Introduction: Each week we have been building an argument about why humans should pay close attention to the word of God. In all of this our assumption is that the Bible is God's word. Do you know how we came to have the Bible? Some people talk as if the complete text, in the King James version, fell out of heaven and humans accepted it and reprinted it. The truth is far different. Recently, the pagan world has begun to make a direct attack on the composition of the Bible. The popular book and movie, the Da Vinci Code, claims that certain books that should have been in the New Testament were left out. Books left out? What is that about? Let's dive into our lesson and find out more!

1. Adding and Subtracting
   
   
   1. Read Revelation 22:18-19. Why does John, the writer of Revelation, refer to his writing as a "book of prophecy" as opposed to "the last section of the Bible?" (Because it was not a part of the Bible when it was written.)
      
      
      1. What was John concerned about? (That someone would tamper with the text and add or remove something.)
         
         
      2. This warning tells us something about John's thoughts about the authority under which he wrote the book. What is it? (He clearly believes God is involved in the writing.)
         
         
   2. Read Deuteronomy 4:1-2. What warning does Moses give us about what he has written on behalf of God? (He does not want anyone adding or subtracting from what he has written on God's behalf.)
      
      
   3. Should these two great writers of the Bible have been worried? Is this adding or subtracting issue a problem?
      
      
   4. As you look at your Bible today, what are the issues that go into the question of whether what you have in your hands is reliable? (Let's start from the top and drill down. First, is my translation accurate? Did the translator do a good job? Second, was the translator working on the right original language text? If people are tempted to add or subtract from the text of the Bible, how can I know my translator was using accurate text? Third, how can I know if the books that appear in my Bible are the right ones? Don't Catholics have more? Doesn't the DaVinci Code say some books that should be in the Bible are not there?)
      
      
2. What Books Constitute Scripture?
   
   
   1. Read 1 Timothy 5:17-18. What is Paul referring to when he says these words come from "Scripture?" (Paul had something that he was calling the Bible.)
      
      
      1. Read Deuteronomy 25:4, Matthew 10:10 and Luke 10:7. Who or what is Paul quoting? (He is quoting Moses and Jesus. Thus, we know that the early church considered the writings of Moses and Jesus to be Scripture. The early church considered at least the Old Testament and the words of Jesus to be "the Bible.")
         
         
   2. How did we get the rest of the New Testament? (Volume 5 of the SDA Bible Commentary at pages 123-132 and an popular article by C. Hansen found at http://www.christianitytoday.com/history/newsletter/2003/nov7.html (see "Fax from Heaven?")outline the historical process by which the early church made a judgment on which of the books and letters written by the apostles and early leaders were to be considered part of the New Testament:
      
      

      The New Testament was the good news concerning Jesus Christ, and Christians naturally believed that the most authentic presentations of this message were those written by men who had been with Jesus. Consequently only those works were accepted ... that were the products of an apostle or of a companion of an apostle writing in the apostolic period. (5 SDA Bible Commentary 132)

   
   
   
3. Is the Text Accurate?
   
   
   1. Scholars believe that Revelation, the last book of the Bible, was written about 90 A.D. Are any originals of any New Testament books or letters still around? (No. The very oldest fragment of a copy of a book of the New Testament is a few verses of John 18 which are believed to date back to 100-115 A.D. (P.W. Comfort, Early Manuscripts & Modern Translations of the New Testament, p. 4 (Tyndale 1990))
      
      
   2. If there are no originals, but merely copies of copies, how can we know that the text of what we call the Bible is accurate? (We have a lot of copies. There are nearly 4,500 manuscripts of the Greek New Testament known to exist. (5 SDA Bible Commentary 112)
      
      
   3. When I was young, almost everyone used the King James version of the Bible. On what is the KJV based? (The King James and the New King James versions of the New Testament are based on a group of copies of the New Testament called "Textus Receptus." These included copies of copies of New Testament books and manuscripts dating from as recently as 700-800 A.D. (5 SDA Bible Commentary 116-119, 140-142) The reason for this is that the KJV translation was first written in 1611. Most people do not realize the KJV was the 8^th major English translation of the Bible. (5 SDA Bible Commentary 128(see chart), 142.) According to P.W. Comfort, in the last 100 years we have found almost 100 New Testament manuscripts from the sands and ruins of Egypt that go back to 200 A.D. (Comfort, pp. xvii, 27) Within the last year, the Smithsonian hosted an ancient manuscript exhibit in which I saw a fragment which dated back to about 125 A.D.!)
      
      
   4. Why is it that the King James translation has sections in it that do not appear in more modern translations like the New International Version? (As we discover more and earlier sections of the Bible, the scholars look to see if there is agreement in those copies. For example, if all of the copies of a section of the book of John which are dated before 250 A.D. do not contain a certain verse, then it seems logical to conclude that some scribe added his own comment later - and scribes coming after him who were copying from his copy, thought it came from the original. In that way, the recent discovery of more ancient fragments and copies gives us a more accurate view of what was originally written.)
      
      
   5. Should you be worried about missing verses? Worried about something important left out or something unwanted added to your Bible? (All of the commentators that I have read agree that we are talking about a small percentage of the New Testament that is disputed - and nothing that involves a major doctrine of the Christian faith. We have great evidence for the reliability of our New Testament - regardless of which translation you use.)
      
      
4. Admissions Against Interest
   
   
   1. Think of the times you have told a story about yourself. Did you make yourself look better or worse in the story?
      
      
   2. Read Galatians 2:11-13. How would you describe Peter's conduct? (Inconsistent, hypocritical. He was eating with the Gentiles. But, when some Jews from the "home office" showed up, he stopped eating with the Gentiles.)
      
      
      1. Why does the Bible include this story about one of the great followers of Jesus?
         
         
      2. Is Paul telling this story so the Gentiles will like him better than Peter? (Perhaps, although that seems unworthy of Paul. A better explanation is that this is common in the Bible. The Bible does not hide the character flaws of God's great followers.)
         
         
      3. What can we conclude from the fact that the Bible tells the truth about its heroes? (When you are testifying in an American courtroom, you are normally not allowed to repeat what someone else said outside the courtroom. Reason is that those words cannot be tested for accuracy by cross-examination. There are some exceptions to this rule, and one of them is when a person outside of court says something that is damaging to himself. This is called an "admission against interest." These statements are considered to have passed the truth test because a person is generally telling the truth when he admits something bad about themself.)
         
         
   3. Friend, you can rely on the Bible! Will you determine today to buy a Bible that you can easily understand, and then start reading it?
      
      
5. Next week: When the Rocks Cry Out.

Introduction: One of the important issues in any American legal case is the burden of proof. Who carries the burden to show the facts occurred in a certain way? The assignment of the burden of proof can make all the difference to winning. Let's say the plaintiff wins if the traffic light was red. The defendant wins if the light was green. If the plaintiff has the burden of proof, and no one is sure of the color of the light, the defendant wins. If the defendant has the burden of proof, the plaintiff would win. How about the truths of the Bible, who has the burden of proof in God's eyes? Does God believe that He has the burden to prove His truths to us? Or, does God believe that we have an obligation to figure out the truth? Perhaps it is something in between? Let's jump into our study and see how God has responded to this issue in the past!

1. Jesus' Attitude Towards Proof
   
   
   1. Read John 3:36. How important is the issue of believing that Jesus is God? (It is the most important issue in life.)
      
      
   2. Read John 20:24-25. Who does Thomas seem to think has the burden of proving that Jesus rose from the grave? (Jesus.)
      
      
      1. What proof was available to Thomas? (1. Read Matthew 16:21. Jesus had been telling the disciples about this in advance. 2. He had the eyewitness account of all of the disciples.)
         
         
      2. Had Jesus already carried the burden of proof with Thomas?
         
         
         1. Is Thomas asking for more proof than is available to you?
            
            
   3. Read John 20:26-29. What has Thomas concluded? (That Jesus is Lord and God and He has been resurrected. Thomas has now found the answer to the issue in John 3:36.)
      
      
      1. Who assumed the burden of proof of Jesus' resurrection with Thomas? (Jesus did. He went beyond what should have been required.)
         
         
      2. What does this teach us about Jesus' attitude towards us when it comes to the burden of proof about God's truths? (God seems to be willing to go the second mile.)
         
         
      3. Notice John 20:29. What happens to those who accept Jesus without the level of proof required by Thomas? (They are blessed.)
         
         
         1. What does this mean? They are blessed because they accept Jesus as God? While those who have Thomas' approach, and do not see Jesus in the flesh, are lost?
            
            
2. Seeing Him in Archeology
   
   
   1. How important is physical evidence to your belief in God's word?
      
      
   2. Read Genesis 23:1-6. How important to your faith is finding some archeological evidence that the Hittites existed? (For many years it was considered to be a problem that no archeological evidence showed the Hittites ever existed. However, more recently there have been several archeological finds attesting to the existence of the Hittites.)
      
      
   3. Read Numbers 1:17-19. The context for this is that God told Moses to take a census of the people. We see that Moses and Aaron are not only counting the people, but they are recording their names. The problem with this is that for many years critics of the Bible claimed that writing was not even in existence during Moses' time. The people were too primitive to write. This meant that Moses did not write the first five books of the Bible, and it placed in doubt that God wrote the Ten Commandments and Moses the ceremonial law. How can we know that writing existed in the time of Moses? (Archeologists unearthed the Black Stele, a sculpted stone which contained the detailed laws of Hammurabi - which predated Moses. The Ebla Tablets, found in Northern Syria in the 1970's, reveal writing existed a thousand years before Moses.)
      
      
   4. Read Hebrews 11:24-26. Many years ago, the Smithsonian museum hosted an exhibit from the tomb of Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun. How many of you have seen that exhibit? If so, what did you think about it? (I saw this exhibit and thought it was fantastic. The incredible artistry in the gold death mask let you know that when the Bible refers to the "treasures of Egypt," it is right on target.)
      
      
      1. What do these Egyptian treasurers, coupled with the other things we know about Egypt, suggest about Moses' ability to write? (These treasures makes the critics that suggest Moses could not write look even less informed. The Egyptians obviously had a very sophisticated civilization. Their buildings show knowledge of math. They had a written language. Since Moses was trained as Pharaoh's son, he was obviously trained in science and writing.)
         
         
3. Faith and Proof
   
   
   1. Read Matthew 28:2-7. Assume you were an investigator hired to determine the truth of this story. What steps would you take to confirm or disprove this story?
      
      
      1. What if you were an investigator who came 100 years later to confirm or disprove the story. How would that change your approach?
         
         
      2. We started out with Thomas demanding proof based on the wounds on Jesus' body. How is proving this story different? (Thomas knew Jesus. When Jesus came to him, it was easy to match his observations against the facts. When you are looking at tombs or other physical evidence, it is much harder when you do not even know for sure where Jesus' tomb was located.)
         
         
      3. Dr. William Shea recently gave a lecture in my local church about the Discovery Channel's claim to have found the tomb of Jesus. Part of the "proof" was the use of DNA evidence from the bones they found. Aside from contradicting the Bible, what seems improbable about the use of this "archeology" to disprove the resurrection? (Since they have no DNA from the living Jesus, they can hardly claim to show anything from DNA samples to prove their claim. Dr. Shea reported that the name "Jesus" and "Joseph" were very common names during Jesus' time. Finding a tomb with both of those names would be unremarkable.)
         
         
   2. Let's get back to our story in Matthew 28. Re-read Matthew 28:5-7. What physical evidence did the angel offer the women? (The messenger was was quite remarkable! Aside from that, his proof was that Jesus was not in the place where He was buried.)
      
      
      1. Would Jesus' absence be sufficient evidence for you? (It was sufficient to show He was not there. But, as to proof He had risen, that is another matter.)
         
         
      2. What additional evidence did the angel offer? (They would see Jesus in Galilee.)
         
         
   3. Read Matthew 28:8-10. What additional proof did Jesus give the women of His resurrection?
      
      
      1. What additional proof did He promise to the disciples? (That they would see Him.)
         
         
   4. We see that Jesus consistently offers the physical proof of Himself. He does not leave proof to the word of others. He does not leave proof to the empty tomb. What does that suggest about Jesus' proof to us today? (Strictly speaking, I have not seen Jesus and no one I know has seen Him. If He appeared personally to me, I would worry that it was one of Satan's tricks (2 Corinthians 11:14). But, I feel God's interaction in my life. There are many stories I would tell from just the last six months, but the most recent involves my daughter. Her van broke down at the entrance to the university she attends. The timing belt broke. She looked at this as a sign of God's disfavor. But, she (and maybe me!) are scheduled to drive her van 600 miles home in about one week. I see this as God's extraordinary favor to us that this fairly major engine problem did not occur hundreds of miles from home and the university.)
      
      
   5. Friend, God seems willing to carry the burden of proof that He exists and He came to rescue you from sin. Will you accept the evidence He has given?
      
      
4. Next week: The Bible and Science.

Introduction: Not too long ago I was reading the transcript of the "Intelligent Design" ("ID")trial which took place in federal court in Pennsylvania about a year and a half ago. Intelligent design is a scientific theory that our creation came about as the result of an intelligence, rather than Darwin's theory of change through chance. What struck me while reading the cross-examination (and the statements of the judge) was that the defense of Darwinism was not based so much on proving it was true or logical, but rather based on whether the leading scientific minds, scientific associations and journals accepted Darwinism as true. There is some sense to this approach because judges are not experts in science. The scientific community embraces Darwinism and (largely) rejects ID. Thus, Darwinism won. The readers of these lessons know I'm a lawyer and a logician not a scientist. Instead of scientific journals, what does your common sense, your life experience, and your logic say about the existence of God and the truth of His word? Let's plunge into this fascinating topic!

1. Fools?
   
   
   1. The leading scientists of 300-500 years ago were supporters of the idea of a Creator God. Today, the majority seem hostile or indifferent. Read Psalms 14:1. Assume you and I are in a debate over some important issue. My argument is that you are a fool, and your argument goes to the merits of the question. Who should win? (Name-calling is no substitute for a reasonable argument.)
      
      
      1. I say that if you are not a (Republican, Democrat, Independent - you fill in the blank) you are a fool. Are you convinced?
         
         
      2. Is God just calling those who do not believe in Him names? Or, is there something more to what God is saying? (When you see the word "fool" in the Bible, it is generally referring to someone who lacks "wisdom." God is not saying a fool is stupid. God is saying that a fool lacks wisdom - a much different thing.)
         
         
      3. Look again at the last part of Psalms 14:1. Is this more name-calling? (Yes! Just as the Judge in the ID trial looked at what experts said, rather than scientifically determine what was true, so God says look at the results of believing in Me. The fool lives life as if God did not exist. God's will and God's judgment are not part of the "equation" in this person's decision-making. Thus, this person's deeds are corrupt and vile.)
         
         
         1. I'm sure there are plenty of people who do not believe in God who would protest that they do not live corrupt and vile lives. What do you say to those people? (If they do not believe in a power outside of themselves, then their decision-making must inevitably turn on what they think is best for them.)
            
            
   2. Do you think a scientist can validly say that there is no proof that God exists or that He created the universe?
      
      
      1. If not, why not?(There is no clear proof of the absence of God. Stephen Hawking is reputed to be one of the smartest men alive. One of the things that I love about his popular scientific writing is his humility. He will often say (to paraphrase), "This is our theory right now. We've been wrong in the past and when we get better evidence we may discard this theory." His writings often refer to a god (meaning some unexplained power behind all of science). I've never read anything that makes me think Hawking believes in the Bible's Creator God, but at least Hawking is wise enough to write so as not to preclude such a possibility.)
         
         
   3. You all know the story of Job. Most comments that I hear about Job overlook some of the tough things Job says about God. Read Job 9:32-35. What is Job requesting? (He thinks God is being unfair to him. He wants to "sue God" (haul God into court before a judge) so that he can have a fair hearing about what God is doing to him.)
      
      
      1. Does Job believe in God? (Yes!)
         
         
      2. What is Job challenging? (God's fairness.)
         
         
   4. Now let's read Job 38:1-3. How does God respond to a challenge to His fairness (and not His existence)? (God says Job does not know what he is talking about.)
      
      
   5. Read Job 38:4-7. On what does God place His claim to superior knowledge? (Being the Creator of the earth.)
      
      
   6. Read Job 38:19-21. How does God compare Himself to humans?
      
      
   7. Read Job 38:31-36. In all of these verses in Job 38, God is making a very specific argument about who and what He is. On what is God's argument based? (Science. God says look at the heavens, look at the earth look at you. Did you create these things? Do you understand these things? Do you control these things?)
      
      
   8. What an interesting conflict. When God is called upon to argue His superior wisdom He points to the science of the creation. The scientists of today, "defeat" Intelligent Design theory by pointing to the creation. Let's test this in the next sections.
      
      
2. Testing the Logic of Fools
   
   
   1. Consider your hand. To your knowledge, can humans perfectly recreate the operation of the hand? (No. Not even close.)
      
      
      1. What is the logical conclusion to be reached from that? (If humans cannot recreate the operation of the hand, the idea that hands came into being by chance is irrational.)
         
         
   2. Consider the operation of your brain and your eye. Humans can easily distinguish one face from another. Can computers do this? (No. There is a great deal of work in this area to try to create camera/computers which will "recognize" known terrorists in airports. Computer technology has a long way to go.)
      
      
   3. Notice again Job 38:33. Stephen Hawking writes about our observation that the universe is slowly expanding. This is an important fact for the "Big Bang" theory of the origin of the universe. We can see that the universe is slowly expanding in all directions. Therefore, some scientists conclude that the universe began with an explosion.
      
      
      1. Think about this and the theory of gravitational pull for just a moment. What should we, logically, be concerned about? (If the universe is expanding, it is weakening the gravitational attraction. Thus, if the expansion is too fast, the universe should fly apart at some point. If it is too slow, gravitational attraction will pull the universe towards the center and it will implode.)
         
         
         1. What does our survival depend upon? (That the expansion takes place at precisely the correct rate.)
            
            
            1. Would that logically, be a matter of chance? A matter of experiment? Or, would that be one "of the law's of the heavens" spoken of in Job 38:33?
               
               
3. Proof in Our Life
   
   
   1. Read Psalms 119:105. What claim is being made for the Bible? (That you should direct your life by its precepts. It shows the way to walk in life.)
      
      
      1. Given this text, if you could show that following God's advice measurably improved the quality of life, would that would be scientific proof of the trustworthiness of God's word? (Yes.)
         
         
   2. Is there a difference in the divorce rate between Christians and the world? (I have read there is not, but these studies do not distinguish observant Christians from those who call themselves Christians. According to P. Fagan, "Why Religion Matters Even More: The Impact of Religious Practice on Social Stability," (Dec. 18, 2006 Heritage Foundation Backgrounder series) (hereafter "Fagan") "Marriages in which both spouses attend religious services frequently are 2.4 times less likely to end in divorce [than when spouses do not attend]." (Fagan, p. 3.) Those who stopped attending church divorced 2.5 times more frequently than those who continued to attend. Fagan, pp. 3-4)
      
      
      1. What would you think is the most important predictor of marital stability? (Religious attendance. Id.)
         
         
   3. Will living together before marriage, giving marriage a "test run," improve your chances of staying married? (No. Couples who lived together before marriage were 59% more likely to divorce than those who did not. Fagan, p. 4)
      
      
   4. Does church attendance affect mother/daughter relationships? (Mothers who consider religion important get along better with their daughters. Mothers and daughters who attend church with the same regularity have significantly better relationships. Even the grandmother's church attendance has an impact on her descendants. "The more religious a mother's mother is, the more likely the mother has a good relationship with the child." Fagan, p. 5)
      
      
   5. How does church attendance affect father/child relationships? (Greater religious practice makes better father/child relationships. Fagan, pp. 5-6.)
      
      
   6. Thirty-seven percent of births in the United States now occur outside of marriage! (Fagan p. 7)Is this proof of the failure of religion? (No. Regular religious practice is one of the most powerful factors in preventing out-of-wedlock births. Young woman who did not consider themselves "very religious" had 2-3 times more out-of-wedlock births than those who considered themselves "very religious." Fagan, p. 7)
      
      
   7. Read Proverbs 17:22. Will a relationship with God affect being cheerful?
      
      
   8. Church members who suffer from depression or other mental illnesses have complained to me that people don't think they are a "good Christian" if they continue in their illness. Others suggest that advising prayer for their situation falls far short of the mark when what they really need is medical intervention. Is God's word a positive or negative factor when it comes to mental health? (Positive: 81% of 99 studies found "some positive association ... between religious involvement and greater happiness, life satisfaction, morale, positive affect, or some other measure of well-being." (Fagan, p. 9) "Adolescents who frequently attend religious services and have a high level of spiritual support from others in their community have the lowest levels of depression." Fagan, p.10)
      
      
   9. Friend, look around you. In almost every aspect of our life we see proof that God's exists and that His word is true. Will you choose to follow Him as shown in His word?
      
      
4. Next week: The Word in Our Lives.

Introduction: "Faith vs. Works" is an old debate. Whatever its age, a correct understanding of the role of "works" in the life of a Christian is very important. Many years ago a newly converted Christian told me he had complete freedom from the Ten Commandments. His life was not constrained by the law. A number of years later, I saw him again. I reminded him of our conversation about the role of the law in his life. He looked a little sheepish and admitted that he had come to understand that those saved by faith alone have an interest in keeping God's law. Let's jump into our study this week and learn more about how a Christian's life should be impacted by God's word!

1. New Creation
   
   
   1. Read 2 Corinthians 5:17-19. When the Bible says "the old is gone," is that a reference to keeping the Ten Commandments? (No. Being "in Christ" makes us a new creation and takes away "the old" us.)
      
      
      1. What does this text mean when it says "not counting men's sins against them?" When we are a "new creation" can we sin without being condemned?
         
         
   2. Read 2 Corinthians 5:20-21. We are told that we are ambassadors - someone who represents God. As God's representatives, should we be telling others that their actions do not matter? We are righteous because Jesus paid the penalty for sin? Are these two different questions? (This section of the letter to the Corinthians says that our sins are not counted against us because Jesus accepted the penalty for our sin. That allowed us to become righteous. In that sense, our past actions do not matter.)
      
      
      1. Is the logical result of this to preach that our life-style does not matter? (That does not seem to be the logical result.)
         
         
   3. Let's continue to follow this line of argument. Read 2 Corinthians 6:14-17. What are we being told to do (or not do) here? (This seems to go far beyond an instruction for us to obey the law. It tells us not to "be yoked" and to "be separate" from unbelievers.)
      
      
      1. How much separation is the Bible suggesting?
         
         
      2. What does it mean to be "yoked?"
         
         
      3. More importantly, what does it matter? What is the reason to be separate? (God cares about our life after we become His followers.)
         
         
   4. Let's read on with this line of counsel. Read 2 Corinthians 6:18-7:1. What does God expect of the believer when it comes to "works?" (Purity.)
      
      
      1. What motive are we given in this text? (Reverence for God!)
         
         
      2. Does that make sense to you - that works still matter after being saved by faith? (Jesus died for your sins in a most painful way. Heaven gave its greatest gift to you! God is a Holy God. Out of respect for who He is and what He has done, we need to strive for purity. We need to be "perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.")
         
         
2. New Direction
   
   
   1. Read Psalms 19:7-8. What claim does God make for His law? (That it revives our soul, makes us wise (even if we are otherwise simple), gives us joy and gives us direction in life.)
      
      
   2. Read Psalms 19:10-11. I recall a fellow telling me that he had been saved by grace, and that he now felt so wonderful because he had been released from the law. I knew exactly what he meant. How can this emotion be squared with our previous text which says God's precepts give us "joy to the heart?"
      
      
      1. How can this emotion of freedom from the law be reconciled with our current text that the law is as sweet as honey and as valuable as gold? (The answer is in verse 11. The law warns us to stay away from things in life that will injure us. Obeying God's word results in blessings in our life - great rewards.)
         
         
   3. Read Psalms 19:12-13. How do you feel when you are addicted to some sin? (Terrible. Worthless. This text refers to our sins "ruling over" us.)
      
      
   4. How can you explain the contradiction of the feeling of joy when released from the law and a feeling of joy when following the law? (There is a balance here. On the one hand, it feels wonderful to be free from the condemnation of the law - the knowledge of what the law requires and our experience that we cannot perfectly keep the law. On the other hand, if our euphoria is over not having to pay attention to the law any longer, then our next emotion will be the practical suffering caused by a sinful life.)
      
      
   5. Read Psalms 19:14. After praising what the law does in our life, why does the Psalmist end up talking about words and meditations - things that do not seem central to the law?
      
      
      1. We are told not to lie and not take God's name in vain. We are told not to covet. But, there is no general commandment covering our words or our thoughts. Why would they be mentioned in the "summation" to Psalms 19? (Sin begins in the "heart" (the mind) and is first expressed in our words. Jesus brought out the deeper meaning of the law when He said that desiring to commit adultery violates the command against adultery. Matthew 5:27-28.)
         
         
3. The Word Through You
   
   
   1. Read John 5:36-40. Jesus is complaining to the Jewish leaders. What is His complaint? (They diligently study the Bible, but miss the fact that Jesus is the one spoken of by the Bible.)
      
      
      1. Those reading this lesson probably do not have the same problem as the Jewish leaders. Let's look at this issue in general. Why did "diligent" Bible study not open the eyes of the Jewish leaders? How is that even possible?
         
         
      2. Jesus says that His works testified to His Father in Heaven. Do you know people who either do not study the Bible or do not seem to grasp the message of the Bible?
         
         
         1. What importance can the works part of your Christian walk do for these people? (Another reason our works are important is that they are a means of bringing others to faith. Some that would never read the Bible, or understand the Bible, can be influenced to turn to God by your life. Our lives can be a part of "the Word.")
            
            
4. Renewal
   
   
   1. So far we have discussed how the Bible should change our life. The assumption is that we study the Bible. Let's read 2 Kings 22:8,10-11. Did these people have many copies of the Bible? (No. It seems they had lost their only copy and found it again in the temple when some repairs were being made.)
      
      
   2. Read 2 Kings 23:1-3. What was the result of reading the Bible publicly? (The people pledged to follow its instructions for their lives.)
      
      
   3. In the "old days" when we traveled in our a motorhome, we needed to carry cash with us. The problem was how to keep the cash from being stolen if someone broke into our motorhome? My solution was to keep the cash "in plain sight." Instead of hiding it in some remote place, I would put it in something common that a burglar would immediately see - and discount as a place to hide money. Does the devil hide the Bible "in plain sight?"
      
      
      1. How often do you read and study your Bible?
         
         
      2. Are you an advocate for a Bible that is difficult to understand?
         
         
      3. Do you read and study a Bible you can understand?
         
         
   4. Friend, God calls on us to obey His commandments. We obey, not because it earns us salvation, but because God died over the requirements of the law. That should open our eyes to the importance of His law. Will you determine today to read, understand and obey God's word?
      
      
5. Next week: Revelation of Hope.

Introduction: Hope. It helps you get up in the morning, right? In our sinful world, the Bible gives us hope. It gives us hope of a better world and a better life. Is there more to hope than that? Is there a "hope" element for life right now, right here? Let's jump into our lesson and find out more!

1. Hope in History
   
   
   1. Read Romans 15:1-3. What obligation do the strong have towards the weak?
      
      
      1. Can you give me an example of this?
         
         
   2. Read Romans 15:4. Who is the strongest "person" you know? (God!)
      
      
      1. What hope do these texts give us about our weaknesses? (When we are strong we are to help others because of the example of Jesus. But, more fundamentally, this teaches us God's attitude of being strong for us. He believes the strong should "bear with" the failings of the weak, and that is His attitude towards us! That gives us hope in our weakness.)
         
         
         1. On what can we base this conclusion - on just what Paul has written here? (Paul directs us to the Bible. Over and over again we see the heroes of the Bible show weaknesses. God works with them through those weaknesses. That gives us hope.)
            
            
2. Hope in Forgiveness
   
   
   1. Read 1 John 1:8-10. How many are without sin? (None!)
      
      
      1. How does sin make you feel? (Sin has stages. At first we enjoy it. (Why would we sin if we did not like it?) Later, we see the harm it does, we realize that it displeases God, and guilt sets in. Most likely sin does not end up the way we thought it would and we end up feeling rotten.)
         
         
      2. Will God forgive us from our sins? (This text says He will.)
         
         
         1. Is it hard to accept that we are forgiven? (It makes me so grateful. And, yes, if the sin is serious enough, it is hard sometimes to truly accept forgiveness.)
            
            
      3. The text says God is "faithful and just" to forgive us. What is "just" about God's forgiveness? It seems very "unjust" that Jesus suffered and died for my sins instead of me! (This word "just" connotes God's righteousness. God is faithful to His nature of helping us - the weak - by dying for our sins.)
         
         
      4. What is God's goal for us? (To "purify" us from our sins.)
         
         
         1. Is that also your goal? (We have hope in the fact of forgiveness and the prospect of living a more holy life.)
            
            
3. Hope in the Gift of Wisdom
   
   
   1. Read Proverbs 24:13-14. Thought I would also include the verse that says sweetness is good for you! What is like honey for the soul? (Wisdom.)
      
      
      1. Why is wisdom so good for us? (It gives us hope. It makes life sweeter.)
         
         
      2. Is the converse true, that if you have no hope you are not wise?
         
         
   2. Read Proverbs 24:15-16. Why do you think the text mentions the righteous man falls "seven times?" (Seven is the perfect number. It seems to me this is a perfect calamity - a complete disaster.)
      
      
      1. Why does the righteous man rise again? (I think this is a continuation of the discussion about hope. A righteous man rises after a perfect calamity because he has hope. A wise man believes in God and trusts in Him. That gives him the ability to move forward after disaster. He is not alone.)
         
         
4. Hope in Trouble
   
   
   1. Read Psalms 33:16-17. Does this sound right to you? This seems just the opposite of what we observe.
      
      
      1. Read Psalms 33:18-22. What is God's point? (The horse was the cutting edge military weapon. Warriors on these huge beasts (which moved with great speed and had big teeth)were a frightening sight to troops who had not seen them before. God tells us that vast armies and the most advanced weapons are no match for those whose hope is in God.)
         
         
         1. Is God's message of hope only about giving us eternal life? (Look again at Psalms 33:19. It tells us that God keeps us alive in famine.)
            
            
         2. Look again at Psalms 33:18. Do you want God watching over you?
            
            
            1. What is the basis for our hope? (God's "unfailing love!")
               
               
   2. Read Psalms 37:25-26. Have you seen the children of righteous people begging for bread?
      
      
      1. Are these two verses connected? Or, does God have a separate message for us in each verse? (God seems to say that those who are righteous are generous and lend freely. A person who is generous to others will never be short of food.)
         
         
         1. Why are the children of the righteous mentioned? (It could be that wealth is passed on. Or, that people remember the generosity of the parents and are willing to help their children.)
            
            
         2. Recall we just learned that God watches over us with His "unfailing love." The generosity of the righteous parents reflects that love to others.
            
            
   3. Read Matthew 6:19-21. This is a text which is commonly read, but I'm not sure it is commonly understood. We are told to make our financial deposits in heaven's bank. I don't see those on any corner. How, precisely, would you make such a deposit? (This text is consistent with Psalms 37:26. Righteous people are generous and lend freely. These are deposits in heaven's bank.)
      
      
      1. Do you seek out ways to make deposits in heaven's bank?
         
         
   4. Read Matthew 6:24. Is Jesus still talking about making deposits in heaven's bank? If so, what additional message is Jesus' giving us? (If you are devoted to increasing your wealth, that is inconsistent with an attitude of generosity.)
      
      
   5. Read Matthew 6:25-27. Why do these verses start out with "therefore?" (They follow the statements about money that Jesus previously made.)
      
      
      1. Is Jesus saying "Don't worry, laying down and sleeping some more is fine?" (No. Jesus is saying that putting the Kingdom of Heaven first, making deposits in the heavenly bank, will allow you to make heavenly bank "withdrawals" here.)
         
         
      2. Read Matthew 6:33. Does this text make "money" sense to you now?
         
         
      3. What has this to do with hope? (You deposit your money in your heavenly account because of your hope and trust in God's financial system.)
         
         
5. Hope Eternal
   
   
   1. Read 1 Corinthians 15:50. Will our assets here transfer to heaven? (Humans and their stuff do not transfer to heaven.)
      
      
   2. Read 1 Corinthians 15:51-55. How do we transfer to heaven?
      
      
   3. Read 1 Corinthians 15:57-58. Who gives us the victory? (Jesus.)
      
      
      1. What are we doing in the meantime?
         
         
      2. Do you see the "deposit in the heavenly bank" theme repeated here? (Being fully devoted to the work of the Lord is not a wasted effort. God gives us the victory, but He expects us to be helping in the effort.)
         
         
   4. Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13. What does Paul want to give us? (Hope.)
      
      
   5. Read 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18. On what do we base our hope of eternal life? (The words and resurrection of Jesus!)

1. Friend, God's word gives us hope. He gives us hope in our daily spiritual life. He gives us hope in our daily physical life. He gives us hope for life eternal. Will you join those who live in hope?
   
   
1. Next week: The Bible and Health.

Introduction: Everyone wants to be healthy. At the same time, it is a lot easier (and more enjoyable) to eat and drink whatever you want. It is a pain (sometimes literally) to exercise. If wearing your seatbelt is not a habit, then it is intrusive. We have more time to ourselves (and maybe Bible study) if we cut back on sleep, or so it seems. God spent a lot of time in the Old Testament giving what are obviously "health" messages to His people through Moses. God spent a lot of time in the New Testament seeming to downplay the importance of what goes in our body as opposed to what goes out. (See Mark 7:18-23) Obviously, if we have clear minds and strong bodies we can better serve God. But, is this a moral matter? Or, is it just a matter of common sense? Are Christians who focus on avoiding certain foods rather than avoiding certain evil thoughts playing into the hands of Satan? Let's dive into our lesson and see what the Bible has to say about health and the Christian walk!

1. Mind versus Body
   
   
   1. Read Romans 12:1. What comes to mind when you read the words "living sacrifice?" (First, Jesus' sacrifice of His life on our behalf. Second, the sanctuary service with its sacrifices.)
      
      
      1. What principle of Christian living comes to mind when we read these words? (The idea of self-sacrifice. The principle of unselfishness. Our life should be a tribute to God.)
         
         
      2. In the introduction, I mentioned that health diet and exercise can be a "pain." Are they subjects that should be considered as part of our self-sacrificing (holy) lifestyle?
         
         
      3. The Bible has this theme that giving results in getting(Luke 6:38). Does "self-sacrifice" in what we eat, whether we exercise, how much we sleep, how much we weigh, end up giving us more in life?
         
         
   2. Read Romans 12:2. Although Paul writes about our "bodies," what is he really talking about? (He is speaking first about our mind. We renew our minds with spiritual things and our bodies follow the path of our minds.)
      
      
   3. Read Romans 14:1-3. What is the subject matter which follows? (Disputable matters.)
      
      
      1. What is the relative importance of food in these verses?
         
         
   4. Read Romans 14:5-8. What does this suggest about the importance of the debate over what we eat?
      
      
      1. What do you think was the "disputable" issue over diet? (The New Bible Commentary points to verse 6 which refers to giving thanks to God while eating meat and suggests the issue is eating meat offered to idols. The "weak" Christian would be so concerned about eating meat offered to idols that he would refrain from eating any meat because he could not be sure of its origin.)
         
         
      2. This text, of course, is of great interest to those who think God commands a weekly day of worship. Do you understand from this text that God eliminated a special day for worship during the week? Did He eliminate the importance of one day of worship over another? (A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, like other commentaries, says "no" to those questions. It points out that Jesus announced He was "Lord of the Sabbath Day" (Mark 2:28) and thus the Sabbath of the Decalogue could not have been part of the "disputable" issues. Rather, Romans 14 refers to the "vanquished Jewish festival days, which only 'weakness' could imagine to still be in force.")
         
         
   5. Let's continue with this line of argument. Read Romans 14:13-17. What is Paul's primary concern in these verses? (What you eat may create a spiritual problem for someone else. Be careful not to injure someone else because of your convictions on diet.)
      
      
   6. Read Romans 14:19-21. What relative ranking does Paul make between mind and body? Between diet and spiritual matters? (Diet comes second.)
      
      
2. God's Priority
   
   
   1. Read Mark 7:1-5. How important is cleanliness to health?
      
      
      1. What do you think was God's purpose in the "washing" regulations given through Moses? (To help them to be healthy.)
         
         
   2. Read Mark 7:6-8. What two competing claims does Jesus see? (The commands of God and the traditions of men.)
      
      
      1. Which bothered Jesus most - letting go the commandments of God or holding on to the traditions of man?
         
         
   3. Read Mark 7:14-15. When considering issues of diet, health and fitness, are these matters of common sense or matters of sin?
      
      
   4. Read Mark 7:17-23. Will food affect your spirituality? (Common sense tells you that a healthy body makes it easier to think clearly. But, Jesus is saying something very important about diet issues. He teaches that food goes into our stomach and then out of our body. Food, does not cause sin. On the other hand, the evil thoughts of our hearts form the basis for our evil actions. Thus, what is produced by our minds and our hands should be the main focus of spiritual health - and not diet, fitness, health and exercise.)
      
      
   5. Read Romans 14:22-23. Should we even be discussing these issues in our lesson? (Paul devotes a whole chapter to it. I think it is in the specifics of diet that God advises us not to create problems in the church by sharing controversial views with "weak" fellow church members.)
   
   
   
3. Which Temple?
   
   
   1. Whenever issues of health, diet and fitness arise, someone shouts out "Your body is a temple." Is this a correct statement of Scripture?
      
      
   2. Read 1 Corinthians 3:16-17. Is this "temple" reference to our body or our local church? (If you are uncertain, read the entire chapter (1 Corinthians 3). The Wycliffe Bible Commentary says "the temple is the local church." Quite clearly, the context shows that Paul is not speaking about health, diet and fitness, he is speaking about the spiritual progress of the local church.)
      
      
   3. Read 1 Corinthians 6:18-20. Is this "temple" reference to health, diet and fitness? (No. This is dealing with sexual sins. If you doubt this, read the context: 1 Corinthians 6:12-17.)
      
      
      1. Notice that Paul sets sexual sins apart and says that they are different. How are they different? (Read 1 Corinthians 6:16-17. Paul refers to God's original plan for marriage in which two become one. This spiritual/physical unity in marriage is unique. Thus, sexual sins are also unique and especially harmful.)
         
         
4. Health and Healing
   
   
   1. Read Matthew 4:23-25. Why did Jesus take time to heal people when He could have spent the time warning them about the sin in their lives? (God wants us to have health and life.)
      
      
      1. What, if anything, does that teach us about our ministry? (If Jesus was concerned about health, so should we be concerned about it. If Jesus made health part of His ministry, we should make it a part of ours. Health, diet and fitness, in their proper place, should be a part of our witness.)
         
         
      2. Are there any other reasons why Jesus might have healed the people? (No doubt that helped to attract strangers to hear His message. People who might not otherwise have come, wanted to be healed or see healing.)
         
         
         1. Is there a lesson in that for us? (The health, diet and fitness message may be the way some are attracted to God's spiritual message.)
            
            
   2. Read 1 Timothy 3:2-4. Are all of these requirements spiritual necessities for all believers?
      
      
      1. If you say, "no," why does God set these requirements for the "overseer" of the church? (This is the picture of a temperate and holy person. God is not only interested in all aspects of our life, He believes that His followers will be attracted to those who are temperate. The "total package" is a witness to others.)
         
         
   3. Friend, what about you? Will you make diet, health and fitness part of your Christian walk? Will you understand its proper place in your life? Will you avoid getting into disputes with those who see things differently?
      
      
5. Next week: The Bible and Happiness.

Introduction: Happiness is a complex topic. So much of the Christian life sounds like the opposite of happiness. We talk about self-denial and self-sacrifice. We speak about taking up "our cross." Yet, as I look around at my fellow Christians(and look at myself), we don't seem all that unselfish. I see people who have better "things" than I do and I think "I would like to have things like that." Is "stuff" the key to happiness? Is renouncing "things" the path to joy? Are Christians missing out on happiness because they have so many things? Let's dive into the Bible and discover God's goals for us!

1. God's Goal and Money
   
   
   1. What is God's goal for us? Is it to be poor? We point to Jesus as our example, and He was "homeless" (see Matthew 8:20).
      
      
      1. No Christian I know chooses to be homeless. Are we just ignoring His example?
         
         
   2. Read John 10:9-10. When Jesus says that He wants His followers to "have life ... to the full" is He talking about an abstract eternal life, or life here and now? (Whatever Jesus is referring to, according to Strong's the Greek word translated "full" (perissos) means "superabundantly," "excessively." Note that Jesus begins these texts by speaking of eternal life.)
      
      
   3. Read Proverbs 15:6. Does this text refer to money and "stuff" in our life here and now? (Yes.)
      
      
      1. Is another concept also floating around in this verse? (Yes. Both the righteous and the wicked have money in this verse, but for the wicked money causes trouble.)
         
         
      2. Read Proverbs 10:22. What does this say about wealth and trouble? (It suggests that money by itself brings trouble. When God blesses us with money, He leaves the trouble behind.)
         
         
   4. Read Proverbs 11:28. What does this say about money and righteousness? (One of the problems with money is trusting it for our future. The righteous person, who trusts in God and not money, has a "green leaf" future!)
      
      
   5. Read 1 Samuel 2:7. Is money referred to in a positive or negative way? (Poverty seems to humble us and wealth exalts us.)
      
      
      1. Who is behind this humility and exultation? (God.)
         
         
      2. Which makes you more happy - to be humbled or exalted?

1. Read Isaiah 5:8. What does this suggest about being wealthy? (That you are alone!)
   
   
2. Read Mark 4:18-19. What does this say about wealth and God's word? (That the "deceitfulness" of wealth "chokes" the word.)
   
   
3. Let's stop and ponder what we have read. We have looked at texts from both the Old and New Testaments. Normally, we tend to equate a "superabundant" life, and "excessive" life with money. But, what overall lesson do these texts teach us about money and having a good and righteous life? (Money is a tricky thing. It can bring problems - indeed it often does. Only a combination of righteousness and wealth make life better.)
   
   
   1. What would you say is God's goal for us when it comes to money? Will God give us money so that we will be happy?
      
      
   2. If we say that God will bless us with money, should we be righteous as a means to become wealthy? (Read 1 Timothy 6:5. We will later explore the context of this text, but this clearly says that only a "corrupt mind" "robbed of the truth" thinks "godliness is a means to financial gain.")
      
      
4. We have looked at what the Bible says about the abundant life and money. Do things lead to happiness? Let's explore that next.
   
   
1. The Happy Life
   
   
   1. Read 1 Timothy 6:3-5. What words do you see in this text that are not what come to mind when you think of being happy?
      
      
      1. What seems to be the source of this unhappiness? (Conceited people who do not have God's truth.)
         
         
   2. Read 1 Timothy 6:6-10. How can we avoid grief? (Godliness with contentment.)
      
      
      1. If we link the idea of happiness with wealth, what is the problem with wanting to become rich? (The Bible is plain that a desire for money is a dangerous path that can easily plunge us into ruin and destruction.)
         
         
   3. Money does not seem to be the path to happiness. Let's look at some texts that suggest a positive route to happiness. Read Psalms 133:1. What is one source of happiness among those who follow God? (Unity.)
      
      
   4. Read Romans 15:13-14. What role does the Holy Spirit play in our happiness? (The Holy Spirit fills us with hope - and hope gives us joy and peace.)
      
      
      1. What are we hoping for? (The entire chapter speaks of hope. But, this specific text says that we are trusting in God. The logical conclusion is that if things are not well, we are hoping that things will get better in our life. If things are going well, we trust in God for the future. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to have that kind of hope. And hope fills us with joy and peace.)
         
         
   5. Read Galatians 5:22-25. How many of the words found in this text would you connect with happiness?
      
      
      1. What is the source of this happiness? (Having the Holy Spirit in our life.)
         
         
   6. Read Philippians 4:4-7. If someone tells you to "rejoice," or "be happy," does that do it? What is at the bottom of the statement "rejoice in the Lord always?" (Trusting God. We present our prayers and petitions to Him, and if we trust Him, peace will enter our hearts.)
      
      
      1. Is this peace logical? (No! The text says it "transcends all understanding." God can do the impossible. We just need to trust in Him.)
         
         
   7. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. Again, we have a text that tells us to "be joyful." What does this text suggest is the way to joy? (Be grateful to God. Be in contact with God through prayer. If you are constantly thanking God for His blessings to you, it lifts your spirit.)
      
      
   8. Read Luke 12:15. Think of all of the texts that we have read and studied in this lesson. What assumptions did we start with about happiness? (That happiness had to do with wealth and possessions.)
      
      
      1. What have we learned is the true source of happiness and joy? (A relationship with God. Life does not consist of what we own. A Spirit-filled life is the path to joy!)
         
         
   9. Friend, do you want happiness and joy in your life? The path to happiness is not wealth, but rather a relationship with God. Will you invite the Holy Spirit into your life right now to begin to walk the path to peace, trust and joy?
      
      
2. Next week: Daily Wisdom.

Introduction: Anyone with any smarts wants to be smarter, right? Would you also like to be wise? What do you see as the difference between the two? Which would you rather have, intelligence or wisdom? The problem with intelligence is that it is inherited - thus you had little to do with whether you have it or not. This is not true about wisdom. Wisdom you can acquire by study and effort. Our lesson this week is about wisdom, so let's wisely jump right into our study!

1. Where to Find Wisdom
   
   
   1. Read Psalms 19:7. What does it mean to "revive" your soul? (This sounds like a "tune-up" a "make-over" for the core of your being.)
      
      
      1. Are only smart people being made wise? (It is available to all: "Making wise the simple.")
         
         
      2. Why is "trustworthy" a part of becoming wise? (Wisdom is in large part understanding how things operate. Thus, if you have reliable knowledge (you are trustworthy) you are well on the road to wisdom.)
         
         
   2. Read Psalms 19:8. We studied happiness last week. How can the law give us joy?
      
      
      1. What does light do for your eyes? (Helps you to see things more clearly.)
         
         
      2. What relationship is there between light and beauty? (When you put a flower under a strong light can you see more of its beauty! Light helps you to more correctly perceive things.)
         
         
      3. What does light do for evil? (Exposes it.)
         
         
   3. The term "legalist" is sort of a dirty word among Christians. This text tells us God's law revives our core, makes us wise, helps us to see clearly and gives us joy! Who would want to turn that down? Why wouldn't you want to become the biggest legalist possible?
      
      
      1. Since my picture of a "legalist" includes joy, wisdom, light and revival, perhaps we are calling the wrong people legalists!
         
         
   4. Read Psalms 19:10. How is it appropriate to compare God's law to gold and honey? (If you asked someone if they would like some money, or asked them if they would like something sweet, they would say "yes!" God is telling us that His law is something that we want. Something we will enjoy.)
      
      
   5. Read Psalms 19:11. How does the law "warn" us? (Normally a "warning" has to do with something that can be dangerous. Life can be dangerous and the law gives us warnings about those things that can harm us. The law also does the opposite, it shows us what is good for us.)
      
      
   6. What is the best "toolbox" for improving your life? (God's law.)
      
      
   7. This series of verses makes the most extraordinary claims for God's law, statutes, precepts, ordinances, and commands. If this is true, who is the source of wisdom, joy and a glorious life? (God.)
      
      
      1. How do we tap into this source of wisdom, joy and blessings? How do we acquire a knowledge of God's law? (We read and study God's word - the Bible.)
         
         
   8. The reader of this lesson is unlikely to be a very young person. Therefore, you can test this with your life. Do your life experiences confirm or deny what the Psalmist writes in Psalms 19:1-11?
      
      
      1. To competently answer this question, you would not only need to have experienced life, you would need to know God's word well. Are you competent to answer this question? Do you know your Bible well enough to know whether following the law made your life better?
         
         
   9. On the web site "Progressive Adventism," I bumped into a television clip of Martin Sheen which carried the caption that Sheen knew his Bible. In the clip Sheen cites a number of God's Old Testament laws which he thinks the audience will find ridiculous. His reason for doing this is to make the point that God's law about homosexual practice is also ridiculous.
      
      
      1. What does this say about the Psalmist's view of the law verses Sheen's view (or the view of his writers)? (Sheen's point is that God's law is unwise and untrustworthy. This is just the oppose of the Psalmist's view.)
         
         
      2. If we decide to ignore some part of God's law, are we then taking on the role of law-maker? (Yes, but this is not a simple matter. In Acts 15 the early church wrestled with what parts of the law should be observed by the Gentiles. In the end, the church decided that only part of what Moses wrote was binding on Gentiles (Acts 15:19-21). I think Psalms 19:8 helps us - that if we study God's law we will have "light to the eyes" which will help us to understand God's will for us.)
         
         
2. Emotional Wisdom
   
   
   1. Would you like to get along better with others? (I have read that most employees who are discharged from their jobs are not fired for incompetence, but rather because they could not get along. Incompetence alone does not always (or maybe often) get you fired.)
      
      
   2. Read Matthew 22:37-40. What emotional wisdom do we find here? What instruction do we find for getting along with others and keeping our job?
      
      
      1. We determined in Psalms 19 that the law was this perfect tool for making our lives better. What shortcut does Jesus give us if we are uncertain that we know His law? (Jesus reduces the law to two foundational principles. You should be able to keep track of two things!)
         
         
         1. These principles are easy to say. How easy is it to apply the principle to love others as you love yourself?
            
            
   3. Read Colossians 3:22-24. One of Sheen's attacks on God's law was His regulation - not elimination - of slavery. If you were God, would you counsel your slaves to rebel against the authorities?
      
      
      1. What counsel does God give to slaves?
         
         
      2. Would this advice apply to employees today?
         
         
      3. If you were an employer, what would you do with an employee who took Colossians 3:23 to heart? (I would never fire that employee!)
         
         
3. Citizen Wisdom
   
   
   1. Read Romans 13:1-5. Is this wisdom for dealing with the government?
      
      
      1. Paul keeps repeating that the governmental authorities are "God's servants." He was talking about Rome which had some leaders who seemed far from being "God's servants." What does Paul mean by this?
         
         
      2. If you are an American, and you believe God has blessed our country, how do you square our rebellion against England with this text?
         
         
         1. Would the United States be where it is today without the war of independence?
            
            
      3. Would the wisdom of Romans 13 also apply at work?
         
         
4. Leadership Wisdom
   
   
   1. Read Matthew 20:20-22. Having just the facts in these verses, would you think that these sons were qualified to hold the highest positions in Jesus' kingdom? (Mom makes the request while they are present! True leaders would make the request themselves, or have another group of leaders make it.)
      
      
      1. Other than having your mom negotiate your promotions, is this otherwise a reasonable plan?
         
         
         1. If you want the "gold," you have to go for it, right?
            
            
   2. Read Matthew 20:23. Will Jesus be doing the promoting? (No.)
      
      
   3. Read Matthew 20:24-28. To what is Jesus responding? The request of the mother? The irritation of the other ten disciples? Or, the nature of leadership? (The implication is that they all wanted to be the top leaders. Jesus is saying the job is not what you think - I expect you to be a servant leader.)
      
      
      1. Is this "wisdom" for church administrative positions? Or, is it wisdom for all management positions? (Jesus says this is what He did for us. It seems this is universal advice for Christians.)
         
         
   4. Friend, God's word can make you wise. Will you pledge to study it? Will you agree to take the world's ultimate "life improvement" course?
      
      
5. Next week: Growing Through the Word.

Introduction: One very hard-fought religious liberty case I handled involved a client who had steady and substantial changes in his life after he gave his life to Jesus. The other side argued he was not sincere in his religious beliefs (and therefore should not win) because of the conflict between what he had been in the past and what he said and did now. The main lawyer for the other side was a pagan who had no understanding of the topic of our lesson this week: Christian growth. I spent a great deal of time in my brief to the court discussing this idea of Christian growth and how it worked in the life of my client. Fortunately, the judge understood this idea and ruled in our favor. Let's dive into our study about Christian growth!

1. Nicodemus
   
   
   1. Read John 3:1-2. What do we learn about Nicodemus and his views of Jesus? (Nicodemus was a very important man. He did not understand that Jesus was the Messiah - he considered Jesus a Spirit-filled teacher and miracle worker.)
      
      
      1. What do you think Nicodemus wanted? (He met Jesus at night. That suggests Nicodemus was sincerely interested in finding out more about Jesus without damaging his reputation or appearing to take the side of this controversial "teacher.")
         
         
      2. If you were Jesus, what would your goal be for this conversation? (Convert Nicodemus.)
         
         
   2. Read John 3:3. I know this is hard, but clear your mind of everything you know about being "born again," and tell me what you would conclude from what Jesus said?
      
      
      1. Is Jesus' response a natural reply to Nicodemus question? (Nicodemus's statement was probably a slow and diplomatic (he thought) beginning to a spiritual discussion that would determine who Jesus was. Jesus skips the diplomacy and gets straight to the point that they both wanted to reach.)
         
         
      2. Would Nicodemus be offended by this response? (It would be natural - given Nicodemus's exalted political and religious background. He would think he should build on what he had accomplished, not start all over again.)
         
         
   3. Read John 3:4-6. What does Jesus mean when He says that Nicodemus (and you) must be "born again?" (Baptism of water and the Holy Spirit.)
      
      
   4. If you were to ponder Jesus' statement about the need to be born again - what meaning would it have beyond baptism? (Jesus' analogy to new life suggests that the new Christian is to grow. Indeed, Jesus speaks a great deal about the birth of the "spirit" in the "born again" Christian. The whole idea of spiritual growth is central to Jesus' point.)
      
      
      1. Did even Nicodemus, that Bible scholar, need to be "born again?"
         
         
      2. What, then, about you?
         
         
2. God's Expectation
   
   
   1. Read Hebrews 5:11-12. What is wrong with these Christians? The text says they are slow learners. Do they lack intelligence?
      
      
   2. Read Hebrews 5:13-14. What is Hebrew's teaching about righteousness? (That righteousness is a matter of growth in the knowledge of God's word. If you need to keep relearning the elementary truths of the gospel, something is wrong with your understanding of God's goal for your life.)
      
      
      1. What does it mean for a Christian to be on "solid food?" ("Solid food" allows you to distinguish good from evil. This is a constant work and it is the result of growing in righteousness.)
         
         
   3. Read Hebrews 6:1-2. When Hebrews calls on us not to "lay again the foundation of repentance" is it telling us that Christian growth should not involve having to repent again? (No. Hebrews is describing the introductory foundations (the "milk") of Christianity: repentance from sin, faith in God, baptism, laying on of hands, the coming resurrection and judgment.)
      
      
   4. Read Hebrews 6:4-6. Consider this warning about Christian growth: does this mean we should not pursue those who have left the church? What if we leave the church - can we not return?
      
      
   5. Read Hebrews 6:7-8. How can we tell if we have fallen away? (Hebrews is comparing the productive Christian life with the "fallen way" life. The fallen away person may continue to sit in church, soaking in "rain" (the Holy Spirit), but this person produces a life of "thorns and thistles." I don't think this is the "prodigal son" who runs away from church and later returns to the arms of a loving father. See Luke 15:11-24.)
      
      
   6. What is the main point of Hebrews 5:11-6:8? (The whole sense of this conversation is the failure of Christian growth. We need to be moving forward in knowledge. We need to be productive Christians.)
      
      
   7. Read James 5:19-20. How does this fit into the picture the writer of Hebrews is painting? (We can fall into sin and return. We can drift away and return. What we cannot do is be fully aware and settled in the truth and then walk away from God. A hardened heart like that is unlikely to return. See also Hebrews 3:12-4:2)
      
      
   8. How are the texts in this section like driving a car? (You are either in drive and moving forward toward the goal of Christian maturity, or you are not. You might be stopped or in reverse. Neither is any good. If you are moving in reverse, you are moving backwards away from the goal and towards an ever hardening heart.)
      
      
      1. Which direction is your spiritual "car" moving?
         
         
3. Faith and Rest
   
   
   1. Does this command to keep growing in Christian maturity, to keep driving forward seem tiring? Does it take more energy than you have available? Are you out of gas? Let's read Hebrews 4:1-3. How does adding faith to our knowledge of God's message give us rest? (The parallel (see Hebrews 3) is the Exodus from Egypt to Canaan. If the people had just keep moving forward with God, just trusted Him, they would have entered the promised land - the land of rest.)
      
      
   2. Read Hebrews 4:4-7. To what does God compare the rest of faith and trust in Him? (The Sabbath ends the week of work, just as the original Sabbath ended the week of Creation. Without entering into the spiritual rest arising from faith, you have not finished the course of Christian growth.)
      
      
   3. Read Hebrews 4:8-11. What connection is there between Sabbath-keeping and faith? (The Sabbath is the weekly reminder of the rest given us by faith. "Anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work." The Sabbath reflects our faith and our understanding that God has a heavenly rest in mind for us - not just here, but in heaven's promised land.)
      
      
   4. Would you say that part of our Christian growth is our desire to be on a journey to heaven?
      
      
4. Love
   
   
   1. Read 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. We just got through studying the importance of faith to our Christian growth. We now learn that faith is nothing without love. How can that be true?
      
      
   2. Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Is there room for growth in your life in the area of love?
      
      
   3. Read 1 Corinthians 13:8-13. Why is love so great? (I think this text tells us that we may have imperfect doctrines, prophecies and knowledge. That is, the teaching of the church may not be exactly right. But a loving attitude is as close to God's perfection as we can come right now. Just like the advice to parents - love makes up for a multitude of "sins." Love is necessary part of our Christian growth.)
      
      
5. The Result
   
   
   1. Read Ephesians 4:14-15. As we become mature in our understanding of God's word, what benefit enters our life?
      
      
      1. When we find a member who has not yet reached maturity, and is being tossed about by false doctrine, how should we respond? (As we speak the "truth in love" we continue to grow in our knowledge of Jesus.)
         
         
   2. Friend, what about your life? Are you continuing to grow in your understanding of God's will for you? Are your faith and love growing? If not, will you commit to studying God's word every day so that your life will move towards that "Sabbath rest" God has promised?
      
      
6. Next week: The Word of God Endures.

Introduction: Almost everything seems to change during our very short lifetime. How many things do we use every day that are thousands of years old? How many things that old have any relevance to life today? I can only think of one: the Bible. Just the fact that the Bible continues to be a relevant, popular guide to living teaches us something about its Godly origins. Unfortunately, some disagree. Right now, there are at least two books on a best-seller list which attack belief in God. Hitchens's book, "God is Not Great," is # 3 and Dawkins's book, "The God Delusion," is # 26 on the New York Times list of best sellers. Let's dive in and spend some time considering why God's word endures despite its detractors!

1. God's Word: A Proven Track Record
   
   
   1. Read Psalms 119:105. Have you ever used a map that was no longer accurate? What did you do with that map?
      
      
      1. The Psalmist tells us that God's word is a roadmap for life. Do you agree?
         
         
         1. What would happen if most people found the Bible gave out bad advice for living? (They would reject it. The law has a term, "self-authenticating," and that term applies here. The Bible is its own witness as to its reliability and dependability. This is an important reason why it continues to be popular.)
            
            
      2. Do you know people who reject the Bible as a reliable guide to living? If so, is there a common trait among them? (These are generally people who want to have a lifestyle which the Bible does not approve. Not too many people attack the general principles of the Bible as being false. Instead, it is a particular rule or two that they challenge because it does not fit with their desires.)
         
         
   2. Read Psalms 33:11. How does God stay relevant through the generations? (God has a master plan and a purpose for humans that does not change "through all generations." It must be a fabulous plan to continue to be relevant!)
      
      
      1. What are these plans for us? (Read Jeremiah 29:11. God desires to give us hope, prosperity and a future.)
         
         
         1. Is there evidence for this? (A better life is another reason why God's word proves itself over and over again. Even today God's plan works to make our lives better. More than that, God's plan gives us a way out of eternal death - now that is something to give us hope!)
            
            
2. God's Word: A Revolutionary Approach to Leadership

1. Read Numbers 21:4-5. What did God's people think about His word at this time? (None of the charges were true - except maybe they did not like the food.)
   
   
   1. Knowing what you do about the Exodus, what do you think about the complaints of the people against God's leadership?
      
      
2. Read Numbers 21:6-7. God's response to rebellion was to send punishment and hardship. What does this say about God's leadership?
   
   
3. Read Numbers 21:8-9. What is the logic of making an image of a snake and giving the people life if they looked? (I think the key is facing your sins. The snake is the historic symbol of sin. Acknowledging your sin is the first step to life.)
   
   
4. Read John 3:14-15. Why would Jesus compare Himself to the snake in the desert? (Jesus took our sins. He became sin for us. If we "look" at our crucified Lord, that gives us life.)
   
   
   1. How does the approach of our God differ from that of other gods and other rulers? (God's approach is remarkably different. He gave up His life for us! Most leaders take from their followers. They use and abuse those below them. Not our God.)
      
      
   2. Is there a different leadership style in God's approach in Numbers (sending the snakes) and in John (accepting our punishment for sin)? (No. This is a very important difference between our God and other gods and rulers: our God abides by the rule of law. He does not make up the rules to be whatever He wants at the moment. The people in the desert were punished for their sin of rebellion - until they turned from it. Jesus did not just wave a wand and forget about the rebellion of sin. Instead, Jesus fulfilled the law by paying the penalty on our behalf.)
      
      
   3. What does God's leadership "style" have to do with the enduring relevance and popularity of His word? (It is like nothing else on earth.)
      
      
   4. We all know Godly men and women who are servant leaders who do not abuse those "below" them. In my experience, these are Christians. Imagine what the world would be like if there were no example of a God who led by giving up His life?
      
      
5. Read Hebrews 2:14-15. How does Jesus destroy death by His death? (Satan is our death-dealing enemy. When Jesus died in our place, He took away the power of Satan to demand our death for our sins. What a concept! Jesus wins by giving up His life. He lets Satan torture and kill Him to give us life eternal.)
   
   
6. Read Romans 4:18-25. How many times do you see others take credit for work they did not do? To whom did Jesus give credit for His perfect life? (He gave the credit to those who believe in Him.)
   
   
   1. What does the resurrection of Jesus do for us? (It justifies us. It takes away our sins when we ask for forgiveness.)

1. How common is it for leaders to give credit to others that is really due to them?
   
   
1. Read Matthew 28:18-20. At some point we train people in business to be self-sufficient. That is how you make money from their work. Is that how Jesus' leadership works? (He says that He is with us forever.)
   
   
2. Read Micah 6:8. How does God want us to react to His leadership style? (This is a summary of God's approach: justice (the rule of law), mercy (God's love), and a humble walk (God's sacrifice on our behalf and His servant leadership).)
   
   
3. Our lesson is about God's word enduring. What has God's leadership approach got to do with that topic? (This is a leader you want to follow! This is a leader you can follow your entire life and your children after you. This is a leader who will stay with you. This is a leader who loves and cares for you - while also loving the rule of law.)
   
   
1. God's Word: Hope for the Future
   
   
   1. Read Matthew 24:30-31. Who is coming to take us to heaven? (Jesus is coming. But, note that the angels "gather" the righteous to take them to heaven.)
      
      
      1. How important is this promise of reward to the enduring nature of the word of God?
         
         
   2. Read Matthew 24:36-39. Jesus talks about things we can know about and those we cannot know about. What can we know? (That Jesus is coming again to take us to heaven with Him.)
      
      
      1. What do we not know? (When this will happen.)
         
         
      2. Is there anything wrong with the things the people are described as doing in Matthew 24:38? (No. They are just caught up in the things of this world. God calls us to be aware of the things of God.)
         
         
   3. Read Matthew 24:42-44. Why does Jesus compare His Second Coming to a visit by a thief? Why would Jesus use the illustration of a visit by someone who comes to take our stuff? (There is the idea of the thief making an unexpected visit. But, more fundamentally, we have a lot to gain or lose in the Second Coming. We need to be on alert so that Satan does not "break into" our lives and steal our eternal life. We need to "endure" with God's word for the rest of our life - so we will be ready for His Second Coming.)
      
      
      1. What does this comparison of the Christian's reward to a thief coming have to do with the enduring nature of God's word? (God's word is not something that you just read once, and then move on to other things in life. God tells us that being in His word, and paying attention to our continuing relationship with Him, is an ongoing concern of the highest order. If you accept that, teaching it to your children becomes very important.)
         
         
   4. Friend, God's word has survived over thousands of years. Will you make it an important part of your life?
      
      
2. Next week: We begin a new series called "For Better or Worse: Lessons From Old Testament Couples." We will explore the marriages of couples in the Old Testament to see what we can learn to improve our own marriages.