Malcolm Cox

Introduction Last week I posted on lesson length. A YouTube correspondent asked: “What I find difficult is that there a few people in our church averse to teaching - I'm not speaking of boring facts and dates just lessons that have a bit more background or context than most. And they happen to be in the upper leadership and therefore have an influence on who gets to do the lessons and how often. So, where as a super majority of the church enjoy and find meaning in the lesson, these folks do not. What to do here?” I asked him for more information and he said: I did a lesson called “The Heart to Learn” (audio available) where I communicated that all disciples need to be learning, but that there is a spectrum of those who are heart-driven to those who are mind-driven. Ala 1Cor 12 the body needs its parts and those who may not enjoy teaching as much need to be loving towards those who require it and who would otherwise starve. I guess the lesson didn’t work because, while it was well received, no lasting cha

You have found a daily devotional podcast on 1 Thessalonians. These recordings accompany the teaching and preaching series for the Thames Valley and Watford churches of Christ. The brief devotionals are aimed at encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God” 1 Thessalonians 2:12 “We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV11 More notes, lessons and resources can be found here:  www.malcolmcox.org “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:28 NIV11) God bless, Malcolm

You have found a daily devotional podcast on 1 Thessalonians. These recordings accompany the teaching and preaching series for the Thames Valley and Watford churches of Christ. The brief devotionals are aimed at encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God” 1 Thessalonians 2:12 “We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV11 More notes, lessons and resources can be found here:  www.malcolmcox.org “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:28 NIV11) God bless, Malcolm

You have found a daily devotional podcast on 1 Thessalonians. These recordings accompany the teaching and preaching series for the Thames Valley and Watford churches of Christ. The brief devotionals are aimed at encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God” 1 Thessalonians 2:12 “We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV11 More notes, lessons and resources can be found here:  www.malcolmcox.org “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:28 NIV11) God bless, Malcolm

You have found a daily devotional podcast on 1 Thessalonians. These recordings accompany the teaching and preaching series for the Thames Valley and Watford churches of Christ. The brief devotionals are aimed at encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God” 1 Thessalonians 2:12 “We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV11 More notes, lessons and resources can be found here:  www.malcolmcox.org “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:28 NIV11) God bless, Malcolm

You have found a daily devotional podcast on 1 Thessalonians. These recordings accompany the teaching and preaching series for the Thames Valley and Watford churches of Christ. The brief devotionals are aimed at encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God” 1 Thessalonians 2:12 “We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV11 More notes, lessons and resources can be found here:  www.malcolmcox.org “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:28 NIV11) God bless, Malcolm

You have found a daily devotional podcast on 1 Thessalonians. These recordings accompany the teaching and preaching series for the Thames Valley and Watford churches of Christ. The brief devotionals are aimed at encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God” 1 Thessalonians 2:12 “We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV11 More notes, lessons and resources can be found here:  www.malcolmcox.org “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:28 NIV11) God bless, Malcolm

How to support people when they suffer, 1 Thess 2:13-20 Introduction, vv13 Consequences of accepting Accepting opens the door for God’s power to work What happens? Our world gets disturbed! What do we do when that happens? 1. How to handle suffering, vv13-16  ‘You suffered’ Why? QUESTION: Why do we suffer? Teens, why do you suffer bullying, gossip, violence, injustice? A. Fallen world Justice and what is right not always valued If Jesus suffered, so will his followers  If justice matters to you, become a Christian   Work for justice with the only one who truly understands what is just - with his strength and power, wisdom Work with the one who will see justice done - confidence is his commitment to justice since made greatest sacrifice for justice B. Some prefer darkness “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19 NIV11) C. How we grow “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you f

You have found a daily devotional podcast on 1 Thessalonians. These recordings accompany the teaching and preaching series for the Thames Valley and Watford churches of Christ. The brief devotionals are aimed at encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God” 1 Thessalonians 2:12 “We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV11 More notes, lessons and resources can be found here:  www.malcolmcox.org “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:28 NIV11) God bless, Malcolm

Introduction, vv13  1. How to handle suffering, vv13-16  A. Fallen world  B. Some prefer darkness  C. How we grow  2. How to handle it when people we love suffer, vv17-20  A. We feel their pain  B. We make significant efforts  C. We trust God  Conclusion, vv19-20  “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19 NIV11) “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2–4 NIV11) “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning

Introduction - I posted my first poll in the community section of my YouTube channel - “What would be your ideal Sunday lesson length - irrespective of teaching style?” - 15 minutes or less - 0 - 15-20 minutes - 13% - 20-25 - 25% - 25-30 - 13% - 30+ - 50% Jesus - Sermon on the Mount and parables.  Lk 15:1-7 - 54 seconds  “Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.”” (Matthew 15:32 NIV11) 1. Long - Develop thinking - Establish a significant point necessary for the congregation - Need the requisite skill 2. Short - Digestible - Attention - Skill Conclusion - Irrespective of length, any lesson can be:     - Memorable      - Meaningful     - Worshipful Questions: What length of lesson is your skill-set best suited to? What is the most helpful lesson length for your regular speaking context?  Why not sign up for the Old Testament Sur

You have found a daily devotional podcast on 1 Thessalonians. These recordings accompany the teaching and preaching series for the Thames Valley and Watford churches of Christ. The brief devotionals are aimed at encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God” 1 Thessalonians 2:12 “We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV11 More notes, lessons and resources can be found here:  www.malcolmcox.org “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:28 NIV11) God bless, Malcolm

You have found a daily devotional podcast on 1 Thessalonians. These recordings accompany the teaching and preaching series for the Thames Valley and Watford churches of Christ. The brief devotionals are aimed at encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God” 1 Thessalonians 2:12 “We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV11 More notes, lessons and resources can be found here:  www.malcolmcox.org “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:28 NIV11) God bless, Malcolm

You have found a daily devotional podcast on 1 Thessalonians. These recordings accompany the teaching and preaching series for the Thames Valley and Watford churches of Christ. The brief devotionals are aimed at encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God” 1 Thessalonians 2:12 “We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV11 More notes, lessons and resources can be found here:  www.malcolmcox.org “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:28 NIV11) God bless, Malcolm

You have found a daily devotional podcast on 1 Thessalonians. These recordings accompany the teaching and preaching series for the Thames Valley and Watford churches of Christ. The brief devotionals are aimed at encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God” 1 Thessalonians 2:12 “We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV11 More notes, lessons and resources can be found here:  www.malcolmcox.org “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:28 NIV11) God bless, Malcolm

You have found a daily devotional podcast on 1 Thessalonians. These recordings accompany the teaching and preaching series for the Thames Valley and Watford churches of Christ. The brief devotionals are aimed at encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God” 1 Thessalonians 2:12 “We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV11 More notes, lessons and resources can be found here:  www.malcolmcox.org “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:28 NIV11) God bless, Malcolm

You have found a daily devotional podcast on 1 Thessalonians. These recordings accompany the teaching and preaching series for the Thames Valley and Watford churches of Christ. The brief devotionals are aimed at encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God” 1 Thessalonians 2:12 “We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV11 More notes, lessons and resources can be found here:  www.malcolmcox.org “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:28 NIV11) God bless, Malcolm

You have found a daily devotional podcast on 1 Thessalonians. These recordings accompany the teaching and preaching series for the Thames Valley and Watford churches of Christ. The brief devotionals are aimed at encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God” 1 Thessalonians 2:12 “We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV11 More notes, lessons and resources can be found here:  www.malcolmcox.org “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:28 NIV11) God bless, Malcolm

A sermon for the Watford church of Christ 1. What God’s messengers are like inside, internally, their motives - and how you can tell, vv2-7 A. Suffering, v2 Acts 16 - stripped, beaten with rods, severely flogged, prison, feet in stocks. Yet bold in speaking Why do that if likely to receive same treatment? B. Motives, v3 Not tricky If he had tricked them they would know by now C. Flattery, v5 No greed Does not get you beaten up Authority from suffering and sacrifice for no personal gain. Apply to leadership, of course, but also to how we treat one another because this is an issue of Christ-likeness. “The hallmark of well-entrenched greed, then, is a willingness to use people to serve our love for money, rather than the use of money to serve our love for people.” Glittering Vices,  Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung “When we process our leadership by our character, the quality of the outcomes will be measured by a thriving culture where people are valued and not used, where the leader is respected and not feared,

Introduction “My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.” (1 Corinthians 4:4 NIV11) “You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition. For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. Instead, we were like young children among you.” (1 Thessalonians 2:1–7 NIV11) 1. Suffering - If we are not suffering, what does that say abo