Exodus 6
1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country."
2 God also said to Moses, "I am the LORD. 3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them. 4 I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they lived as aliens. 5 Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant.
6 "Therefore, say to the Israelites: 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7 I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. 8 And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.' "
9 Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and cruel bondage.
10 Then the LORD said to Moses, 11 "Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his country."
12 But Moses said to the LORD, "If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips ?"
Family Record of Moses and Aaron
13 Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron about the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he commanded them to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.
14 These were the heads of their families : The sons of Reuben the firstborn son of Israel were Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. These were the clans of Reuben.
15 The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. These were the clans of Simeon.
16 These were the names of the sons of Levi according to their records: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. Levi lived 137 years.
17 The sons of Gershon, by clans, were Libni and Shimei.
18 The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. Kohath lived 133 years.
19 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of Levi according to their records.
20 Amram married his father's sister Jochebed, who bore him Aaron and Moses. Amram lived 137 years.
21 The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg and Zicri.
22 The sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan and Sithri.
23 Aaron married Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
24 The sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah and Abiasaph. These were the Korahite clans.
25 Eleazar son of Aaron married one of the daughters of Putiel, and she bore him Phinehas. These were the heads of the Levite families, clan by clan.
26 It was this same Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said, "Bring the Israelites out of Egypt by their divisions." 27 They were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing the Israelites out of Egypt. It was the same Moses and Aaron.
Aaron to Speak for Moses
28 Now when the LORD spoke to Moses in Egypt, 29 he said to him, "I am the LORD. Tell Pharaoh king of Egypt everything I tell you."
30 But Moses said to the LORD, "Since I speak with faltering lips, why would Pharaoh listen to me?"
This is the account of Moses and Aaron requesting that the Israelites be let go. The phrase, "I Am the Lord" appears 4 times in this passage. The 1st time to introduce the message, the 2nd time to confirms God's promise of redemption, the 3rd time to underscore God's intention to adopt Israel and the 4th time to conclude his promise of the land and to conclude the message. The verse that sticks out the most is verse 9 which says the Israelites did not listen because they were discouraged and dealing with cruel treatment. I guess this was part of God's plan to have Moses and Aaron fully rely on the promise that God would indeed deliver the people no matter what.
For Me: I wonder how many times we fail to see God's plan or understand His promise because we've allowed our situation to discourage us. Maybe a tough time leads us to stray from the scriptures or to just be still and listen to his voice. It is not possible to be upbeat all the time, but we do need to be alert enough to respond to God's call or message.
The passage ends with Moses making excuses for his weak speaking.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Let My People Go Exodus 5
Exodus 5
Bricks Without Straw
1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the desert.' "
2 Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go."
3 Then they said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword."
4 But the king of Egypt said, "Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor? Get back to your work!" 5 Then Pharaoh said, "Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working."
6 That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and foremen in charge of the people: 7 "You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. 8 But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don't reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.' 9 Make the work harder for the men so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies."
10 Then the slave drivers and the foremen went out and said to the people, "This is what Pharaoh says: 'I will not give you any more straw. 11 Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced at all.' " 12 So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw. 13 The slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, "Complete the work required of you for each day, just as when you had straw." 14 The Israelite foremen appointed by Pharaoh's slave drivers were beaten and were asked, "Why didn't you meet your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as before?"
15 Then the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: "Why have you treated your servants this way? 16 Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, 'Make bricks!' Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people."
17 Pharaoh said, "Lazy, that's what you are—lazy! That is why you keep saying, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.' 18 Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks."
19 The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, "You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day." 20 When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them, 21 and they said, "May the LORD look upon you and judge you! You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us."
God Promises Deliverance
22 Moses returned to the LORD and said, "O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me? 23 Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all."
Come on, if you grew up in 80's at all you remember The Hooters and the song, "All You Zombies" where he says, "Holy Moses met the Pharaoh Yeah, he tried to set him straight, Looked him in the eye, "let my people go"
Moses goes along with Aaron and starts the negotiating process with Pharoah and as God told them Pharoah's heart would be hardened and he would resist. He actually made life tougher on the Israelite slaves requiring them to do the same amount of work with less materials. The slaves were frustrated with Moses and Aaron. The chapter ends up with Moses questioning God as to why he was sent.
For Me: How many times are we told through the bible how things are going to happen, yet we forget like Moses does here? We often lose focus and forget God's promises. God didn't say he will let them go immediately, yet Moses gets frustrated as if he's surprised or disappointed that it went exactly the way God said it would go. Maybe for us as in this case other people cause us to lose focus on God's plan.
Bricks Without Straw
1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the desert.' "
2 Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go."
3 Then they said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword."
4 But the king of Egypt said, "Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor? Get back to your work!" 5 Then Pharaoh said, "Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working."
6 That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and foremen in charge of the people: 7 "You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. 8 But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don't reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.' 9 Make the work harder for the men so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies."
10 Then the slave drivers and the foremen went out and said to the people, "This is what Pharaoh says: 'I will not give you any more straw. 11 Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced at all.' " 12 So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw. 13 The slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, "Complete the work required of you for each day, just as when you had straw." 14 The Israelite foremen appointed by Pharaoh's slave drivers were beaten and were asked, "Why didn't you meet your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as before?"
15 Then the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: "Why have you treated your servants this way? 16 Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, 'Make bricks!' Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people."
17 Pharaoh said, "Lazy, that's what you are—lazy! That is why you keep saying, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.' 18 Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks."
19 The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, "You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day." 20 When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them, 21 and they said, "May the LORD look upon you and judge you! You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us."
God Promises Deliverance
22 Moses returned to the LORD and said, "O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me? 23 Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all."
Come on, if you grew up in 80's at all you remember The Hooters and the song, "All You Zombies" where he says, "Holy Moses met the Pharaoh Yeah, he tried to set him straight, Looked him in the eye, "let my people go"
Moses goes along with Aaron and starts the negotiating process with Pharoah and as God told them Pharoah's heart would be hardened and he would resist. He actually made life tougher on the Israelite slaves requiring them to do the same amount of work with less materials. The slaves were frustrated with Moses and Aaron. The chapter ends up with Moses questioning God as to why he was sent.
For Me: How many times are we told through the bible how things are going to happen, yet we forget like Moses does here? We often lose focus and forget God's promises. God didn't say he will let them go immediately, yet Moses gets frustrated as if he's surprised or disappointed that it went exactly the way God said it would go. Maybe for us as in this case other people cause us to lose focus on God's plan.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Exodus 4 Moses Returns to Egypt
18 Then Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, "Let me go back to my own people in Egypt to see if any of them are still alive." Jethro said, "Go, and I wish you well."
19 Now the LORD had said to Moses in Midian, "Go back to Egypt, for all the men who wanted to kill you are dead." 20 So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand.
21 The LORD said to Moses, "When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then say to Pharaoh, 'This is what the LORD says: Israel is my firstborn son, 23 and I told you, "Let my son go, so he may worship me." But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.' "
24 At a lodging place on the way, the LORD met {Moses} [b] and was about to kill him. 25 But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son's foreskin and touched {Moses'} feet with it. [c] "Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me," she said. 26 So the LORD let him alone. (At that time she said "bridegroom of blood," referring to circumcision.)
27 The LORD said to Aaron, "Go into the desert to meet Moses." So he met Moses at the mountain of God and kissed him. 28 Then Moses told Aaron everything the LORD had sent him to say, and also about all the miraculous signs he had commanded him to perform.
29 Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites, 30 and Aaron told them everything the LORD had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people, 31 and they believed. And when they heard that the LORD was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.
Moses receives the blessing from his father-in-law to go back to Egypt with his daughter and grandsons. God even reassures Moses that all who wanted to kill him have died. God does tell Moses that He will harden Pharoah's heart and he will not let the people go immediately.
It appears that in vs. 24 the Lord was about to kill Moses until Zipporah his wife circumcise his son. It says in my notes that Zipporah sensed divine displeasure so she took matters into her own hands. Moses seems to really be walking a thin line with God. He questions him over and over and now this. This passage ends with Moses meeting Aaron and then go tell the people all the miraculous signs I've given you. They bowed down and worshipped.
For ME: How many times have we skirted God's wrath? If Zipporah hadn't intervened would God really have killed Moses. Was he REALLY going to kill Moses and Zipporah's actions changed God's mind? When I lost my friend this summer in an accident involving an intoxicated driver was this a consequence of this friend being so far outside the will of God and being unusable? If God can't use me anymore will he take me? I pray that I am still reaching people for Christ through my actions, friendships and future teachings.
18 Then Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, "Let me go back to my own people in Egypt to see if any of them are still alive." Jethro said, "Go, and I wish you well."
19 Now the LORD had said to Moses in Midian, "Go back to Egypt, for all the men who wanted to kill you are dead." 20 So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand.
21 The LORD said to Moses, "When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then say to Pharaoh, 'This is what the LORD says: Israel is my firstborn son, 23 and I told you, "Let my son go, so he may worship me." But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.' "
24 At a lodging place on the way, the LORD met {Moses} [b] and was about to kill him. 25 But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son's foreskin and touched {Moses'} feet with it. [c] "Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me," she said. 26 So the LORD let him alone. (At that time she said "bridegroom of blood," referring to circumcision.)
27 The LORD said to Aaron, "Go into the desert to meet Moses." So he met Moses at the mountain of God and kissed him. 28 Then Moses told Aaron everything the LORD had sent him to say, and also about all the miraculous signs he had commanded him to perform.
29 Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites, 30 and Aaron told them everything the LORD had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people, 31 and they believed. And when they heard that the LORD was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.
Moses receives the blessing from his father-in-law to go back to Egypt with his daughter and grandsons. God even reassures Moses that all who wanted to kill him have died. God does tell Moses that He will harden Pharoah's heart and he will not let the people go immediately.
It appears that in vs. 24 the Lord was about to kill Moses until Zipporah his wife circumcise his son. It says in my notes that Zipporah sensed divine displeasure so she took matters into her own hands. Moses seems to really be walking a thin line with God. He questions him over and over and now this. This passage ends with Moses meeting Aaron and then go tell the people all the miraculous signs I've given you. They bowed down and worshipped.
For ME: How many times have we skirted God's wrath? If Zipporah hadn't intervened would God really have killed Moses. Was he REALLY going to kill Moses and Zipporah's actions changed God's mind? When I lost my friend this summer in an accident involving an intoxicated driver was this a consequence of this friend being so far outside the will of God and being unusable? If God can't use me anymore will he take me? I pray that I am still reaching people for Christ through my actions, friendships and future teachings.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Exodus 4 Signs for Moses
1 Moses answered, "What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, 'The LORD did not appear to you'?"
2 Then the LORD said to him, "What is that in your hand?" "A staff," he replied.
3 The LORD said, "Throw it on the ground." Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. 4 Then the LORD said to him, "Reach out your hand and take it by the tail." So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. 5 "This," said the LORD, "is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you."
6 Then the LORD said, "Put your hand inside your cloak." So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was leprous, like snow.
7 "Now put it back into your cloak," he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his flesh.
8 Then the LORD said, "If they do not believe you or pay attention to the first miraculous sign, they may believe the second. 9 But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood on the ground."
10 Moses said to the LORD, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue."
11 The LORD said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD ? 12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say."
13 But Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it."
14 Then the LORD's anger burned against Moses and he said, "What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you. 15 You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. 16 He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. 17 But take this staff in your hand so you can perform miraculous signs with it."
Here we see the 3rd, 4th and 5th moment of reluctance for Moses to go back to Egypt even though God had shown him miraculous signs. We know Moses was a humble man and has leadership qualities, yet he tries to pass on this task. His excuses ranged from "what it they don't believe me" to "I am poor in speaking." Finally he asks God to send someone else to do it. God, in anger, gives Moses one more assurance that his brother Aaron will do all the speaking. He finishes up by telling him to take the staff so he can perform miracles with it.
For me: How do we know when God is telling us to do something today? I know through teaching and being in bible classes that God speaks to us through: friends, the bible, stillness, situations in our lives, the Holy Spirit and such. Is it as obivous as a burning bush? I knowpeople misinterpret God's call in life at times as well. How do we know? Recently when my wife and I decided with much respected spiritual counsel, consideration and prayer to leave a local church we were told by the pastor of that church that Satan's hand was all over it. Looking back I feel that suggestion was so far off because we feel that we've had many assurances that we did the right thing.
Another thing I get out of this is in Vs. 14 it states that the LORD'S anger burned against Moses. Having God angry at you usually spells disaster for YOU. I wonder how many bonehead things I do on a daily basis that angers God?
1 Moses answered, "What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, 'The LORD did not appear to you'?"
2 Then the LORD said to him, "What is that in your hand?" "A staff," he replied.
3 The LORD said, "Throw it on the ground." Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. 4 Then the LORD said to him, "Reach out your hand and take it by the tail." So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. 5 "This," said the LORD, "is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you."
6 Then the LORD said, "Put your hand inside your cloak." So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was leprous, like snow.
7 "Now put it back into your cloak," he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his flesh.
8 Then the LORD said, "If they do not believe you or pay attention to the first miraculous sign, they may believe the second. 9 But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood on the ground."
10 Moses said to the LORD, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue."
11 The LORD said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD ? 12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say."
13 But Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it."
14 Then the LORD's anger burned against Moses and he said, "What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you. 15 You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. 16 He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. 17 But take this staff in your hand so you can perform miraculous signs with it."
Here we see the 3rd, 4th and 5th moment of reluctance for Moses to go back to Egypt even though God had shown him miraculous signs. We know Moses was a humble man and has leadership qualities, yet he tries to pass on this task. His excuses ranged from "what it they don't believe me" to "I am poor in speaking." Finally he asks God to send someone else to do it. God, in anger, gives Moses one more assurance that his brother Aaron will do all the speaking. He finishes up by telling him to take the staff so he can perform miracles with it.
For me: How do we know when God is telling us to do something today? I know through teaching and being in bible classes that God speaks to us through: friends, the bible, stillness, situations in our lives, the Holy Spirit and such. Is it as obivous as a burning bush? I knowpeople misinterpret God's call in life at times as well. How do we know? Recently when my wife and I decided with much respected spiritual counsel, consideration and prayer to leave a local church we were told by the pastor of that church that Satan's hand was all over it. Looking back I feel that suggestion was so far off because we feel that we've had many assurances that we did the right thing.
Another thing I get out of this is in Vs. 14 it states that the LORD'S anger burned against Moses. Having God angry at you usually spells disaster for YOU. I wonder how many bonehead things I do on a daily basis that angers God?
Thursday, October 30, 2008
The Burning Bush
Exodus 3 Moses and the Burning Bush
1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up."
4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!" And Moses said, "Here I am."
5 "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." 6 Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
7 The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt."
11 But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"
12 And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you [a] will worship God on this mountain."
13 Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?"
14 God said to Moses, "I am who I am . [b] This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' "
15 God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'The LORD, [c] the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.
16 "Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt. 17 And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.'
18 "The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, 'The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God.' 19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. 20 So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.
21 "And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed. 22 Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver and gold and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder the Egyptians."
Moses is doing his everyday job of tending the flock. A lot different than being a royal prince. It was at this humble time in Moses' life that God got his attention through the burning bush. Sunday our pastor said it wasn't uncommon for a bush or brush area to catch fire with the conditions being so dry, but the amazing thing here and Moses noticed that the bush wasn't being consumed by the fire. God communicated his plan to Moses and in verse 11 Moses questions God as to why it should be Moses. God basically lays it all out for Moses telling him what to expect and that he is with him in this endeavor.
For ME: First of all it is clear that God can use us no matter what we've done in our lives and no matter how far we run. God will sometimes use us when we least expect it. I think we too sometimes question whether or not we are worthy or strong enough to do God's work. I like in verse 21 where God tells Moses that the Egyptians will actually be glad to see the Israelites leave giving them gold and silver to take with them. It seems that the Israelite slaves pretty much outnumbered the Egyptians so seeing them leave probably please most people.
1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up."
4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!" And Moses said, "Here I am."
5 "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." 6 Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
7 The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt."
11 But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"
12 And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you [a] will worship God on this mountain."
13 Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?"
14 God said to Moses, "I am who I am . [b] This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' "
15 God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'The LORD, [c] the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.
16 "Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt. 17 And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.'
18 "The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, 'The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God.' 19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. 20 So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.
21 "And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed. 22 Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver and gold and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder the Egyptians."
Moses is doing his everyday job of tending the flock. A lot different than being a royal prince. It was at this humble time in Moses' life that God got his attention through the burning bush. Sunday our pastor said it wasn't uncommon for a bush or brush area to catch fire with the conditions being so dry, but the amazing thing here and Moses noticed that the bush wasn't being consumed by the fire. God communicated his plan to Moses and in verse 11 Moses questions God as to why it should be Moses. God basically lays it all out for Moses telling him what to expect and that he is with him in this endeavor.
For ME: First of all it is clear that God can use us no matter what we've done in our lives and no matter how far we run. God will sometimes use us when we least expect it. I think we too sometimes question whether or not we are worthy or strong enough to do God's work. I like in verse 21 where God tells Moses that the Egyptians will actually be glad to see the Israelites leave giving them gold and silver to take with them. It seems that the Israelite slaves pretty much outnumbered the Egyptians so seeing them leave probably please most people.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Moses the Murderer
Exodus 2:11-25 Moses Flees to Midian
11 One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. 12 Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, "Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?"
14 The man said, "Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid and thought, "What I did must have become known."
15 When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian, where he sat down by a well. 16 Now a priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father's flock. 17 Some shepherds came along and drove them away, but Moses got up and came to their rescue and watered their flock.
18 When the girls returned to Reuel their father, he asked them, "Why have you returned so early today?"
19 They answered, "An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock."
20 "And where is he?" he asked his daughters. "Why did you leave him? Invite him to have something to eat."
21 Moses agreed to stay with the man, who gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage. 22 Zipporah gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, saying, "I have become an alien in a foreign land."
23 During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. 24 God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. 25 So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.
The 2nd half of this chapter jumps to when Moses is grown up. I would think this means he was of legal age. Keep in mind he is from royalty, but still has compassion for his people. When he sees a Hebrew slave being beaten he kills the Egyptian. I like how the NIV versions says, "glancing this way and that and seeing noone..." How many times do we do something wrong as long as nobody is watching or we think we won't get caught: running a red light late at night, cheating on taxes, putting miniature reseese cups in a Big Gulp to avoid paying for them, switching price tags on basketballs and so on. The next day a fellow Hebrew calls Moses on what he did so Moses runs.
For Moses the decision to run probably saved his life. It seems like this situation justifies times when we run from the truth. You decide for yourself in this case.
Moses changes occupations and lands and has to work with his hands. Up to this point in life Moses was really taken care of. Now he had to provide for himself. He would have been an overqualified. In verse 17 Moses probably confronted all of the shepherds even though he was outnumbered. My bible notes says Moses probably could have handled them all since he had been trained in the world's best military. Moses finds a wife and the chapter ends with God being concerned for the Hebrew people who were crying out to him.
For ME: The part where Moses does something when nobody is looking. I've always clung to the idea that integrity is what you do when nobody is looking. If you only do something good when others are watching then you are not doing it as God would have you. As of this point there does not seem to be any consequence for Moses killing a man.
11 One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. 12 Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, "Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?"
14 The man said, "Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid and thought, "What I did must have become known."
15 When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian, where he sat down by a well. 16 Now a priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father's flock. 17 Some shepherds came along and drove them away, but Moses got up and came to their rescue and watered their flock.
18 When the girls returned to Reuel their father, he asked them, "Why have you returned so early today?"
19 They answered, "An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock."
20 "And where is he?" he asked his daughters. "Why did you leave him? Invite him to have something to eat."
21 Moses agreed to stay with the man, who gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage. 22 Zipporah gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, saying, "I have become an alien in a foreign land."
23 During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. 24 God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. 25 So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.
The 2nd half of this chapter jumps to when Moses is grown up. I would think this means he was of legal age. Keep in mind he is from royalty, but still has compassion for his people. When he sees a Hebrew slave being beaten he kills the Egyptian. I like how the NIV versions says, "glancing this way and that and seeing noone..." How many times do we do something wrong as long as nobody is watching or we think we won't get caught: running a red light late at night, cheating on taxes, putting miniature reseese cups in a Big Gulp to avoid paying for them, switching price tags on basketballs and so on. The next day a fellow Hebrew calls Moses on what he did so Moses runs.
For Moses the decision to run probably saved his life. It seems like this situation justifies times when we run from the truth. You decide for yourself in this case.
Moses changes occupations and lands and has to work with his hands. Up to this point in life Moses was really taken care of. Now he had to provide for himself. He would have been an overqualified. In verse 17 Moses probably confronted all of the shepherds even though he was outnumbered. My bible notes says Moses probably could have handled them all since he had been trained in the world's best military. Moses finds a wife and the chapter ends with God being concerned for the Hebrew people who were crying out to him.
For ME: The part where Moses does something when nobody is looking. I've always clung to the idea that integrity is what you do when nobody is looking. If you only do something good when others are watching then you are not doing it as God would have you. As of this point there does not seem to be any consequence for Moses killing a man.
Monday, October 27, 2008
The Birth of Moses
Exodus 2:1-10
The Birth of Moses
1 Now a man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman, 2 and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. 3 But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. 4 His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.
5 Then Pharaoh's daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the river bank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her slave girl to get it. 6 She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. "This is one of the Hebrew babies," she said.
7 Then his sister asked Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?"
8 "Yes, go," she answered. And the girl went and got the baby's mother. 9 Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you." So the woman took the baby and nursed him. 10 When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh's daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, "I drew him out of the water."
In Exodus 1 we find that Pharoah is concerned that the Hebrew slaves were becoming too great in number and could someday join the enemies and leave or even overtake the Egyptians. He orders the midwives who delivered the Hebrew womens babies to kill the males. They did not because the feared God. The final order was to throw all the male babies into the Nile and let them drown.
In Exodus 2 a baby boy who would be named Moses was born to a Levite woman and after 3 months she can no longer hide him so she places him in a waterproof basket and floats him down the Nile where the Pharoah's daughter finds him and retrieves him. She feels sorry for him and keeps him even though she knows he is a Hebrew baby. A servant girl goes and gets a Hebrew woman to breast feed the boy and she ends up getting Moses' mother to care for him. When he was old enough for her not to nurse him she takes Moses back to Pharoah's daughter and she adopts him.
Summary: I love how this story plays out. Had she taken Moses to Pharoah's daughter directly this whole event probably wouldn't have played out. The mother had the faith to place her son in the water and she was reward with getting to nurse and raise him anyway. The upside of this whole deal is that Moses ends up being royalty even though he was born as a slave.
This past Sunday our pastor preached on the Legend of Moses. He quickly summarized the whole story which covers Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy and Numbers. My goal in getting back into the word is to blog about the life of Moses throughout these books of the bible and leave some of my own comments.
Feel free to comment.
The Birth of Moses
1 Now a man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman, 2 and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. 3 But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. 4 His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.
5 Then Pharaoh's daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the river bank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her slave girl to get it. 6 She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. "This is one of the Hebrew babies," she said.
7 Then his sister asked Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?"
8 "Yes, go," she answered. And the girl went and got the baby's mother. 9 Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you." So the woman took the baby and nursed him. 10 When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh's daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, "I drew him out of the water."
In Exodus 1 we find that Pharoah is concerned that the Hebrew slaves were becoming too great in number and could someday join the enemies and leave or even overtake the Egyptians. He orders the midwives who delivered the Hebrew womens babies to kill the males. They did not because the feared God. The final order was to throw all the male babies into the Nile and let them drown.
In Exodus 2 a baby boy who would be named Moses was born to a Levite woman and after 3 months she can no longer hide him so she places him in a waterproof basket and floats him down the Nile where the Pharoah's daughter finds him and retrieves him. She feels sorry for him and keeps him even though she knows he is a Hebrew baby. A servant girl goes and gets a Hebrew woman to breast feed the boy and she ends up getting Moses' mother to care for him. When he was old enough for her not to nurse him she takes Moses back to Pharoah's daughter and she adopts him.
Summary: I love how this story plays out. Had she taken Moses to Pharoah's daughter directly this whole event probably wouldn't have played out. The mother had the faith to place her son in the water and she was reward with getting to nurse and raise him anyway. The upside of this whole deal is that Moses ends up being royalty even though he was born as a slave.
This past Sunday our pastor preached on the Legend of Moses. He quickly summarized the whole story which covers Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy and Numbers. My goal in getting back into the word is to blog about the life of Moses throughout these books of the bible and leave some of my own comments.
Feel free to comment.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Running From God
Jonah 1 Jonah Flees From the LORD
1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me."
3 But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD.
4 Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. 5 All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. 6 The captain went to him and said, "How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us, and we will not perish."
7 Then the sailors said to each other, "Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity." They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.
8 So they asked him, "Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?"
9 He answered, "I am a Hebrew and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land."
10 This terrified them and they asked, "What have you done?" (They knew he was running away from the LORD, because he had already told them so.)
11 The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, "What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?"
12 "Pick me up and throw me into the sea," he replied, "and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you."
13 Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. 14 Then they cried to the LORD, "O LORD, please do not let us die for taking this man's life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, O LORD, have done as you pleased." 15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. 16 At this the men greatly feared the LORD, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to him.
17 But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.
My opening example was asking my wife were the purple dry erase marker was. She responded that it was thru a certain door because she recalled seeing the kids playing with it. I then turned and went the other way. Well, in this story this is exactly what Jonah did.
At the time Nineveh had about 120,000 residents and was the largest city in the world. It was known for it's violence, evil plottings against the Lord, cruelty and plundering during war, prostitution and witchcraft.
In verse 2 God calls Jonah to go the preach to or against Nineveh. Verse 3 starts with a big BUT and Jonah ran the other way. Tarshish was a city in the opposite direction all the way across the Mediterranean Sea. Jonah bought his ticket and was out of there.
The study notes say that Jonah might of had some apprehension for his safety at first, but the ultimate reason was that Jonah didn't think that God's grace was for other people than the Israelites. He was selfish with his God.
How do we run from God?
Do we sometimes think God's salvation isn't for certain groups of people like murderers and such?
Vs 4 God sends a great wind. While this is going on all of the sailors were frantic and Jonah went ahead down below deck and fell into a deep sleep. We talked about how when we are outside of God's will we may be miserable and depression may set in. Maybe this was the case. Either way, by being outside the will of God Jonah put his life in jeopardy as well as the lives of the sailors. Think how this applies for us. When we are outside the will of God are we exposing our family and friends to potential peril or "bad things?"
Vs 7 God exposes the guilty party, Jonah. It was done thru a gambling type deal where possibly sticks were drawn and the short stick, or lot, fell upon Jonah. Jonah had already shared with the sailors that he was running from God and now they made the connection. They started quizzing him.
The sailors knew something needed to happen for them to have their lives spared. Jonah, instead of saying, "Take me back to land so I can go to Nineveh" recommends an assisted suicide. He knew if they threw him over the seas would get calm. At first they didn't want to. They tried to row ashore with no luck. Ironically these pagan sailors called out to Jonah's God for mercy for what they were about to do....throw him over.
God provides another out here and has the fish, or possibly a whale, most likely a sperm whale, swallow Jonah for 3 days. I'm sure Jonah had plenty of time to think about the big mess he made by running the other way. Imagine the smell and filth. It's hard even getting fish smell off your hands let alone the smell you'd acquire from sitting in the stomach.
Jonah ends up going to Nineveh and the people repent. Next week's lesson is from Jonah 4.
Hosea 149b "The ways of the Lord are right, the righteous walk in them, the rebellious stumble in them."
1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me."
3 But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD.
4 Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. 5 All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. 6 The captain went to him and said, "How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us, and we will not perish."
7 Then the sailors said to each other, "Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity." They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.
8 So they asked him, "Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?"
9 He answered, "I am a Hebrew and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land."
10 This terrified them and they asked, "What have you done?" (They knew he was running away from the LORD, because he had already told them so.)
11 The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, "What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?"
12 "Pick me up and throw me into the sea," he replied, "and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you."
13 Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. 14 Then they cried to the LORD, "O LORD, please do not let us die for taking this man's life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, O LORD, have done as you pleased." 15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. 16 At this the men greatly feared the LORD, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to him.
17 But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.
My opening example was asking my wife were the purple dry erase marker was. She responded that it was thru a certain door because she recalled seeing the kids playing with it. I then turned and went the other way. Well, in this story this is exactly what Jonah did.
At the time Nineveh had about 120,000 residents and was the largest city in the world. It was known for it's violence, evil plottings against the Lord, cruelty and plundering during war, prostitution and witchcraft.
In verse 2 God calls Jonah to go the preach to or against Nineveh. Verse 3 starts with a big BUT and Jonah ran the other way. Tarshish was a city in the opposite direction all the way across the Mediterranean Sea. Jonah bought his ticket and was out of there.
The study notes say that Jonah might of had some apprehension for his safety at first, but the ultimate reason was that Jonah didn't think that God's grace was for other people than the Israelites. He was selfish with his God.
How do we run from God?
Do we sometimes think God's salvation isn't for certain groups of people like murderers and such?
Vs 4 God sends a great wind. While this is going on all of the sailors were frantic and Jonah went ahead down below deck and fell into a deep sleep. We talked about how when we are outside of God's will we may be miserable and depression may set in. Maybe this was the case. Either way, by being outside the will of God Jonah put his life in jeopardy as well as the lives of the sailors. Think how this applies for us. When we are outside the will of God are we exposing our family and friends to potential peril or "bad things?"
Vs 7 God exposes the guilty party, Jonah. It was done thru a gambling type deal where possibly sticks were drawn and the short stick, or lot, fell upon Jonah. Jonah had already shared with the sailors that he was running from God and now they made the connection. They started quizzing him.
The sailors knew something needed to happen for them to have their lives spared. Jonah, instead of saying, "Take me back to land so I can go to Nineveh" recommends an assisted suicide. He knew if they threw him over the seas would get calm. At first they didn't want to. They tried to row ashore with no luck. Ironically these pagan sailors called out to Jonah's God for mercy for what they were about to do....throw him over.
God provides another out here and has the fish, or possibly a whale, most likely a sperm whale, swallow Jonah for 3 days. I'm sure Jonah had plenty of time to think about the big mess he made by running the other way. Imagine the smell and filth. It's hard even getting fish smell off your hands let alone the smell you'd acquire from sitting in the stomach.
Jonah ends up going to Nineveh and the people repent. Next week's lesson is from Jonah 4.
Hosea 149b "The ways of the Lord are right, the righteous walk in them, the rebellious stumble in them."
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Reaching Seekers August 10, 2008
Opening Activity:
Think about a question that someone with a incomplete understanding of Christianity might ask.
Lesson Goal:
To help you assist people who have an incomplete understanding of Christianity.
Acts 18:24-26 Learn What to Say to Others
Meanwhile a Jew names Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately though he only knew of John's baptism. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.
John's baptism indicated repentence, symbolized an inner cleansing, and anticipated the Messiah's coming. A Christian baptism pictures Jesus' death and resurrection. It symbolizes a believer's dying to sin and being raised to a new life.
Priscilla and Aquila saw that Apollos needed a little more guidance and gently instructed him in the truth. Some scholars would say Apollos was not yet a Christian, but since Luke does not mention a "rebaptism" it most likely suggests that Apollos was indeed a believer, yet a little misguided.
Can a non-believer lead people to Christ?
Today: Listening to what seekers say about Christianity will help us know how to complete their understanding.
Acts 19:1-3 Ask Questions
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, we have not evern heard that there is a Holy Spirit." So Paul asked them, "What baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism," they replied.
What are some "qualifying" questions we may ask seekers or new believers?
What keeps us from questioning people about their understanding of Christianity?
Acts 19:4-7 Teach What's Needed
Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, Jesus." On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about 12 men in all.
"They were baptized" This is the only mention of rebaptism in the New Testament. They may not have been Christians yet.
Should someone who was baptized as a baby be rebaptized as an adult?
v6 They spoke in tongues.
I publically accepted Christ as savior when I was 15, but about 2 years later at a youth camp I feel like I really surrendered my life to Christ. While walking near the lake in The Ozarks I prayed for God to take all my burdens away and help me fully give my life to Him. At that moment I physically felt different. Almost lighter as if my burdens were indeed physical.
I don't know if you've had a life changing moment or have had a "happening" when you had the Holy Spirit enter your life, but I feel like I did. I didn't speak in tongues, but something happened.
Acts 19-8-10 Seek Opportunities
Paul's main focus was the Gentiles, but he did not give up on the Jews. He spent 3 months teaching in the synagogues. Some became hardened and even began to slander his ministry. At this point Paul moved his teachings to a lecture hall where he basically taught every day from 11am to 4pm. This, after having worked on his tent business in the morning. The bible says he did this for 2 years so "all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord."
Be ready to help seekers find the truth.
Think about a question that someone with a incomplete understanding of Christianity might ask.
Lesson Goal:
To help you assist people who have an incomplete understanding of Christianity.
Acts 18:24-26 Learn What to Say to Others
Meanwhile a Jew names Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately though he only knew of John's baptism. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.
John's baptism indicated repentence, symbolized an inner cleansing, and anticipated the Messiah's coming. A Christian baptism pictures Jesus' death and resurrection. It symbolizes a believer's dying to sin and being raised to a new life.
Priscilla and Aquila saw that Apollos needed a little more guidance and gently instructed him in the truth. Some scholars would say Apollos was not yet a Christian, but since Luke does not mention a "rebaptism" it most likely suggests that Apollos was indeed a believer, yet a little misguided.
Can a non-believer lead people to Christ?
Today: Listening to what seekers say about Christianity will help us know how to complete their understanding.
Acts 19:1-3 Ask Questions
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, we have not evern heard that there is a Holy Spirit." So Paul asked them, "What baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism," they replied.
What are some "qualifying" questions we may ask seekers or new believers?
What keeps us from questioning people about their understanding of Christianity?
Acts 19:4-7 Teach What's Needed
Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, Jesus." On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about 12 men in all.
"They were baptized" This is the only mention of rebaptism in the New Testament. They may not have been Christians yet.
Should someone who was baptized as a baby be rebaptized as an adult?
v6 They spoke in tongues.
I publically accepted Christ as savior when I was 15, but about 2 years later at a youth camp I feel like I really surrendered my life to Christ. While walking near the lake in The Ozarks I prayed for God to take all my burdens away and help me fully give my life to Him. At that moment I physically felt different. Almost lighter as if my burdens were indeed physical.
I don't know if you've had a life changing moment or have had a "happening" when you had the Holy Spirit enter your life, but I feel like I did. I didn't speak in tongues, but something happened.
Acts 19-8-10 Seek Opportunities
Paul's main focus was the Gentiles, but he did not give up on the Jews. He spent 3 months teaching in the synagogues. Some became hardened and even began to slander his ministry. At this point Paul moved his teachings to a lecture hall where he basically taught every day from 11am to 4pm. This, after having worked on his tent business in the morning. The bible says he did this for 2 years so "all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord."
Be ready to help seekers find the truth.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Defending Our Faith
Lesson Goal: to help expand your understanding of Christianity's uniqueness.
Scripture Background: Acts 17:16-31(we briefly touched)
The defending of one's faith or answering questions about what the bible says is done through apologetics. The Greek word "apologia" means, "a verbal defense." I started our lesson out with a few objections that someone might have about Christianity.
Books say dinosaurs are millions of years old and the bible says the earth is only about 6,000 year old.
I don't want to go to a place full of hypocrits.
If God is in control of everything then why do bad things happen to good people?
I tied this into 1 Peter 3:15 "Always be prepared to to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.........."
I retrieved information from 2 websites: www.christiananswers.net and www.carm.org (Christian Apologetics and Research Ministries). We took a 20 question quiz about how well we know the doctrine that we base our faith on. We discussed why there are different denominations(different interpretations of the core values) and different religions(wrong interpretations of core values).
If you are struggling with questions about your faith or have been challenged by someone about your faith visit Carm.org and search for the answers. Christiananswers.net also will help guide you in things such as movies and if they contradict bible teachings and if the content is appropriate for mature Christians.
I do know that I need to be reading more books that will help solidify my faith or help me be ready to defend it or lead someone else to the faith that I have. One book that is recommended was, More Than A Carpenter by Josh McDowell. He also wrote a powerful book Evidence that Demands a Verdict which talks about how he tried to disprove Christ as the savior and in this quest the evidence was so strong FOR the case of Christ that he became a Christian in his passion to discount the faith.
Why the Christian faith? It only has 2 simple rules: 1) Love God with all your heart, strength, mind and soul. 2) Love your neighbor and others as you would love your self. The rest would then be for you to figure out.
Last, the following 7 are non-negotiables to the Christian faith:
1. Jesus is/was both God and man.
2. Jesus rose from the dead physically in the same body.
3. Salvation is by GRACE thru FAITH.
4. The gospel hangs on the death, burial and ressurection of Jesus.
5. There is only ONE God.
6. God exists as a Trinity of persons: Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
7. Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary.
All other things are not deal breakers: church on Saturday or Sunday, music lead by a man or women, okay to consumer alcohol or not, which denomenation is correct, etc.
We had 5 in attendance, but had good conversation.
Scripture Background: Acts 17:16-31(we briefly touched)
The defending of one's faith or answering questions about what the bible says is done through apologetics. The Greek word "apologia" means, "a verbal defense." I started our lesson out with a few objections that someone might have about Christianity.
Books say dinosaurs are millions of years old and the bible says the earth is only about 6,000 year old.
I don't want to go to a place full of hypocrits.
If God is in control of everything then why do bad things happen to good people?
I tied this into 1 Peter 3:15 "Always be prepared to to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.........."
I retrieved information from 2 websites: www.christiananswers.net and www.carm.org (Christian Apologetics and Research Ministries). We took a 20 question quiz about how well we know the doctrine that we base our faith on. We discussed why there are different denominations(different interpretations of the core values) and different religions(wrong interpretations of core values).
If you are struggling with questions about your faith or have been challenged by someone about your faith visit Carm.org and search for the answers. Christiananswers.net also will help guide you in things such as movies and if they contradict bible teachings and if the content is appropriate for mature Christians.
I do know that I need to be reading more books that will help solidify my faith or help me be ready to defend it or lead someone else to the faith that I have. One book that is recommended was, More Than A Carpenter by Josh McDowell. He also wrote a powerful book Evidence that Demands a Verdict which talks about how he tried to disprove Christ as the savior and in this quest the evidence was so strong FOR the case of Christ that he became a Christian in his passion to discount the faith.
Why the Christian faith? It only has 2 simple rules: 1) Love God with all your heart, strength, mind and soul. 2) Love your neighbor and others as you would love your self. The rest would then be for you to figure out.
Last, the following 7 are non-negotiables to the Christian faith:
1. Jesus is/was both God and man.
2. Jesus rose from the dead physically in the same body.
3. Salvation is by GRACE thru FAITH.
4. The gospel hangs on the death, burial and ressurection of Jesus.
5. There is only ONE God.
6. God exists as a Trinity of persons: Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
7. Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary.
All other things are not deal breakers: church on Saturday or Sunday, music lead by a man or women, okay to consumer alcohol or not, which denomenation is correct, etc.
We had 5 in attendance, but had good conversation.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Conflict
Sunday July 27, Stepping Stones Church
The goal of this lesson is to help believers resolve conflict in ways that are designed to produce positive results. How do you handle conflict? abrasively, avoidance, ignore it, bottle it in until you explode???
Questions to consider:
Why should we expect conflict within the church?What issues cause conflict within the church?
Can conflict be productive?
Must conflict be a win-lose situation?
How should Christians resolve conflict?
Acts 15:1-2 Agree to Resolve the Issues
The Council at Jerusalem
The goal of this lesson is to help believers resolve conflict in ways that are designed to produce positive results. How do you handle conflict? abrasively, avoidance, ignore it, bottle it in until you explode???
Questions to consider:
Why should we expect conflict within the church?What issues cause conflict within the church?
Can conflict be productive?
Must conflict be a win-lose situation?
How should Christians resolve conflict?
Acts 15:1-2 Agree to Resolve the Issues
The Council at Jerusalem
1Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved." 2This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.
What is the conflict here?
a. theological issues-how a person is saved and whether they have to become circumcised like a Jewish person to receive Christ
a. theological issues-how a person is saved and whether they have to become circumcised like a Jewish person to receive Christ
b. practical issues-Jewish-Gentile relationships and expectations of Gentiles
What can happen when conflict within a church goes unresolved?
(split, some leave, stagnant, turn outsiders offf)
The first step in resolving conflict is acknowledging a problem(or difference) between 2 or more parties and there is an agreement to try and resolve it.
Acts 15:6-12 Discuss the Issues
6The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? 11No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."
12The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.
12The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.
How were the Gentiles saved? By grace as were the Jewish believers
How were they "testing" God by putting a yoke on them?
v7 After much debate Peter took the floor. Peter's argument was from his own experience. He was able to share the gospel with Gentiles. He states that there is no difference between Jew and Gentile to God. The real purity came by faith, not thru some custom such as circumcism. The yoke was a sense of legalism.
Acts 15:13-15 Look to the Scriptures
13When they finished, James spoke up: "Brothers, listen to me. 14Simon(Peter) has described to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself. 15The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:
13When they finished, James spoke up: "Brothers, listen to me. 14Simon(Peter) has described to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself. 15The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:
James, Jesus' 1/2 brother was a leader in the Jerusalem church and basically he refers to the scriptures of the old testament. He then sums up what was basically debated and in verse 19 he hands down a judgment.
19"It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.
The rest of the chapter basically is a letter to the Gentiles from the council that basically says some people were telling you wrong, you do not have to get circumcised in order to receive Christ.
We had 8 in attendance today and I do not feel that I wrapped the lesson up that well. We had a lot of discussion and everyone participate though. I think my hope was that we learn how to handle conflict. I usually try to avoid it or ignore it. I also think we need to be careful to note impose what we "think" is proper for someone who is ready to receive Christ. Something like telling them that they are not saved until they are baptised would be one thing that is contrary to the scriptures.
The worship service was youth led and it was refreshing to be reminded that the youth have a great mission field and they are so very capable of reaching others for Christ. A stat was shared that 85% of people receive Christ before they leave high school. Once someone becomes an adult it is much harder to reach that person.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Renewal Time
What are things in our everyday lives that need renewed or refilled?
How are these like our spiritual lives?
Background Genesis 34:1-29
Jacob’s daughter Dinah was “defiled” by Shechem, son of Hamor, the Hivite ruler of the area. Shechem really wanted to marry Dinah. Jacob’s sons, Levi and Simeon overhead what had happened when Hamor, Shechem’s father informed Jacob what had happened. They were filled with “grief and fury..” Shechem offered to pay for Dinah so he could marry her. The brother’s came up with an idea that as long as the men of Shechem’s tribe got circumcised then all would be good and the 2 tribes could intermarry. 3 days after the circumcisms of all the men, Levi and Simeon killed all the men of the tribe and took all that they had.
Genesis 34:30-31 Evaluate Your Actions
What is Jacob saying in verse 30? What did he fear?
What were the son’s response in verse 31?
Have you ever been in a situation were your desire for revenge got in the way of your relationship with God?
When do we need to renew our relationship or commitment to God?
Genesis 35:1-4 Purify Yourself
Who took the initiative to redirect Jacob’s life?
v1 GO to Bethel
v2 Get RID of
Earring significance?
Can you think about the time in your life where you felt you closest to God?
Closing thoughts:
1. Do you need to renew your relationship with God?
2. Where should you GO to get to the place you were closest to God?
3. What do you need to get RID of in your life?
Comments?
How are these like our spiritual lives?
Background Genesis 34:1-29
Jacob’s daughter Dinah was “defiled” by Shechem, son of Hamor, the Hivite ruler of the area. Shechem really wanted to marry Dinah. Jacob’s sons, Levi and Simeon overhead what had happened when Hamor, Shechem’s father informed Jacob what had happened. They were filled with “grief and fury..” Shechem offered to pay for Dinah so he could marry her. The brother’s came up with an idea that as long as the men of Shechem’s tribe got circumcised then all would be good and the 2 tribes could intermarry. 3 days after the circumcisms of all the men, Levi and Simeon killed all the men of the tribe and took all that they had.
Genesis 34:30-31 Evaluate Your Actions
What is Jacob saying in verse 30? What did he fear?
What were the son’s response in verse 31?
Have you ever been in a situation were your desire for revenge got in the way of your relationship with God?
When do we need to renew our relationship or commitment to God?
Genesis 35:1-4 Purify Yourself
Who took the initiative to redirect Jacob’s life?
v1 GO to Bethel
v2 Get RID of
Earring significance?
Can you think about the time in your life where you felt you closest to God?
Closing thoughts:
1. Do you need to renew your relationship with God?
2. Where should you GO to get to the place you were closest to God?
3. What do you need to get RID of in your life?
Comments?
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Asking God for a Sign
Last Sunday I taught a lesson from Genesis 24 where Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for his son Isaac. The following passage v12-21 is where the servant prayed that it would be obvious when he found the right woman. His prayer was answered before he finished praying:
12 Then he prayed, "O LORD, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13 See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. 14 May it be that when I say to a girl, 'Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,' and she says, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels too'-let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master."
15 Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, who was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor. 16 The girl was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever lain with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.
17 The servant hurried to meet her and said, "Please give me a little water from your jar."
18 "Drink, my lord," she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink.
19 After she had given him a drink, she said, "I'll draw water for your camels too, until they have finished drinking." 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels. 21 Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the LORD had made his journey successful.
Our lesson got stuck on the part whether or not it is wrong to ask God for a sign. If you ask for a sign do you lack in faith? Even Gideon asked God for a sign to specifically make dew appear on a fleece covering and the rest of the ground. When that happened Gideon then asked if God would make the fleece dry and the ground all around it wet with dew.
First of all I think the closer to God you are, the more obvious the sign will be. Sometimes we pray for something that we know we are going to do whether or not God gives us a sign. We'll justify or make up signs that are from God.
Anyway, this lesson hit home with us last week. As I was teaching this lesson we were driving a 2008 Dodge Avenger that a dealer let us drive. We really liked the car. We were looking at a similar 2007 Chysler Sebring. My wife came up with some criteria that she felt comfortable with. The car must have under 20,000 miles and our payment wouldn't be any more than $237. The dealer finally found the 2007 Sebring and we drove it. We were turned off by how rough it looked for a 1 year old car. It was in a rental fleet. Also, the add said 16,000 miles and it ended up having 21,000 miles on it.
We left that dealer to look at another 2007 which was supposed to have about 16,000 miles as well. It too had over 20,000 miles. I knew my numbers pretty well and knew we should get close to the $237 payment. They guy came in at a range of $265-$275. After looking real hard I noticed they were charging $700 for some window ID etching. We left.
The next day the salesman called an said $249 was the final offer. Since the car had some body damage on it, over 20,000 miles, I called back and said no thanks. I got a call back the next day and their final offer was $240 a month. A mere $3 a month away from our number. I am so glad they didn't offer the $240 the night we were there. We probably would have signed a deal.
I think God laid it upon our hearts that we needed to be closer to a $230 a month range and gave us an opportunity to walk away from the deal when it was $265. He also let us walk away from the first car because the miles were too high and the vehicle was a tad bit rough. We are so glad and so comfortable that we did not buy a car.
I spent 2 hours on Saturday doing a full detail on my wife's 2000 Dodge Neon and it looks really nice. IF we do trade it I think I can command an extra $500 or more or even sell it for twice what the dealer would give us.
12 Then he prayed, "O LORD, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13 See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. 14 May it be that when I say to a girl, 'Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,' and she says, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels too'-let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master."
15 Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, who was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor. 16 The girl was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever lain with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.
17 The servant hurried to meet her and said, "Please give me a little water from your jar."
18 "Drink, my lord," she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink.
19 After she had given him a drink, she said, "I'll draw water for your camels too, until they have finished drinking." 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels. 21 Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the LORD had made his journey successful.
Our lesson got stuck on the part whether or not it is wrong to ask God for a sign. If you ask for a sign do you lack in faith? Even Gideon asked God for a sign to specifically make dew appear on a fleece covering and the rest of the ground. When that happened Gideon then asked if God would make the fleece dry and the ground all around it wet with dew.
First of all I think the closer to God you are, the more obvious the sign will be. Sometimes we pray for something that we know we are going to do whether or not God gives us a sign. We'll justify or make up signs that are from God.
Anyway, this lesson hit home with us last week. As I was teaching this lesson we were driving a 2008 Dodge Avenger that a dealer let us drive. We really liked the car. We were looking at a similar 2007 Chysler Sebring. My wife came up with some criteria that she felt comfortable with. The car must have under 20,000 miles and our payment wouldn't be any more than $237. The dealer finally found the 2007 Sebring and we drove it. We were turned off by how rough it looked for a 1 year old car. It was in a rental fleet. Also, the add said 16,000 miles and it ended up having 21,000 miles on it.
We left that dealer to look at another 2007 which was supposed to have about 16,000 miles as well. It too had over 20,000 miles. I knew my numbers pretty well and knew we should get close to the $237 payment. They guy came in at a range of $265-$275. After looking real hard I noticed they were charging $700 for some window ID etching. We left.
The next day the salesman called an said $249 was the final offer. Since the car had some body damage on it, over 20,000 miles, I called back and said no thanks. I got a call back the next day and their final offer was $240 a month. A mere $3 a month away from our number. I am so glad they didn't offer the $240 the night we were there. We probably would have signed a deal.
I think God laid it upon our hearts that we needed to be closer to a $230 a month range and gave us an opportunity to walk away from the deal when it was $265. He also let us walk away from the first car because the miles were too high and the vehicle was a tad bit rough. We are so glad and so comfortable that we did not buy a car.
I spent 2 hours on Saturday doing a full detail on my wife's 2000 Dodge Neon and it looks really nice. IF we do trade it I think I can command an extra $500 or more or even sell it for twice what the dealer would give us.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Valuing Human Life
The main goal of my lesson on Sunday was the as Christians we are to value all life as God would expect it. I opened up with the following question: Think of a time where you didn't feel valued. I got answers including being picked last, interviewing for a job, not being included in certain circles and such.
I then asked how society devalues certain individual's lives: mentally or physically handicapped, homeless, economically disadvantaged, race, criminals. We all agreed that we tend to put certain values on people's lives.
We looked at Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
God created EVERYONE and loves everyone. He desires fellowship from everyone. I brought up Osama Bin Laden and how if he were captured and killed many would be excited. I know when bad things happen to bad people I tend to think they deserved it. I feel we also pick and choose who is worth loving and helping. God isn't as selective. He desires fellowship with EVERYONE and his call to salvation is for everyone.
I referenced to Matthew 22 and looked at the Greatest Commandment where the disciples asked Jesus about the law:
36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37 Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
It is hard to love a criminal as I would myself. Or the neighbor who parks a boat or a pull behind camper in his drive way. How about the co-worker or Sunday school class member who requires a lot of extra grace.
If we truly devoted ourselves to these 2 commandments there would be no room for selfishness or laziness.
I then asked how society devalues certain individual's lives: mentally or physically handicapped, homeless, economically disadvantaged, race, criminals. We all agreed that we tend to put certain values on people's lives.
We looked at Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
God created EVERYONE and loves everyone. He desires fellowship from everyone. I brought up Osama Bin Laden and how if he were captured and killed many would be excited. I know when bad things happen to bad people I tend to think they deserved it. I feel we also pick and choose who is worth loving and helping. God isn't as selective. He desires fellowship with EVERYONE and his call to salvation is for everyone.
I referenced to Matthew 22 and looked at the Greatest Commandment where the disciples asked Jesus about the law:
36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37 Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
It is hard to love a criminal as I would myself. Or the neighbor who parks a boat or a pull behind camper in his drive way. How about the co-worker or Sunday school class member who requires a lot of extra grace.
If we truly devoted ourselves to these 2 commandments there would be no room for selfishness or laziness.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
James 5
16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
20 ....remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
I think it is extremely important to develop a friendship within your Christian circles that will help you grow in your faith. This friendship should be one where the 2 people involved truly share what is going on in their lives: struggles, joys, triumphs, trials, etc. If you continue to hide your sins from others obviously God knows these sins and these sins break the fellowship that God desires from us. I do feel you can only turn someone from their errors if you have developed a trusting relationship with that person. You would be less likely to get any retaliation or fault pointing if you've built up that relationship. This friendship is what I would consider as an "accountability partner." You've got to make sure this relationship doesn't enable both people to continue sinning or it brings both persons away from God.
20 ....remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
I think it is extremely important to develop a friendship within your Christian circles that will help you grow in your faith. This friendship should be one where the 2 people involved truly share what is going on in their lives: struggles, joys, triumphs, trials, etc. If you continue to hide your sins from others obviously God knows these sins and these sins break the fellowship that God desires from us. I do feel you can only turn someone from their errors if you have developed a trusting relationship with that person. You would be less likely to get any retaliation or fault pointing if you've built up that relationship. This friendship is what I would consider as an "accountability partner." You've got to make sure this relationship doesn't enable both people to continue sinning or it brings both persons away from God.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
James 4
I think the 2 verses that stand out the most to me are verses 7 and 8 respectively.
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you.
First verse 7. I think it is comforting to know that if you resist the devil it says he will flee from you. I had in mind that when you turn away the devil and avoid temptation that his effort to sway you would become stronger. It may, but we are told here that Satan will FLEE! I love that idea.
Verse 8. I taught a lesson on Sunday about "Walking With God." I looked in Genesis at how Noah was the first one in the bible to be called righteous and in Genesis 6 it says Noah walked with God. Noah lived over 600 years so he did a lot of walking. To be close to God it must involve a move on our part first. God is always there so if you feel distant from God, it's YOU and not God hiding from you. God ALWAYS wants our time, attention, talents, tithes, etc. So if you feel that God is distant, find a way to get your self "nearer" to God.
Verse 17 is simply said as well, "17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you.
First verse 7. I think it is comforting to know that if you resist the devil it says he will flee from you. I had in mind that when you turn away the devil and avoid temptation that his effort to sway you would become stronger. It may, but we are told here that Satan will FLEE! I love that idea.
Verse 8. I taught a lesson on Sunday about "Walking With God." I looked in Genesis at how Noah was the first one in the bible to be called righteous and in Genesis 6 it says Noah walked with God. Noah lived over 600 years so he did a lot of walking. To be close to God it must involve a move on our part first. God is always there so if you feel distant from God, it's YOU and not God hiding from you. God ALWAYS wants our time, attention, talents, tithes, etc. So if you feel that God is distant, find a way to get your self "nearer" to God.
Verse 17 is simply said as well, "17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."
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