CONCLUDING THOUGHT: You will explain these in detail in next lesson, the title of which is "The Hopelessness of a Wrong Relationship with God."

 

 

STUDY SHEET AND LESSON PLAN
FOR LESSON TWO

 

TITLE

"THE HOPELESSNESS OF A WRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD"

 

THOUGHT

Those who have no relationship with God are in an eternally disastrous condition from which they can not save themselves.

 

APPLICATION

To bring the student to an understanding of the fact that conduct is not the basis upon which God divides the world into two divisions. Also to show from God's Word that those who find themselves in no relationship with God are powerless to bring themselves into relationship with Him.

 

BIBLE VERSES TO MEMORIZE

Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

Romans 3:21-22, "But now the righteousness of God without the law, is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe. for there is no difference."

Romans 4:4-5, "Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."

John 5:24, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. "

Titus 3:5, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost."

 

OUTLINE

I. How God compares and contrasts the two basic groups:

A. Compare and contrast being "lost," Luke 19:10, with being "saved" Eph. 2:8-9.

B. Compare and contrast being "condemned," John 3:18, with being "justified," Romans 5:1.

1. "Condemned" and "justified" -- legal terms.
2. "Condemned" illustration: speeding through a school zone.
3. "Justified" illustration: someone pays my fine.

C. Compare and contrast being "unforgiven," Acts 13:38-39, with being "forgiven," Eph. 1:7.

1. Emphasize the difference in the group in which one is located is not determined by guilt or innocence, but by forgiveness or unforgiveness.
2. ILLUSTRATION: Bumpersticker- "Christians aren't perfect,just forgiven."

D. Compare and contrast "unrighteous," Romansl:18, with "righteous," Romans 3:22.

1. Key here: "Righteousness" in God's opinion is not estabished by good deeds one does, but by the right act of God (Christ's death on the cross) credited to his spiritual account.
2. ILLUSTRATION: Free offer of T-bone steaks by the local grocery store.
3. Explain God's righteous act which is available to sinners was His death in their place on the cross. Scriptures to use in this order to establish the point: Romans 3:22, Romans 1:16-17, ICor. 15:1-4, 1 Pet. 2:24, Romans 6:23, Romans 5:6-8, and Romans 4:1-6.
4. ILLUSTRATION: a large sum of money given to you.

E. Compare and contrast "dead in trespasses and sins," Eph. 2:1, with "eternal life," John 5:24:

1. Explain death to be a state of separation, and the lost are separated from God.
2. Read John 5:24 pointing to the proper points on the chart.
F. Compare and contrast "eternity in the lake of fire," Rev.20:14-15, with "heaven," John 14:1-3:

TRANSITION THOUGHT: Your discussion of heaven.

II. All in Group One are headed to the lake of fire:

A. Eternity in the lake of fire is an awful prospect. Rev. 20:14-15, Psalm 9:17, II Thess. 1:7-9, John 3:36.

B. God knows who is headed there in spite of external appearances.
TRANSITION THOUGHT: No escaping the lake of fire for those in Group One.

III. One in Group One cannot possibly change his relationship:

A. Most lost people, upon realization of their condition and destiny, attempt to improve their conduct:

1. The five major ways: love, baptism, church, worship, and service.
2. ILLUSTRATION: hiring a Christian for $1,000 a day.
3. ILLUSTRATION: pecan tree built from scratch. No life.

B. The confirmation of God's Word:

1. Look at these scriptures: Eph. 2:8-9, Titus 3:5, Isa. 64:6, Romans 4:5.
2. "X" out the "Good Works for Salvation" concept.

CONCLUDING THOUGHT: You will explain in next week's lesson how one who cannot help himself can be helped. That lesson is titled "What God Has Done for the Lost World."

 

 

STUDY SHEET AND LESSON PLAN
FOR LESSON THREE

 

TITLE

'WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR THE LOST WORLD'

 

THOUGHT

Jesus Christ has done everything necessary to bring lost man into a proper relationship with Himself through the gospel.

 

APPLICATION

To cause the student to realize that though he cannot save himself, he can be saved by a saviour. To save men from eternal damnation, a saviour must meet many careful and specific requirements. Jesus Christ, but only Jesus Christ, has (or ever could) meet each and every requirement and is capable of saving each lost person without help of any sort from that person.

 

BIBLE VERSES TO MEMORIZE

Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the Power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

I Cor. 15:3-4, "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures."

Isa. 53:7, "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted; yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth."

John 1:29, "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."

Heb. 10:12, "But this man, after he had suffered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God."

John 19:30, "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost."

 

OUTLINE

I. Even though one cannot save himself, he can be saved:

A. Explain "saved":

1. "To save" -- to rescue or deliver from a peril.
ILLUSTRATION: drowning child saved by a life guard.
2. The Bible sense of 'saved':

B. One cannot "save" himself in the Bible sense of the word.
ILLUSTRATION: ship sinking in the mid-Atlantic Ocean.

C. God says the Jesus of the Bible can save lost men:
TRANSITION THOUGHT: Time showing student(s) that what God did in Christ will change men from Group One to Group Two.

II. The evidence establishes Jesus to be God's only Saviour:

A. The "gospel":

1. God saves sinners upon the strength of the "gospel," Romans 1:16.
2. The gospel is (a) the death, (b) burial, and (c) resurrection of Christ, I Cor. 15:1-4.

B. "According to the scriptures": a means of verification:
I Cor. 15:3-4.

1. One of five specific proofs, John 5:31-39.
2. The Messiah must qualify at every point.
3. Add vanishing point lines:
ILLUSTRATION: the hand that fits the glove.

C. A look at only a few of the requirements Messiah must meet:

1. His birthplace: Micah 5:2, Luke 2:4, Luke 2:1, II Sam 7:16, Luke 2:6-7, Matt. 2:16, Hosea 11:1.
2. Virgin born: Isa. 7:14 with Luke 1:27, 34-35.
3. The lambship typology: Gen. 3:21, Gen. 22:1-14, Exodus 12, Isa. 53:7.

D. All requirements and symbolic foreshadows designed to point men to Christ, and convince them that He alone is the Saviour: Heb. 9:12.

1. A foreshadow of the real: Heb. 10:1.
ILLUSTRATION: a picture of someone is not the real someone.
2. The law designed to bring men to Christ: Gal. 3:24-26.
3. The significance of John the Baptist's statement in John 1:29.
4. Philip's explanation of Isa. 53:7 in Acts 8:32-35.
TRANSITION THOUGHT: Philip's explanation to the Ethiopian man.

III. God says He can save anyone upon the strength of Christ's work on the cross:

A. Christ, the innocent, went in place of man, the guilty. l Pet 3:18, l Pet. 2:24, Rom. 5:6-8.

B. Christ did all the work. Nothing needs added to it:

1. Christ finished the work "forever" by "one sacrifice," Heb 10:10-14.

2. "It is finished," John 19:30.

CONCLUDING THOUGHT: Next week's lesson is titled "How to Appropriate What God Has Done" and will show how to make this great work of Jesus Christ personal.

 

 

 

STUDY SHEET AND LESSON PLAN
FOR LESSON FOUR

 

TITLE

"HOW TO APPROPRIATE WHAT GOD HAS DONE"

 

THOUGHT

For the gospel work of Christ to be of any personal value to any individual, it must be received by faith.

 

APPLICATION

To make sure the student understands what belief in the sense of "trust" is, and to bring him face to face with whether or not he has believed. This is primarily accomplished through a careful examination of John 3:36. During this examination, all lost students should be qreatly encouraged to believe.

 

BIBLE VERSES TO MEMORIZE

Acts 16:30-31, "And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."

John 3:15-18, "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

I John 5:1, "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begot loveth him also that is begotten of him."

John 3:36, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."

John 14:6, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

 

OUTLINE

I. God asks only that lost people believe on Him:

A. God says "believe", others have other ideas:

B. See it right in the Bible: Acts 16:30-31; John 5:24; John 3:15-18.
TRANSITION THOUGHT: God's writing is different from what the world thinks.

II. At the point of belief, the new birth occurs:

A. The scriptural proof: John 3:1-14.

1. Jesus equated being born again (John 3:3,5,7) with believing on Jesus Christ, John 3:14-16.
2. The proof of I John 5:1.

B. God's use of family imagery:

1. Parables or parallelism: a common teaching device.
2. The extensive family parallel of the Bible: Matt. 6:9, 1 John 3:2, I Thess. 4:13.
TRANSITION THOUGHT: Bloodline, family relationship.

III. A specific way to determine whether or not a person is saved:

A. John 3:36 to be used to illustrate the point.

B. How to teach and illustrate John 3:36:

1. I John 5:13 proves we can "know" we are saved.
ILLUSTRATION: Determining the length of a writing pen.
2. The positive side of John 3:36 is an "if" "then" proposition by God.
3. GOD'S PART: "hath everlasting life":
"Hath" means now.
"Everlasting" does not mean temporary. "Romans 8:31-39; John 6:35, 37, 39-40.
ILLUSTRATION: A lady's permanent.
4. If God is telling the truth. all believers can know they are saved.
5. YOUR PART "He that believeth on the Son":
"He" is a universal pronoun and includes everybody. John 3:16 and Isaiah 1:18.
"On the Son" relates to the object of belief. Misplaced confidence avails zero. John 14:6, Acts 4:12.
ILLUSTRATION: The power that causes an electric light to shine. "That believeth" includes fact but also faith. Eph. 1:13.
ILLUSTRATION: The difference between believing airplanes exist and flying in one.

C. A simple test with three questions:

1. Am I saved?
2. How was I saved?
3. When was I saved?
The lifeline
ILLUSTRATION: A young lady in a certain church in 1968.

D. The personal standing of your student(s):

1. Ask him where he is.
2. If he is saved?
3. If he is lost?
4. If he is uncertain?
5. How to help uncertain students.
6. How to remove doubt.

CONCLUDING THOUGHT: Next week's lesson is titled "Rudiments to Fellowship and Fruitfulness With God."

 

 

 

STUDY SHEET AND LESSON PLAN
FOR LESSON FIVE

 

TITLE

"RUDIMENTS TO FELLOWSHIP AND FRUITFULNESS WITH GOD"

 

THOUGHT

Once a person is saved, he needs to learn what it means to walk in fellowship with God.

 

APPLICATION

Distinguish between relationship and fellowship and teach your student(s) how fellowship is lost and regained. Then, teach him the motive for all Christian service.

 

BIBLE VERSES TO MEMORIZE

I John 1:7, "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."

Isaiah 59:1-2, "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. "

I John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Hebrews 4:14-16, "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us holdfast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

I Cor. 10:31, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."

 

OUTLINE

I. "Fellowship" with God involves a different area than "Relationship" to God:

A. Explain "Fellowship": I John 1.
ILLUSTRATLON: an elaboration of the family parallel.

B. God wants good fellowship with His children: IJohn 1:3, John 10:10, Col. 2:6.

C. Evil conduct adversely affects fellowship with God:

1. Sin breaks fellowship. Isa. 59:1-2
2. Sin is a reality for all of God's children. I John 1:8-10
TRANSITION THOUGHT: Sin, a reality with which we must contend.

II. God takes action to restore broken fellowship:

A. He does it with discipline:

1. Heb. 12:5-11. "Rebuke," "chasten," "scourge."
2. All children get discipline which is always corrective to those who yield to it.
ILLUSTRATION: parents with children.

B. What to do when fellowship is broken:

1. Confess to God. I John 1:9
2. God forgives and gives help to overcome the weakness. Heb. 4:14-16
TRANSITION THOUGHT: Confession brings restoration of fellowship.

III. God wants only one motive to move His children: LOVE:

A. Do because you "want to," not because you "have to."

B. Scriptures which teach love as the believer's only motive:

1. I Pet. 4:8, "charity," to be "above" all else.
2. II Cor. 5:14, our "constraining" force.
3. 1 Cor. 13:1-3, all efforts worthless unless motivated by love.
4. 1 Cor. 10:31, everything for the glory of God.
5. A very practical truth.

CONCLUDING THOUGHT: Nothing taught so far has required any action by your student(s). Next week's lesson is titled "Worshipping and Serving God as a Part of One of His Churches," and it will explain much action God desires of His children. It will begin with a thorough explanation of baptism.

 

 

 

 

STUDY SHEET AND LESSON PLAN
FOR LESSON SIX

 

TITLE

"WORSHIPPING AND SERVING GOD AS A PART OF ONE OF HIS CHURCHES"

 

THOUGHT

A certain style and pattern of conduct is necessary to a continuing fellowship with God and effectiveness in His work.

 

APPLICATION

Cause the student(s) to realize that in order to please God and stay in fellowship with Him, proper baptism, church membership, worship, and service are necessary. Explain in some detail what these activities are.

 

BIBLE VERSES TO MEMORIZE

Acts 2:41, "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls."

Eph. 3:21, "Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."

Heb. 10:24-25, "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."

John 4:23-24, "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."

Eph. 2:10, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

 

OUTLINE

I. A good look at baptism:

A. The first act of conduct for a child of God: Acts 2:41, Acts 16:33, Rom. 6:4-5.

B. Three requirements of God for a true, valid baptism:
ILLUSTRATION: the notarization of legal documents.

1. The candidate must be a believer, Acts 8:36-37.
2. The method must be immersion, Acts 8:38-39.
3. The baptism must be by the authority of a church like Jesus Christ built, Matt. 28:16, 19-20, I Cor. 12:28, Matt. 16:18.
TRANSITION THOUGHT: By the proper authority, in the right manner, as a believer.

II. Being a member of one of the Lord's churches:

A. The Lord adds one to the church at the point of baptism, Acts 2:41 & 47.

B. Great benefits to God's children who are members of and participate in His church.

C. We are commanded of God to be an active part of a church, Eph. 3:21, Heb. 10:24-25.
TRANSITION THOUGHT: Do not forsake regular assembly.

III. God wants His children to worship Him:

A. We worship as a part of the church by (1) singing, (2) giving, (3) praying, (4) preaching and (5) the Lord's supper.

B. Two basic requirements for true worship, John 4:23-24:

1. "In spirit."
2. "In truth."
TRANSITION THOUGHT: Church leadership is responsible to teach believers how to worship in truth.

IV. God wants His children to "serve" Him:

A. Service is not to be confused with worship.

1. Worshipping is not serving.
2. God takes our treatment of others as personal treatment of Him Matt. 25:31-40.

B. Serving God is to be the life work of the children of God, Eph. 2:10.

V. The progressive nature of these truths:

A. Drawing the arrow in reverse order to connect each truth with the others.

B. CONCLUDING THOUGHT: Encouraging your student(s) to become a part of the same work you are doing in reaching others for Christ.

 

"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"