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Category: Snapshots (Page 15 of 45)

A More Excellent Way

Genesis 28:10-191NIV New International Version Translations
10 Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran. 11 When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 There above it stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. 15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.” 18 Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. 19 He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz.

Background

In this chapter of Genesis, you will find:

  • Jacob parting with his parents, and going to Padanaram as instructed by his father-Isaac was the son of Abraham and Sarah and father of Jacob (v. 1, v. 2), the blessing his father sent him away with (v. 3, v. 4), Jacob’s obedience to the orders given him (v. 5, v. 10), and the influence this had upon Esau – Jacob’s brother (v. 6-9).
  • Jacob meeting with God, and his conversation with Him along the way. And there,
    • his vision of the ladder (v. 11, v. 12).
    • The gracious promises God made him (v. 13-15).
    • The impression this made upon him (v. 16-19).
    • The vow he made to God, upon this occasion (v. 20, etc.).

Bible Truths and Theology2https://www.easyenglish.bible/bible-commentary/genesis-mwks3-lbw.htm

Verses 10-11 Jacob had God’s blessing. But Jacob had no money and he had no friends. He slept outside. He used a stone as his pillow.
Verse 12 This staircase was between earth and heaven. So it was similar to the tower in Babel. But there were many differences. Men built the tower and they tried to reach heaven. They thought that they were clever. And they thought that they could be equal to God. But in Jacob’s dream, God provided the staircase. In John 1:51, Jesus said, ‘Really and truly I say to you that you will see heaven open. And you will see God’s angels go up and down upon the Son of Man.’ Jesus is the way to heaven. Jacob needed to know that God was near him. God was not far away.
Verse 13 ‘The Lord stood above it.’ This may be ‘The Lord stood above Jacob.’ Or ‘The Lord stood near Jacob.’ The word ‘above’ shows that God was controlling the situation. Abraham was Jacob’s grandfather. People often used the word ‘father’ to mean ‘ancestor’. God showed to Jacob that God was really blessing him. Jacob really wanted God’s blessing. In fact, Jacob had even used wrong methods to try to get it. But God gives his blessing where he wants to. We cannot earn it.
Verse 14 God made the same promises to Jacob that he (God) had made to Abraham and Isaac.
Verse 15 Jacob would return to this country that God had given to him. God would protect Jacob as he (Jacob) travelled.
Verse 17 Jacob was not afraid that something evil would happen. That was not what he meant. He knew God’s almighty power. But in Jacob’s dream, he had seen God and he had heard God. God had promised great things to him. And Jacob realized how weak he was.
Verse 18 Later, God did not allow the Jews to put up columns. That was because the Canaanites did that to worship false gods. But Jacob put up this one here. In that way, he wanted to remind himself and other people how great God was. And Jacob wanted to remember the exact place where he had this experience.
Verse 19 The place was probably not a city until later. It seems that Jacob was alone in the desert. ‘Bethel’ means ‘the house of God’. Jacob gave this name to the place because he met God there.

Items for Discussion

  • What are the ways God communicates to us?
  • What do you think God liked about Jacob and how he was handling the situation?
  • We are looking at three generations to see how God is living up to His promises – How does God continue this generation after generation?
  • For 6,000 years, God has kept his promises – for some it was good news and some it was bad news. How would you explain this to someone?
  • What do you think is the most important thing you can do to make sure the next generation knows God?

 

Mark 2:13-14
13 Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. 14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.

Background

There are some details that are in this Gospel only. These details show that they probably come from an eye-witness.  In the account of the storm on the lake, ‘there were other boats with him’. Jesus was ‘in the back of the boat with his head on a cushion’ (4:35, 38). The groups of people were sitting on the ‘green’ grass (6:39). On the road to Jerusalem, Jesus was walking ‘ahead of them’ (10:32). Jesus ‘took the children into his arms’ (10:16). The blind man ‘threw off his coat’ (10:50). Some early writers also said that Peter gave Mark the information for his Gospel.  Most theologians today agree that Mark was the first person to write a Gospel. Both Matthew and Luke seem to use it. Mark perhaps completed it in the year 65, soon after Peter’s death. This is always important when reading Gospels, they were written after Christ’s death and resurrection. The authors had time to see how the world had responded to Christ’s message and were writing to convince an apprehensive world.

Mark uses the word ‘immediately’ many times. He wants to emphasise the power of Jesus, whose command always brought a quick result (1:20, 42; 2:12; 5:42). It is also as if he is anxious to reach the end of the story. He cannot wait to tell everyone about the death and resurrection of Jesus. Mark knew that these two events were ‘good news’ for everyone. When Jesus suffered, it made it possible for God to save people. ‘The Son of Man did not come for people to serve him. Instead, he came to serve other people. He came to give his life as the price to make many people free’ (10:45). This would be the “New and Excellent Way.”
Chapter 1

Bible Truths and Theology

Levi was probably another name for Matthew. The first Gospel records that Jesus called Matthew (Matthew 9:9). And Matthew collected taxes. The name Levi is not in the list of the 12 apostles (Mark 3:16-19). His work was to collect taxes from people in Capernaum and from merchants who were travelling through the city. The Jews hated those who collected taxes. There were two reasons:

  • They were working for the Romans who were their enemies.
  • They had to keep some money for themselves after they had collected the required amount. It was easy for them to cheat people and to demand too much money. As a result, tax collectors were typically rich people.

Items for Discussion

  • What true stories do you tell most often, over and over? Why those stories
  • What convinces you that that Mark believed Jesus taught a New and Better way to live?
  • From what you know about Matthew, do you think that he believed his life was better after meeting Jesus? Why?
  • What makes the change in direction of someone from a sinful life to a life living for Christ a new and excellent way to live?

Discussion Challenge

  • How do you convince those whom you meet that your life with Christ is a new and excellent way?

A Caring Friend

Psalm 119:105-1121NIV New International Version Translations
105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. 106 I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws. 107 I have suffered much; preserve my life, Lord, according to your word. 108 Accept, Lord, the willing praise of my mouth, and teach me your laws. 109  Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law. 110 The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from your precepts. 111 Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. 112 My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end.

Background

There is no title to this Psalm and no author’s name mentioned. It is believed that David wrote this Psalm. It is Davidic in its tone and expression, and it aligns well with David’s experiences in many areas. It is the longest psalm.  Psalm 119 is equal in size to twenty-two psalms of the average length of the Psalms of Ascents2Definition of Song of Ascents: any one of 15 psalms in the series Ps 120 to 134 sung by Hebrew pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem or possibly while ascending Mount Zion or the steps of the Temple —called also Gradual Psalm, Pilgrim Psalm, Psalm of Ascents.

The Psalm is alphabetical. Eight stanzas commence with one letter, and then another eight with the next letter, and so the whole Psalm proceeds this way through the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. One would contemplate that Psalm 119 was truly inspired by God.

The purpose of this psalm appears to be to magnify the Divine law, and make God’s Law honorable. There are ten Hebrew concepts by which Divine revelation is called out in this psalm, and each expresses what God expects from us, and what we may expect from Him:

  1. God’s law; this is enacted by Him as our Sovereign God.
  2. His way; this is the rule of God’s providence.
  3. His testimonies; they are solemnly declared to the world.
  4. His commandments; given with authority.
  5. His precepts; not left to be merely indifferent matters to us.
  6. His word,; it is the declaration of God’s mind.
  7. His judgments; framed through God’s infinite wisdom.
  8. His righteousness; it is the rule and standard of what is right.
  9. His statutes; they are always binding.
  10. His truth or faithfulness; it is eternal truth, it shall endure for ever.

Bible Truths and Theology

The word of God directs us in our work and way, and the world would be a dark place indeed without God’s direction. The commandment is a lamp kept burning with the oil of the Spirit, as a light to direct us in the choice of our way, and the steps we take in that way. The keeping of God’s commands here  is that of a sinner under a gift of mercy, of a believer having a part in the covenant of grace. The psalmist is often troubled but desires to become more holy and offers up daily prayers for to bring grace more quickly upon himself.

The message here is that we cannot offer any thing to God that he will accept except what God Himself is pleased to teach us to do. To have our soul or life continually in our hands, implies constant danger of life; yet the psalmist did not forget God’s promises nor his precepts. Numerous are the snares laid by the wicked; and happy is that servant of God (the psalmist), that the snares have not caused him to error from God’s precepts. Heavenly treasures are a heritage forever; all the saints accept them as such. Therefore we can be content with very little from this world. We must look for comfort only through the way of duty, and that duty must be done. A good man, by the grace of God, brings his heart to his work, then it is done well.

Items for Discussion

  • Think about a caring friend – What are the attributes of that relationship that you enjoy the most?
  • How would those attributes you shared compare with a relationship with our God?
  • God’s Laws are always binding – Can you think of places where society is trying to redefine those laws?
  • Where is today’s society indifferent to God’s Law?
  • What advice do you think David is giving us when he says the wicked have set out “snares” for him but those snares have not caused him to stray from God’s Laws?
  • God tells us that we can give Him nothing that matters except that which God Himself has guided us to give – How does one make sure our “work” in this world is God-led?

 

Luke 10:40-42
40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” 41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Background3http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/luke/10.html

In this chapter we have the following:

  • The commission which Christ gave to the seventy disciples to preach the gospel, and to confirm it by miracles; and the full instructions he gave them how to manage themselves in the execution of their commissions, and great encouragement therein (v. 1-16).
  • The report which the seventy disciples made to their Master of their success and Chris’s conversation with them (v. 17-24).
  • Christ’s conversation with a lawyer concerning the way to heaven, and the instructions Christ gave him by a parable to look upon every one as his neighbor whom he had occasion to show kindness to, or receive kindness from (v. 25-37).
  • Christ’s entertainment at Martha’s house, the disapproval He gave to her for her care about the world, and Christ’s praise of Mary for her care about her soul (v. 38-42).

Bible Truths and Theology4https://www.easyenglish.bible/bible-commentary/luke9-19-im-lbw.htm

Jesus and his disciples went to Bethany village where Martha and Mary lived. Bethany was about two miles from Jerusalem. Martha invited them into her home. Martha lived there with her sister Mary.

With such a large group of guests, Martha was very busy. To provide for them all, there was a lot of work to do. And Martha was anxious about it. Probably she would rather have listened to Jesus but she was too busy. But Mary did not help her in her work. Mary just sat at the feet of Jesus to listen to what he said. It seems that she was eager to learn from Jesus. And Jesus encouraged her to learn from him. This was not usual in those times. Not many Jewish teachers would teach a woman.

It upset Martha that Mary did not help her in the work. It upset her that Jesus did not seem to care about it. She asked Jesus to tell Mary that she should come to help her. Jesus understood what Martha felt. He was gentle in his reply to her. Martha was anxious because she was so busy in her work for Jesus. Mary had not joined in that work, but she was still doing something good. Only one thing is really necessary for us: to receive a right relationship with God. Mary had done that and Jesus would not stop her. Our work for God should be the result of that relationship.
We can be so busy that we fail to hear the Lord. It is better to hear the Lord first. Then we can do what is necessary.

Items for Discussion

  • Where, within today’s church, do we see the attitude shown by Martha?
  • Where does today’s busy lives short change our relationships with God?
  • What seems to be the test for proper involvement in church life? From mankind’s perspective? From God’s perspective?
  • Jesus excluded no one from becoming His pupil.  Do you think that the church today is as open? Where are we successful? Where do we fall short?

Discussion Challenge

  • Martha, working hard for Christ, let herself become judgmental – How do we keep ourselves from letting this happen?

A Little Help From Your Friends

Genesis 1:1-51NIV New International Version Translations
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

Background

Our sermon title was made famous years ago by a rock and roll singer named Joe Cocker.  He laments that somehow he will get through all of life’s problems with a little help from his friends.  So what is it about earth’s creation story that would link us to the lyrics of a rock and roll song? The song is really about the fear of loneliness and man’s fear of not finding companionship.  So what is it about light that creates an environment where friendship and love can grown. Why is this important to one’s relationship with God?

Bible Truths and Theology

God has always existed and He will always exist. There has never been a time before God. And there will never be a time after God. The Hebrew word used in Genesis for ‘create’ means to make something from nothing. Only God makes something from nothing. The writer uses that word in verse 1, and he uses it in verses 21 and 27 also. The reference to ‘The skies and the earth’ means everything. The writer reminds us about it in Genesis 2:1, 4.

The earth had ‘no shape’ and it was ‘empty’. Until God works, there is only confusion there is no plan and so there is no design, purpose or systems. When there is order, God is present. Darkness is being used here to show us what it is like to live without God.  We are being reminded that God wants to protect His creation so He is, like a bird, hovering overhead. To create order, to add structure, all God had to do is speak. Immediately, things happen. Since we need light in order to live, we get light, we can see. We can see what God creates. Light is also like a description or picture for us to show  what real life with God is like.  If it was not for light, we could not see God’s blessings. Darkness is also like a description of what sin and death are like, confusion and chaos.

Everything that God does is good, including that which is in progress and that which is completed.  God  then named the “light.” This is significant because  when we give a name to something, that action often had special meaning. It means that the item is somehow ours, we rule over it Hence, the ownership and power of light belongs to God.

Items for Discussion

  • What can we learn from God’s first day about His character?
  • How does light enhance our relationship with God?
  • What are the effects of too much darkness on humanity?
  • Why is it that the human needs friendships, companionship with others, loving relationships?
  • How does light, the manifestation of God’s own existence and power, fulfill the human needs discussed above?
  • What does God expect from us when others can see us in the light?

 

Mark 2:3-12

3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

Background

The Book of Mark is the shortest Gospel. Like the other Gospels, it tells us about the things that Jesus did as well as taught. The writer of the book was the Apostle Mark. He belonged to a family who lived in Jerusalem. Mark became a Christian and he joined the church there. Then he travelled to tell people about Jesus. Mark worked with both Paul and Peter. Some believe that Peter assisted Mark in his writing of this Gospel.

Chapter 2 begins with a story about the “community of faith,” the power of friendships and Christ combined.

Bible Truths and Theology2https://www.theologyofwork.org/new-testament/mark

The story of Jesus healing the paralytic man raises the question of what the theology of work means for those who do not have the ability to work. The paralytic man, prior to this healing, is incapable of self-supporting work. As such, he is dependent on the grace and compassion of those around him for his daily survival. Jesus is impressed by the faith of the man’s friends. Their faith is active, showing care, compassion, and friendship to someone who was excluded from both the financial and relational rewards of work. In their faith, there is no separation between being and doing.

Jesus sees their effort as an act of collective faith. “When Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven’” (Mark 2:5). In earlier times, most Christians worked alongside the same people they went to church with, so churches could easily apply the Scriptures to the shared occupations of laborers, farmers, and householders. In contrast, Christians today seldom work in the same locations as others in the same church.

In this brief story, we observe three things:

  1. Work is intended to benefit those who can’t support themselves through work, as well as those who can work;
  2. Faith and work are not separated as being and doing, but are integrated into action as empowered by God; and
  3. Work done in faith needs a community of faith to support it.

Items for Discussion

  • Do you believe that the idea of a community of faith is growing or shrinking in our world today? Why?
  • Depending on your answer to the prior question, what do you think the impact is on our society?
  • What are society’s responsibilities to someone like the paralyzed man?
  • Does the Church have different responsibilities? If so, what are they?
  • In what ways does today’s Christian Church respond like the friends of the paralyzed man responded?

Discussion Challenge

  • Every group of christians should be able to name those they are carrying to see Jesus.  Two questions:
    • Do you know who they are in your family, community and church?
    • To what extent would you go through (e.g. tearing a hole in a roof) to make sure you bring someone to see Christ?

Receive The Spirit

John 14:15-311NIV New International Version Translations
15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” 22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?” 23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. 25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. 28 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. 30 I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, 31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me. “Come now; let us leave.

Background2http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/john/14.html

This chapter is a continuation of Christ’s discussion with his disciples after the last supper. When He had convicted and discarded Judas, He set himself to comfort the rest, who were full of sorrow after hearing that He would be leaving them. This chapter contains  good words and comfortable words  for the disciples behalf. The general scope of this chapter is in the first verse; it is designed to keep trouble from their hearts; now  and in order to this they must believe:

  1. Heaven as their everlasting rest (v. 2, v. 3).
  2. Christ himself as their way (v. 4-11).
  3. The great power they shall gain through their prayers (v. 12-14).
  4. The coming of another comforter (v. 15-17).
  5. The fellowship and communion that should be between him and them after His departure (v. 18-24).
  6. The instructions which the Holy Spirit should give them (v. 25, v. 26).
  7. The peace Christ bequeathed to them (v. 27).
  8. Christ’s own cheerfulness about His departure (v. 28-31).

Bible Truths and Theology3https://www.easyenglish.bible/bible-commentary/john-ma-lbw.htm

It is easy to say that we love Jesus. But there is only one way to prove that we love him. We must obey his commands. This is not always easy. The good news is that we do not have to do it ourselves, but have the Holy Spirit to help. Here, the word help means “gives us the strength and the power to do things that we could not do alone.”  It also means to comfort. When Jesus returned to heaven, the Holy Spirit would help the disciples to know what to say in difficult situations and the Holy Spirit would remain with them always.  After Jesus had returned to heaven, he sent the Holy Spirit to live in all Christians (Acts chapter 2). But many people do not know Jesus, so they do not know the Holy Spirit either. They do not believe in Jesus, so they do not have the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives. But Christians have this power, because the Holy Spirit lives in them. The Holy Spirit changes a person to become more like Jesus. And then that person can do the things that Jesus did, too.

After His resurrection, Jesus said that ‘you are in me’. And he said that ‘I am in you’. These phrases mean that all Christians are united with Jesus and therefore with the Father, too. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit all  join with us.  Jesus emphasised how to prove that our love for him is real. If we love somebody, we want to please that person. So if we really love Jesus, we will want to please him. So we will want to obey him. We do not obey him because of fear but because of love.  ‘The people who love me, they will obey me. Then my Father will love them. We will come to them. And we will live with them.  Jesus would not be the kind of Messiah that people expected. So, many people rejected him. They chose not to know him. During  the 2000 years since, many people have heard the good news about Jesus. Some people have refused to believe in him. They have rejected him, too. So He does not show himself to them. He shows himself to those people who believe in him. Jesus is living in us by means of the Holy Spirit. We can know Jesus as our friend and we can talk to him about anything. He is real and He is alive!

We prove our love for Jesus when we obey him.  Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would remind the disciples of  His’ own words. The Holy Spirit can help us, too. When we read the Bible, he will help us. He will help us to understand it. In our daily lives, he will remind us of the things that we have learned.

Jesus reminds us that the only real peace. To have this peace does not mean that we will not have trouble but we have Christ’s peace even when bad things happen. We have this peace when we are ill or in pain. We have this peace when people reject us. This is how Christ comforts us.  When Jesus was on the earth, he was unable to do many things because of his physical body. But the Father does not have limits of time and space. So, in this way, the Father was greater than Jesus was. The verses end reminding us of Satan, who is the ruler of this world.  Satan has some authority in the world because of Adam’s sin but no authority over Jesus, because Jesus has never sinned. The good news is that Satan has no authority over who believe in Jesus. Jesus’  righteousness becomes our righteousness.

Items For Discussion

  • If you knew you were leaving your friends and would not see them for a long time, what kind of topics would you talk about?
  • For a student who is about to graduate and leave their teachers and schooling, what would you guess their fears would be about?
  • How is the Holy Spirit like “glue,” a binding agent?
  • Imagine having a discussion with someone, how could the Holy Spirit help you and how could the Holy Spirit help the other person?

 

Acts 2:1-21
2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.” 14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

Background

On the Day of Pentecost, a prophecy was fulfilled. Acts 2:1 literally reads, “As the Day of Pentecost was being fulfilled.” What was fulfilled was the prophecy given by both Jesus and John the Baptist concerning the coming of the Holy Spirit.  The coming of the Holy Spirit was  to give power to the believers. It would become the birthday of the church.  Here, the disciples were empowered to spread the Gospel’s message. The Old Testament period of law was concluded and a new era beginning. Those who believe in Jesus as Messiah during this present age would become part of the body  of Christ  and be know as the Christian Church. The church age began at Pentecost and will conclude when Christ comes back to us.

The Day of Pentecost also saw the first converts to the new church. When Simon Peter delivered his sermon proclaiming that Christ had risen, some three thousand people became converted. Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them (Acts 2:41).

The Holy Spirit, in fulfilling prophecies of both Jesus and John the Baptist, descended in a unique way upon all the believers, giving them power for service.  the outpouring of the Holy Spirit began the age of the Christian church. The disciples were both baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit;. There, the sign of speaking in unknown languages was given to the disciples as evidence of the arrival of the Holy Spirit.

Bible Truths and Theology4https://www.easyenglish.bible/bible-commentary/acts-lbw.htm

Verse 1 Pentecost came 50 days after the Passover. 

Verse 2 Everyone knew when the Holy Spirit came. Luke says that it was ‘as if a very strong wind was blowing’. In the Bible, writers often use the word ‘wind’ to describe the Spirit’s power. (Look at Ezekiel 37:9-14, for example.)

Verse 3 First, they heard the Holy Spirit. Next, they saw something. It was ‘tongues that seemed like fire’. In the book called Exodus, we read that Moses saw a very special bush. We know that God was in the bush. We know it because the bush was burning all the time (Exodus 3:2-5). We can see that God was here in Acts too, because of the fire.

Verse 4 The words ‘different languages’ here can also be ‘other tongues’. People do not always agree about what this means. The disciples spoke in foreign languages. This was so that all the foreign visitors in Jerusalem could understand them.

Verse 5 ‘Every nation in the world’ means every nation where there were Jews. These Jews had travelled to Jerusalem because it was Pentecost.

Verse 6 A large crowd came together because of the noise. The believers came out into the street. 

Verses 7-8 People from Galilee spoke in an unusual way. People from other places could not always understand them. But now, these disciples from Galilee were speaking in different languages. Everyone could understand what the disciples were saying.

Verses 9-11 More Jews lived in other countries than in Judea. Their enemies had taken them there more than 500 years earlier. This list shows that many Jews from many different nations were in Jerusalem. They all heard about the wonderful things that God had done on this special Pentecost day. They would go back to their countries and they would tell other people. The other people in the world were beginning to hear the good news about Jesus.

Verses 12-13 Luke says that they could not explain what was happening. He says it several times. But some people tried to explain things in their own way. They said that the disciples had drunk too much wine. It is the same nowadays, too. When the Holy Spirit comes with power, people do not always understand this event. They do not always understand what is happening.

Verses 17-18 Peter spoke verses from the book called Joel (Joel 2:28-32). They describe the Day of the Lord. For Jews, this meant the day when God would change the world. They believed that God would give power to Israel then. It would also be a day when God would bring terrible judgement. The Jews divided time into two ages.

Verses 19-20 A few weeks earlier, people in Jerusalem had seen that the sun became dark. This had happened in the afternoon when Jesus died on the cross. Maybe the moon had also appeared to be red in the dark sky. Or perhaps these events may still happen in the future.

Verse 21 People cannot save themselves from God’s judgement. But God will save anyone who calls to him. But the person must really want God to help him or her.

Items for Discussion5https://www.easyenglish.bible/bible-commentary/acts-lbw.htm

  • The Holy Spirit is often portrayed as a dove and fire – How do these images support your perception of the Holy Spirit?
  • How might the Holy Spirit help someone share the Gospel?
  • An area of continued confusion is the gift of tongues. Knowing that the Holy Spirit works in both the tongue and the ears, how might we explain this power?
  • The birth of the church is when the Gospel’s message was spread out for the world to hear – What is our role in this function?

Discussion Challenge

  • How do we overcome our own reluctance to share the Gospel’s message and embolden others around us to share more often?

 

 

 

They Met Jesus: Some Greeks

Isaiah 28:24-261NIV New International Version Translations
24 When a farmer plows for planting, does he plow continually? Does he keep on breaking up and working the soil? 25 When he has leveled the surface, does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin? Does he not plant wheat in its place, barley in its plot, and spelt in its field? 26 His God instructs him and teaches him the right way.

Background

The Bible uses many comparisons for God’s efforts to gather His people. We often remember the stories about a vineyard.  Here we have a comparision about a farm field. When a farmer plows for planting, does he plow continually? The point being made here is that the farmer does not spend all of his time in ploughing the ground, in order to plant it, or, as these verses go, in continuing his efforts to break up the clumps of earth. The farmer works the earth several times, preparing it first for planting.  Then the farmer sows his seeds, turns them under. Later there is a time for harvesting, threshing or beating the grain off the stalks and grinding the corn for his own use.

So the question being proposed is who gave mankind this knowledge? These verses teach us that God has His times and seasons and that the methods of God’s providence also have their seasons. Therefore, even though the Israelites were guilty of great folly, in flattering themselves, and despising God’s threatenings commands brought to them through the prophets, God still was patience with them. God, however, would still take time to “thresh and break them” with his judgments just as God was preparing him with His plowing and working of the soil.

Bible Truths and Theology2http://www.easyenglish.info/bible-commentary/isaiah21-30-lbw-nh.htm

This parable is about the way that the farmer prepares the soil to receive seed. Once he has ploughed the field, he does not need to repeat the action.

  • To plough the field may seem to be a painful way to act towards the soil. But the action achieves its purpose. It prepares the soil for the seed to grow and to produce a harvest.
  • God acts in a similar way. After he has punished his people for their evil behaviour, he does not repeat the painful action. God is aiming to achieve his real purpose for his people’s lives.

Items for Discussion

  • What kinds of actions that seem “destructive,” can you think of that are required to have a good outcome later?
  • How would you retell this story in modern terms now that most people do not know about how to farm?
  • What evidence can you think of that proves God is the source of human wisdom?
  • If you used this analogy of plowing, further tilling, planting, harvesting, preparing grain by grinding to teach a lesson, what would should that lesson be?
  • What do you think is meant by “does he not plant wheat in its place?”

 

John 12:20-26
20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. 23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

Background3https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_John

The Gospel According to John is one of the four gospels in the New Testament included in the list of sacred books officially accepted as genuine. It traditionally appears fourth, after the synoptic4forming a general summary gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. John begins with the witness and affirmation of John the Baptist and concludes with the death, burial, resurrection, and post-resurrection appearances of Jesus.
Although the Gospel of John is anonymous, Christian tradition historically has attributed it to John the Apostle, son of Zebedee and one of Jesus’ Twelve Apostles. The gospel is so closely related in style and content to the three surviving letters (1 John, 2 John and 3 John) that commentators treat the four books, along with the Book of Revelation, as a single grouping of literature, although not necessarily written by the same author.

The discourses contained with this gospel seem to be concerned with issues of the church–synagogue debate at the time of its creation. It is notable that in John, the community appears to define itself primarily in contrast to Judaism, rather than as part of a wider Christian community. Though Christianity started as a movement within Judaism, it gradually separated from Judaism because of mutual opposition between the two religions.

Bible Truths and Theology5http://www.easyenglish.info/bible-commentary/john-ma-lbw.htm

Verses 20-21 Some Gentiles followed the Jewish religion. They believed in Israel’s God and they worshipped him at the important Jewish festivals. Some of these Gentiles who were Greeks wanted to meet Jesus. Although Philip was a Jew, he had a Greek name. Perhaps that is why these Greeks came to him.

Verses 22-23 Jesus’ reaction to Philip and Andrew’s request seems strange. He did not even mention the Greeks. But he was answering them. He began to talk about his death and to explain it to them. Jesus’ death was the only way that people could enter God’s kingdom. And God’s kingdom is for everybody who believes in Jesus. It is not just for the Jews. When Jesus died on the cross, he provided the way for all people to receive eternal life. He had spoken before about his ‘time’ (John 2:4). That time had come.

Verse 24 Jesus used a familiar situation in nature to explain why he had to die. There is only one way for a seed to produce more seeds. The seed must fall into the ground. Jesus compared this to his death. If the seed does not die, it will not produce more seeds. So Jesus had to die as a sacrifice. He had to receive the punishment that we all deserve. Also he had to show that he had power over death. His resurrection proved that he had eternal life. He gives this eternal life to everybody who believes in him. These people are like the new seeds that the original seed’s ‘death’ produces.

Verse 25 This verse does not mean that we should want to die. It does not mean that we should not enjoy our lives. It means that we should live to serve God. We should not live just for our own pleasure and comfort. We should not find security in the things of this world.
Instead, we should want to do only what Jesus wants. We should not be selfish. We should not try to control our lives. We should let Jesus control our lives. Then we will be really free. We will be really happy. We will receive the gift of eternal life. This wonderful life begins when we first believe in Jesus. And it continues after our death.

Verse 26 Jesus knew that he would suffer. People would reject him and they would hate him. They would kill him in the cruellest way. We must expect some people to reject us and to hate us. We may even have to die because of our beliefs. But when we follow Jesus sincerely, God will reward us. He will greatly respect all who are loyal to his Son. This is worth more than anything that this world could offer us.

Items for Discussion

  • Do you personally experience hatred because of your faith? If so, how?
  • If you had to describe what it means to turn one’s life over to Jesus, what would you say?
  • What one word would you use to describe how we are to live in this world?
  • Name three things a Christian could be doing in this world to please God?
  • Why do you think that “Greeks” were attracted to Jesus?

Discussion Challenge

  • How do we help people to follow Jesus, turning their lives over to Him?

They Met Jesus: The Women at the Tomb

Psalm 118:1-21NIV New International Version Translations
1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. 2 Let Israel say: “His love endures forever.”

Background2http://www.easyenglish.info/psalms/psalm118-taw.htm

The Jews have a legend about building the temple in Jerusalem.  They cut big stones to build the temple. One stone was the wrong shape and size. They threw it away. Then they needed one that shape and size. They needed it to fix two walls together. So, they found the stone that they threw away. They put it in an important place at the top of the two walls. It fixed the two walls together. As Psalm 118:23 says, “The builders (men who were building) threw away a stone. It is now in an important place at the corner”.

The legend makes us think this: the psalmist wrote Psalm 118 after the Jews had built something. Perhaps they had just built the temple, or the walls of Jerusalem. Now Solomon built the temple in 950 B.C.  Soldiers from Babylon destroyed it in 586 B.C. The Jews built it again in 516 B.C. They built the walls around Jerusalem again in 444 B.C. The date of Psalm 118 is 444 B.C. probably because the Jews had a special feast (big party) in 444 B.C. They called it “the feast of tree houses”. This was because they made little houses with branches from trees. They lived in them for a few days in October. This feast happened every year. But in 444 B.C., it was very important, because they had just built the walls of Jerusalem. The story is in Nehemiah 8:14-18. But why do we think this? Because of a strange verse in the psalm, (verse 27). One way to translate the middle of the verse is, “with branches in your hands, go with the people at the feast”.

Bible Truths and Theology

The first two verses tell everybody to thank the LORD, because he is good.

Items for Discussion

  • Why do we thank people?
    • Note: In English, “thank you” derives from “think,” it originally meant, “I will remember what you did for me” In other languages (the Portuguese obrigado is a good example) the standard term follows the form of the English “much obliged” — it actually does means “I am in your debt.” The French merci is even more graphic: it derives from “mercy,” as in begging for mercy; by saying  you are symbolically placing yourself in your benefactor”s power — since a debtor is, after all, a criminal.
  • Why is it important to understand that God’s love endures beyond our own temporal time on earth?
  • Why should people thank God?
  • When we thank God for things, what does it say about us and our relationship with God?
  • How is the stone, thrown away and then used, like Christ?

 

John 20:1-18
1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” 3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. 11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). 17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” 18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Background3http://www.easyenglish.info/bible-commentary/john-ma-lbw.htm

John’s father was called Zebedee. And John had a brother called James, who became also one of Jesus’ disciples (Matthew 4:21; Mark 1:19-20; Luke 5:10). The family fished on Lake Galilee. Zebedee owned a boat. He employed men to help with his business. Jesus called John and James: the ‘sons of thunder’. Perhaps he gave them this name because they became angry quickly. For example, they wanted God to destroy a village in Samaria. This was because the people there had not wanted Jesus to enter the village (Luke 9:52-56). Simon Peter, who was their partner in the business, became also a disciple of Jesus (Luke 5:1-11). Simon Peter, James and John were Jesus’ close friends. They were the only disciples with Jesus when he raised Jairus’ daughter from death (Mark 5:37). On another occasion, Jesus took Simon Peter, James and John up a mountain. There, they saw him as he talked with Moses and Elijah. They heard God’s voice. God said that Jesus was his Son. And they must listen to Jesus (Mark 9:2-12). And on the night before Jesus died, John and Simon Peter made the arrangements for the Passover meal (Luke 22:8). So John knew Jesus very well.

John did not refer to himself by his name in his Gospel. However, there are many references to ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved’.  Many people think that this disciple was John. Most agree that John wrote this Gospel about AD 85-90 but not later than AD 100. John was a very old man then. It is possible that he dictated his Gospel to another person. This was usual in the first century AD. Paul dictated some of his letters to his churches. Someone else wrote the words for him. What we do know is that the 4th Gospel contains John’s memories and ideas about Jesus.

Bible Truths and Theology

In verse one is the second reference to Mary from Magdala in John’s Gospel. The other Gospels tell more about her. Jesus made 7 evil spirits leave her. She became his loyal follower. She was probably the leader of the group of women who travelled with Jesus and his disciples. These women paid for the things that they all needed. They looked after Jesus and his disciples in a practical way. Mary from Magdala was present when Jesus died on the cross. The other Gospels tell us that some other women went with Mary to Jesus’ grave.

In verses 2-10, we find the following:  Mary was not expecting Jesus to become alive again. When she saw the open entrance, it upset her. She thought that somebody had moved the stone in order to remove Jesus’ body. So she ran to Peter and the other disciple to tell them. They ran to the grave themselves to see what had happened. The other disciple, ‘whom Jesus loved’, is probably John himself. See John 13:23. When he arrived, the other disciple did not rush inside. He just looked in. He saw the position of the cloths. It seemed as if Jesus’ body had just passed through them. If somebody had stolen the body, they would not have left the cloths like this. But Peter rushed inside first. And he did not seem to realize the importance of these details.

When the other disciple saw the position of the cloths, he ‘believed’ (verse 8). He did not believe that Jesus’ spirit had gone to heaven. This disciple believed that Jesus’ body had actually become alive again. But it was a new kind of life, because his body was able to pass through material. It was not the same as when Lazarus became alive again. Lazarus’s body was the same as before. And his body would become old and he would die in the end. But Jesus’ body was not the same as it was before. He would never die again.

Both Jesus and the scriptures said that after his death, Jesus would become alive again. But the disciples had not realized what this meant before. They had not expected the grave to be empty. But the evidence for Jesus’ resurrection was in the scriptures and in the empty grave. The other disciple examined the evidence and he believed!

Jesus’ resurrection proved that he was really God’s Son. He had defeated even death. For Christians, death is not the end, but the beginning of a new life with God.

In verses 11-16,  Mary was crying. And she could not stop. Even when she saw the angels, she did not stop. She did not understand what had happened. She had expected to see Jesus’ body in the grave. But it had gone. She certainly did not expect to see Jesus alive. Perhaps her tears made it difficult to see. Perhaps it was still dark. Whatever the reason, she did not recognize Jesus until he said her name. Then she recognized him. He used the Aramaic form of her name. And she answered him in Aramaic. It was the familiar language that Jesus and his disciples spoke. The author John wrote his Gospel in Greek. But he recorded the actual Aramaic words that Jesus and Mary used. This emphasised how personal this meeting was. John was very careful to include these details. He was repeating the report of somebody who was actually present there.

Verses 17-18 document that Jesus had not become alive again so that he could remain on the earth. He had not returned to life so that he could stay with his disciples. He knew that, soon, he had to return to heaven. Then the Holy Spirit could come, as Jesus had promised (John 14:15-31). So he could not stay with Mary in the garden. Mary had to leave too. She had an important message to give to the disciples. Jesus was alive!

Jesus had called his disciples ‘friends’ rather than ‘servants’ (John 15:14-15). But in verse 17, he called them ‘brothers’. Because of his death and resurrection, they had become God’s children. God was their Father, too. But he was their Father in a different way from the way that he was Jesus’ Father. This is because Jesus, the Son, has always existed with his Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus is also God. But everybody who believes in him receives the right to be called God’s child. God adopts such people into his family.

Items for Discussion

  • What are the facts in John’s Gospel that cause you to believe in Christ’s resurrection?
  • Why do you think God chose women first to witness the resurrection?
  • We are told that Mary came to the tomb in the dark, filled with sorrow, believing that all was over. Discuss how these three things changed by the end of the story?
  • What would you conclude about life after death from reading these verses?
  • Why are we to be servants on earth but brothers of Jesus in Heaven?
  • What of all you have heard and know about Jesus, his death and resurrection makes you believe life after death is true?

Discussion Challenge

  • How do we bring people to church after Easter that generally only come on the special holiday?

They Met Jesus: Christ Welcomes the Children

Psalm 127:3-51NIV New International Version Translations
3 Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. 4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. 5 Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.

Background

Matthew Henry the theologian, entitles Psalm 127 The value of the Divine blessing2http://www.christianity.com/bible/commentary.php?com=mhc&b=19&c=127. He states the following:

We should always look to and for God’s providence. In all the affairs and business of a family we must depend upon God’s blessing.

  1.  For raising a family. If God is not acknowledged, we have no reason to expect His blessing; and the best-laid plans fail, unless God crowns them with success.
  2. For the safety of a family or an entire city. Except the Lord to keep the city. It’s human the watchmen, though they neither slumber nor sleep, stay awake in vain because mischief still break outs. Even their ear discoveries may not be able to prevent it.
  3. For enriching a family. Some are so eager in the world, that they are continually full of caring for themselves, which makes their comforts even that much more bitter, and their lives a burden. All this is to get money; but all in vain if it is without God’s prosperity. While those who love the Lord, using due diligence in their lawful callings, and casting all their care upon the Lord, have a fruitful success, without uneasiness or guilt. Our care must be to keep ourselves in the love of God; then we may be relaxed in our world, whether we have little or much of it. But we must use the proper means very diligently. Children are God’s gifts, a heritage, and a reward; and are to be accounted blessings, and not burdens: he who sends mouths, will send meat, if we trust in him. They are a great support and defence to a family. Children who are young, may be directed aright to the mark, God’s glory, and the service of their generation; but when they  go into the world, they are like arrows leaving the bow, it is too late to direct them then. But these arrows too often prove arrows in the heart, a grief to godly parents. Yet, if trained according to God’s word, they generally prove the best defence in declining years, remembering their obligations to their parents, and taking care of them in old age. All earthly comforts are uncertain, but the Lord will assuredly comfort and bless those who serve him; and those who seek the conversion of sinners, will find that their spiritual children are their joy and crown in the day of Jesus Christ.

Biblical Truth and Theology

Children are a gift from God even though we as humans birth them. A soldier with many arrows is happy and so should a man with many children be happy. They will give him help to fight his enemies and take care of him in his old age.

Items for Discussion

  • What do you think about the psalm writer’s analogy that children are like arrows?
  • Why are children also just like the arrow after it leaves the bow?
  • Do you think that our world threats children as a “gift from God?” Why or why not?
  • What are the vulnerabilities of a child that you think God will hold us accountable for?
  • How do you think the movement to remove God from schools has impacted our children?
  • A parent drops their child off at church, goes and has coffee and then picks the child up – Do you think this parent is satisfying the spirit of this Psalm? Why or why not?
  • Think about how an archer prepares to shoot an arrow that hits its target – What are the similarities with raising a child?

Matthew 19:13-14
13 Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. 14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Background

In this chapter, we have:

  • Christ changing his location, leaving Galilee, and coming into the coasts of Judea (v. 1, v. 2).
  • His dispute with the Pharisees about divorce, and his discourse with his disciples about Christ’s position on both marriage and divorce (v. 3-12).
  • The kindness Christ extended to some little children which were brought to Him (v. 13-15).
  • An account of what passed between Christ and a hopeful young gentleman that applied himself to him (v. 16-22). V. His discourse with his disciples upon that occasion, concerning the difficulty of the salvation of those that have much in the world, and the certain compensation or reward given for loss or harm suffered or effort made by God for those that leave all for Christ (v. 23-30).

Bible Truths and Theology3http://www.easyenglish.info/bible-commentary/matthew14-20-im-lbw.htm

Often in those days, people brought their children to a famous teacher. The teacher would put his hands on the children and he would bless them. The people recognised that Jesus was such a teacher. Therefore, they brought their children to him. They wanted Jesus to put his hands on the children and to pray for them. The disciples tried to stop these people. Maybe the disciples thought that Jesus was too busy or too tired. Maybe they thought that children were not important. But to Jesus the children were very important. He loved the children. He wanted them to come to him. Jesus told the *disciples not to stop them. Children are humble and they have simple trust. The *kingdom of heaven belongs to people who in these ways are like children (see Matthew 18:1-5).

Items for Discussion

  • Why do you think that children are humble and have a simple trust?
  • For those children who lose it, how does this happen?
  • What effect on a person’s humility does early exposure to God and Jesus have?  
  • How can an adult who might have no early church experiences catch up, in other words, regain the benefits of a childhood faith?
  • Do you think our society does not value children as they were valued in Christ’s time? Why or why not?

Discussion Challenge

  • If you believe that children are not valued by society, what must the church do to restore the idea that children are important to society?
  • If you believe that children are valued, how can this be leveraged to benefit our society?

 

 

Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart

Psalm 107:1-91NIV New International Version Translations
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. 2 Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, 3 those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south. 4 Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. 5 They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. 6 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 7 He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle. 8 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, 9 for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

Background2http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/psalms/107.html

The psalmist celebrates the wisdom, power, and goodness of God, in his dealings with his church in particular, in psalms 105 and 106. Here, the psalmist observes some of the instances of God’s providential care of the children of men in general, especially in their distresses; for He is not only King of saints, but King of nations, not only the God of Israel, but the God of the whole earth, and a common Father to all mankind. Though this may especially refer to Israelites in their personal capacity, there also those who were not part of the commonwealth of Israel and yet were worshippers of the one true God. Even those who worshipped images had some knowledge of a supreme “Numen,’’ to whom, when they were in earnest, they looked above all their false gods. And of these, when they prayed in their distresses, God took a particular care:

The psalmist specifies some of the most common calamities of human life, and shows how God succours those that labor under them, in answer to their prayers.

  • Banishment and dispersion (v. 2-9). Captivity and imprisonment (v. 10-16). Sickness and distemper of body (v. 17-22). Danger and distress at sea (v. 23-32). These are put for all similar perils, in which those that cry unto God have ever found him a very present help.
  • He specifies the varieties and changes of fortunes concerning nations and families, in all which God’s hand is to be eyed by his own people, with joyful acknowledgments of his goodness (v. 33-43).

When we are in any of these or the like distresses, this psalm brings comfort to us in its application.

Bible Truths and Theology

Verses 1 – 3 We are to thank the LORD for what he has done.

Verses 4 – 9 The LORD gave help to people who were coming home to HIM.

Items for Discussion

  • What is it that you give thanks to God for?
  • In today’s world, what kinds of things does mankind take credit for that probably should be given to God?
  • Why do you think that when safety is a major concern, we are drawn closer to God?
  • This psalm says that when the people cried out for relief, God answered – Why do we have such short memories and forget God’s providence so often?
  • Who else in our lives do we give thanks to? In what ways are these people similar to this story in Psalm 107?

2 Timothy 1:3-10
3 I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 8 So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. 9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

Luke 17:11-19
11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” 14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

Background3http://www.easyenglish.info/bible-commentary/2tim-lbw.htm

At the end of the book of Acts, the apostle Paul was still in prison in Rome. When he came out of prison, he went to Macedonia (1 Timothy 1:3). After that, he travelled to other places. While on these journeys, he wrote the first letter to Timothy. Timothy was then in the city of Ephesus. Timothy was the leader of the church there. Later Paul was again in prison in Rome. It was from there that he wrote this second letter to Timothy. Timothy was still in Ephesus.

Timothy was the son of a Gentile father and a Jewish mother. His mother, Eunice, and grandmother, Lois, both believed the gospel of Christ (2 Timothy 1:5). They and Timothy probably became Christians when Paul first went to the town of Lystra (Acts 14). All the Christians in Lystra and in the church in the town of Iconium said good things about Timothy. When Paul came the second time to Lystra, he asked Timothy to join his team (Acts 16:1-3). Timothy became a close friend and helper of Paul. He went with Paul as he travelled to many places. Then Paul appointed Timothy to lead and look after the church at Ephesus.

In chapter 17 of Luke4http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/luke/17.html, we have:

  • Some particular discussions which Christ had with his disciples, in which he teaches them to take heed of giving offence, and to forgive the injuries done them (v. 1-4), encourages them to pray for the increase of their faith (v. 5, v. 6), and then teaches them humility, whatever service they had done for God (v. 7-10).
  • His cleansing ten lepers, and the thanks he had from one of them only, and he a Samaritan (v. 11-19).
  • His discussion with his disciples about an enquiry of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should appear (v. 20-37).

Bible Truths and Theology

2 Timothy 1:3-10

When Paul writes a letter, he usually starts by giving thanks to God. Here he expresses his thanks as he thinks of Timothy. Perhaps he is remembering how Timothy had first come to believe in Jesus Christ. He is grateful to God for all that Timothy has meant to him from that time until now. Paul served and worshipped God. In this, he followed what his ancestors had done, as Jews, they had worshipped and served the one true God. He does not regard the worship of God by the Jews as bad, just incomplete because they do not believe in the Lord Jesus.

It was Paul’s habit to always pray to the Lord at night and in the morning for Timothy. Most likely, when Paul last parted from him, Timothy was sad.  As Paul thought about it, he had a strong desire to see Timothy again. It would be a great joy to Paul if they could meet again.

Something had reminded Paul about the kind of faith that Timothy had in the Lord. It was so sincere and real. Paul thanked God that he had given such faith to Timothy. Paul thanked God for all that he had done in Timothy’s life. The thought of Timothy’s faith reminds Paul of Timothy’s family. Both Timothy’s grandmother (Lois) and his mother (Eunice) had the same real faith in God. They put their trust in the Lord before Timothy did. Paul could see that Timothy believed in the Lord Jesus. He believed just as they did. His faith is as genuine as theirs was.

Paul knows that Timothy has a sincere faith. So Paul reminds him to use the gift that God gave him. He thinks about this gift as a fire inside Timothy. He wants Timothy to fan that fire into a flame. Timothy had not used that gift enough. Paul is urging him to be more eager to use it.

When God calls a person to do a task, he makes that person able to do it. Timothy was a quiet and shy man. But God had appointed him to lead the church at Ephesus. So, God gave him all that he needed to do the task. The gift of the Holy Spirit of God would not cause him to be afraid. Instead, it would make him bold. He need not be shy or afraid to use his authority in the church. Paul also says that the gift of the Spirit brings with it the control of our minds. He makes us able to control our thoughts and actions.

God gave to Timothy a gift of power and love and control of the mind like that. So he should tell other people about the Lord. He should not be shy or afraid to do this. Paul does not suggest that Timothy was not doing this. But he wants to encourage him to be bold. He must not be ashamed to confess that he belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ.

He must not be ashamed to say that he is a friend of Paul. Paul calls himself the prisoner of the Lord. He was in prison because he believed in Christ. He was in prison because he served Christ. He was there because God allowed it. Paul served the Lord Jesus and preached the gospel. That is the reason that he suffered.

Timothy must be ready to suffer, as Paul did, for the gospel. In this, he would share with Paul and other Christians and with Christ himself. He can take his share of suffering by the power that God will give him. All who suffer for Christ can depend on God to give them strength. He will give them the strength that they need.

God did not save us because of what we had done. We can do nothing that could earn for us this salvation. God did not choose us because we were good. And he did not choose us because we had done the right things. He saved us because he decided to do so. God in his grace blesses those who do not deserve it. God uses his power on behalf of those who trust in him.

He gave us the benefits of his grace in Christ Jesus. By the Lord Jesus, we can receive the grace of God. It comes to us as we are in union with Christ by faith.

The grace of God, the remedy for our sin, was there in Christ before time began. But until the Lord Jesus came, we failed to see it. Now Christ Jesus has come. He lived on earth as a human being. He died to take away our sins. God raised him from the dead. He has shown us the grace of God. He saves all who will believe in him from their sins. When God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he defeated death for us. This is the good news that Paul and Timothy preached. Those who receive this gospel and give themselves to the Lord will know the grace of God. They will know that God forgives and removes their sins. They will have that new life and be sure of the future life beyond death.

Luke 17:11-19

We have here an account of the cure of ten lepers, which we had not in any other of the apostles. The leprosy was a disease which the Jews supposed to be inflicted for the punishment of some particular sin, and to be, more than other diseases, a mark of God’s displeasure; and therefore Christ, who came to take away sin, and turn away wrath, took particular care to cleanse the lepers that fell in his way. Christ was now in his way to Jerusalem, about the midway, where he had little acquaintance in comparison with what he had either at Jerusalem or in Galilee. He was now in the frontier-country, the marches that lay between Samaria and Galilee. He went that road to find out these lepers, and to cure them.

Observe how the lepers addressed Christ.

Now observe:

They met Christ as he entered into a certain village. They did not stay till he had refreshed himself for some time after the fatigue of his journey, but met him as he entered the town, weary as he was; and yet he did not put them off, nor adjourn their cause.

They stood afar off, knowing that by the law their disease obliged them to keep their distance. A sense of our spiritual leprosy should make us very humble in all our approaches to Christ. Who are we, that we should draw near to him that is infinitely pure? We are impure.

Their request was unanimous, and very importunate (v. 13): They lifted up their voices, being at a distance, and cried, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. those that expect help from Christ must take him for their Master, and be at his command. If he be Master, he will be Jesus, a Savior.

Christ sent them to the priest, to be inspected by him, who was the judge of the leprosy. He did not tell them positively that they should be cured, but said to them go show themselves to the priests, v. 14. This was a trial of their obedience.

Christ took care that it should be observed and the due honour paid to the priests in things pertaining to their function.

As they went, they were cleansed, and so became fit to be looked upon by the priest, and to have a certificate from him that they were clean.

Observe, then we may expect God to meet us with mercy when we are found in the way of duty. If we do what we can, God will not be wanting to do that for us which we cannot.

One of them returned to give thanks, v. 15. When he saw that he was healed, instead of going forward to the priest, to be by him declared clean, and so discharged from his confinement, which was all that the rest aimed at, he turned back towards him who was the Author of his cure, whom he wished to have the glory of it, even before he received the benefit of it.

Items for Discussion

  • What are the benefits of giving thanks to someone about something good that has happened?
  • Who benefits most from giving thanks, you, the provider of the benefit or those who might observe the benefit to you? What are the differences within each group?
  • What is the impact on children when they grow up in a thankful household?
  • What do you think the significance was that a Samaritan was the only one to thank Christ? What would the risks today be within the modern church as told by this example?
  • So what do you see as the relationship between faithfulness and thankfulness?

Discussion Challenge

  • If the gift of eternal life is granted through Christ, then why aren’t more people setting examples of thankfulness?

They Met Jesus: The Followers of John the Baptist

Genesis 2:15-171NIV New International Version Translations
15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

Background

In the second chapter of Genesis we find an unfolding of the account of how humankind first sinned and fell short of the glory that God intended.  We learn in these verses, and can look upon them as an explanation of why we are all prone to sin.

We notice, first of all, that the man had work to do in the Garden of Eden. So it was not all just a stroll down a primrose path. We might wish to think of life in the Garden of Eden as completely carefree. But it seems that having some meaningful work to do is part of God’s original intention for people. We could consider that the work we do each day has built into it God’s intention. We are to work for the betterment of God’s kingdom, we are to work on behalf of Christ to bring about Christ-like goals, and we are to work for mercy and justice as we see Christ working. Later in the Genesis account we will learn that having been expelled from the Garden, people must work by the sweat of their brow to obtain sustenance. But the work in the Garden has a greater focus-to till it and keep it.

Then we note that God had provided every tree of the garden for food for people. We might want to think of the variety of fruit trees and nut trees, for a clue at the range of delicious and nutritious food that God made for us. That kind of abundance can be seen when we drive past an orchard. Or when we are in the produce aisles of the grocery store. These are hints of the Garden of Eden. We have God to thank for the abounding goodness of every tree of the garden.

Almost immediately thereafter, God cautions the man not to eat of one particular tree.

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Surely, we think, with all that abundance, Adam can do without that one particular tree. Well, as it turns out, no that is not the case. Curiosity? Rebellion? A false sense of self-reliance? All of the above? Whatever the causes, the man does eat and as a result is subject to mortality.

Bible Truths and Theology2http://www.christianity.com/bible/commentary.php?com=mhc&b=1&c=2

After God had formed Adam, he put him in the garden. All boasting was thereby shut out. Only the God that made us can make us happy; He that is the Former of our bodies, and the Father of our spirits, and none but God, can fully provide for the happiness of both. Even in paradise itself man had to work. None of us were sent into the world to be idle. The God that made our souls and bodies, has given us something to work with; and He that gave us this earth for our habitation, has made us something to work upon. The sons and heirs of heaven, while in this world, have something to do about this earth, which must have its share of their time and thoughts; and if they do it with an eye to God, they as truly serve Him in it, as when they are upon their knees. Observe that the tenant, master of the house is an ancient and honourable calling; it was needed even in paradise. Also, there is true pleasure in the business God calls us to, and employs us in. Adam could not have been happy if he had been idle: it is still God’s law, He that will not work has no right to eat, 2 Thessalonians 3:10.

Let us never set up our own will against the holy will of God. There was not only liberty allowed to man, in taking the fruits of paradise, but everlasting life made sure to him upon his obedience. There was a trial appointed of his obedience. By transgression he would forfeit his Maker’s favor, and deserve His displeasure, with all its awful effects; so that he would become liable to pain, disease, and death. Worse than that, he would lose the holy image of God, and all the comfort of his favor; and feel the torment of sinful passions, and the terror of his Maker’s vengeance, which must endure for ever with his never dying soul. The forbidding to eat of the fruit of a particular tree was wisely suited to the state of our first parents. In their state of innocence, and separated from any others, what opportunity or what temptation had they to break any of the ten commandments? The event proves that the whole human race were concerned in the trial and fall of our first parents. To argue against these things is to strive against stubborn facts, as well as Divine revelation; for man is sinful, and shows by his first actions, and his conduct ever afterwards, that he is ready to do evil. He is under the Divine displeasure, exposed to sufferings and death. The Scriptures always speak of man as of this sinful character, and in this miserable state; and these things are true of men in all ages, and of all nations. Why is this true? God blessed us with free will so that we were not trapped as nothing more than inanimate objects in this world.

Items for Discussion

  • Why do you think God gave man work to do in the Garden of Eden?
  • What happens if people do not have meaningful work to do? How is this a problem in today’s society and world?
  • What does the fact that God supplied every kind of tree suggest to you?
  • What do you think caused the man to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil?
  • Why do you think it was harmful to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil?
  • What does sin do to the relationship between the man and God?

Luke 7:18-22
18 John’s disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, 19 he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” 20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’” 21 At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.

Background

This account dates from late in the life of John the Baptist. He is in prison and soon will be executed. While in prison he cannot go and do what he might wish, but he can send his followers to find out things he wants to know. He realizes that his work has prepared the way for Jesus. He wants to know if Jesus is indeed the Messiah. So he sends the two of his disciples to ask the question. They find Jesus soon after he has performed some amazing healing miracles. Word has spread among the whole population about what Jesus has been doing. These things have given
Jesus a following and some notoriety.

Jesus does not offer a direct answer to John’s disciples. He does not say, Yes I am the Messiah, nor does he say that he is not the Messiah. He leaves it up to them. He does this with every person who comes to ask. There are clues, and Jesus outlines some of them in this passage. The clues he gives are ones that have to do with miracles of healing, as well as the bringing of good news to the poor.

Miracle healers have existed in every age. So while such things are exceptional and make the healer stand out; that is not the whole story. We mayor may not know of people who’ve raised the dead. This is more exceptional by far; and yet is not the whole story. Jesus adds, lithe poor have good news brought to them.” Some think that John sent this inquiry for his own satisfaction. Where there is true faith, yet there may be a mixture of unbelief. The remaining unbelief of good men may sometimes, in an hour of temptation; call in question the most important truths. But we hope that John’s faith did not fail in this matter, even though he was in prison; and that he only desired to have it strengthened and confirmed.

Others think that John sent his disciples to Christ for their own satisfaction. Christ points them to what they heard and saw. Christ’s gracious compassions to the poor, show that it was he that should bring to the world the tender mercies of our God. And untimely they must decide for themselves, as must every person.

Biblical Truths and Theology3http://www.easyenglish.info/bible-commentary/luke4-9-im-lbw.htm

Verses 18-20  Some of John’s disciples had seen the things that Jesus had done. They had seen that Jesus had cured many people. And they saw when Jesus raised the widow’s son from death. They went and they told John about Jesus. So, John sent two of them to Jesus to find out if Jesus was the Christ. It seems strange that John should ask this question. He had baptised Jesus. The voice from heaven said that Jesus was the Son of God (Matthew 3:16-17, Mark 1:11). John knew that Jesus would baptise with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11, Luke 3:16). John told some of his disciples that Jesus was the Lamb of God. And he told them that Jesus would take away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
For some reason John needed further proof that Jesus was the Christ. Soon after John had baptised Jesus, Herod put John in prison. So, John could not have seen Jesus as he did these miracles. He could not have heard Jesus as he taught. In the prison, perhaps John began to doubt that Jesus was the Christ. Perhaps John started to think that Jesus was just another prophet. Perhaps the Christ had not really come yet. Perhaps Jesus did not do what John expected the Christ to do.

However, it is possible that John did not have these doubts. Perhaps John was using this question to show his disciples that Jesus was the Christ. They had remained loyal to John, but John was not trying to get disciples for himself. His constant desire was to introduce people to Christ (John 3:26-30).

Verses 21-22 Even in the day that John’s disciples came, Jesus had cured many people. He had made people free from evil spirits. And he had given sight to people who were blind. So, Jesus sent his answer back to John. He told John’s disciples to tell John what they had seen. And he told them to tell John what they had heard. Then Jesus told them some of those things. All these things proved that Jesus was the Christ (Isaiah 35:5-6, Isaiah 61:1: Luke 4:18-21). Those who accept this, God will bless.

Items for Discussion

  • John and Jesus were cousins. They knew each other from infancy. Why do you think John had questions about Jesus at this late date?
  • What happens to a person’s thoughts, when they are in prison?
  • John’s followers asked the question in a somewhat indirect manner-they did not come out and say directly, “Are you the Messiah?”. Why?
  • Jesus gave a list of mighty acts to point to who He is. Which of these stand out the most for you?
  • Do you think that the followers of John the Baptist”got the point”?

Discussion Challenge

  • There are people we will meet every day that question whether Jesus is the Messiah. What do we tell them? What do we show them?

They Met Jesus: The Pharisees

Lev. 19:1-2, 9-181NIV New International Version Translations
1 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.

9 “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10 Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God. 11 “‘Do not steal. “‘Do not lie. “‘Do not deceive one another. 12 “‘Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the Lord. 13 “‘Do not defraud or rob your neighbor. “‘Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight. 14 “‘Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord. 15 “‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. 16 “‘Do not go about spreading slander among your people. “‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord. 17 “‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt. 18 “‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.

Background

The Book of Leviticus is the third book of the Greek Old Testament of Christian biblical canons and the third of five books of the Pentateuch. Leviticus comes the word “vayikra,” “He [God] called.” Its Greek name Levitikon, “things pertaining to the Levites”, and its Latin name Leviticus, are based on the term torat kohanim, “instruction of (or ′for′) the priests” from early rabbinic times.
The English name is from the Latin Leviticus, taken in turn from Greek and a reference to the Levites, the tribe of Aaron, from whom the Kohanim (‘”priests”) descended. The book, however, addresses all the people of Israel (1:2) though some passages address the priests specifically (6:8). Most of its chapters (1–7, 11–27) consist of God’s speeches to Moses which he is commanded to repeat to the Israelites. This takes place within the story of the Israelites’ Exodus after they escaped Egypt and reached Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19:1). The Book of Exodus narrates how Moses led the Israelites in building the Tabernacle (Exodus 35–40) based on God’s instructions (Exodus 25–31). Then in Leviticus, God tells the Israelites and their priests how to make offerings in the Tabernacle and how to conduct themselves while camped around the holy tent sanctuary. Leviticus takes place during the month or month-and-a-half between the completion of the Tabernacle (Exodus 40:17) and the Israelites’ departure from Sinai (Numbers 1:1, 10:11).

The instructions of Leviticus emphasize ritual, legal and moral practices rather than beliefs. Nevertheless, they reflect the worldview of the creation story in Genesis 1 that God wishes to live with humans. The book teaches that faithful performance of the sanctuary rituals can make that possible, so long as the people avoid sin and impurity whenever possible. The rituals, especially the sin and guilt offerings, provide the means to gain forgiveness for sins (Leviticus 4–5) and purification from impurities (Leviticus 11–16) so that God can continue to live in the Tabernacle in the midst of the people.

There is some discussion of  ceremonial concepts in chapter 19 but most of the discussion is about morality. Prior chapters seem to have considerable discussion of what were relatively narrow issues such as  two long chapters concerning leprosy.  Chapter 19, however, handles many of the weightier matters and covers them in a single verse such as judgment and mercy.  The laws of this chapter, which were peculiar to the Jews, are concerning their peace-offerings (v. 5-8). Concerning the gleanings of their fields (v. 9, v. 10). Against mixtures of their cattle, seed, and cloth (v. 19). Concerning their trees (v. 23-25). Against some superstitious usages (v. 26-28). There are also those binding on us because they are formed from the roots of the ten commandments. Here is the preface to the ten commandments, “I am the Lord,’’ repeated fifteen times. A sum of the ten commandments.This chapter begins with “Be you holy,’’ (v. 2), and continues with “Thou shalt love thy neighbour’’ (v. 18), and an answer to the question, “Who is my neighbour?’’ (v. 33, v. 34).

There is something for each commandment.

  1. The first commandment is implied here, “I am your God.’’ And here is a prohibition of enchantment (v. 26) and witchcraft (v. 31), which make a god of the devil.
  2. Idolatry is forbidden, (v. 4).
  3. Profanation of God’s name (v. 12).
  4. Sabbath-sanctification is pressed (v. 3, v. 30).
  5. Children are required to honor their parents (v. 3), and the aged (v. 32).
  6. Hatred and revenge are forbidden, against the sixth commandment (v. 17, v. 18).
  7. Adultery (v. 20-22), and whoredom(prostitution) (v. 29).
  8. Justice is here required in judgment (v. 15), theft forbidden (v. 11), fraud and withholding dues (v. 13), and false weights (v. 35, v. 36).
  9. Lying (v. 11). Slandering (v. 14). Tale-bearing, and bearing false-witness (v. 16).
  10. The tenth commandment lays a restraint upon the heart, so does that (v. 17), “Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart.’’ And here is a solemn charge to observe all these statutes (v. 37).

Now these are things which do not need much help to the understand,  What is required is constant care and watchfulness for observing and following them. “A good understanding have all those that do these commandments.’’

Biblical Truths and Theology

Verses 1-2 begin by telling us to ‘Be holy, because I am holy’. This is the most important thing that the Book of Leviticus teaches. Jesus also teaches this in Matthew 5:48. God’s people cannot do whatever things they themselves want to do. They must do the things that God wants them to do. They must be separate because they are God’s people. They belong to Him. So they cannot behave as other people behave.
Deuteronomy 6:5 tells us to love God and Leviticus tells us to obey God. Jesus said this: ‘If you love me, you will obey me’, John 14:15. So they are both the same thing. We show our love for God when we obey His laws.

God wants his people to care about poor people. He told them that they must leave part of the harvest for poor people to gather. This part is called the ‘gleanings’. You can read more about this in Ruth chapter 2. Poor people still had to work to gather this food. Christians must also care about poor people, Galatians 2:10. And God still wants people who can work for their food to do that, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12.

God’s people should not steal. They should not try to get things by any unfair method. They should not say things that are false. They should not cheat people.

‘In my name’ means that God would agree. So the person is asking God to agree with something false. People would think that God is a bad god. And that is what is means to make God’s name unclean.

There is a similar law in Deuteronomy 24:14. There the neighbour becomes a servant. As in Matthew 20:8, employers had to pay wages the same day. Ephesians 6:9 and Colossians 4:1 tell us that Christians too must act fairly towards servants.

We must not try to get an advantage because of someone else’s weakness. We must not be cruel to someone who cannot defend himself. Instead, God wants us to help people who have problems. We must support them because God cares about those people too, James 1:27.

God is a fair judge. Even the greatest person cannot persuade him to do something that is not proper. When God’s people act as judges, they make their judgements on his behalf. So they must be fair to everyone, whether that person is rich or poor.

God’s people have a duty to protect other people. They must protect those people from dangers. And also, God’s people should not gossip. They should be careful not to hurt people, either by their actions or by their words.

Deuteronomy 32:35 and Romans 12:19 tell us that God will punish people. We must not do it.

Items for Discussion

  • What is the difference between believing in God and the Ten Commandments and just believing in God or the Ten Commandments?
  • What is the commandment that God has given us that you feel the world ignores the most? Why?
  • God believes in taking care of the poor and needy – What is the difference between gleaning and welfare? Does it matter which we do?
  • Where in Leviticus do you see the need to obey for reasons other than to avoid punishment?
  • What should a person’s heart be like if they are obeying God for all the right reasons?

Matt 23:1-12
1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. 5 “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others. 8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Background

In the prior chapter 22, we had Jesus’s conversations with the Scribes and Pharisees2https://www.gotquestions.org/Sadducees-Pharisees.html. Now we have his conversation about them, or rather against them.

  • He permits their office and role to exist (v. 2, v. 3).
  • He warns his disciples not to imitate their hypocrisy and pride (v. 4-12).
  • He exhibits a charge against them for both high crimes and misdemeanors, corrupting the law, opposing the gospel, and treacherous dealing both with God and man; and to each article he prefixes a woe (v. 13-33).
  • He passes sentence upon Jerusalem, and foretells the ruin of the city and temple, especially for the sin of persecution (v. 34-39).

See Woes of the Pharisees for further information.

Biblical Truths and Theology3http://www.easyenglish.info/bible-commentary/matthew21-28-im-lbw.htm

Verses 1-3 Jesus spoke to the crowds about the teachers of the law and the Pharisees. His purpose was to warn about the wrong ways that the leaders of religion often behave. Of course, there were also many wrong religions at the time of Christ. The Romans worshipped many false gods, that included their emperor. The Sadducees had the right God, but several wrong beliefs (Acts 23:8). The Pharisees believed the right things and taught God’s law to the people. That is how religion should be. The problem was that many leaders of that right religion had the wrong attitudes. It was important for Jesus to warn about that problem.

It is important to understand that Jesus did not say that people must obey the traditions of the Pharisees. He said the most important laws are to love God and to love other people. Jesus told the people not to do what those teachers did but to behave in the way that they taught people to behave. Then, Jesus described some of the actions of those Pharisees and the teachers of the law. Not all the actions that Jesus describes are wrong. It is not wrong to wear impressive clothes or to sit in an important place. Jesus was using those things as a way to describe the wrong attitudes that many Pharisees and teachers had.

Verse 4 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law should have taught the people to obey God’s law. But they added to the law all kinds of rules. They tried to make rules for all circumstances. The result was a large number of rules, many of which were not necessary. Those rules were like heavy loads that were too hard for people to carry. The people needed help. But many teachers of the law and the Pharisees became too proud to help the ordinary people.

Verse 5 The Pharisees liked people to see how good they were. Many of them tried to carry out their good deeds in public. Perhaps they thought that they were showing the people how to serve God properly. However, many of them became proud about the things that they were doing. They wanted the people to think that they were very holy. They desired that people should respect them. That seemed to be more important to them than what God thought.

The scripture boxes were usually small leather boxes. They called those little boxes ‘phylacteries’. The boxes contained tiny rolls of a similar material to paper. On the rolls were four passages from the law in the Old Testament. These passages were Exodus 13:2-10; Exodus 13:11-16; Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and Deuteronomy 11:13-21. Men wore the boxes on their arms and they tied the boxes to the front of their heads. Most Jews wore those boxes at home or in the synagogue at the time of prayer. However, some of the Pharisees were trying to impress people by their use of those scripture boxes. They made their scripture boxes wider to make them more noticeable. They prayed in public so that everyone would see them (Matthew 6:5).

Moses told the Jews to add to the corners of their clothes. Those corner pieces had a blue string in them. When a Jew saw his corner pieces, he would remember to obey God’s commands (Numbers 15:37-41). The Pharisees made their corner pieces longer than other people did. People would see those larger corner pieces. They would know that the Pharisees tried to obey the commands.

It was not wrong for the Pharisees to pray in public. They wanted to obey God’s law. It was not wrong for them to show that. However, it was wrong if they tried to impress other people by means of those things. Our prayers must be sincere. We must not try to impress other people as we pray. We must obey God’s law whether other people see it or not. Our duty to God is much more important than what other people think about us.

Verse 6 At feasts, the host chose each person’s place. The host invited important people to the places near to him, in order to give them honor. The most important places were next to the host, on his right side and his left side. As the leaders of their religion, many Pharisees loved to be in those important places.

We cannot be certain about the arrangement in the synagogues at that time. It seems that there was a platform at the front. The preacher would sit on that platform as he taught. Either behind the preacher or in front of the platform there would be the chief seats. Probably the people who sat in the chief seats would look towards the people. The chief seats were for the most important people. Many Pharisees loved to be in the chief seats.

It was not wrong that the people gave those important places to the leaders of their religion. It was not wrong that the Pharisees accepted that honor. However, many people care too much about their own importance. So, they do not give God the honor that he deserves. Also, they did not care enough about other people.

Verse 7 The market was the public place in each town or village where people met together. Many Pharisees loved it when people greeted them as someone of importance. They liked to receive honor from those people whom they regarded as less important. They enjoyed it when people called them teacher. In that society, to call someone ‘teacher’ meant that the person was superior to the speaker. They considered it very important that they had that rank in society.

Verses 8-10 There are two words for teacher. The first one means a superior teacher. The second one means a person who teaches. Jesus told the disciples not to let anyone call them superior. All the disciples are just brothers and sisters. No disciple is superior to any other disciple. We do have many teachers. However, they are in no way superior to any other Christian. We have one real teacher and that is the Lord Jesus. This second word teacher does not mean superior. However, Jesus is superior because he is our lord and master.

We each have a natural father and it is right to call him father. But the disciples must not give to any man the honor that God alone deserves. All the disciples are brothers and sisters in God’s family. Therefore, all of them have the one Father in heaven. He is God.
In the same way, the disciples have one master and he is the Lord Jesus.

Verses 11-12 The attitude among the disciples must be the opposite of the wrong attitude that many Pharisees showed. The most important disciples are the ones who serve the other disciples. Many of the Pharisees tried to make themselves important. God opposes proud people. God will refuse those people who make themselves important. But God will make the humble person great.

Items for Discussion

  • Why is humility in such short supply within our society?
  • Can you teach humility? If so, how? If not, why?
  • Where is hypocrisy the worst in society today?
  • Where is hypocrisy the least in society today?
  • Where are the dangers of hypocrisy?
  • How does hypocrisy affect the following: education; youth; evangelism; leadership?

Discussion Challenge

  • So how do you guard against being hypocritical?

 

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