July My dear friends Yours truly Paul Series Memory Verse

							                    July 6 – 27, 2008
     My dear friends… Yours truly, Paul


Series Memory Verse “Therefore encourage one another and
build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”

                                    –1 Thessalonians 5:11




       UALC New Testament Study Guides
             The 2008 Challenge:
   Encountering Jesus in the New Testament

    A Tool for Personal, Family or Small Group Study
My dear friends… Yours truly, Paul
Week One: July 6, 2008                      8th Sunday after Pentecost
Ephesians
Theme: By grace, through faith, for work, in the Church.
Texts: Ephesians 2:1-10, 19-22; Luke 15:20-24

Prior Week’s NT Reading: Psalm 68; Ephesians 4-6; Philippians 1

Pray: God, we are captive to the world, the devil and the flesh but we
have a future because of your son. Fill us with the hope that we have
because of your Son and help us to recognize that we are made alive
with Christ. Give us the ability to know what that means and the desire
to tell others. Amen.


                       Discuss:
                          1. What time of day do you feel
                             most alive?




2. What does the phrase “Made Alive with Christ” mean to you?




3. If Paul were preaching this Ephesians passage, what tone of voice
would he use in verses 1-3 and then verses 4-10?




Reflect:
1. If good works do not save people, what part
do they play in salvation?




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2. What does it make you feel like to know that God considers you His
great masterpiece (v.10)? What good work do you feel God may have
in mind for you?




Respond:
1. Think and pray about where you are in relation to salvation.
Curious                                Really needing a lot of grace
I think I have it figured out          Fully alive
Working on it                          Alive and growing
Needing grace                          Other _____________




Thought for the Week:
Of all the churches planted and visited along Paul’s missionary
journeys, he enjoyed a very close relationship with the church at
Ephesus. How committed are you to those whom you have taught and
led? What can you do to encourage them in their walk with Christ?

Did You Know?
Paul wrote this letter to the Ephesian
believers and all other believers to give them
in-depth teaching about how to nurture and
maintain the unity of the church.
—Life Application Bible

Table Talk: (discussion for families around the dinner table)

Spend time as a family reading the passage and discussing one or two
of these questions. Ask, "How does this apply to your life?" Take turns
answering. End with a prayer. Ask the Lord to work His truth into your
lives this week.




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My dear friends… Yours truly, Paul
Week Two: July 13, 2008                    9th Sunday after Pentecost
Philippians
Theme: How sweet the sound!
Texts: Philippians 2:1-11; Luke 2:8-14

Prior Week’s NT Reading: Philippians 2 - 4; Colossians 1 - 2; Psalm 25

Pray: Father, as we study the text this week, help us to recognize
how you have worked our salvation through your Son, Jesus Christ.
Help us also to see evidence of our salvation and give us the
longing to share this Good News with others who don’t yet know.
Amen.

                       Discuss:
                       1. Who takes out the trash in your home?
                       Cleans the toilets? What is your pet peeve
                       at home?




2. Reading between the lines: what was wrong with the church
in Philippi?




3. What does it mean to consider someone “better than yourself”
(v.3)? How does humility differ from being a doormat?




Reflect:
1. What four qualities mark unity with Christ?




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2. How does this passage from Philippians challenge the Madison
Avenue advertising image of success?




3. What is the closest you have come to being in a fellowship
that cared for one another like Paul describes here: Your buddies
in the war? Your college sorority? Your sports team?
An AA recovery group?




Respond:
           For the sake of unity in Christ, what petty squabbles
           should you clear up right away? How?




Thought for the Week:
Practice the four qualities that mark unity with Christ.
   1. Encouragement
   2. Comfort
   3. Fellowship
   4. Compassion

Did You Know?
Philippi was founded by and named after Philip
of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great.

Table Talk: (discussion for families around the
dinner table)

Spend time as a family reading the passage and discussing one or
two of the questions. Ask, "How does this apply to your life?" Take
turns answering. End with a prayer. Ask the Lord to work His truth
into your lives this week.




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My dear friends… Yours truly, Paul
Week Three: July 20, 2008            10th Sunday after Pentecost
1 Thessalonians
Theme: Encourage one another, build each other up.
Texts: 1 Thessalonians 4:13—5:11; Matthew 9:18-26

Prior Week’s NT Reading: Colossians 3 - 4; 1 Thessalonians; Psalm 15

Pray: Dear God, you give us the duty of encouraging each other.
Show us where our words could make a difference in someone else’s
day. Use us to build up someone today. Amen.


                        Discuss:
                        1. How can the death of a loved one change a
                        person’s life?




2. How is a Christian’s grief over the loss of a loved one different
from a non-Christian’s grief?




3. How do you react when you hear predictions about the end
of the world?




4. What concern was Paul addressing in
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14?




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Reflect:
1. What hope do Christians have in death?




2. How can these words help a person who is grieving over loved
ones who have died?




Respond:
What can you do to make sure you are ready for Christ’s return
each day?



What hope can you share with someone who is convinced that
death is the end of our existence?



Thought for the Week:
Be prepared to share an act of kindness to someone who
is ill or grieving.

Did You Know?
There is evidence that Paul’s missionary work
took place in the workshop and the private
home, not just the marketplace. Paul is
pictured in Thessalonica laboring in a
local workshop, sharing the gospel with
fellow workers.

Table Talk: (discussion for families around the dinner table)

Spend time as a family reading the passage and discussing one or
two of these questions. Ask, "How does this apply to your life?" Take
turns answering. End with a prayer. Ask the Lord to work His truth
into your lives this week.

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My dear friends… Yours truly, Paul
Week Four: July 27, 2008               11th Sunday after Pentecost
2 Timothy
Theme: Passing the torch.
Texts: 2 Timothy 3:14—4:8; Luke 10:1-7a, 17-20

Prior Week’s NT Reading: 2 Thessalonians; 1 Timothy 1 - 4; Psalm 138

Pray: Heavenly Father, it is so exciting to read your word. Heighten
that excitement and enthusiasm in us as we dig into this study of 2
Timothy. Help us to learn from your Word and then to practice what
we are discovering. Amen.

                       Discuss:
                       1. If the story of your life were made into a
                       movie, what would the title be?




2. What is the crux of what Paul has to say about Timothy’s
life (3:14-17)?




3. What nine final orders does Paul solemnly charge Timothy
to fulfill (4:1-5)?




Reflect:
1. What sort of reputation do you have at
work, at school, and in your neighborhood?




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2. How equipped are you to do every good work?




3. How does this Scripture challenge your ministry?




Respond:
What can you do this week toward discharging all your duties?




Thought for the Week:
The Timothy text is considered Paul’s last will and testament. If you
had only one letter to write, who would you write it to? What would
you say?


Did You Know?
A Jewish boy formally began studying the Old
Testament when he was five years old?

Table Talk: (discussion for families around
the dinner table)

Spend time as a family reading the passage and discussing one or
two of the questions. Ask, "How does this apply to your life?" Take
turns answering. End with a prayer. Ask the Lord to work His truth
into your lives this week.




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Notes and Prayer Requests




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                Welcome! We’re taking the
             New Testament Challenge in 2008
            Please join us in these daily readings:

                    July 6 – August 2
            My dear friends… Yours truly, Paul

     July     6          Psalm 66
              7      Philippians 2
              8      Philippians 3:1 - 4:1
              9      Philippians 4:2 - 23
              10     Colossians 1:1 - 23
              11     Colossians 1:24 - 2:5
              12     Colossians 2:6 - 23
              13         Psalm 25
              14     Colossians 3:1 - 4:1
              15     Colossians 4:2 - 18
              16     1 Thessalonians 1:1 - 2:16
              17     1 Thessalonians 2:17 - 3:13
              18     1 Thessalonians 4
              19     1 Thessalonians 5
              20         Psalm 15
              21     2 Thessalonians 1:1 - 2:12
              22     2 Thessalonians 2:13 - 3:18
              23     1 Timothy 1:1 - 20
              24     1 Timothy 2
              25     1 Timothy 3
              26     1 Timothy 4
              27         Psalm 138
              28     1 Timothy 5
              29     1 Timothy 6
              30     2 Timothy 1
              31     2 Timothy 2
     Aug. 1          2 Timothy 3
              2      2 Timothy 4




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