By Mike Dawson
Interim Pastor, Santa Fe Baptist Church, Santa Fe

Focal Passage: Acts 16:22-34

I remember hearing a college Bible professor tell of a vision that came to him while very ill in the hospital. Alone in his room at night, he saw a glorious image of Jesus. But there were some shocking features of His appearance. The robed figure was short — because it had no feet. The face was shadowy — no eyes, no mouth. And He had no hands; arms without hands. [Read more…]

By Mike Dawson
Interim Pastor, Santa Fe Baptist Church, Santa Fe

Focal Passage:  Acts 15:36-41; 16:1-5

One of the most important ‘words’ in the Bible never actually appears in the Bible! The word is relationships. The Bible is all about relationships; yet the word itself has come into our vocabulary since Scripture was written. Terms like ‘one another,’ and ‘households,’ and ‘friends,’ and ‘neighbors’ are found again and again in God’s Word.  [Read more…]

By Mike Dawson
Interim Pastor, Santa Fe Baptist Church, Santa Fe

Focal Passage:  Luke 2:25-38

During the turbulent 1960’s a silver-haired lady named Iva observed the hippie movement. As young people in faded jeans invaded her church, she didn’t complain; instead she prayed for them — and those noisy teens began making commitments to Christ. Then Iva had a stroke and died suddenly. [Read more…]

By Mike Dawson
Interim Pastor, Santa Fe Baptist Church, Santa Fe

Focal Passage: Acts 15:6-11, 24-31

We might add two words to the title of this week’s lesson: “Available to All: Amazing Grace.” This lesson shows how the gospel was spreading more and more beyond the Jews to the ends of the earth. Paul and Barnabas had been sent out as missionaries from the church in Antioch (Acts 13). Being Jews themselves, in whatever towns they went, they preached first in the Jewish synagogues. But because they proclaimed an amazing grace available to all — Jew and Gentile alike — many of the Jews opposed them, stirred up the townspeople against them, and became violent toward them (Acts 14). Now we find the missionaries being summoned by the church leaders in Jerusalem to give an account of the controversy being created by their international message (Acts 15). Our focal passage — Acts 15:6-11, 24-31 — reveals three reactions to the message of “whosoever will may come.” This takes place in what could be called a “church business meeting” in Jerusalem. [Read more…]

By Mike Dawson
Interim Pastor, Santa Fe Baptist Church, Santa Fe

Focal Passage: Acts 14:8-20

We call Matthew 28:19-20 “The Great Commission,” as well we should. There Jesus told the church to “go into all the world and make disciples of every nation.” I believe we could call Acts 1:8 “The Great Commissioning,” because there Jesus gave the specific strategy and locations for carrying out His commission: “You shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Luke, in the book of Acts chapters 1-12, narrates the ‘Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria’ phase of witnessing. Beginning in chapter 13, Luke tells how the commissioned witnesses went beyond their Jewish neighbors to the Gentiles, and the ends of the earth. Today our focal passage, Acts 14:8-20, shows these ‘foreign missionaries’ facing incredible obstacles.  [Read more…]

By Mike Dawson
Interim Pastor, Santa Fe Baptist Church, Santa Fe

Focal Passage: Acts 13:26-39

Coaches often say that games are won or lost in the opening minutes of the second half. Our new unit focuses on the ‘second half’ of the book of Acts, and this first lesson sets the pace for the rest of the book. Jesus had told His followers to be His witnesses “in Jerusalem, and all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). So the ‘first half’ of Acts, chapters 1-12, tells of witnesses going from Jerusalem to all Judea and to Samaria; now the ‘second half,’ Acts 13-28, shows them making disciples everywhere else.  [Read more…]

By Ben W. Curtis
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City

Focal Passage: Leviticus 26:3-16, 40-45

The primary goal of the Old Testament (and really, all the Bible) is not to give us moral examples or heroes, but to confront us with the holiness, grace, and the majesty of God. Leviticus 26 records a covenant agreement that the Lord made with the Israelites when He brought them out of slavery in Egypt. He identifies Himself as “the Lord your God” five times (Leviticus 26:1, 2, 13, 44, 45). Our passage challenges us to consider the blessings of a holy God, the punishments of a holy God, and the grace of a holy God. [Read more…]

By Ben W. Curtis
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City

Focal Passage: Leviticus 16:3-10, 29-30

The great day has arrived! Ever since the blowing of the trumpets 10 days earlier, Israel has been in a state of preparation and anticipation. They wake up on this morning knowing that it is the most holy day in their calendar. The high priest probably had trouble sleeping the night before. As thousands of Israelites stand near the tabernacle, one child asks his parents about the meaning of the two goats. Another is scared and asks whether Aaron is going to die like Nadab and Abihu. Ultimately, everything about the Day of Atonement points to a far greater reality in Christ.

Leviticus 16:3-4 reminds us that we have a glorious high priest. Aaron’s demeanor teaches that even the holiest of men must come before the holy Lord as humble sinners. If the high priest must wash and make atonement for his own sins, how much more are you and I defiled and in need of cleansing. We need a high priest who is holy, without sin, and unlike Aaron, who cannot die. According to Hebrews 7:23-28, this last qualification makes Jesus’ sacrifice eternal. He is our perfect high priest!

Leviticus 16:5-9 reminds us that Jesus is also our slain substitute. After introducing us to two goats, we read that the first one is slain as a sin offering for the people (vv. 15-16). The shedding of blood is the only way that sinners can be forgiven and atonement can be made (Leviticus 17:11; Hebrews 9:22). Just as this animal dies the death penalty for others, Christ “appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Hebrews 9:26b). He shed His blood in our place, making atonement for our sins so that God himself might dwell among a sinful people.

Jesus Christ is not only our slain substitute, but also our scapegoat (Leviticus 16:10). A scapegoat is one who takes the blame for the actions of others. After confessing the sins of the people over the live goat, Aaron performs a very powerful, visual lesson by sending the goat away into the wilderness (vv. 21-22). It’s no surprise that our Savior suffered outside the camp at Golgotha, surrounded by darkness and filth, and alienated from God (Hebrews 13:11-12). He cried the cry of the condemned as our ultimate scapegoat: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Jesus became unclean and was made sin so that we might become righteous of God and be made clean in His sight (II Corinthians 5:21). If the slain goat teaches that we are forgiven by God in Christ, the scapegoat teaches that our sin is forgotten by God in Christ (Isaiah 43:25; Psalm 103:10-12; Micah 7:19; Romans 8:1).

Finally, Jesus Christ is our purification. The washing that occurs throughout the Day of Atonement symbolizes that we need to be cleansed (Leviticus 16:24, 26, 28). We are unclean and need not only forgiveness of our sins but purification from our sins (Hebrews 1:3). There is no stain of sin too dark to be purified in Christ; his blood is sufficient to cleanse us of all unrighteousness (I John 1:7). Leviticus 16:30 summarizes it so perfectly: “You shall be clean before the Lord from all your sins” (Hebrews 9:13-14; 10:21-22).

The hymn “Hallelujah! What A Savior” reminds us:

“Guilty, vile, and helpless we;

Spotless Lamb of God was He;

‘Full atonement!’ can it be?

Hallelujah! What a Savior.”

By Ben W. Curtis
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City

Focal Passage: Leviticus 9:15-24; 10:1-3

The book of Leviticus presents us with a vision of the holiness of God that we so desperately need in our day. To see God for who He is will sustain us in suffering, transform us in holiness, and ignite our hearts in worship. After a seven-day ordination ceremony of the priesthood, Leviticus 9 records the first service in the tabernacle. If you’ve ever been part of a special ceremony or meeting of God’s people, think about the mood of that extraordinary moment. Nothing is more satisfying than the presence of an approving God and nothing is more terrifying than the presence of a holy God. [Read more…]

By Ben W. Curtis
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tracy City

Focal Passage: Leviticus 1:3-9; 2:1-3; 3:1-5

How do unholy people approach a holy God? The book of Leviticus is God’s answer to that question. In Exodus, He revealed Himself as both personal and fearsome, a God who tolerates no rivals (Exodus 3:1-12; 19:21-25; 20:18-21; Exodus 12:12). Now that the tabernacle is finished and filled with “the glory of the Lord” (Exodus 40:34), God’s people need to know how to approach Him. The Lord provides a way for individual sinners to be accepted into His holy presence through an atoning sacrifice.  [Read more…]