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| | (1 recommendation so far) | Message 1 of 17 in Discussion |
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| Agents of Hope: God's Great Missionaries
Introduction
Contents
Helps
Discussion Groups
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| INTRODUCTION Agents of Hope Swede Ingmar Bergman told a story about a knight named Antonius Block who kneels in front of a confessional to confess his sins. He does not realize until later that he is talking to Death—a shadowy, robed character—rather than a priest. Block declares that he is seeking not faith, not suppositions, but knowledge. "I want," he says, "God to stretch out His hand toward me, reveal Himself, and speak to me." Death says back that perhaps there is no God, that there is only nothing. "Then," says Block, "life is an outrageous horror. No one can live in the face of death, knowing that all is nothingness."  Today millions live in the face of such nothingness. They have no faith in God, no hope in anything past the world around them. No wonder, then, that so many focus on the comforts of this life, seeking solace in pleasure and the various worldly distractions. The Christian faith—which calls upon us to "fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (2 Cor. 4:18, NIV)�?/I>is foreign to them.
As Christians, we are God's agents to bring these people hope, to show that there is a God who loves and cares for them, to show that although life has many outrageous horrors, it is not ultimately an outrageous horror but that God will finally make all things right. The Bible gives us many inspirational stories of God's agents of hope. In this quarter's lessons we will focus on some of these outstanding missionaries; on whom they were and what they did in seeking to bring others to a saving knowledge of the Lord of salvation. Ellen G. White tells the story of a man nearly chilled to death in deep snow. He was about to give up struggling for his life when he heard the moans from a fellow traveler nearby. His first impulse was to rescue the other man. When he found him, he rubbed the man's frozen limbs. He finally got him to his feet and carried him through the drifts to safety. Then "the truth flashed home to him that in saving his neighbor he had saved himself also" by quickening "the blood which was freezing in his own veins."�?I>Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 319. The point? A healthy church is a church focused on mission to others. Sharing God's love with the community brings fresh life and energy into the church. It would be a mistake this quarter to study these biblical agents as interesting historical figures and leave it at that. Rather, we need to catch the inspiration of their lives and focus on our mission to this dying world. There is nothing more refreshing, or more life-giving, than reaching out to others. Our prayer is that this quarter's lessons on biblical agents of hope will lead us into a renewed commitment to share God's love with our neighbors and friends and in mission fields around the world. In so doing, we may just find that we have entered into a whole new dimension in our Christian lives. Gary Krause, an Australian born to missionary parents in Fiji, is director of the Office of Adventist Mission at the General Conference. He is married to Bettina, and they have one daughter, Bethany Grace.
Contents: (all lessons may not be posted)
Giardina Sabbath School Study Helps Jerry Giardina of Pecos, Texas, assisted by his wife, Cheryl, prepares a series of helps to accompany the Sabbath School lesson. He includes all related scripture and most EGW quotations. Jerry has chosen the "New King James Version" of the scriptures this quarter. It is used with permission. The study helps are provided in three wordprocessing versions Wordperfect; Microsoft Word; RTF for our MAC friends (this is now a zip file); and HTML (Web Pages).
Last updated on May 22, 2008 Editorial Office: 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904.
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"All Things to All Men": Paul Preaches to the World
(1 Corinthians 9 & 10)
Missionaries in the Bible: Lesson 2
Copr. 2008, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. All scripture references are to the New International Version (NIV), copr. 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society, unless otherwise noted. Quotations from the NIV are used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. The lesson assumes the teacher uses a blackboard or some other visual aid. This lesson can be found at: <url:http://www.GoBible.Org/study/511.php>
Introduction: "Why would we use the world's approach? All we need is the Holy Spirit!" Some church leaders look at evangelizing the world like any other business outreach. If a strategy works for business, we should try it in the church. Others seem to think no modern strategy is needed, we should just depend on the Holy Spirit to bring in new members. E.M. Bounds said: "Man looks for better methods, God looks for better men. Men are God's methods." Does that make any sense? Wouldn't better men look for better methods? What if the Holy Spirit told us to use modern strategies? Would you be willing to change your church service as a strategy to attract new members? What if you thought certain changes were theologically incorrect, would you make those? What about members who think the changes are sinful? Let's dive into our lesson and find out what the Holy Spirit says through missionary Paul about converting the world!
All Things to All People
Read 1 Corinthians 9:19. What work is Paul talking about when he says "to win as many as possible?" (He is talking about converting sinners. He is talking about evangelizing.)
When Paul says he is making himself a slave, what do you understand this to mean? Is he losing his freedom? (He is giving up what he might prefer to do. He is subordinating his wishes to those of others.)
Read 1 Corinthians 9:20-22. Is Paul being a hypocrite when he says he acts as if he were under the law to some and not under it to others? (He has one constant rule - to try to fit in with all people.)
Is obedience to the law a moral issue? Is salvation through faith alone a moral issue?
Is this what Paul is talking about when he says "under the law?" (If he is not talking about obedience and salvation, it sure smells like he is!)
If these are not moral issues, is it at least an issue on which you can say one group is theologically correct and the other side is theologically incorrect? (Yes. For fun and confusion on this issue read Galatians 2:11-14.)
If you agree that there is a right and wrong answer to the issue about being under the law, is Paul saying converting people is more important than being theologically correct? (He says it is theologically correct to "fit in." However, note 1 Corinthians 9:21 where he says he is under God's/Christ's law. He is bound by moral principles.)
Real Life Decisions
Let's discuss some real applications in your church. When I appear in court, I always wear a coat and tie. I believed I should show God the same honor by wearing a coat and tie to church. One day someone suggested that most people did not wear a coat and tie and, maybe, I was discouraging new people from coming to church if they did not own a coat and tie. Assume that I'm right that I should wear a tie before God if I wear it before some human judge. What would Paul wear if he thought wearing a tie would discourage new people from coming to church?
Recently, I listened to some sermons from the pastor of the Mars Hill Church. They were excellent. The pastor wore ripped jeans and a t-shirt. I would never dream of wearing that to church - especially if I were preaching. What do you think the Mars Hill pastor is doing, and is he right?
I like contemporary praise music. Levi Tavares, my wonderful translator for those who read Portugese, loves the old hymns but not contemporary praise music. If my church was located in a community filled with people like Levi, should I stop singing contemporary praise music so I can get these Levi-like people to attend church?
What if Levi finds that his community is filled with Bruce-like people who love contemporary praise music? Should he toss out his hymn books and start singing contemporary praise songs to get these people to attend his church?
What if most people in the community attend church on Sunday, and you believe that the seventh-day Sabbath is the true day of worship: should you add an additional service on Sunday, until you can teach them about the Sabbath?
If you say, "No, don't be silly," what do you think Paul meant when he said "I became like one not having the law?" (1 Corinthians 9:21).
What if half your present members leave because the preacher starts wearing ripped jeans, the music changes and you start holding services on the wrong day? Does Paul's goal of "saving some" exclude present members?
Agreed Upon Principles
I'm sure this has stirred up a hornet's nest. If the principle is to "do anything" to bring in new members, then we should do it. However, if that is not what Paul is teaching, we need to understand his teaching so that we can make principled decisions for evangelizing. Let's look at some applications from Paul's day to try to understand the underlying principles.
Read 1 Corinthians 10:25-26. What conscience issues are involved here? (If you read 1 Corinthians 10 you will see that Paul is writing about idol worship. He says don't worship idols and don't make sacrifices to an idol. However, if you did not sacrifice meat to an idol, and you are buying meat of unknown origin, you don't have to worry about whether someone else offered it to an idol.)
Read 1 Corinthians 10:27-29. What new rule does Paul give us for eating? (Although it is not wrong for you to eat meat offered to an idol, if someone has a problem with that, you should not eat "idol meat" in front of them.)
Was it the position of the church that you could eat meat sacrificed to idols? (No. Read Acts 15:23-29.)
On whose authority was this decision made? (The early church leaders, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.)
Does this mean Paul was violating a moral rule when he ate meat that might have been offered to an idol? (My vote is that Paul did not think so, but it is clear that others could argue that Paul was violating a moral rule.)
Read 1 Corinthians 9:22. What is Paul's primary rule? (Winning others to Christ.)
Does this include not offending the weak that you already have in the church? (Read 1 Corinthians 10:31-33. Yes, we do not want to "cause to stumble" even those already in the church.)
What have we learned so far for our missionary efforts? Go back and apply all these principles to the modern situations that we discussed: 1) Church attire; 2)Church music; and 3) Non-traditional day of worship? (There are clearly areas of theological dispute in which we should "limit our freedom" to convert others. This, in turn, is limited by those "weak" members who think a moral issue is involved, even though it is not.)
Does this mean we are just paralyzed? We want to do new things to bring in new people, but the weak members prevent us from doing it? (Read Romans 15:20. Remember that Paul is traveling from new group to new group. You may have to start a new service in your church or plant a new church to do something different to bring in new members.)
Friend, I don't think Paul tells us to violate moral principles in our efforts to win others to Christ (1 Corinthians 9:21). However, he certainly tells us that we should limit our own freedom on subjects which are highly debated. The problem is dealing with "weak" members who think a moral issue is at stake when it is not. If your church is stagnant, will you pray that God will show you what you need to change to bring in new people? Will you also pray that God will give your church members the ability to distinguish between their preferences and real moral issues?
Next week: John the Baptist: Preparing the Way for Jesus.
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John the Baptist: Preparing the Way for Jesus
(Luke 1 & 3, Matthew 11)
Missionaries in the Bible: Lesson 3
Copr. 2008, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. All scripture references are to the New International Version (NIV), copr. 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society, unless otherwise noted. Quotations from the NIV are used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. The lesson assumes the teacher uses a blackboard or some other visual aid. This lesson can be found at: <url:http://www.GoBible.Org/study/512.php>
Introduction: Would you like Jesus to say great things about you? What if He said "Among the human race, no one is greater than [insert your name]." Nothing could be better, right? The problem, of course, is that you are a sinful person, whose faith sometimes fails. Did you know that Jesus made that remark about John the Baptist?(John 11:11) Clearly John was this great missionary with absolutely no faith problems, right? Or, wrong? What kind of person was John? What can we learn from his life to give us comfort in our failures? Let's dive into the lesson and find out!
John, The Predicted One
Read Luke 1:5-7. What do you learn about this couple from these verses? (They are righteous people who have a religiously superior blood line. They are both descendants of Aaron, which means they are part of the family of priests.)
What problem do they have? (They have no children. The odds of having any were low because of their age. Parenthood had passed them by.)
Luke goes on to discuss what happened one day when Zechariah was serving as a priest in the temple. Let's read Luke 1:11-17. Had they prayed for a child? (Yes!)
What kind of child were they getting? (One who would be like Elijah and would turn the people to God and prepare them for their Lord! Wow. This was going to be some son!)
John and His Work
Read Luke 3:2-3. What did John do to turn the people to God? (God spoke through him. He preached a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.)
Is that our first step in being missionaries? To preach to others to repent of their sins? (No. Did you notice in Luke 1:15 it says that John was filled with the Holy Spirit from birth? Luke 1:80 suggests that John lived in the desert while the Holy Spirit prepared him for his mission. Be sure your heart is Spirit-filled and properly prepared before you start calling others to repent of their sins. See, for example, Luke 3:7-8, for the kind of talk used by John.)
Let's continue by reading Luke 3:4. How long had God planned for the work of John? (Isaiah prophesied about John! This prophecy was confirmed to John's father before John was conceived! (Luke 1:13-17 and Luke 1:23-24) Before you abort your child, consider what plans God has for that baby.)
Read John 1:29-31. Did John fulfill his mission in life? (Yes!)
Read John 1:32-34. How did John know that his mission had been fulfilled and Jesus had come to baptize people with the Holy Spirit? (God told him.)
John, the Man
Read Luke 3:18-20. Do you think, given the prophecies about him, that John expected to end up in prison? What happened to Elijah in a similar situation? (In 1 Kings 19 we learned that Elijah was able to escape to the wilderness to avoid the being caught and killed by Queen Jezebel. John would reasonably expect the same.)
Do you think John entertained doubts that God was with him when he was imprisoned?
Read Matthew 11:2-3. What is happening to John's faith while he is in prison? He was previously told by God that Jesus was the One for whom he was preparing the way. He had seen Jesus face to face. Why would John doubt now?
Let's go back and consider something that we skipped over before. We will read what the Holy Spirit caused John's father, Zechariah, to prophesy about his son and about Jesus. Read Luke 1:67-79. As you look at this prophecy, it seems that verses 68-75 are about Jesus and verses 76-79 are about a combination of John and Jesus. Assuming that Zechariah and John talked about what God had revealed to dad, what do you think was their understanding of the work of Jesus? (Luke 1:72-74: to remember the covenant with Abraham and to rescue them from their enemies so they could serve God without the fear of other people. Jesus would throw off the yoke of the Romans and He would return the land to the Jews so that they could properly worship God!)
If Jesus was supposed to overthrow the Romans, how does John's imprisonment fit into that picture? (It would be logical to expect that Jesus would never let "His Elijah" be imprisoned. Instead, John should be an honored and important part of the new Jewish kingdom.)
What was Jesus doing to overthrow the Romans?
Was all of this prophecy stuff about John and his work a big misunderstanding? Was God untrustworthy? Had John spent his life preaching in the desert for nothing?
Read Matthew 14:6-11 and 2 Kings 2:11. Had God promised John a better fate?
Why would Elijah be translated and the second Elijah, John, be beheaded in prison?
Is John at fault here?
John's Lesson for Us
Read Matthew 11:4-6. Given what John expected, would the proof Jesus offered satisfy John's questioning?
What does Jesus mean when He says in Matthew 11:6 "Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of Me?"
Is John in danger of falling away "on account of" Jesus?
If you say, "yes," why? (John was in danger of falling away. John expected a different Jesus. Jesus' proof that He was the Messiah consisted of great miracles that could hardly represent the work of a mere prophet. These miracles showed that the enemy (Luke 1:74) from whom Jesus was rescuing the people was not a mere human (the Romans), but rather Satan and death, our true enemies. )
Read Matthew 11:11-13. Remember that I started out asking you whether you would like God to say that "Among the human race, no one is greater than you!" God said that about John, but now Jesus says that you are greater than John. In what way are you greater?
Matthew 11:12 is very difficult to understand. Read it in several different translations. The English Standard Version says: "From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force." Has this anything to do with the prior subject of John doubting whether Jesus is the Messiah and John's reasons for doubting? (I've not seen a commentary that agrees with me, but I think it does. Remember that John began to doubt because he expected the Messiah to use force to restore the Jewish nation and defeat the Romans. Jesus says the kingdom was previously about force and violence (conquest), but no longer. If you understand that the Kingdom of Heaven is about Jesus giving up His life to defeat sin and death, you are greater in understanding than those (like John) who think the Kingdom of God is about earthly conquest.)
What lesson should we learn from John the Baptist? That even the greatest can become confused and doubt? That our life may take unexpected, and unpleasant turns? That God's kingdom is about self-sacrifice - and that includes you and me? (All of the above!)
Friend, will you keep your heart and mind open to the leading of the Holy Spirit? Will you determine to trust God even if your life is not turning out the way you expected? Will you be greater than John the Baptist and welcome Jesus' kingdom of spiritual warfare?
Next week: The Son of God Among Us.
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The Son of God Among Us
(John 1, Luke 15, Matthew 23)
Missionaries in the Bible: Lesson 4 Copr. 2008, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. All scripture references are to the New International Version (NIV), copr. 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society, unless otherwise noted. Quotations from the NIV are used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. The lesson assumes the teacher uses a blackboard or some other visual aid. This lesson can be found at: <url:http://www.GoBible.Org/study/513.php> Introduction: We don't normally think of Jesus as a "missionary," but He is the greatest missionary of all times. As we continue our series of studies on great missionaries, let's consider Jesus' missionary work with sinners and what we can learn from Him in our mission to bring others into the Kingdom of God. Let's dive into God's word and see what we can learn! - The Word
- Read John 1:1&14. Who is this "Word?" (Jesus. We know that John is speaking about Jesus because he says that "the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.")
- If Jesus is the Word, how can verse 1 say that He was "with God" and "was God?" Imagine saying that someone was "with Bill" and "was Bill." Does this make any sense? (This is an early introduction to the concept of the Trinity - in which three are one. In that sense you can be "with" the "person" that you are.)
- Why, of all things, would Jesus be called the "Word?" (Words communicate ideas. As the greatest missionary, Jesus came to communicate ideas to us about who He was and what He wanted from humans.)
- Read John 1:2. What point is John making about Jesus? How does this dispel the idea that Jesus is a created being like an angel? (When God existed, Jesus existed. God the Father could not have created Jesus the Son and still have this statement be true.)
- Read John 1:3. Who is the Creator of the world? (Jesus.)
- Is that important? If so, why? (It lends credibility to the gospel story. If Jesus created us, then it seems more logical that He would want to intervene into the affairs of humans to save us. If He created us, it seems more logical that He would love us absolutely.)
- Does the idea of Jesus as Creator give us another reason to call Him the "Word?" (Yes. Genesis 1 shows that God spoke the creation into existence. The "Word" captures that idea.)
- Read John 1:4. We have seen so far that Jesus constructed humans (and everything else), what is the relevance of telling us that "life" was in Jesus? (Jesus is not just an artist who can make things look pretty. Jesus is able to provide the spark that makes us alive!)
- Do you think that more is intended here than to say that Jesus provided the spark of life to humans at Creation? If so, what other meaning do you find?(The text says that Jesus' life was "the light of men." Read John 8:12. Light helps you see more clearly. Jesus gave humans a much better understanding of God.)
- Read Hebrews 9:14. In what other way does Jesus give us life? (Jesus is not simply our Creator, but He is our "Re-Creator" by paying the penalty for our sins and giving us the opportunity to have eternal life.)
- Read John 1:5. What is the "darkness?" (Ephesians 5:8 suggests it means unsaved humanity.)
- What keeps "the darkness" from being dispelled by the light of Jesus?
- Would darkness have to "understand" light to be driven away?
- Read John 3:19-20. What does John suggest is the reason why light does not dispel darkness? (It does not want to be dispelled.)
- Surely some darkness wants to be dispelled. How did you and I come from darkness to light? (Some darkness is simply a matter of misunderstanding. If not, Jesus' work would be in vain.)
- Consider a personal question: Is there some part of your life that you want to remain "dark?" If you have a part of your life that you do not want exposed, have you let Jesus fully into your life?
- Read John 1:10-11. Why has John spent so much time discussing light and darkness up to this point? (He wants to demonstrate that the refusal of God's people to recognize or accept Jesus was a matter of willful ignorance.)
- What does this teach us about our missionary efforts?
- Read John 1:12-13. What is the result of the willful rejection of Jesus? (You lose out on becoming a child of God! You lose out on light and life.)
- How important a point is this to us in our missionary efforts?
- The Unpredictable Word?
- Read Luke 15:1-2. Why were the Pharisees unhappy about Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners?
- Who do you tend to eat with?
- Read Luke 15:3-6. What kind of attitude does this show that Jesus has towards sinners? (He pursues them. Think back to our lesson last week. Should our church services be geared towards the members or getting the "lost sheep" in the door?)
- Read Matthew 23:27-28. Why is Jesus running after the lost sheep and yelling at the lost Pharisees? One day Jesus likes sinners and another day He does not?
- Our series this quarter is about the great missionaries. The reason to study how Jesus was a missionary is to learn lessons about how we can be great missionaries. What lesson have we learned from Jesus about His missionary approach? When do we "romance" sinners by running after them and when do we speak harshly to sinners and call them names?
- Let's read Luke 15:7. Was this lost lamb which Jesus romanced simply confused? (No. The lamb "repented." The common goal is to have the sinner repent. Some sinners repent by being romanced, by being pursued. Other sinners repent by being yelled at.)
- How do you know which tactic to take with a specific sinner? (If you read the entire chapter of Matthew 23 you will see that the sinners Jesus yelled at are all religious leaders who think they are righteous. If you think that you are righteous you are not going to repent unless you get "hit" with the truth. The person who realizes that he is unrighteous does not need to be beaten over the head with the truth.)
- Should sinners always be pursued, either for a romancing or a beating? (Read Revelation 2:20-21. If someone is creating trouble in the church sometimes you just need to ask them to leave. Being asked to leave may be the "beating" that causes the person to repent.)
- Did Jesus love the Pharisees? When He was verbally beating them, was He still showing love? (Read Romans 5:8. Jesus died for the sins of everyone. The late, and unlamented comedian George Carlin was an enemy of the gospel. He would make fun of Christians who warned unbelievers that their destiny was hell, but who would add, "Hey, God loves you!" Parents understand the concept of love and discipline. As victims of sin, we long for the day when sin and death are destroyed. Sometimes love has to be "tough.")
- Friend, Jesus came to give us light. Will you share His light with those around you? Will you let the light into every part of your life?
- Next week: Jesus and His Disciples.
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Matthew 10: Jesus and His Disciples
(Matthew 10)
Missionaries in the Bible: Lesson 5
Copr. 2008, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. All scripture references are to the New International Version (NIV), copr. 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society, unless otherwise noted. Quotations from the NIV are used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. The lesson assumes the teacher uses a blackboard or some other visual aid. This lesson can be found at: <url:http://www.GoBible.Org/study/514.php>
Introduction: Our current series of studies on the great missionaries is focused on the life and actions of these missionaries. Our goal? To deduce how their lives and actions apply to ours. Our lesson this week starts out much differently. Instead of trying to deduce the specific principles from our missionary examples, Jesus just states the principles to His disciples. Our only question is whether these same principles apply to our missionary efforts? Let's dive into the Bible and consider this!
The Call
Read Matthew 10:1. Notice that the twelve are both called and authorized. Are you called by Jesus? (Read Romans 8:28-30. Do you want to advance the Kingdom of God? Do you respond in love to the love Jesus first showed you when He died for your sins? If so, you are called.)
When you are called are you also automatically authorized to drive out evil spirits and heal disease and sickness? (The text makes it appear that authorization to do these things is a separate matter.)
Who is authorized to do these things? I've spent years praying for various people and their various medical problems. But I've never driven out an evil spirit or had someone who was obviously and instantly healed by my prayers alone. Am I just not authorized for those things? (Read John 14:11-14. These verses say that if I have faith, I am authorized to do these miracles. I do not know if it is a matter of a lack of faith on my part or if it was not God's will to heal a sickness at that moment. Perhaps I'm not paying close enough attention to what God is doing in response to my prayers. For example, in the last month I was in the hospital praying for an 85 year-old man who was a life-long smoker and who was going in for a heart procedure that might end his life. It turned out his arteries were clear. Did my prayers clear his arteries, or were the already clear?)
The Instructions
Read Matthew 10:5-6. Do these instructions apply to us? (Read Acts 1:8. We see that with time the target audience has expanded.)
Read Matthew 10:7. Is this our message? Or, was this a message directed only to a Jewish audience? (If you look at Acts 1:4-7, the discussion that Jesus had with His disciples just before He left for heaven, it was about the restoration of the kingdom. Jesus did not say that they had a new message to go along with the broader audience.)
What is the "Kingdom of Heaven?" What do you think the disciples thought it meant when they referred to the "kingdom" in Acts 1:6? (The disciples quite clearly thought that Jesus was going to establish a kingdom on earth. The language in Acts 1:6 about "restoring" the kingdom "to Israel" leaves little doubt. Jesus refers to the heavenly kingdom - that is something else - at least in the short run.)
Read Luke 17:20-24. This coming of the kingdom was obviously a hot topic in Jesus' day. How does Jesus describe the Kingdom of God? (He describes it two ways. First, He says it is "within you." Second, He describes it as coming like lightening that lights up the entire sky. Jesus was not only with them (He brought in the coming kingdom), but He was imparting kingdom knowledge to the disciples. However, ultimately Jesus will come again and usher in the physical Kingdom of Heaven.)
What, then, should you be talking to others about to fulfill the command to tell others (Matthew 10:7) "The Kingdom of Heaven is near?" (Both. The kingdom within us and the Second Coming.)
Read Matthew 10:8. How does this instruction about healing the sick, raising the dead, and curing medical problems relate to the message that the Kingdom of Heaven is near? (Are these not all "kingdom" solutions? In the elimination of death, sickness, mourning and pain we see the Kingdom of God. Revelation 21:3-4.)
What is Matthew 10:8 talking about when it says what has been freely received should be freely given to others? (The message of salvation and the availability of the power of the Holy Spirit. We do not pay for these things, so why not share them freely with others?)
Read Matthew 10:9-10. How should a missionary's efforts be financed? Should you pay for your own expenses? (No. You should be paid to do this.)
What if you have the money, and can afford to pay for your own expenses? (The text seems to assume that the disciple could bring his own money and extra clothes.)
What do you say about Paul, who in 1 Corinthians 9 says that he has the right to be paid to do his missionary work, but that he boasts (1 Corinthians 9:15) about earning his own way? If Jesus tells us not to pay our own way, how can Paul boast about paying his own way? (If you look at the 1 Corinthians 9, you will see that Paul considers support from others a right which he has waived.)
Read Matthew 10:11-13. What benefit can we obtain by giving lodging to a missionary? (Peace will rest on your home.)
What do you think it means to have "peace" resting on your home? (Adam Clarke's Commentary on this text reveals that among the Hebrews this term had a very "extensive meaning: it comprehended all blessings, spiritual and temporal.")
If the missionary had this peace to give (or take back), what does this suggest about the life of the missionary? (These blessings were part of the missionary's life!)
Read Matthew 10:14-15. What lesson do we learn about the times when others reject our missionary message?
How do we distinguish between wasting our time and giving others a second chance?
Is giving others a second chance a waste of our time - in the sense that we could be presenting the gospel to someone else? (For me, building a relationship is important for sharing the gospel. If I have been building a relationship and get a neutral reaction, I need to be sure that my message will not ultimately be accepted before I turn away.)
Read Matthew 10:16. What role does the Holy Spirit play in this process of converting others? (John 16:7-9 tells us that the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, righteousness and judgment.)
Can we confuse our role with that of the Holy Spirit?
Is the reverse possible? (Our efforts need to be bathed in prayer and we need to ask for the direction, aid and blessing of the Holy Spirit. But, that is not where things end. Jesus tells us to use our brains when working to convert others.)
The Warning
Read Matthew 10:21-22 and Romans 2:9-10. How can you reconcile these two texts? How can "all men" hate us when at least some are being converted? (I think that Jesus was warning His disciples (and us, as a secondary matter), that just because we are doing "God's work," it does not mean that all will be peaceful and calm.)
Read Matthew 10:23. Was Jesus just giving them false hope about His Second Coming? If I heard this, I would think that if I spread the message throughout my country, that Jesus would come back during my lifetime! (There are at least a couple of theories on this. One is that the "Son of Man comes" refers to the destruction of Jerusalem which took place about 40 years later. Another is that the text would be better translated as saying the cities will be "perfectly instructed." Israel is not yet perfectly instructed. My thought is that Jesus is sending the disciples out on a practice run. Jesus came to them in power when He died, was resurrected and spent time with them. This all happened before they had finished their work in Israel.)
Read Matthew 10:32-33. Are you embarrassed about witnessing? About being a missionary? What promise and warning are we given if we refuse this mission?
Friend, how about you? Are you willing to be a missionary? How about just witnessing to your neighbors? If you are embarrassed about standing for Jesus, think about the idea of Jesus being embarrassed about standing up for you!
Next week: The Compassionate Savior.
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I'm having difficulty accessing the SSNET.ORG/ website to read the Sabbath School lesson daily. I keep getting the msg ' 403 forbidden access to / server'. I previously used this website but, as of this day am unable to do so. I've placed this website on my accessibility list, put on always list under the contact advisor... I've tried to email the webmaster at the website but, even that gets denied/returned. Does anyone know how to clear up this problem, or the webmaster website email address? God Bless You |
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hiya moettesr,
Thank you for your post, it looks like the lessons may have moved, i get the same result as you when i try ssnet.org.
Hopefully we will find out soon where its gone and post the new link here.
God bless you moettesr,
Seek. |
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The Compassionate Savior
(Mark 5 & 12, John 9)
Missionaries in the Bible: Lesson 6
Copr. 2008, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. All scripture references are to the New International Version (NIV), copr. 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society, unless otherwise noted. Quotations from the NIV are used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. The lesson assumes the teacher uses a blackboard or some other visual aid. This lesson can be found at: <url:http://www.GoBible.Org/study/515.php>
Introduction: What kind of an attitude should we have as missionaries to the world? It would seem this is an easy question. The answer to is be kind and loving and share the gospel message, right? But, perhaps this issue is a bit more complex. When I was growing up, I learned about a problem in the church mission program. It seems that American missionaries had trouble realizing where their American culture left off and the gospel message began. To combat that potential problem, the suggestion was to have American missionaries go to foreign lands, train the locals in the gospel, and then let them push forward with American financial support. Imagine how those conceptions from my youth disappeared when I was approached this summer about having missionaries from Brazil and Europe come to my area to share the gospel. They were coming to share with English-speaking Americans! So much for the idea of leaving it to the natives. I was now the native! Our lesson is not about this specific issue, but it is about some of the complexities of how we approach our work as missionaries for Jesus. Let's jump right into our study of the Bible!
Getting Our Priorities Straight
Read Mark 5:21-23. If you were a missionary, and Jairus came to you for help, would you help him?
Would you move him to the front of the line?
Remember that others are there to hear Jesus. Would you go with Jairus anyway and temporarily ignore the crowd for practical reasons? (Jesus is not generally ignoring the crowd, but Jairus is an important man. I might think I could gain an advantage by healing the daughter of an important man.)
Read Mark 5:24-32. Having agreed to help Jairus, is Jesus now risking the wrath of an important man by delaying over such a small matter?
Would it have been better not to have agreed to heal Jairus daughter, than to agree and then get sidetracked? (It would seem foolish to delay if the reason that Jesus agreed to help Jairus was because he was an important man. Jesus' actions bring into question whether that was Jesus' motive at all. Maybe Jesus just agreed to help someone who showed faith.)
Read Mark 5:33-35. Should a missionary have priorities?
What potential priorities are involved here? (First, helping an person of influence versus helping part of the "rabble." (I'm not being unkind by saying rabble. This woman was unclean by the religious standards of the day.) Second, helping the emergency case versus the non-emergency case.)
Why does Jesus seem to have no priorities here?
Or, does Jesus have a different set of priorities?
If you say "yes" to the last question, tell me what you think they are?(Jesus is operating from a different play book than most of us. We would help the important person first on the idea that he could help us, and we would logically help the emergency case first. I think it is clear that Jesus did not help Jairus because he was important. He helped Jairus because he had faith. In that sense, the woman with the issue of blood had an equal faith claim.)
Does Jesus have a different view of time than we do - even when He lived here on earth?
If you know the rest of the story (Mark 5:36-42) what do we learn about God's sense of time? (That time does not matter. Whether or not the child died because time ran out for her, Jesus could bring about the exact same result.)
What lessons do we learn from this for our missionary activities? Should we give preference to those in places of authority? Should we make the world's time priorities our priority? (One thing is generally different: we need to share the gospel before the person dies! I'm not sure how many people are miraculously raised to life and then converted. I suspect the number is small.)
Getting Attention
Read Mark 12:35-37. Why was the crowd delighted in listening to Jesus?
Were they entertained? (I think Jesus captured their imagination with His unusual question. We know that He also taught using stories (Mark 4:2) and He taught with authority (Mark 1:22).)
What lesson should we take from Jesus' approach to the crowds for our missionary activities? (There is no room for boring. There is no room for dull. There is no room for uncertainty on foundational matters. There is room for the unique, the captivating and the certain.)
Should this approach apply to teaching this lesson? (It may not be easy, but whenever we are presenting the gospel to groups, we should strive to make it unique, captivating and confidence inspiring.)
Are all three elements required? Desired? (I've been in Bible classes in which the teacher comes up with a controversial topic and then just lets the class run with it. That is better than dull and boring, because people are thinking about the issues. However, that is an unfinished job. If you are the teacher, then you need to teach. You should have a defensible position, what you understand to be the truth, when it comes to foundational matters of the gospel.)
Having Compassion
Read John 9:1-2. What is the assumption behind the disciples' question? (That some human was at fault for this fellow being blind.)
Were the disciples a bunch of nuts? Were they crackpots?
If you say, "no," what does that teach us about the life of this blind fellow? (The disciples no doubt reflected mainstream views. Thus, the fellow, in addition to being blind, was saddled with the guilt that he or his parents did someone so terrible that he was blind from birth.)
Read John 9:3. Let's discuss Jesus' answer. Is it compassionate? (It lifts the load of guilt from this fellow or his parents.)
Let me ask you again, is it really compassionate? What does it suggest about God (and Jesus was God)? (It suggests that this fellow was blind to give glory to God.)
So, this fellow was blind since birth to allow God to look good? (That is a very crude way to put it, but I think it is on target.)
What lesson for missionaries follows from this point? (We live our life for the glory of God. It is not about us, it is all about Him.)
Read John 9:4-7. Now that we learned that the quality of our life does not matter, what do we learn from these verses? (That the quality of our life does matter to God. Jesus was the Light of the World by showing the character of God. God wants us to be blessed. He wants us to be healthy. He wants us to see. That is His desire. But, sometimes things happen to us for reasons which God allows.)
Let's go back to our first story about the daughter of Jairus. Did Jesus make a conscious decision to allow her to die? (Yes. He understood the emergency nature of her illness.)
Why did Jesus allow this? (For the glory of God.)
Does this sound harsh? Could a person ever forgive God for letting their little child die?
Did Jairus "forgive" Jesus? (Jairus story is a compressed example of God's plan for our life. The fact that the little girl died did not matter to Jairus and his wife when Jesus brought her to life a few minutes later. When God brings our loved ones to life, when He cures all of the ills of this sin-sick world, when He finally destroys all evil, sadness and death, then we will be like Jairus. The delay will not matter.)
Friend, can you make a compelling and interesting case for the love and mercy of God based on the actions of Jesus? If so, will you?
Next week: The Apostle John.
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hiya moettesr
If you try www.ssnet.org again you will find its back and working ok now, the links in the first post work again (Y)
God bless you moettesr,
Seek. |
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The Apostle John
(Luke 5, Mark 10, 1 John 3)
Missionaries in the Bible: Lesson 7
Copr. 2008, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. All scripture references are to the New International Version (NIV), copr. 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society, unless otherwise noted. Quotations from the NIV are used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. The lesson assumes the teacher uses a blackboard or some other visual aid. This lesson can be found at: <url:http://www.GoBible.Org/study/516.php>
Introduction: Is your heart at peace? At this moment I feel a very heavy load of things to do. Burdens press me at work and at home. I am always working to meet time deadlines. (Even to write this lesson each week.) Our lesson this week is for those whose hearts are not at peace. Jesus wants us, as His missionaries, to have peace in our hearts. He wants us to understand how our timing is not His timing. Let's plunge into the Bible and find the path to peace!
Following Jesus
Read Luke 5:1-3. How much of an inconvenience is Jesus to these fishermen? (Very little. They were done fishing for the day, and Jesus was simply borrowing their boat so the people could see and hear Him teach.)
Read Luke 5:4-5. What do you think motivates Jesus to give this instruction? (On the surface, He is returning a favor. You let me borrow your boat, I'll help you earn some income.)
Does Simon want to do this? Put yourself in Simon's place, what reasons would you have for not doing this? (He worked all night and is tired. They had cleaned up all the equipment and are ready to go home. Jesus wants them to go out a way, He says "deep water." This is a wild goose chase, what does this preacher know about fishing?)
Read Luke 5:6-7. Was it worth doing what they did not want to do?
What if they (the fishermen) had "just believed" and had not done anything in response to Jesus' words?
Would it have been a "sin" not to do what Jesus said? Wasn't Jesus just offering a favor that they could take or leave? (My first reaction is that I don't think it would have been a sin to say "We're too tired to do this. We'll do it tomorrow." But, look at what a blessing they would have missed.)
Read Luke 5:8-11. Have you changed your mind about the reason why Jesus told Simon to put out His nets? (Jesus is demonstrating that they should trust and follow Him. It is the build-up to the call to full-time discipleship with Jesus.)
What would have happened if Simon had not put out his nets?
Isn't it sin to not trust Jesus?
Not catching anything would be a financial loss. Simon would have to work twice as hard the next day to catch up. What promise do we see for those who feel the pressure of earning money?
Our study is about John, not Simon. How is John involved in this? (He is Simon's business partner.)
Is John as involved as Simon? (Simon is the spokesperson, but John is just as involved.)
Read Mark 1:19-20. What important fact does this add to our story? (It tells us that this was not such an easy thing for John. First, John is leaving a partnership with his father. Second, this seems to be a prosperous business. The business consists at least of Simon, Andrew, John, James, Zebedee and a number of employees.)
What if Jesus just called them without the large catch of fish? Would they have followed Him? (Simon's reaction in Luke 5:8 shows that He thought this was a miracle. Jesus had power over nature. In addition, fish were money to them. Jesus showed that He could provide an income - even when it seemed impossible.)
What does this teach us about our missionary efforts? (Jesus can provide for both our spiritual and physical needs.)
Read Mark 10:35-37. How much of a business motivation did John see in his decision to follow Jesus? (We now see that the business angle is much stronger than we thought. John left a prosperous fishing partnership, but he expected that he had moved into an even greater "business." He was going to be a ruler in Jesus' new kingdom on earth.)
Read Mark 10:41-45. Was Jesus offering a "bait and switch?" Or, would John believe that he still had a chance to be a ruler? (I'll bet that John heard Jesus' words "whoever wants to become great," but did not understand the "first must be slave of all" part of the message.)
Does this remind you of the Jairus's story that we studied last week? Is timing an important point in this issue? (To the extent that John understood that Jesus was creating a kingdom on earth in which John would be an important player, John was in for a disappointment. The rest of John's life would be hard, he would never rule. But, if you collapse time (and the predictions of Isaiah 65:17-18 and Revelation 21:1-3) you see that John will indeed be a ruler here on earth. See Revelation 21:14.)
The Transformation
Read again Mark 10:45. What clear statement does Jesus make about His future and the hope of the disciples to be rulers? (Jesus came to serve and to give His life for others.)
What does this teach us about our life here?
Read 1 John 3:11-15. Was John ever like Cain? (Yes, when John was a rival to the rest of the disciples. He desired to rule over them, and desired more favor from God than for the others. At that point he was like Cain. Cain compared God's favor to Abel with God's reaction to him, and he determined to kill Abel.)
At what point (1 John 3:14) did John pass over from death to life? (When he understood the idea of loving his fellow humans meant serving them.)
Read 1 John 3:16-18. Have you made the transition from loving only with your words to loving with your money and your actions?
Read 1 John 3:19-20. Do you have peace in your life?
What formula for achieving peace does John suggest? (Our hearts will be at rest when our lives are devoted to help others.)
How does this relate back to Cain and John (during his early years)? (When they wanted to rule, their hearts were not at rest. God is not telling us to be lazy or to lack ambition. Colossians 3:23 tells us to work as if God is our employer. But, our goal is not to have others serve us. Our goal is to do great things for others, to do great things for the Kingdom of God.)
Read 1 John 3:21-22. How many people read these verses and conclude that God will give them anything they want?
What important qualifier to this promise have we just discussed? (If you are asking to help others, if you are serving others, then God will give you what you want. If we are asking to help ourselves, then this is a different matter.)
Friend, what is the direction of your life? Are you struggling for personal glory? Or, do you seek to be a blessing to others? God offers us peace. Peace in our efforts to serve others here. Peace in the knowledge that with time He will make all things right. Peace in the knowledge that God is in charge. Will you take the road to peace?
Next week: From Folly to Faith: the Apostle Peter.
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From Folly to Faith: The Apostle Peter
(Mark 14, John 18 & 21)
Missionaries in the Bible: Lesson 8
Copr. 2008, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. All scripture references are to the New International Version (NIV), copr. 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society, unless otherwise noted. Quotations from the NIV are used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. The lesson assumes the teacher uses a blackboard or some other visual aid. This lesson can be found at: <url:http://www.GoBible.Org/study/517.php>
Introduction: Can you think of a Christian who is not a very good witness for Jesus? I'm not referring to someone who only talks about being a Christian. I mean someone who is a serious Christian, but who does not have a very good sense of how to get along. The world calls the ability to relate to others "emotional intelligence," the Bible calls it "wisdom." Our study this week is about the apostle Peter who had a great deal of growing to do in the emotional intelligence department. Let's plunge into our study of the Bible and see what we can learn about Peter and improving our own emotional intelligence!
Faithful to Death: The Promise
Last week we studied how Simon Peter and John first came to be disciples of Jesus. We now move to the very last days they were with Jesus on earth. Read Mark 14:26-29. Why does Jesus say what He does and why does Peter say what he does? (Jesus is quoting the Bible (Zechariah 13:7) and making the application to Himself and His disciples. Peter disputes whether this prophecy (and Jesus' statement) applies to him. He believes he is better, more faithful than the others.)
Read Mark 14:30. What does Jesus do to reinforce the truth of what He has said? (Jesus now adds His own prophecy, and He attaches a narrow time frame and specific details - that day, before the rooster crows twice, Peter will deny Jesus three times.)
Read Mark 14:31. What character trait of Peter do we see here? (Pride. Determination.)
What emotion do we see?
Read Proverbs 12:15-16. This is one of the texts on Bible-based emotional intelligence. What rules do you find here, and how has Peter violated them? (Jesus has twice given Peter advice about the future, and Peter rejects it. Peter shows his annoyance at once.)
How might the future have been different if Peter had said, "Lord, how will this happen, and what can I do to avoid it?"
Read Proverbs 13:10. How are pride and the emotional intelligence of taking advice in conflict with each other? How was this true in Peter's case? (Because Peter's pride and arrogance did not allow him to think that he could deny Jesus, he could not learn from Jesus' advice.)
Let's continue on with this story from another gospel. Read Luke 22:35-36. This immediately follows Jesus' discussion with Peter about his upcoming disloyalty. Why is a sword now more important than a coat?
Faithful to Death: The Fight
Read John 18:1-3. Jesus' words to Peter about his disloyalty are just a few hours old. Tell me what is going through Peter's mind when he sees Judas and the soldiers? (This confirms Jesus' prediction that He will be betrayed by one of His disciples. Peter is no doubt thinking "This is the test!")
Read John 18:10. Who was right on the issue of Peter's loyalty: Jesus or Peter? (It looks like Peter proves what he said - he was willing to die for Jesus. He stood right there, he did not deny Jesus, he pulled his sword so that he could fight for his Lord and struck a blow in the direction of the representative of the high priest!)
Faithful to Death: The Confusion
Read John 18:11. What is going through Peter's mind now? (He must be confused. He had just proven Jesus wrong about his faithfulness, and Jesus is now rebuking him! He remembered Jesus' advice about having a sword and not only does he have it, he is using it!)
What is Jesus talking about when He refers to "the cup the Father has given Me?" (Jesus had been talking about a cup (Mark 14:20-24) at the same time He was talking about being betrayed and Peter's disloyalty. Imagine all these thoughts racing around in Peter's head!)
Read Mark 8:31-33. What caused Peter to get into trouble here? (The same lack of emotional intelligence that he demonstrated later. His pride and arrogance cause him to reject Jesus' statements about the future.)
Has Peter forgotten this event in his confusion about what he should do to be loyal to Jesus? (This is an important lesson for us. Peter resisted the idea that Jesus came to die. He wanted Jesus to rule. Because he refused to give up his own ideas, he thought being loyal meant fighting for Jesus to rule.)
Faithful to Death: The Failure
Let's continue with our story in John. Read John 18:12-16. How is Peter able to get into the courtyard of the High Priest? (The "other" disciple (John) speaks with the girl on duty and gets Peter in.)
Read John 18:17. Is this how Peter expected the temptation to deny Jesus would come to him? (It would come with soldiers when he had a sword in his hand. It would not come with an unarmed "girl on duty.")
Could Peter say that this was unfair? When he pulled his sword to fight, wasn't it "game over" for the issue of whether he would deny Jesus?
Read Proverbs 19:20-21. How would these rules of emotional intelligence have helped Peter? (If the first time that Jesus rebuked Peter about Peter's vision for the future (Mark 8:31-33), Peter had accepted Jesus' advice, he would have understood Jesus' purpose and how he might play a role in that plan. If Peter had accepted Jesus' advice about his upcoming denial, he could have sought wisdom about how he could avoid being disloyal. This text in Proverbs teaches us that whatever our plans, it is God's purpose that will prevail. We can avoid a lot of trouble and confusion by paying attention to God.)
Faithful to Death: The Redemption
Read John 21:14-15. What difference, if any do you see in Peter's attitude? (Jesus primes him to compare himself to the other disciples by saying he loves more than the other disciples. Compare Mark 14:29. Peter does not say he is better than the others when it comes to loving Jesus.)
Read John 21:16. What is suggested by the fact that Jesus asks Peter this question a second time? (It suggests that Jesus is uncertain of the truth of Peter's first answer.)
What would you be thinking if you were Peter? (I would immediately have guilty thoughts of my last unfaithfulness. I would know Jesus was thinking about my failure, and it would tear my heart.)
Read John 21:17. The text confirms that Peter feels hurt and guilty. What argument does Peter make to convince Jesus that he will now be faithful? (He doesn't really try to make an argument, he simply says "God, you know all things." Thus, you know whether I'm telling you the truth or not. You know whether I will be faithful or not. I love you and I intend to be faithful.)
Read John 21:18-19. What would the Peter of earlier days have said to this? (For a clue, re-read Mark 8:31-33. Jesus told Peter that he would be killed at the hands of others. The expression "you will stretch out your hands" suggests crucifixion. "Early church tradition supports this manner of death for Peter." Wycliffe Bible Commentary. The Peter of yesterday would have rebuked Jesus - no one was going to die - they were all going to rule!)
Friend, what about you? Do you follow the Bible's rules of emotional intelligence so that you put away pride and take advice? Do you accept God's word rather than your own goals and preferences? Or, will it take a spiritual failure to teach you the lessons Peter learned?
Next week: A Pillar of Mission: The Apostle Peter.
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A Pillar of Mission: The Apostle Peter
(Matthew 16, Acts 2 & 3)
Missionaries in the Bible: Lesson 9
Copr. 2008, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. All scripture references are to the New International Version (NIV), copr. 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society, unless otherwise noted. Quotations from the NIV are used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. The lesson assumes the teacher uses a blackboard or some other visual aid. This lesson can be found at: <url:http://www.GoBible.Org/study/518.php>
Introduction: Last week we looked at Peter's "early years" in the ministry. His failure to understand the self-sacrificing nature of the gospel work ahead of him was replaced with an understanding of his true mission and the future glory which awaited him in heaven. What can we learn from a mature Peter? How does a mature Christian live? Or, is Peter not an example for us because he was given special authority not available to us? Let's dive into our study of the Bible and find out!
Pope Peter?
Read Matthew 16:13-14. Many organizations hire a "clipping service" to collect all of the newspaper reports that mention them. They want to know how they are portrayed in the press. Is Jesus asking for a similar service from His disciples? What is Jesus' motive for asking? (Jesus may have been curious about the public's perception of Him, but what He was really looking for was how His disciples viewed Him.)
Read Matthew 16:15-17. Last week we discussed Peter's failure to take advice with the result that he had a wrong view of Jesus' role on earth. (See Matthew 16:21-23.) Does Peter's answer fit with his (then wrong) view? (Peter thought Jesus would establish a kingdom on earth and what Peter says here is compatible with that view.)
Has Peter taken advice here? (Matthew 16:17 says God revealed this to Peter. He was taking advice - at least at that moment.)
Read Matthew 16:18. Who or what is this rock? (Peter's name in Greek means rock or a stone. Jesus is saying "You are a rock (or a stone) and on this rock I will build my church.")
It seems that Jesus is literally referring to building His church on Peter. Is that what you think Jesus means? (Strong's says the Greek for Peter means "a piece of rock" while the Greek for the word rock in this verse means "a mass of rock.")
Read 1 Corinthians 10:3-4. Who is the rock here?
Ephesians 2:19-20. Who or what is the rock here?
Read 1 Peter 2:7-8. Who or what is the rock here?
Protestants argue that the rock of Matthew 16:18 is not Peter. Last week we studied some of Peter's very "un-rock" like failures. However, since the text says that Jesus will build His church on this rock, would that not include Peter? (I think we are missing an important lesson when we totally dismiss Catholic claims that Peter is the rock and the "First Pope." Ephesians 2:20 teaches us that the apostles and prophets were a "foundation" and Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone. This suggests that Jesus is the Rock, and the apostles (including Peter) are rocks in the foundation of the church. Peter's confession of Jesus as God is also a rock - for this is the theological foundation of the church.)
Do you have a gate at your home? Have you ever been attacked by a gate? What does Jesus mean in Matthew 16:18 that Hell's gates will not overcome the church? (I like this word picture. Gates don't attack, they defend. This is a picture of the church taking on evil. Evil is on the defensive against righteousness.)
Read Matthew 16:19. What do you get for having "rock" status? What kind of a "key" are you given? (You get the keys to heaven.)
What does that mean? (I'm far from sure what all it means. However, when I'm given the keys to a car or to a house I am in charge. I am able to enter them and use them. I can let others in or keep others out. I think that at a minimum, those who acknowledge the divinity of Jesus are given access to heaven. Those who were apostles then, and who are church leaders now, are given special privileges and responsibilities to invite others into the Kingdom of Heaven.)
When Jesus says that the apostles (and current church leaders?) get to "bind" and "loose," things, what does He mean? (Read Acts 15:5-11. Here Peter says that the Gentile converts should not have to follow the law of Moses. If you continue by scanning Acts 15:12-21 you will see that James delivered the judgment that only the matters specified in Acts 15:20 would still be binding from the ceremonial law. Peter and the church are here "loosing" commands given to Moses by God.)
We see in this event that James, not Peter, seems to hand down the final word. Read Matthew 18:15-18. This is Jesus speaking to His disciples (and perhaps a listening crowd). What does this context suggest about binding and loosing? (It suggests this addresses disputes within the church.)
Rock Peter
Read Acts 2:1-4 and Acts 2:14-16. This describes the first day of Pentecost following Jesus' resurrection. What significance does Pentecost have to the early church? (This is where Jews from (Acts 2:5) "every nation under heaven" got to see the power of the Holy Spirit and hear that Jesus was the Messiah!)
Who is the leader in this event? (Peter!)
Read Acts 10:9-13 and Acts 10:16-18. What is the meaning of Peter's vision? (If you do not know this story, read all of Acts 10. The meaning of the story is that Peter should not call Gentiles "unclean" and refuse to share the gospel with them. The specific application was to Cornelius and his representatives.)
What does this event add to Peter's resume? (Peter was first in preaching to the Jews world-wide at Pentecost. If Acts is written in chronological order, Peter is now the leader in sharing the gospel with the Gentiles. In Acts 15:7 Peter confirms this idea by saying the Gentiles heard the gospel "from my lips.")
Read Acts 2:42-43. What new activity do we find among the apostles? (They performed "many wonders and miraculous signs.")
Why was this power found just among the apostles, and not the members? Is this part of the "binding and loosing" authority?
Read Acts 3:1-5. If you were this beggar, what would you expect?
Read Acts 3:6-8. What do we add to Peter's resume now? (Acts 2:43 tells us that many miracles were performed by the apostles, but Peter performs the first recorded miracle.)
Look again at Acts 3:6. Does Peter perform this miracle in the authority given to him? (No, he performs it in the name and power of Jesus.)
What, exactly, does Peter have (verse 6 "but what I have I give to you") which he gives to this crippled beggar?
Is Peter sharing his "binding and loosing" power? (Read Mark 16:15-18. It would be easy to say that Peter (and the other apostles) had special power not available to the rest of the believers. But, Jesus' words in Mark 16:17-18 show that the power is available to all who believe. Peter is sharing with the beggar his faith and his access to the power of God.)
Read Acts 5:15. Did this work? Read Acts 19:11-12. Did this work? (The first text does not say that this worked, but the second text tells us it did work. My guess is that if touching Paul's handkerchief got you healed, Peter's shadow should be enough.)
As you consider all of these attributes about Peter, is it fair to call him a "rock"? What about the "First Pope?"
Rocky Peter
Read Galatians 2:8-10. How is Peter involved in the organization of the work of the early church? (They divided the work among the various people.)
Read Galatians 2:11-13. Why did Peter change his practices?
How could a man who had the vision of the unclean animals do this? Why would he do it?
Read Galatians 2:14-16. How are eating relationships part of the "truth of the gospel?" (The truth of the gospel is that the gospel is for all people. I believe Peter acted as he did to try to avoid controversy with the Jewish Christians who were sent by James.)
What does this teach us about Peter the Rock? (Even church leaders can be wrong. Even those blessed by God to open new frontiers for the gospel can make mistakes.)
Friend, have you made mistakes during your Christian life? Do you find, that even after you are a mature Christian, you still make them? Peter's story is an encouragement to all sinners who want to follow their Lord. Peter's miraculous work is an example to all who want to do great things for God.
Next week: Women of Mission.
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Lesson 10
Women of Mission
(John 4, Acts 16)
Introduction: Our culture does not allow us to understand the difficulty of being a "woman of mission" during Jesus' day. We do not even clearly understand the problem Jesus and His disciples faced ministering to women. The Jewish rabbis of Jesus' time said "It is better that the words of the Law be burned than be delivered to a woman!" (The Bible Exposition Commentary on Acts 16:13.) Jesus and His disciples, if they followed cultural norms, should have ignored women when it came to sharing the gospel. They did not. Instead, our study shows Jesus used them as missionaries. Let's plunge into our study of the Bible and learn more!
1. The Samaritan Woman
1. Read John 4:1-2. Why do you think the Pharisees were keeping a count of Jesus and John's converts?
1. Read Matthew 3:7-8 to see what John said about the Pharisees. What does this suggest about the relationship?
2. Read John 1:24-27 to get an idea of what the Pharisees were thinking about John and Jesus. What does this suggest?
2. Read John 4:2-3. What do you think is the important point for Jesus: that the Pharisees wrongly thought He was baptizing or that Jesus was gaining more disciples? (The Pharisees were the religious leaders. Some rival (John) has arisen outside of Jerusalem. John preaches that they are morally unfit to lead, and says that someone greater is following in his footsteps. This places a lot of unwanted attention on Jesus very early in His ministry, so He decides to withdraw.)
3. Read John 4:4-6. Did Jesus want to go through Samaria? (Jews and Samaritans did not like each other. Samaria lay between Jerusalem and Galilee. The short route was to go straight through Samaria. However, some Jews would go around Samaria just to avoid the Samaritans.)
1. The time is probably noon. What do we learn about the human body for our God? (Jesus got tired!)
4. Read John 4:7-8. Is Jesus flirting with this woman? (You will say, "Don't be ridiculous." But, I expect this woman might have thought this. The IVP Bible Background Commentary suggests this is how Jesus' request might have been taken, especially with this woman's background and the fact she was alone. Women would normally come to a well in groups. The fact this woman was alone gives us a hint that she was unpopular. It was also odd that a Jewish man would even speak to a Samaritan women.)
5. Read John 4:9. Is this woman flirting back? Is she being unpleasant? What do you think she is really saying? (Jewish men, especially a rabbi, did not speak to Samaritan women. She does not believe that Jesus is just asking for a drink. She wants to know why Jesus is talking to her. This strengthens the conclusion that she is asking (among other things) if Jesus is flirting. This is just odd conduct for Jew.)
6. Read John 4:10. Does Jesus clarify the matter?
1. Why does Jesus answer as He does? (He wants to get her attention. This is certainly something out of the ordinary.)
1. Are there any lessons in this for our missionary efforts?
2. Would evangelistic seminars advertised with pictures of the beasts of Revelation fit into this pattern?
7. Read John 4:11-12. What tone of voice do you think this woman is using? (We all know people who are just plain arrogant. However, we also know people who are arrogant "underdogs." They know they have not done well in life, and they are carrying around a general grudge against those who have done well. In this text I hear an underdog speaking in a challenging way.)
1. What is the answer to the woman's question? (Yes, Jesus is greater than Jacob!)
8. Read John 4:13-15. Is Jesus offering indoor plumbing? (The women responds as if He were.)
9. Read John 4:16. What would have gone through your mind if you were this woman? (Some part of me would have thought Jesus was crazy, and this would give me the opportunity to just leave. Some part of me would have thought I should answer, but I would not want to admit I had no husband - unless I thought this fellow was flirting.)
10. Read John 4:17-19. How important is it that she answered, and answered honestly? (This dialog seems to have two purposes. One is to test her honesty. The second is to impress her with the fact that she is not speaking with a lunatic, she is speaking with someone who is supernaturally able to know about her life.)
1. If Jesus knew that she was immoral, why would He care about testing her honesty?
11. Read John 4:20-26. Give me all the reasons why Jesus should not reveal to this woman that He was the Messiah. (She was not exactly pleasant to Him when they started speaking. More fundamentally, she was not just a woman, she was a Samaritan! Add to that she was an unpopular, sexually permissive woman.)
1. So, why did Jesus do this? I don't believe in chance - especially here - why would Jesus choose this woman to be a disciple? (One small reason is that if she was honest with Him, she would likely have a reputation in town about honesty.)
2. Why would Jesus choose tradesmen to be His disciples?
3. Why would Jesus have a special ministry to those who made (probably) more than one serious mistake in life? (I'm reading Dinesh D'Souza's "What's So Great About Christianity." He points out that the Greek and Roman culture had the "great man" point of view. Slaves, workers, the masses existed to allow the "great men" of society to think, plan and lead. Ordinary people were like worker bees - they did not matter except to support the leaders. Jesus directly attacked that thinking. Jesus spoke of servant leaders ( Matthew 23:11) and He focused on the importance of the "lowest" people in society. He thought it worth His time to share the gospel with women. The anti-slavery movement, democracy for all citizens, "public servants," all these concepts flow not from Greek or Roman culture, but from the revolutionary teachings of Jesus.)
12. Read John 4:28-29 and John 4:39. What did Jesus do for this women? What did He do for women in general? (He chose this woman to be His gospel representative to her town. He showed that woman are worthy not just to hear His message, but to spread His message.)
2. Lydia
1. Read Acts 16:12-13. Paul and his companions are on a missionary journey which leads them to Philippi. What is their strategy for sharing the gospel? (They are looking for spiritually-minded people. On the Sabbath they look for a "place of prayer.")
1. Do you think they were disappointed when they found only women praying? (Probably. But, notice that this did not deter them from sharing the gospel with them.)
1. What does that teach us? (It teaches us that an interest in spiritual matters is more important than gender when it comes to sharing the gospel.)
2. Read Acts 16:14. What kind of a woman is Lydia? (She was aware of the Jewish religion and worshiped God.)
1. What is her trade?(She seems to be an important businesswoman. She is a trader in purple cloth from another city, Thyatira. That city was famous for its purple cloth (a royal color - thus sold to the wealthy). The Bible Exposition Commentary posits that she "probably was in charge of a branch office of her guild in Philippi.")
2. What is the secret to the success of Paul's message to Lydia? (He was willing to share with women and the Holy Spirit "opened her heart.")
3. Read Acts 16:15. How is Lydia a blessing to Paul's missionary efforts? (First, she has servants (her household) which she has interested in spiritual matters. They are baptized. Second, she has a house that is large enough to board Paul and his companions. She is not simply baptized, but she now becomes a financial sponsor for Paul's missionary efforts.)
1. How would this story have been different if Paul had refused to teach women?
2. Will you speculate a moment with me about Lydia's future missionary efforts? To whom would she witness? (Probably only (or mostly) wealthy people would buy purple for their clothes. Lydia would naturally share the gospel with them. By Paul sharing with a woman (a lower rank of society) he ended up having a mission to the highest ranks of society.)
4. Friend, do you let cultural barriers stand in the way of your missionary efforts? If so, will you determine today to simply let God lead you in spreading His word?
3. Next week: Mission in a Pagan Land: Daniel and Company.
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Mission in a Pagan Land: Daniel and Company
(Daniel 1 & 2)
Missionaries in the Bible: Lesson 11
Copr. 2008, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. All scripture references are to the New International Version (NIV), copr. 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society, unless otherwise noted. Quotations from the NIV are used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. The lesson assumes the teacher uses a blackboard or some other visual aid. This lesson can be found at: <url:http://www.GoBible.Org/study/520.php>
Introduction: Have you ever thought that life, as you knew it, had come to an end? Those thoughts went through my mind early in the day on September 11, 2001, when I was in the Washington, D.C. area and the Pentagon was hit (we thought) with a bomb. Last year, I heard a young man from Rwanda tell his story of losing his family and fleeing his country as a result of the genocide there. This week we look at Daniel, a man whose life was turned up-side down by the Babylonian conquest of his country. It is one thing to try to convert others when all around you is normal. What about being a missionary when everything around you has changed? Let's plunge into the life of Daniel and find out!
The End?
Read Daniel 1:1-2. What was the most important purpose of the capitol city of Jerusalem? (It was the center of worship. It contained the temple of God - prepared by King David and built by King Solomon.)
What do we learn has happened to Jerusalem and the temple?
Has the God of Judah been defeated by the god of Babylon? (Daniel 1:2 tells us "the Lord" caused this to happen. The true God oversaw the defeat of His people and His temple.)
But yourself in that place. Your country has been attacked and defeated. Your God has seemingly been defeated and His temple - the place of His visible presence - has been robbed and shortly thereafter, destroyed. What are your feelings about the future?
Read Daniel 1:3-4 and Daniel 1:6. What do we learn about Daniel and his three friends? (They are the best and the brightest. They come from "high" society.)
What kind of future did they have in Judah? (They would be the future leaders.)
What have they lost? (Everything - at least so it seems.)
Read Daniel 1:5. What kind of future do they now have?
What problems do you see with becoming the representative of the invading country?
Read Daniel 1:7. I want you to look at the change in these names:
Daniel "God my Judge" to Belteshazzar "Bel's Prince." ("Bel" being the chief Babylonian god.)
Hananiah "whom Jehovah has favored" to Shadrach "illuminated by the Sun-god."
Mishael "who is comparable to God?" to Meshach "Humbled before my god."
Azariah "Jehovah has helped" to Abednego "Servant of Nebo." (Nebo was the son of Bel.)
What was the purpose of their original names? (To honor God.)
What is the purpose of these name changes? (When your name means something, you identify with what it means. The Babylonians gave the four Hebrew boys names that showed the triumph of the Babylonian gods over Jehovah. They would daily be reminded of this - and of their new mission in life. The goal was to remold these young men into Babylonian leaders, servants of Bel, the god of Babylon.)
The Early Test
Read Daniel 1:8. Why would Daniel take a stand on vegetables? (This was not a "meat vs. vegetables" issue. Some commentaries suggest the problem was eating food sacrificed to idols. I believe the primary problem was that the meat was "unclean" (Leviticus 11) and improperly prepared (Deuteronomy 12:21-25, no blood allowed in the meat). This explains why Daniel refers to being "defiled" by the royal food.)
Should this have been an important issue to Daniel? Would it have been an important issue to you? (Read Ezekiel 4:13. God had predicted that part of His judgment against His people was that they would be exiled and eat defiled food in the land of exile. Daniel believed that this was a test of his loyalty to God.)
Read Daniel 1:9-10. How did the chief official react to Daniel's request that they should eat only vegetables and drink water? (He was sympathetic, but worried about their health.)
Why was he sympathetic? (God is intervening for Daniel!)
Read Daniel 1:11-13. What kind of attitude does Daniel show towards his Babylonian captors?
What lesson do you find in this for the time when you face religious freedom problems? (I have clients who think it is part of their witness to "punch" the "opposition" in the nose. Daniel shows just the opposite behavior. Bible-based emotional intelligence requires being polite and as inoffensive as possible. No insults. No attacks. Seek religious accommodation with a kind spirit.)
Is God also being tested here? Would you test God given the circumstances?
Read Daniel 1:14. Do you think the Babylonian official understood the religious nature of Daniel's objection to the food? (No. If he did, he should have been shot. This whole training system was intended to replace the old religious beliefs with the new religious order. This was not a nutritional issue, this was a loyalty contest. Daniel was defying the new order by his loyalty to God.)
Read Daniel 1:15-16. Is this proof that a vegetarian diet makes you healthier and better looking? (I wish! I've been a vegetarian for over 45 years. Unfortunately, I think I'm going to have to wait until the Second Coming for my "make-over." Obviously, God intervened and rewarded Daniel's loyalty with a miracle.)
Step back a minute. God allows the destruction of their nation, their home, their place of worship, and their way of life. Yet this same God performs small miracles in their healthy look. How would you explain God succeeding in the unimportant things and "failing" in the important things? (God is being consistent when we look at the larger picture. The disloyalty of the Hebrew leadership in big things causes the big "failures." The loyalty of Daniel in the "small" things of his life causes the "small" victories. Daniel is caught up in the larger unfaithfulness.)
What lesson is there in this for your life?
Read Daniel 1:18-20. What is the outcome for those who are faithful?
What do you say about them still being captives?
How important is it that Daniel and his friends surpass all of the Babylonians? (Can you see the new battleground? The leaders of Judah were unfaithful, so the city of evil defeats the city of God. It is an apparent defeat for the true God. But, our God then takes the "remnant" who are faithful and through them "defeats" all the Babylonian leaders and the spokesmen for Bel.)
The Dream
Read Daniel 2:1-3. Have you had a dream that caused you to lose sleep? Have you thought it was a message from God?
Why do you think Nebuchadnezzar was so troubled about his dream? (Kings know they are important. Therefore, their dreams must be important. Plus, this was a recurrent dream. The New Bible Commentary tells us that in the ancient Near East kings believed the gods gave them messages through dreams.)
What kind of experts did Nebuchadnezzar bring in to fix his dream problem?
Read Deuteronomy 18:9-12. What is God's opinion of these kinds of "experts?"
Read Daniel 2:4-7. Why do you think Nebuchadnezzar insisted on his experts telling him the details of his dream? (Read Daniel 2:8-9. Nebuchadnezzar believed that they had been lying to him. If they could tell the future through a dream, it should be a small matter to describe the contents of his dream. This was a test of both their honesty and their ability to correctly interpret the dream.)
Read Daniel 2:10-11. Analyze the arguments made by the experts to Nebuchadnezzar? (1. No person can do this. 2. No king should ask it of his subjects. 3. He should ask a god - and there is no god in the neighborhood.)
Read Daniel 2:12. How does Nebuchadnezzar react to being told that he is unreasonable - that no proper king would ask such a thing?
The Test and the Victory
Read Daniel 2:13-15. How would you react if you heard the decree of the King? Would "wisdom and tact" be the way to describe your response?
Read Daniel 2:16. How would you like to go before Nebuchadnezzar then? What might happen to you?
Read Daniel 2:17-18. Apparently Daniel was promised more time by the King. Why did Daniel need to have his friends pray about this trial? (Daniel must have believed that having a group pray is better.)
Do you agree that group prayer is better?
Read Matthew 18:19-20. Why do you think that God requires two or three for His presence? (The entire tenor of these verses is that discussing something with others gives better results. It discourages selfish requests to God.)
Read Daniel 2:19. God comes through! What does Daniel do after God reveals the mystery? (He praises God - Daniel 2:20-23!)
Consider your prayers for a moment. Compare how intensely you pray for help with how intensely you praise God thereafter?
Read Daniel 2:25-26. How would you have answered the King?
What do you think about what Arioch says? (He did nothing of the sort - Daniel went to him. Arioch is trying to take partial credit for the interpretation.)
Read Daniel 2:27-28. Notice that Daniel does not mention his own name even once. He says nothing about his role in this revelation. Why?
Compare this with your "victories" at work and in the church. How much do you mention your role in these things?
Read Daniel 2:29-30. Finally, Daniel mentions his own role in things. Study Daniel's words in these verses. How does he explain his role, the King's role and God's role in this process?
If you substitute King Nebuchadnezzar for your employer, can you learn a great deal from Daniel on how to be a missionary in dealing with problems at work? (Be tactful. Pray. Give praise to God.)
Friend, are you able to be faithful to God when it seems that He has allowed terrible things in your life? Will you determine to let Daniel be a role model for you?
Next week: Gifted for Service: Philip.
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Gifted for Service: Philip
(Acts 6 & 8)
Missionaries in the Bible: Lesson 12
Copr. 2008, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. All scripture references are to the New International Version (NIV), copr. 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society, unless otherwise noted. Quotations from the NIV are used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. The lesson assumes the teacher uses a blackboard or some other visual aid. This lesson can be found at: <url:http://www.GoBible.Org/study/521.php>
Introduction: How do you solve problems in the church? Is it with gifted plans or gifted people? If you had to choose, which would be more important? This week we study a man who was part of the solution to one of the most explosive problems in the early church. He apparently did well in his service to the church for God made him a powerful evangelist. Let's jump into our study of Philip and learn about the ideal life in service for God.
Deacon Philip
Read Acts 6:1. Assume I came to you with this problem. What would be your first suggestion as to the source of the problem and how to solve it?
Would you first find out if the charges were true?
Does it matter if they are true? Or, is perception more important?
Since they mention cultural distinctions, my first reaction would be that this was discrimination based on culture. Would the solution be education or replacement of personnel?
Let's run this through in our minds. Assume that you begin to solve the problem by determining whether the food distributors are discriminating or whether the complainers are guilty of falsely claiming discrimination. Either way, one side is showing that they discriminate based on ethnicity. When you figured out who was in the wrong, what would you be facing? (One side is going to be upset and probably claiming more discrimination!)
Read Acts 6:2-4. How do the early leaders handle the problem? (They assume the problem arises from not paying close enough attention. They don't assign blame. They don't challenge the complainers. They say they have more important things to do. No one is found to be culturally insensitive.)
What if the problem is cultural discrimination? (Whatever the source of the problem, this will fix it.)
Have they created a committee to deal with the problem?
Read Acts 6:5-6. What do you notice about the names of the new deacons? (Most of them have Greek names.)
What do you conclude from this? (The apostles refuse to admit there was any intentional discrimination against the Greek Jews. However, when the church chooses the new deacons, it chooses mostly Greek Jews.)
What does the handling of this explosive problem teach us for our missionary activities today?
To go back to our introduction, which turns out to be most important: gifted plans or gifted people? (They are both important. This is a false dichotomy.)
Look again at Acts 6:3. Our lesson this week is about Philip. What do we learn about him from our first introduction? (That he is "full of the Spirit and wisdom.")
Healer Philip
Read Acts 8:1-5. What has happened to the church in Jerusalem? What has happened to Philip? Is he now out of a job? (With the persecution, the leaders and members fled to other cities. Philip went to a city in Samaria. He is now out of the food distribution business.)
Recall our lesson two weeks ago (Lesson 10)about Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well? Why would Philip choose to go to Samaria? (Certainly the Jewish authorities had little influence there. Jesus pioneered sharing the gospel with the Samaritans.)
Read Acts 8:6-8. The office of deacon means different things in different churches. What did it mean in Philip's case? (He performed miracles and brought "joy in that city.")
What connection do the miracles have to the message? (It caused the people to "pay close attention.")
What lesson do we find in this or our missionary activities today?
Read Acts 8:9-11. If you were an outside observer, how is Simon like Philip? (He did amazing things. The people gave him their attention.)
How are Philip and Simon not alike? (Simon took the credit for himself. He was "the Great Power." Philip gave the glory to God.)
Read Mark 16:20 and Acts 14:3. These texts say the gospel is "confirmed" by miracles. Notice the different sources of power for Simon and Philip. How could you know the source of the power when the results seem similar?
Is sorcery confirmed by Simon's amazing work? (Read Matthew 7:22-23. Doing amazing things is not the test of righteousness.)
Read 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12. How does this say we can distinguish the true from the false? (We must look at the message of the miracle worker. Simon's message was personal power and glory.)
Read Acts 8:12-13. What attracted Simon to the gospel? (He was astonished by the signs and miracles.)
Let's skip down to Acts 8:18-23. Wait a minute! This is Philip's new convert. How can Peter say Simon's heart is "not right" and is "full of bitterness and captive to sin?"
Is there a lesson in this for our missionary activities? (Read Acts 8:24. Simon comes into the church for the "wrong reasons." His heart is still not right, even though he is baptized. He reacts to Peter based on fear. Yet I believe he is on the road to righteousness. People who want to be baptized should be baptized. We need not wait until they are perfect!)
The Holy Spirit
Let's go back to those verses that we skipped over. Read Acts 8:14-16. How can Philip, a man who does great miracles and is himself (Acts 6:3) "full" of the Holy Spirit, baptize without the Holy Spirit? Is this some sort of technical failure on Philip's part? Did he forgot part of the required message because he is new to this?
Look again at Acts 8:15-16. The first step in receiving the Holy Spirit is to pray for the Spirit.
Read Acts 8:17. What additional step do we see?
Read Acts 9:17. What procedure was used to have Saul filled with the Holy Spirit? (In both cases we see that laying hands on the person is the method by which the Holy Spirit is conferred.)
Read Acts 10:44-47. How did this group receive the Holy Spirit? Did it precede or follow baptism? (It came before baptism!)
What do these texts teach us about receiving the Holy Spirit? (It can clearly be something separate from baptism. It comes in different ways. But, it is clearly manifest in the believer. In Acts 8:14-16 it was clear the Holy Spirit had not come on the believers.)
What does this teach us about our missionary efforts? (We need to pray to have the Holy Spirit be manifest in those we baptize.)
The Ethiopian
Read Acts 8:26-29. How would you like to have such a relationship with God that He points out a specific road and a specific car for you to contact? Is such a relationship possible today?
We are always interested in bringing in influential new members. How important was this Ethiopian? (He was the treasurer of the country. If this were America, he would be Secretary of the Treasury.)
What does this tell us about his relationship with the Queen of Ethiopia? (You are going to find the most trustworthy person to be in charge of your money!)
What else do we know about this Ethiopian? (He was interested in spiritual matters. He not only had been to Jerusalem to worship, but he was reading the Bible on his trip home.)
Read Acts 8:30-31. What else do we learn about God's interest in the affairs of humans? (He brought Philip and the Ethiopian together at the very point where the Ethiopian was having trouble understanding the Bible!)
Read Acts 8:32-34. If you wanted to convert a Jew, with what Old Testament text would you start? (God has arranged for the Ethiopian to be reading the perfect text to introduce Jesus the Messiah.)
Read Acts 8:35-38. How does Philip begin his evangelist efforts with this man? (He follows the lead of the Holy Spirit. He answers the questions presented. He does not start with a "prepared" witnessing speech.)
Read Acts 8:39-40. Would you like to live a life in the Spirit like Philip?
Friend, if you would like a life in the Spirit, why not ask God right now to use you like this?
Next week: "Here Am I! Send Me:" The Prophet Isaiah.
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"Here Am I! Send Me:" The Prophet Isaiah
(Isaiah 6)
Missionaries in the Bible: Lesson 13
Copr. 2008, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. All scripture references are to the New International Version (NIV), copr. 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society, unless otherwise noted. Quotations from the NIV are used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. The lesson assumes the teacher uses a blackboard or some other visual aid. This lesson can be found at: <url:http://www.GoBible.Org/study/522.php>
Introduction: Do you like change? Most people fear change because it brings uncertainty. Right now I'm adding change to my unchanged life. I've lived in the same house for over 25 years, but have rented a house in a new city and am slowly moving there. I've had the same employer for over 32 years, but now I spend half my time teaching in law school. For 28 years I have been a member of the same local church, but I'm slowly moving to the new church in the new city. I've been married to the same wife for 34 years and my goal is to make no changes there! Change creates anxiety. Being a missionary may require some change in your life. This week our lesson starts out with changing leadership, let's dive into our study of Isaiah!
King Uzziah Dies
Read Isaiah 6:1-3. Uzziah had been king for more than 50 years. How do you think it made the people feel to have him die?
Since Uzziah was generally a good king, how would you guess Isaiah felt about it?
Why do you think God showed Isaiah this vision at the time when King Uzziah died? (We want someone in charge who has our best interests in mind. We want rulers who like us. God shows Isaiah that although Uzziah may have died, God is still on His throne and is in charge.)
What does this vision show us about the nature of our God? (He wants to reassure His followers. He wants you to have confidence in Him.)
Woeful Man!
Read Isaiah 6:2 again. Let's notice these angels for a minute. By the way, this is the only time "seraphs" are mentioned in the Bible.
The word "seraph" means "to burn." How do you think these angels looked?
How do these seraphs use their wings? (Two to cover the face, two to cover the feet (or the lower part of the body) and two to fly.)
Why do you think these angels used their wings in such a way? (They are in the presence of God. They veiled their faces because of a holy God. They covered their feet as a suggestion of respect. The common was kept from God's view. They needed two to keep flying!)
Read Isaiah 6:3-4. If you are worried about "second-hand smoke," you need to stay away from the presence of God! Seriously, why is there such physical force connected with the message of these angels?
Why should the temple be filled with smoke? (Read Exodus 19:18. This tells us that the "smoke" that surrounds God is the result of God traveling in fire. This is called the "Shekinah cloud" and is often associated with God. See, e.g. 1 Kings 8:10 and Ezekiel 10:4.)
Why do you think that God and the angels appear to be burning? This sounds more like a picture of hell! (If you look at Numbers 31:21-24 we see that burning and water are God's means for purifying an item. Based on that, God's fiery appearance symbolizes the source of purity.)
Why, then, do we have a picture in Revelation 20:9-10 of the devil burning? (Absolute impurity meets absolute purity. The fire of God consumes the impurity of sin.)
Those of you that are more scientifically oriented can tell me - isn't smoke evidence of the conversion of energy from one form to another? If so, this may be some evidence of the energy that surrounds God. Energy, purity, power: that is our God! In times of change, God remains the power of the universe.
Are the words of the angels in Isaiah 6:3 less powerful than the delivery of the words in Isaiah 6:4? (The entire picture in Isaiah 6 conveys a sense of power. The dazzling angels (remember they looked like fire) cover their faces, they continually praise God, and you can feel the power of the presence of God and these angels. What they say is that God is holy and His influence fills the whole earth.)
Do you feel power in your church worship?
Read Isaiah 6:5. What is Isaiah's reaction to being in the presence of God?
How is this a reassurance in a time of change?
Why does Isaiah speak of his lips? If you find yourself in the presence of someone important, aren't you more concerned about whether your hair is combed and your clothes are clean and neat? (Isaiah, the prophet, has a message for God's people. His point is that he is unworthy to bring this message. His first need is to have his sins forgiven.)
Read Isaiah 6:6-7. What does the live coal represent? (Remember that Isaiah 6:1 and Isaiah 6:4 tell us that God, the seraphs and Isaiah are all in the temple in this vision. This coal is taken from the altar - the place of the atonement for sin. The coal is applied to the place in which Isaiah says he has the greatest need.)
Read Acts 2:3-4. Isaiah has a burning coal touched to his lips. The apostles have tongues of fire rest on them. What pattern do you see?
What lesson do you find? (The instrument used by the missionary is purified by the fire of God.)
What message do you see in Isaiah confessing his unworthiness and seeking cleansing for his words before he begins his mission? (If you want to be involved in mission you need to first confess your sins and seek God's blessings. You need to have the power and purity of God fall on you. How can you teach others to repent if you have not repented?)
The Volunteer
Read Isaiah 6:8. Why does God call for a volunteer when He is there with Isaiah? (This reinforces the idea that God does not force us to be His missionaries. He asks us to volunteer for His work.)
Who is the "us" in verse 8? (Notice that the seraphs say "Holy" three times. Both the reference to "us" and the repetition of the word "Holy" imply the Trinity.)
How many does volunteers does God call for? (He seems to be calling for one. "Whom" shall I send?)
The Message
Read Isaiah 6:9-10. Isaiah now has a new mission from God. What does God see is the major problem?
Is Isaiah the first one to mention the problem to the people? Is the issue that they have not heard God's message before? (The message is that they need to clean their ears, open their eyes and soften their hearts.)
We have a great concern to fulfill the "Gospel Commission" that the whole world hear the message of Jesus. What complication to our task do verses 9 and 10 suggest? (It is not simply hearing the word, it is understanding it. We have a mission field among those who "know" as well as for those who have not heard.)
Read Isaiah 6:11-12. How long for what?
Isaiah seems to be asking, "What will it take for the people to both hear and understand?"
What is the answer? (Calamity will cause them to pay attention to God. In the United States we are experiences bank failures. This is historic bad news.)
Read Isaiah 6:13. This verse contains both bad and good news. What is the bad news? (That even though 10% of the people survive at first, what remains will be attacked a second time. Things are going to get much worse.)
What is the good news? (That out of the "stumps" which are left, the "holy seed" will arise.)
Do you think we are facing change in the world? Serious problems? (Some bad things are happening in the world. The problems in the American financial system seem to be the worst of my lifetime. I read there are serious problems in other countries as well. Last week I heard an expert talk about how the President of Iran publically states that he is the modern day "John the Baptist" who will usher in the Mahdi, who is the redeemer of Islam. The Mahdi comes when there is great conflict in the middle east. Remember that Iran is making nuclear weapons and has said it wants to destroy Israel. Israel has a history of bombing the nuclear plants of problematic neighbors. This is a recipe for real trouble!)
What encouragement do you find from this lesson when bad things are happening in your life, when change is taking place? (Our whole lesson this week, from a fiery God, to the burning coal on the lips, to the destruction of those who will not pay attention, paints a picture. Our God is in charge and He will cleanse us from our sins. Heat, pressure, and fire burn away the impurities and bring forth the holy. God uses change to make us better people and help us to be His representatives to bring change to others.)
Friend, how about you? Are you willing to be purified so that you can be God's representative? Are you willing to respond to the call of God to share His word? Are you willing to embrace change and trouble to make you a better missionary?
Next week we start a new series of lessons on the "Atonement and the Cross of Christ."
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