Lesson 1: In Christ, In Flagstaff (Colossians 1:1-2)
Related MediaNovember 1, 2015
Garrison Keillor has made a career out of his monologues about the fictitious Minnesota town, Lake Wobegon, “the little town that time forgot and the decades can’t improve.” It’s the town “where all of the women are strong, the men are good looking, and the children are above average.” He says that in Lake Wobegon, people lock their cars in the summer, not because they’re afraid of theft, but because they’re afraid that someone will throw a lot of unwanted zucchini from their garden into the car.
Over the years, I’ve read a few other characteristics of small towns: “It’s a small town when you don’t have to use your turn signal, because everyone knows where you’re going.” “It’s a small town when you can’t walk for exercise because every driver offers you a ride.” “It’s a small town when people know the news before the paper comes out, but they take the paper anyway to see whether the editor got the stories right.” Well, we can’t rightly call Flagstaff a small town any more, since we’ve grown to about 75,000. But we’re surrounded by small towns, such as Seligman, Ash Fork, Winslow, and Tuba City.
I mention small towns because Colossae was a small town, about 100 miles east of Ephesus in western Asia Minor (modern Turkey). It was about 10 miles from Laodicea and 13 miles from Hieropolis. Colossae had once been a fairly important town, but the trade route had shifted to go through Laodicea so that by Paul’s day, its importance had dwindled. The population was mostly Gentile, but a sizeable Jewish population had settled there several centuries before (Douglas Moo, The Letters to the Colossians and Philemon [Eerdmans/Apollos], p. 27). Bishop Lightfoot (Saint Paul’s Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon [Zondervan], p. 16) wrote, “Without doubt Colossae was the least important church to which any epistle of St. Paul was addressed.” It would be as if in our day Paul wrote an inspired letter to the church in Seligman.
So you have to ask, “Why would Paul write to this relatively insignificant church?” The answer is that this small town church had some big time doctrinal threats to its well-being. We can be thankful for this problem, because it prompted Paul to write this wonderful little letter that sets forth the supremacy and all-sufficiency of Christ more forcefully than in any of his other letters.
Paul had not yet visited Colossae personally (Col. 2:1). The church there had been planted by Epaphras, a native (Col. 1:7; 4:12), who was probably converted and discipled during Paul’s extended stay in Ephesus (Acts. 19:10). Epaphras also probably planted churches in Laodicea and Hieropolis (Col. 4:13). The church in Colossae met in the home of Philemon (Philem. 2), whose runaway slave, Onesimus, had met Paul and Christ during Paul’s Roman imprisonment. Paul sent Onesimus back to Philemon, urging him to forgive and welcome back his runaway slave as a brother in Christ.
But the church in Colossae was being plagued by false teaching, and Epaphras was not sure how to deal with it. So he went to Rome and found Paul, who was under house arrest in his own quarters (Acts. 28:30-31). In response, Paul wrote Colossians and then probably expanded it into the letter to the Ephesians. Both epistles are similar in structure and content, but in Colossians the emphasis is on Christ as the head of the church, whereas in Ephesians it’s on the church as the body of Christ, the head. Colossians is much more focused in attacking the false doctrine that was infiltrating that church, whereas Ephesians is more general.
Some scholars think that Ephesians may have been a circular letter, intended for several churches in Asia Minor. If so, it could be the letter coming from Laodicea that Paul mentions in Colossians 4:16. If not, then the letter to Laodicea is a lost letter, which in God’s sovereignty was not intended to be included in the New Testament. At the same time, Paul also wrote the short letter to Philemon and probably sent all three letters back with Tychicus (Eph. 6:21; Col. 4:7), while Epaphras stayed with him in Rome.
It’s not easy to figure out the exact nature of the false teaching in Colossae. In the past two centuries commentators have suggested at least 44 different views (Peter O’Brien, Word Biblical Commentary, Colossians-Philemon [Zondervan], p. xxxi)! We have to piece together the elements of the false teaching by looking at various emphases in the letter, much like listening to one side of a phone conversation. Probably, like most false teaching, it was a blend of several errors.
There was a strong Jewish ascetic element (asceticism is the belief that holiness comes by denying yourself certain basic needs and comforts), which emphasized circumcision, dietary and ceremonial laws, and the observance of holy days as the way to victory over the flesh (Col. 2:11, 14, 16, 18, 20-23). So it was legalistic, emphasizing rule-keeping as the way to be holy.
Also, the false teachers promised their followers deeper wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:8). Paul counters this by saying that in Christ “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3). The false teachers may have promised that people would experience “fullness” through their insights. Paul counters this by asserting that all the fullness of deity dwells in Christ in bodily form (Col. 1:19; 2:9) and that “in Him, you have been made complete” (Col. 2:10). You don’t need to add anything else.
The false teachers also over-emphasized the role of angels. The Bible teaches the existence and importance of angels (Heb. 1:14), but the false teachers were teaching that we should worship angels, based on visions that they claimed to have seen (Col. 2:18). Paul counters this by showing that Jesus Christ created all angelic beings for His purpose and glory (Col. 1:16) and He is over them all, including the fallen angels (Col. 2:10, 15). Thus we should worship Him, not angels.
Thus, like most false teaching, the Colossian heretics mixed a number of false teachings that they had taken from different religious, philosophical, and cultural views. Douglas Moo concludes (ibid., p. 59):
The false teachers were probably people from within the Colossian Christian community who were bragging about their ability to find ultimate spiritual “fulfillment” via their own program of visions and asceticism. This program was drawn partly from Judaism, particularly in its focus on rules about eating and observing certain days. They were preoccupied with spiritual beings, probably because they viewed them as powerful figures capable of having a significant influence on their lives.
He adds (p. 60), “The false teachers were appealing to spiritual beings, visions, and rules to find security in this very uncertain universe. In doing so, they were questioning the sufficiency of Christ.” So Paul’s corrective was to proclaim the supremacy of Jesus Christ over all (Col. 1:18) and His sufficiency for all (Col. 3:11).
We can divide the book into two broad sections, the polemical (chapters 1 & 2), where Paul argues against the false teaching by exalting Christ alone as preeminent; and, the practical (chapters 3 & 4), where he shows how Christ’s preeminence should affect us and our relationships. Chapter 4 contains a relatively lengthy personal section, probably because Paul didn’t know most of the people receiving this letter and he wanted to couch his corrective teaching in this personal framework.
With that as an overview, I want to make three observations before we look at the first two verses. First, Paul did not write Colossians as a theological treatise to be analyzed by scholars, but as a pastoral letter to be read and understood by common, small town people who were relatively young in their Christian faith. The most mature of these people were probably no more than five years old in the Lord! Since they were mostly Gentile (Col. 1:21, 27; 2:13; 3:5-7), they weren’t coming from a biblical background.
If the Holy Spirit directed Paul to write these profound truths about Jesus Christ to these original readers, many of whom probably couldn’t even read, but had to listen to the letter as it was read, then it’s not too deep for us to grasp if we depend on the Spirit to teach us. Many modern American Christians, if they read at all, stick to pretty shallow self-help books or sensational testimonies, but avoid wrestling with meaty theological books. I encourage you to go deeper! You can do it!
Second, right theology is the basis for right living. We tend to avoid theology because we find it either too difficult or just plain boring. If a preacher starts talking about theology, our eyes glaze over and we tune out. We want him to skip the theology and get to the practical stuff. We prefer amusing anecdotes and heart-warming stories. But Paul wanted these small town folks to know that what we believe about Jesus Christ is not irrelevant to life. Rather, it’s absolutely crucial. It affects our morals (Col. 3:5-9) and our relationships in the church, in our homes, in our jobs, and with those in the world (Col. 3:12-4:6). False teaching never leads to true godliness (Col. 2:23).
Third, the test of solid theology can be summed up by answering the question, “Where does it put Jesus Christ?” Does He merely have a place in it, or does He occupy the central and supreme place? Is He presented as fully God and fully man in one person, or has either side of that truth been slighted? Is His sacrificial death on the cross presented as sufficient for life and godliness, or do we need to add the latest insights from the world to deal with our problems?
Years ago, I was wrestling with whether to allow some small groups in our church in California to use some books that blended psychology and Christianity. These books, The Twelve Steps for Christians, which claims on the cover to be “based on biblical teachings,” and When Your World Makes No Sense [Oliver Nelson], by Dr. Henry Cloud (republished as Changes That Heal), purport to help emotionally hurting people with insights that traditional biblical teaching lacks (Cloud, pp. 16-17).
I had a nagging uneasiness with these books that I couldn’t identify until I read the chapter in J. C. Ryle’s Holiness [James Clarke & Co.], “Christ is All,” and, about the same time, John MacArthur’s Our Sufficiency in Christ [Word]. Both of these sources helped me see that the flood of books that blend psychology and Christianity assume that Christ is not sufficient for our emotional and relational problems. They do not direct us to His supremacy and sufficiency for life and godliness. Rather, much like the Colossian false teaching, they blend worldly philosophies with Bible verses often taken out of context, to give the appearance of wisdom (Col. 2:23), but they don’t exalt Christ as Lord. They don’t lead the readers to exclaim with the psalmist (Ps. 73:25-26):
Whom have I in heaven but You?
And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
So, the test of solid theology is that it exalts Christ as supreme and sufficient for all who believe in Him. Now I want to focus on Colossians 1:1-2, where Paul shows us that …
God has equipped His church in Christ so that we might be His church in Flagstaff.
My two points come from two parallel phrases in the Greek text of verse 2, “in Colossae” and “in Christ.” I’m taking the liberty of replacing “in Colossae” with “in Flagstaff.” When we see how God has equipped us in Christ, then we can be what He wants us to be as His church in Flagstaff.
1. God has equipped His church in Christ.
We see three ways God has equipped His church in Christ:
A. God has given apostles to His church.
Colossians 1:1: “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God ….” Apostle means “sent one,” and is used in two ways in the New Testament. Sometimes it refers to a messenger sent out by the church for a special task (2 Cor. 8:23; Phil. 2:25; Rom. 16:7). But it is mainly used of the twelve plus Paul, probably James, the Lord’s brother, and perhaps Barnabas (1 Cor. 9:5-6; 15:7; Acts 14:4, 14; Gal. 1:19). These men had seen the risen Lord (Acts 1:21-22; 1 Cor. 9:1); they had unique authority to perform miracles (2 Cor. 12:12); and they were directly appointed by Christ (Mark 3:14; Acts 9:15; Gal. 1:1), who gave them authority to found the New Testament church (Eph. 2:20; 1 Thess. 2:6; 1 Cor. 12:28-29).
As such, the office passed away with John’s death at the end of the first century. There is no biblical warrant for the Roman Catholic doctrine of apostolic succession. We have the foundational, authoritative apostolic teaching in the New Testament.
Paul was not an apostle because he took an aptitude test and decided that this would be a good career fit. Rather, He was an apostle “by the will of God.” God had sovereignly laid His hand on Paul to save him and to conscript this formerly zealous Jew as His apostle to the Gentiles. Although there are no true apostles today, if you know Christ it’s by the will of God. And the Holy Spirit sovereignly distributes various spiritual gifts to all whom He saves (1 Cor. 12:11). The point is, serving Him is not optional for believers. It’s mandatory. You’re a conscript, not a volunteer!
B. God has set apart believers into a family in Christ.
Note the family terms that Paul uses here. Timothy was not an apostle because he had not seen the risen Lord. But he was “the brother.” Paul refers to the church as brethren and God is our common Father. (After “Father,” the KJV adds, “and the Lord Jesus Christ,” but the earliest and best manuscripts lack the phrase.)
God becomes your Father through the new birth, when He gives you new life and you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. You share this new life in Christ in common with all who have been born again. You begin a relationship with God as your Heavenly Father and with all of your brothers and sisters in Christ. It’s always wonderful when you meet a fellow believer who may be from a different country, but there’s an instant bond in Christ that makes you feel closer to this brother in Christ than you feel to natural family members who don’t know Christ.
Families, by their very nature, are set off from the rest of the world. You can crash a party, but you can’t crash a family. You join a family only by birth, adoption, or marriage. If you haven’t come in through one of those ways, you’re an outsider and don’t belong. In the same way, God’s family, the church, is set apart from the world. We are to be distinct from the world because we share new life in Jesus Christ.
Paul underscores our distinction from the world by calling us “saints.” Some versions translate it as “holy,” which is the meaning of “saints.” The Roman Catholic Church sets apart some especially noteworthy Christians as saints, but the Bible refers to all believers as saints or holy ones. It means that we are set apart from the world for the Lord. We are a people for His possession (1 Pet. 2:9).
Paul also refers to the Colossians as “faithful brethren.” Some commentators say that it should be translated “believing brethren,” but that’s a tautology. All true believers are brethren and vice versa. Since this is the only place in Paul’s letter greetings that he uses this phrase, he may be referring to those who had remained true to the faith and had not been carried away by the false teachers. The enemy continually stirs up false teaching to try to deceive the saints (Eph. 4:14). That’s why you need to be doctrinally grounded so that you can remain faithful when the winds of false doctrine try to blow you off course.
But also, our distinctiveness as God’s family is seen in Paul’s favorite phrase, “in Christ.” Formerly, born into this world as sinners, we were “in Adam.” Now, born into God’s family we are “in Christ,” the new man. This refers to our secure position before God where He views us just as He views His Son. In Him, we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Col. 1:14). In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:3). In Christ, we have been made complete (Col. 2:10). As Paul sums it up in Ephesians 1:3, in Christ God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. We inherit everything we need for life and godliness in Christ, and you’re in Christ if you’re a member of God’s family through faith in Christ.
If you put a message into a bottle and secure it with a cork, that message will be protected because it’s in the bottle. It may get battered around by the waves, but it won’t sink and be destroyed because it’s in the bottle. In the same way, if you’re in Christ, you are protected from the evil forces of this world that seek to destroy you. You are secure in Him, because He is at the right hand of the Father, “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come” (Eph. 1:21). That’s ultimate security!
Thus God has equipped us by giving us His Word through the apostles and by setting us apart in His family in Christ. Also,
C. God relates to us in grace and in peace.
“Grace to you and peace from God our Father” is a form of greeting, but it is more than just an empty phrase. It’s a prayer that we as God’s people would experience the riches of His grace and peace. God’s grace is His unmerited favor toward us in Christ. It means that He does not deal with us according to our sins. We are accepted in His presence, not because of our performance, but because “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4). God’s grace is a motivating, liberating power that gives victory over sin and the desire to draw near to our loving Father.
God’s peace comes from the Hebrew “shalom,” and refers to total well-being, both inward and outward. Through Christ, we have peace with God (Rom. 5:1). He Himself is the basis of our peace with one another (Eph. 2:14). Because our God is both sovereign and loving, we can have inward peace even in trials, knowing that He is working them together for our good (Rom. 8:28).
So this short opening greeting shows us how God has equipped us to be His church in Christ. But He hasn’t saved us to live for ourselves. Thus …
2. God has equipped us to be His church in Flagstaff.
These saints were in Christ, but they were also in the pagan city of Colossae, just as we are in pagan Flagstaff. God puts us in Christ, but He doesn’t want us to join monasteries to live apart from this world. As Jesus prays (John 17:15-18),
“I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.”
Even though Colossae was a small, insignificant town, God placed His people there to proclaim the good news of Christ to all who would hear. And He has placed us in this city to be both “in Christ,” but also “in Flagstaff.” Flagstaff claims to be the world’s first “dark sky” city, which is great for looking at the stars. But it’s also a just plain dark city! We His people are His light in this dark city to point lost people to the Light of the world.
Conclusion
Sadly, thirty years after Paul wrote to Colossae and to Laodicea, the apostle John wrote to the church of Laodicea, warning them that the Lord was about to spew them out of His mouth because of their spiritual lukewarmness (Rev. 3:14-22). The testimony for Christ there was flickering dimly. Now (in modern Turkey) it is almost totally extinguished.
Jesus said (Matt. 5:14, 16), “You are the light of the world…. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” That’s our mandate in Christ and in Flagstaff!
Application Questions
- Someone has observed that every person is a theologian, but some are better theologians than others. How can you grow more solid as a theologian?
- Discuss: Can those who hold seriously wrong doctrine about Christ be saved?
- What are the practical benefits of seeing yourself “in Christ”?
- How can we be more intentional about being Christ’s church in Flagstaff? Be specific.
Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2015, All Rights Reserved.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition © The Lockman Foundation
Related Topics: Bibliology (The Written Word), Christian Life, Empower, Equip
Lesson 99: Pursuing Holiness in the Community of Faith (Luke 17:1-6)
Related MediaSummary by Seth Kempf, Bethany Community Church Staff
Related Topics: Christian Life, Ecclesiology (The Church), Fellowship
Introduction: The Walk From Fear To Faith
Related MediaMany women today have very little knowledge of the Old Testament. You might not have much. I look at that half of my Bible, and I can easily think, “What’s written in it happened sooo long ago—anywhere from 2-4 thousand years ago. What do those women have in common with me? They didn’t live in my world.” Do you tend to think that way, as though they are just names on a page?
Maybe you like to read biographies. Doesn’t reading someone’s biography make that person come alive for you? Or, you may have done genealogy work on your family tree? It can be great to find something to brag about. But, you can also find out some of your ancestors’ dark secrets and hardships. I don’t know about you, but I feel a connection to that great-great grandmother when I learn a little bit about her life.
Connecting With Old Testament Everyday Women
This study covers the lives of some Old Testament women and the time periods in which they lived. Some you may have heard about—Sarah, Hannah, Abigail and Bathsheba. Everyone of Jewish birth can consider Sarah to be a great-grandmother. Others are strangers to you—Jael, Mrs. Manoah, the Shunammite woman.
Maybe these Old Testament women lived years ago, but they were still women just like us. They cooked meals, did laundry, and raised children. They had responsibilities inside and outside of their homes. Some even had home businesses. A couple of them could put together a banquet in a short time. They experienced hormone fluctuations, PMS, and menopause. They laughed with their friends, differed with their mates, and cried when a loved one died. They wrote songs and played musical instruments. I bet they all found ways to use their 20,000 words per day!
At one time, they were 20-somethings, then 40-somethings, then 60-somethings and more. They wore beads, earrings, and anklet bracelets. Their hair needed to be combed and fixed, and it turned grey as they aged. No doubt, some of them, if not all, had something on their bodies that sagged!
These women also experienced fear at various times in their lives just like we do. They faced invading enemies, sick family members, and empty pantries. They faced creditors and surprise houseguests. They even had “bad” days when things didn’t go right, sometimes due to their own choices. These were EVERYDAY WOMEN, just like us. Their stories—snippets of their biographies—are preserved for us to get to know them, and to know their God who is also our God.
Trusting In Our Ever Faithful God
As we study their lives, we’ll see an EVER FAITHFUL GOD in action. They knew Him by the personal name Yhwh. In our English translations, it is usually written as LORD in capital letters. In the Old Testament, you’ll find the phrase “the LORD your God” or “the LORD our God” at least 500 times. Every time, that phrase is emphasizing, “We have a personal God. His name is Yhwh.” It’s the name by which God wished to be known and worshiped in Israel and by Israel. Yhwh means, “I am.” This name expressed His character as constant, dependable and faithful.
Jesus applied God’s name “I am” to Himself, when He says in John 8:59, “before Abraham came into existence, I am.” Those listening knew He was declaring Himself to be God. So, the EVER FAITHFUL, promise-keeping God of the Old Testament is embodied in the Lord Jesus Christ of the New Testament and forever. We still have a personal God.
He’s our faithful God whose character never changes. He’s as faithful now in our everyday circumstances of life as He was years ago to those women, and as He was years ago to my great-grandmother. We can feel confidence in His presence and active involvement, even when we can’t see it. And, knowing this, we can trust in Him whenever we are afraid.
Fear is an ever-present emotion with us. Real fears and imagined fears. Is it realistic to think we can live without fear? I don’t think so.
Psalm 56:3-4 says, “When I am afraid, I trust in you. In God – I boast in his promise – in God I trust, I am not afraid. What can mere men do to me?”
Notice the psalmist doesn’t say, “If I am afraid.” He says, “When I am afraid.” Fear is a normal human emotion designed by God to alert us to danger so that we will take action against it. Yet, sudden fear can cause us to be terrified. That can lead to panic and hysteria. God knows this. When we are afraid, God wants us to trust Him and not give way to fear. Learning to do so is our walk from fear to faith.
As we join these Old Testament “everyday” women on their walk from fear to faith, we will see consistent truths that we can apply to our lives today in our faith walk.
1: God Loves Me
John 3:16 says, “For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
I am part of that world that God loves. So are you. So was my great-grandmother. So was every one of those women whose biographies are preserved in the Old Testament Scriptures. God loved her. That love applies to every human being who ever lived or does live today, whether or not she believes in Jesus Christ who is our God. But, those who do believe in Jesus have extra assurance…
Romans 5:5 says, “And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
We can count on Truth #1 — God loves me.
2: God Knows What Is Going On In My Life
God is everywhere and knows everything. That’s part of His character.
Matthew 6:31-32 — “So then, don’t worry saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the unconverted pursue these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.”
God knows what is going on in my life. If He doesn’t, then He isn’t really God. God knew what was going on in Miriam’s life, in Rahab’s life, and in Ruth’s life whether or not those women could tell. He knew their needs and how best to meet those needs. It’s a given.
We can count on Truth #2 — God knows what is going on in my life.
3: God Can Do Something About It
The angel of the Lord declares to Sarah in Genesis 18:14, “Is anything impossible for the LORD?” The answer is, NO! Remember the part of the Christmas story where the angel Gabriel tells Mary in Luke 1:37, “For nothing will be impossible with God.” Since the angel lives in heaven with God, he should know. Did you notice that both of these often-quoted statements are made to women! Jesus Himself said in Mark 10:27, “All things are possible for God.”
Our God is all-powerful. He is capable of doing anything He chooses to do that is in agreement with His character and His will. He cannot lie, though; and, He cannot go back on His promises.
We can count on Truth #3 — God can do something about it. Whatever it is.
4: I Can Trust His Goodness In Whatever He Chooses To Do
This is the sticky part, isn’t it? Is God good? Do I believe that He is good all the time?
Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding.”
The day before my dear friend died of breast cancer, she softly spoke to me these words, “God is good.” I finished her sentence with “all the time” because I had heard her say that repeatedly. She replied, “I don’t understand all of this.” And, most of the time, we just don’t understand. But, we’ve got to bank on God’s goodness.
As you study each of these women, you’ll see that during her faith walk, a loving God said “no” to some things. Yet, she chose to trust Him rather than submit to fear. And, God rewarded her faith with an outpouring of His blessing in other ways. God may not choose to rescue you from everything that is threatening you. But, in any and all situations, you can count on these truths… God loves me, God knows what is going on in my life, God can do something about it, and…
Truth #4 — I can trust His goodness in whatever He chooses to do!
Your Faith Walk Is Your Story
This is your faith walk. Your faith walk is your story, your biography of God’s faithfulness to you and your response back to Him. Each one of these women had a story, and that story has been shared over and over and over to millions of eager listeners. You might be surprised how many times the scriptures refer to them actually telling their story in one form or another. You’re going to get to know it as you get to know them. It’s a connection with real women, everyday women.
And, each one of you has a story. There will be opportunity throughout the study for you to recall parts of your story, write about it, and share it with others. If you are in a group doing this study together, you will have a greater connection with each other in 3 months than exists today. And, you’ll have more reason to praise our ever faithful God as you see and hear how He has been faithful to each of you through the years. And, what about that woman who will one day call us “great-grandmother”? She’ll know more about you, just an EveryDay Woman, and she’ll know more about the Ever Faithful God you love and serve. She’ll know that you chose to trust God on your walk from fear to faith.
It’s going to be a great journey. And, I’m so glad to be walking beside you!
Melanie Newton
Related Topics: Curriculum, Faith
1. Sarah: A Woman Like Us
Related MediaTime Period: the Patriarchs ~2100-1800 B.C.
“Let your beauty not be external – the braiding of hair and wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes – but the inner person of the heart, the lasting beauty of a gentle and tranquil spirit, which is precious in God’s sight. For in the same way the holy women who hoped in God long ago adorned themselves by being subject to their husbands, like Sarah who obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You become her children when you do what is good and have no fear in doing so.” 1 PETER 3:3-6
Background
The term patriarch denotes the father or male leader of a family or tribe. In the Bible, “patriarchs” usually refers to the three main characters in Genesis 12-50—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Great civilizations dotted the Ancient Near East. Ur was a thriving city with efficient government and impressive buildings. Under God’s direction, Abraham abandoned Ur, with its culture and conveniences, for the land of Canaan (today’s Israel). Patriarchal life was semi-nomadic as they wandered from place to place, searching for grazing land and water for their animals. They measured their wealth in livestock and movable goods such as silver, gold, and tents.
Archeology has given rich insights into patriarchal times. In the early 1900’s, Sir Leonard Woolley excavated Ur. He discovered the glory of the city, but he also recognized the sin. Idol worship characterized the city. It is little wonder that God called Abraham away.
The patriarchal era is important to us. Through Abraham and his descendants, God began to develop a people of His own. The Abrahamic Covenant (God’s unconditional pledge to Abraham) contains many precious promises: Abraham would have numerous offspring; his descendants would possess the land of Canaan, and the Messiah would come forth one day from his line. These promises passed on to Isaac and Jacob. Jacob’s sons formed the nucleus of the twelve tribes of Israel. Through one son’s kindness (Joseph), the infant “Israel” (72 people) entered Egypt and grew into a great nation.
Day One Study
Sarah is mentioned more times in Scripture than any other woman, even Mary the mother of Jesus. She is the first woman mentioned in Hebrews 11, what is often called “The Faith Hall of Fame”, and God uses her as an example for us to follow in 1 Peter 3:3-6. We should, therefore, want to find out what Sarah was like. Was she perfect? Did she ever make a poor decision? How was she like us? How can we be like her?
1. Read 1 Peter 3:3-6. What words or phrases jump out at you?
Although the focus of this passage is a marriage relationship, the principles relate to any woman’s character (“inner self”), especially the qualities of a gentle and quiet spirit that are precious in God’s sight. These enable a woman to “do what is right and not give way to fear.” But, you may be thinking, “What does that mean?” Let’s find out.
2. Read the definitions for “gentle” and “quiet” in the “Focus on the Meaning” section below. Why would these qualities in a woman be precious to God?
Focus on the Meaning: “GENTLE” does not mean passive, weak, or someone who cannot help herself. Rather, it means “controlled strength.” Picture a mother cradling a newborn. She has the physical strength to harm that child but doesn’t because her strength is under control. A gentle woman has a humble heart that bows itself before God, recognizes God’s dealings with her as good, and chooses not to be contentious or resistant against Him. “QUIET” does not mean whisper, silent, or bland. Rather, it means “tranquility arising from within” and includes the idea of causing no disturbance to others. It is an inner peace and calmness in the midst of any circumstances. Gentleness and peace are fruits of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5: 22-23) in a believer’s life and, thus, available to every Christian woman who desires them.
3. Read Psalm 56:3-4. Notice the psalmist says “when I am afraid” not “if I am afraid.” “GIVE WAY TO FEAR” does not mean never get afraid. It means, “not being terrified by any terror.” Fear is a normal human emotion designed by God to alert us to danger so that we will take action against it. Yet, sudden fear can cause us to be terrified. Women are vulnerable to panic and hysteria. God knows this. What does the psalmist say we should do when we are afraid?
4. Back to 1 Peter 3:3-6, the phrase “the holy women of old” includes women we’ll be studying this semester. From this passage, how did they keep from “giving way to fear”?
Moving from home (at 65 years old)…
5. Read Genesis 11:27-12:9. Describe Sarah and her circumstances in life at this time. [NOTE: Although they are called Abram and Sarai in the early passages, for consistency’s sake, we’ll use “Abraham” and “Sarah” (names later given to them by God) throughout this lesson.]
6. Deeper Discoveries (optional): Research the city of Ur to find out what Sarah willingly left.
7. Barrenness for a woman in Sarah’s time was very painful, not unlike for a woman in our time. Sons, in particular, were needed to carry on the family name and livelihood. How do you think Sarah’s barrenness would have affected her feelings of security (particularly with Abraham) and significance (her status in society)?
8. Read Genesis 12:10-13:2. Why do you think Sarah went along with Abraham’s “Tell them you’re my sister” plan?
Historical Insight: Why did Abram use the “Tell them you’re my sister” plan? One historian said that if a married man of Abram’s day found himself in enemy territory, he could be killed for his wife. But, if Abram were known as her brother, someone wanting her would have to make marriage arrangements with Abram because in that society, a woman’s brother gave his sister in marriage. So Abram would have been the negotiator thus giving him the chance to act in his own interest.
9. What might have been Sarah’s emotions during this time? Would you have done the same to save the life of someone you love? Explain.
10. God honored Sarah for not giving way to fear (1 Peter 3:5-6). When Abraham failed to protect Sarah in this incident, what did God do for her?
11. Your Life’s Journey:
· Abraham was able to share his personal fears with Sarah. Is your husband or closest friend able to share personal fears with you? Why or why not?
· Abraham had not given over the safety of his own life to the Lord yet because his faith did not extend to this area. Like Abraham, what area of your life have you never really given over to the Lord, and how does this affect those around you?
· Sarah was ~65 when she left Haran, moving to who-knows-where. Sarah was willing to cooperate with God’s plan for Abraham even when it was tough for her. How are you at encouraging your husband or your closest friend to follow God’s leading? Ask someone in your small group to pray with you this next week.
Day Two Study
10 years later (Sarah is now ~75)…
12. Read Genesis 15:1-6. What was Abraham’s concern? What was still God’s plan? How many times had He told Abraham this already?
Historical Insight: In ancient times, a man who had no son could adopt a favored servant as heir to his possessions. Or, a man who had no son could take a second wife to produce an heir. Some marriage contracts even spelled out this provision. A wife was obligated to have children. If she could not, she was required to find her husband another wife who could.
13. Read Genesis 16. This is Sarah’s “Plan B” to fix Abraham’s need for an heir. Discuss her idea and the emotions she might have experienced. Notice that Abraham had not already sought a second wife.
14. Sarah’s “Plan B” becomes a nightmare! Our example was no perfect woman. She was just like we are. Look at her behavior!! How did Sarah react?
15. What was threatened in Sarah’s life, and what confirmation did she need from her husband?
Scriptural Insight: Sin now drives a wedge between Hagar and Sarah. Hostility and mutual recrimination loom large, resulting in Hagar’s fleeing her mistress’s home precipitously, and pregnant at that. But in fleeing Sarah, several things happen to Hagar. She is the first person in the Bible to whom “the angel of the Lord” appears (16:11a). She is the first woman in the Bible to whom God directly makes a promise (16:11b-12). She is the only person in the Old Testament to give God a new name (16:13). And lastly, her meeting with the angel “is the only encounter between God and a woman that results in a commemorative place name (16:14)” (Adapted from Handbook on the Pentateuch, page 91)
13 years later (Sarah is now ~89)…
16. Read Genesis 17:1-6, 15-22. God once again told Abraham His plan to provide descendants for Abraham and a faithful people for Himself. How did Abraham respond this time? What additional information is given in Romans 4:18-21?
17. Read Genesis 18:1-15. Why do you think the visitors came by Abraham’s tent? What did the Lord give Sarah for the first time?
18. What was Sarah’s initial response? Why? [NOTE: The Hebrew word translated “pleasure” in verse 12 is “eden” which is synonymous with sensual pleasure.]
19. Read Genesis 20. This happened shortly after the “tent” visit. Abraham nearly jeopardized the whole situation by again placing Sarah in another man’s harem. He fails in the same area of faith in which he failed 25 years earlier (see Day One Study). At 89 years of age she was taken into a harem of the reigning king. (This gives further information regarding Sarah’s beauty. God must have turned on her hormones again in a big way—super estrogen!!) Did Sarah try to protect herself this time or argue with Abraham? What does this tell you about her trust in both her husband and her God?
20. Your Life’s Journey: Sarah loved Abraham for many years. She followed him in some very tough situations. Their life was definitely not static or boring. Just like ours. If you have been married for several years, in what areas have you learned greater love and trust of your husband? If you aren’t married, can you think of a married couple who have exhibited growth in their love and trust for one another?
21. Tell Your Story: In what areas of your life have you learned greater trust of your God? Describe one area more fully in the space below. Please consider sharing this with your small group.
22. Think About It (optional): Someone once said, “God’s plan is completely different from what you could ever imagine and much more glorious than you would ever expect.” Have you noticed this in your life? Is anything really too hard for the Lord?
Day Three Study
23. Read Genesis 21:1-7. Describe Sarah’s experience and the story she had to tell (vs. 6).
24. The name Isaac means “he laughs.” In what ways is Isaac an appropriate name for this baby?
25. Through this whole experience, how do we know that God loved Sarah as much as Abraham?
3 years later (Sarah is now ~92)…
26. Read Genesis 21:8-13. What situation existed between Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, and Ishmael?
27. Contrast the response of Sarah with that of Abraham to the situation.
28. From our study, write down at least 7 descriptive characteristics of Sarah, positive or negative, that will help you to remember her.
Day Four Study — The Walk From Fear To Faith
God loved Sarah. He knew what was going on in her life. He was able to do something about it. But, God did not give Sarah a child early in her marriage nor did He prevent her from making a bad decision or spending time in a king’s harem. During her walk, a loving God said “no” to some things. Yet, she chose to trust Him rather than submit to fear. And, God rewarded her faith with an outpouring of His blessing in other ways. Likewise, God may not choose to rescue you from poor decisions made by you or someone close to you. But, in any and all situations, you can count on these truths…
§ God loves me.
§ God knows what is going on in my life.
§ God can do something about it.
§ I can trust His goodness in whatever He chooses to do!
29. List all the situations in Sarah’s life that could have “terrified” her.
30. Considering those “opportunities” for being terrified, in which ones did Sarah, by faith, do what was right and not give way to fear?
31. Your Life’s Journey:
· Is there a problem right now in your life where you must make a choice to do right, but the possible consequences fill you with fear?
· From our study of 1 Peter 3:3-6 (see Day One Study), what heart attitude will best help you face this problem with courage rather than terror?
· Are you willing to trust God and live by faith in this area? Ask someone in your small group to pray for you.
Related Topics: Curriculum, Faith
3. Rahab: A Past and a Future
Related MediaTime: Into the Land ~1400 B.C.
“By faith Rahab the prostitute escaped the destruction of the disobedient, because she welcomed the spies in peace.” HEBREWS 11:31
Background
After 40 years of struggle, Israel stood poised to enter the Promised Land. But she would enter without Moses for he was dead. Much work remained. This beautiful new land was dangerous. Numerous city-states dotted the landscape, each a well-fortified, walled fortress with a battle-tested army. Conquest would be a difficult, time-consuming task.
But, God remained faithful to His people. He equipped a new leader, Joshua, who had been trained under Moses’ leadership for 40 years for this job. Joshua knew that the 2.5 million Israelites plus their flocks and herds needed to cross a flooded river and begin their conquest of the land. So, he sent 2 spies to secretly scout the area of imminent war, particularly Jericho—the strategic point to reach the three passes through the wilderness to the rest of Canaan. God took care of the river crossing for the Israelites, miraculously providing dry ground for them to move through and onto Jericho—a walled city on ~9.5 acres—once around would have taken ~1/2 hour!!
Day One Study
1. Read Deuteronomy 4:32-40. Why did God bring the Israelites out of Egypt and into the Promised Land, especially accompanied by so many miraculous events?
Getting To Know Rahab…
2. Read Deuteronomy 2:24-25; Joshua 2:1-24; and Joshua 9:9-11,24. What did Rahab, the people of Jericho, and the surrounding nations know about Israel and her history?
3. As a result, what was the state of morale in Jericho?
Historical Insight: The citizens of Jericho were well prepared for a siege since a spring lay inside the city walls and the harvest had just been gathered (Joshua 3:15), providing an abundant supply of food, seen in the large jars of grain found in the houses. So, the inhabitants of Jericho could have held out for perhaps several years. The full grain jars show that the siege was short since the people inside the walls consumed very little of the grain, another historical verification of biblical accuracy.
4. Use adjectives to describe Rahab in your own words.
5. What conclusion did Rahab make about the God of Israel? Could anyone else in Jericho have come to the same conclusion? Explain.
6. Deeper Discoveries (Optional): Research the ancient city of Jericho. What was it like for Rahab to live there?
7. Rahab was given an opportunity to make a conscious choice for God based upon the facts she knew about Him, and she responded with FAITH! Faith resulted in action.
· What did she do that day?
· What risk was she taking?
8. Discuss how you would reconcile Rahab’s disobeying and lying to her king when compared to the principle studied in the last lesson from Romans 13:1-5. See also Exodus 1:15-20; Acts 4:19, 5:29.
Day Two Study
9. Read Joshua 2:12-21. The spies made a covenant with Rahab.
· What part of the oath was Rahab’s responsibility?
· What part of the oath was the responsibility of the spies?
10. After the spies’ return, God parted the Jordan River for the people to cross. All of those men who had been born in the wilderness were circumcised. The Passover was celebrated. And, the people ate produce from the land. The manna stopped the next day. Read Joshua 6:1-25. What was God’s plan for defeating Jericho?
11. How did Joshua and the people respond?
Historical Insight: Surrounding Jericho was a great earthen rampart, or embankment, with a stone retaining wall at its base 12–15 feet high. Above that stood a mud brick wall 6 feet thick, 20 feet high. At the crest of the embankment was a similar 20-foot high mud brick wall reaching to ~46 feet above the ground level below. This loomed high above the Israelites as they marched around the city each day for seven days. Humanly speaking, it was impossible for them to penetrate the impregnable fortress of Jericho. Archeological evidence reveals that the mud brick city wall collapsed at the time the city met its end (~1400 B.C.) except for a short stretch of the north city wall that did not fall as everywhere else. Also, there were houses built against the wall as in Joshua 2:15. Excavations showed that the bricks from the collapsed walls formed a ramp against the retaining wall so that the Israelites could climb up over the top as is described in Joshua 6:20. The city was thoroughly burned. (Taken from “The Walls of Jericho” by Bryant Wood, Creation magazine, March 1999, pages 36-40)
12. Rahab had to wait those seven days also. Based on her responsibility in the oath, who else was waiting with her?
13. What might have been Rahab’s emotions during this time of waiting? (See also Joshua 5:1 for the emotions of those around her.)
14. Someone once said, “Responsibility is my response to His (God’s) ability.” Rahab responded to God’s ability. What did God do for her and her family? Be specific. [NOTE: The early church viewed the blood-colored cord as a symbol of Christ’s atonement like the blood of the Passover lamb.]
15. Deeper Discoveries (Optional): Research others in scripture who experienced a time of waiting for God to act upon a promise (for example, David, Paul). What did they do while waiting?
16. Your Life’s Journey: Rahab had to wait patiently for God to act. Remember that she did not know the “marching” orders. We also must wait for God’s “always perfect” timing in answer to our prayers. Is this a problem for you? Have you become discouraged (or been discouraged in the past) from having to wait? Read Psalm 27:14. How does this scripture and the story of Rahab encourage you?
17. Think About It (Optional): Read the words to the song below. Have you considered that God was in the waiting, too?
“You are in the waiting in that moment of my life, when my faith and hope collide. My heart’s anticipating just how and when You’ll move. Oh, that’s when You prove You are in the waiting too” (“In the Waiting” by Shannon Wexelberg)
Day Three Study
18. Read Matthew 1:5, Hebrews 11:30-31, and James 2:25. This is Rahab’s report card. What does it say? [NOTE: Rahab and Salmon had a son, Boaz. Boaz was the father of Obed; Obed, the father of Jesse; Jesse, the father of King David. And from the line of King David of the tribe of Judah came the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.]
19. “Disobedient”—the word used to describe the rest of the people of Jericho in Hebrews 11:31—means, “to refuse to be persuaded.” See your answers to the questions in Day One Study. Did God give them an opportunity to be “persuaded”? Explain.
20. What does the mention of Rahab three times in the New Testament tell us about the grace of God?
21. Rahab was likely a prostitute just as it is written. In what ways did God forgive her past and give her a new future?
Scriptural Insight: For centuries, Christians have tried to soften Rahab’s reputation by arguing that she was only an innkeeper, but the New Testament references to her indicate that she was an immoral woman. The Greek word used to describe Rahab is “porne” the word from which we get “pornography.” “Porne” is only used for immorality. This in no way mars the righteousness of God who used such a person in the fulfillment of His purposes. Instead this incident serves to bring His mercy and grace into bold relief. (Taken from The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Old Testament, page 330)
22. Your Life’s Journey: Do you feel that some sins in your past or present are so terrible that they can’t be forgiven or that you are unworthy to serve God? What have you learned from Rahab’s story that confirms to you God can forgive your past and give you a new future?
Day Four Study — The Walk From Fear To Faith
God loved Rahab. He knew what was going on in her life. He was able to do something about it. But, God did not keep Rahab from losing the security of her home nor did He prevent her from having to go through the agony of watching the Israelites march around the city for 7 days. Remember, she didn’t know that plan. When she stepped out in faith, He met her there. She trusted Him to rescue her, and He did. God judged her by her heart—the inward woman, not by her lifestyle—the outward appearance. He not only saved her life, but He forgave her past and gave her a new future. She chose to trust Him rather than submit to fear. Likewise, God forgives your past and gives you a new future. And, in any and all situations, you can count on these truths…
§ God loves me.
§ God knows what is going on in my life.
§ God can do something about it.
§ I can trust His goodness in whatever He chooses to do!
23. List all the opportunities for fear in Rahab’s life.
24. How did she demonstrate faith at those times?
25. Tell Your Story: We will probably never be faced with the dramatic circumstances of Rahab, but we do have our own distressing situations in life. Read Psalm 40:1-3 and 46:1-3. What problems are you facing now, and what choices are available to you? How will you respond? Journal this. This is part of your story.
Related Topics: Curriculum, Faith
8. Two Widows: Single with Children
Related MediaTime: Divided Kingdom-Israel ~900-722 B.C.
“So then, don’t worry saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the unconverted pursue these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.’” MATTHEW 6:31-34
Background
David reigned on the throne of Israel for 40 years. Solomon, who was God’s choice to inherit his father’s throne, strengthened Israel’s defenses, conducted trade throughout the known world, and engaged in numerous building operations including a magnificent temple for God and a massive palace for himself. Famed for his wisdom, which he requested and received from God, Solomon wrote the books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. But tempted by his foreign wives, Solomon unwisely turned his heart away from God. As a result God promised judgment upon Solomon’s death—the kingdom would be divided.
Here’s how it happened: For centuries friction had existed between the northern and southern tribes. This friction was evident throughout David’s reign. From 1010 to 1003 B.C., David ruled over the southern tribes (Judah), while the northern ten tribes (Israel) supported Saul’s son Ishbosheth. Following Ishbosheth’s death, Israel accepted David as king (2 Samuel 5) but then rebelled briefly toward the end of his life (2 Samuel 20).
As Solomon inherited David’s kingdom, the seeds of discontent became apparent. The Israelites chafed under heavy taxation and forced labor. Upon Solomon’s death, they sought relief, which finally came but only through permanent division. The prophet Ahijah appeared to one of Solomon’s officials, Jeroboam (1 Kings 11), and prophesied the divided kingdom, ordaining Jeroboam king over Israel. Solomon’s son Rehoboam proved himself foolish and unworthy to rule, and the northern tribes rallied around Jeroboam (1 Kings 12). When the dust cleared, the united kingdom was no more. Jeroboam, however, refused to obey God’s Word. He founded a renegade religious system and led his nation on the pathway to ruin. Israel’s history featured religious apostasy and unstable leadership. Godless kings turned the people away from their God. Sin always brings judgment, and in 722 B.C. the Assyrians destroyed Samaria, Israel’s capital, bringing the Northern Kingdom to an end.
Day One Study
1. Read 1 Kings 16:25-33. Ahab ruled Israel in the middle 800’s B.C. He was the 6th king after Jeroboam. His name may already be familiar to you. What does the Scripture say about Ahab’s kingship?
2. An idol is any human-created God substitute. Idolatry is giving glory to something else that belongs only to God. Read Exodus 20:2-6 and Deuteronomy 11:13-17. What did God demand of His people? What did He promise to Israel if they set up idol worship?
3. Generally, what human-created God substitutes do we have in our culture today?
4. Your Life’s Journey: Personally, what tends to take God’s place in your life— possessions, family members, position, power, fitness, appearance? What behavior suggests that something has become an idol to us? Ask Jesus to reveal to you what you love more than Him. Through the Holy Spirit’s power within you, ask Him to release you from that idol’s power in your life. Write out your prayer here.
5. The prophet Elijah lived during this time. Elijah’s name (meaning “The LORD is my God”) was the essence of his message. Since a prophet spoke the very Word of God, it was necessary that Israel distinguish between true and false prophets. Read Deuteronomy 13:1-5 and 18:14-22. What characteristics distinguish God’s true prophets?
Historical Insight: The Hebrew Prophet — Besides godless kings, Israel’s history also featured religious apostasy characterized by an ineffective or nonexistent priesthood. God called men to become His mouthpiece, that is, receiving a message directly from God and proclaiming it to God’s people. Unlike the priest or the king, the prophet did not inherit his office. He received his calling directly from God. Some examples are Jeremiah before birth (Jer. 1:5), Samuel as a young boy (I Sam. 3), and Amos as a farmer (Amos 1: 1). The prophet’s life was usually difficult, sometimes involving grave physical abuse. Jeremiah was held captive in a muddy pit, and according to tradition Isaiah was sawn in half.
6. The spiritual condition of God’s people under the rule of Omri and then Ahab was one of idolatry, especially worship of a god called Baal, one of the leading Canaanite gods. Baal, whose name meant simply “lord,” was considered the god of storms and thus of fertility, for the rain he supposedly sent watered the crops and provided a bountiful harvest. Read James 5:17 and 1 Kings 17:1. Elijah prayed according to God’s promise (Deut. 11:16-17), and then he told Ahab about it.
· What do you think was God’s point by Elijah’s message in 1 Kings 17:1?
· According to James 5:17, how did God answer Elijah’s prayers?
· Why would this challenge the people’s idolatry?
7. Imagine that kind of drought. What effects did God’s answer to Elijah’s prayer have on the land and people in Israel and surrounding nations as well as on himself? See also 1 Kings 18:4.
8. Think About It (Optional): Sometimes when we pray for the Lord to draw unbelievers to Him, the believers have to suffer the consequences as well. Is it worth it?
9. Read 1 Kings 17:1-6. What did Elijah learn about God’s creative provision in a tough time?
10. Read 2 Corinthians 8:13-15 and Philippians 4:10-20. What do you learn about God’s provision from these verses?
11. Tell Your Story: Was there a time in your life when God creatively provided for you as things looked hopeless—whether it was physical, emotional, or spiritual provision? Write a short paragraph describing what it was like to trust Him for that. Share with your group.
Day Two Study
Getting To Know The Widow Of Zarephath…
Look on a map of the Ancient Middle East in the back of your Bible or online to find the area of Tyre and Sidon. Zarephath was located between those two cities. This was Gentile territory and, specifically, the home of Ahab’s queen Jezebel and Baal worship.
12. Read 1 Kings 17:7-16. Based on the information given, what words would you use to describe the Widow of Zarephath if you were there watching her?
Spiritual Insight: The meaning of commanded is “chosen, planned”. It was God’s decree. God was not bound by His covenant with the Jews to bless this Gentile woman. But, He did. God’s grace and mercy is always available to individuals.
13. What was her problem, and how was she trying to deal with it?
14. What might have been her emotions at this time?
15. Read Psalm 146:5-10. How does this apply to our story?
16. What was the widow’s responsibility? Refer to Psalm 56:3,4.
17. List the many ways that her faith and obedience were rewarded. [NOTE: Only a true God can provide flour and oil in a drought!]
18. Your Life’s Journey: Elijah stayed with the widow and her son, eating flour and oil cakes twice a day for almost 3 years. Imagine that. A modern day equivalent could be peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. How long could you stay grateful while eating those twice a day for 3 years?
19. Your Life’s Journey: Reflect on the words of the song below. How grateful are you for what the Lord has already done in your life? Do you thank Him for the times He says, “No”? See Colossians 1:11-12; 2:7; 3: 15-17. If an attitude change is necessary, ask someone in your small group to pray for you to be more thankful. Share with her the results of “joyously giving thanks” to Him.
Had a lot of dreams that never came true. Things I could have done, but never got the chance to do. When I couldn’t see the path of the storm your wisdom wouldn’t let me go that way. And it broke my heart, but now my heart can say,
Thank you for the times you said, No. Thank you for the doors that you closed. All the ways you never let me go and the things you never gave me. So many times I didn’t understand and wouldn’t let you take my hand. But now I want to fall at Your feet and thank you for the things you never gave me. (“Things You Never Gave Me” by David Meece)
20. Read 1 Kings 17:17-24. Now, what was her problem? What was her response to the problem?
21. What do you think she meant by saying, “Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?”
Focus on the Meaning: This is a common reaction among people who do not know God’s ways well when personal tragedy hits their lives. It’s the pagan view of life: “When things go well, the gods are pleased with me. When things go wrong, the gods are angry with me.” Jesus declares in Matthew 5:45 that God sends sunshine and rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous equally. It was not her sin but God’s opportunity to take this woman another step along her faith walk, making it personal.
22. Your Life’s Journey: Have you ever experienced anger at or distrust of God when something bad happened? If so, how did you get over it?
23. Deeper Discoveries (Optional): I Kings 18 and 19 are interesting accounts of the further ministry of Elijah to the nation of Israel. They contain stories made familiar through children’s Sunday School lessons. Read them and gain terrific insights into both God’s and Elijah’s characters.
24. Discuss Elijah’s response and how God answered Elijah’s prayer.
25. Read Acts 2:22; Hebrews 2:3-4. Why does God perform miracles? Did it work this time?
26. Read Matthew 6:31-34. Apply this passage to today’s lesson.
27. Your Life’s Journey: Through a near tragedy, this woman came to know the living God in a personal way. Do you know of someone who turned to the Lord only after exhausting all her/his other resources? Share the results with your group. When might it be good to pray for someone to reach desperate circumstances? Discuss with your small group.
Day Three Study
Getting To Know The Prophet’s Widow…
Elijah served God as His prophet and priest in the northern kingdom for many years. He mentored Elisha, a farmer’s son, to help him and continue the ministry after Elijah was taken to heaven (2 Kings 2:1-25). Three characteristics distinguished God’s true prophet: 1) He was loyal to Jehovah alone, 2) His predictions came to pass, 3) His message agreed with previous revelations. The performance of miracles was not the primary test, because false prophets could perform miracles through the power of Satan (Deuteronomy 13:1-2).
28. Read 2 Kings 4:1-7. The widow’s husband had been a faithful prophet, part of the company of prophets. Read 1 Kings 20:35; 2 Kings 2:3,5,7,15; 4:1,38; 5:22; 6:1; 9:1. What do you learn about the company/sons of the prophets? Who were they? What did they do? Who were their leaders?
29. Think About It (Optional): The company of prophets can be considered similar to modern seminaries where men and women learn from distinguished God-gifted teachers. One community of prophets was located at Bethel, just north of Jerusalem. Bethel was originally established as a holy place to worship God, particularly during the time of the patriarchs and the judges, especially Samuel’s ministry, it later became a center of Baal worship instead. Can you think of any modern day equivalents?
30. The Mosaic Law provided for paying off debts by working. See Leviticus 25:39-41. How did God limit this practice?
31. Read Exodus 22:22, 23; Deuteronomy 14:28-29; 24:19-22. What responsibility did God place on the entire community regarding widows and orphans?
32. Read Isaiah 1:17, 23; 10:1-2. How effective and persistent was Israel at carrying out this responsibility?
33. Read Deuteronomy 10:17-18; Psalm 68:4-5. What does God promise to do then?
34. Back to 2 Kings 4, what was this woman’s crisis situation, and how did she deal with it?
35. List all the things that Elisha as God’s representative commanded her to do.
36. What was this woman’s responsibility? Did she do her part?
Historical Insight: Olive oil was expensive and time-consuming to make. It was used for cooking, lighting lamps, dressing wounds, and as a deodorant when water wasn’t available for bathing. The wealthy used it for bathing and as a skin softener. It was also used for anointing kings and the dead for burial as well as for ritual offerings. The widow had a valuable commodity.
37. When Elisha told the woman to ask her neighbors for jars, what could have been the benefits of doing so—to them and to her?
38. How do you think this incident impacted her sons? In what practical ways can you show your children what God is like?
39. Looking at the kind of help this woman had sought from God and what she actually received, how did God “defend her cause” (Deuteronomy 10:18)?
40. Your Life’s Journey: Read 1 Timothy 5:3-8,16; James 1:27; and Romans 12:9-16. As followers of Christ, what does God expect of us as women in our homes, church, and community? In today’s society, who would be considered widows? What do they need besides material provisions? Study these passages and ask God to reveal a specific area where He wants you to be obedient to Him as you reach out to meet the need of someone in your sphere of influence. Share this with your small group and ask them to pray for opportunities.
Day Four Study — The Walk From Fear To Faith
God loved the two widows and their children. He knew what was going on in their lives. He was able to do something about it. But, God did not give the widows their husbands back nor did He prevent them from having to go through the agony of watching food supplies dwindle or facing threats from a creditor. His provision was not luxurious foods or easy money. During their walk, a loving God said no to some things. Yet, they chose to trust Him rather than submit to fear. And, God rewarded their faith with an outpouring of His blessing. Likewise, God may not choose to resuscitate your dead loved ones. But, in any and all situations, you can count on these truths…
§ God loves me.
§ God knows what is going on in my life.
§ God can do something about it.
§ I can trust His goodness in whatever He chooses to do!
41. What kind of fears did the widow living in Zarephath face? How did she respond to God by faith?
42. What could have terrified the prophet’s Widow? How did she demonstrate faith?
43. Your Life’s Journey: Often, we overlook what God has already provided for us and concentrate instead on what we don’t have. What do you deduce from the fact that God used what both women already had as a resource? Read Exodus 4:1-5 and Mark 6:35-44. What principle can you derive from these verses? Reflecting upon your own life, either now or in the past, describe a specific application of this principle in the space below.
Related Topics: Curriculum, Faith
Lesson 2: Authentic Christianity (Colossians 1:3-8)
Related MediaNovember 8, 2015
A bishop who had just had a cup of tea with a parishioner commented, “I’m glad to see in what a comfortable way you are living.” The churchgoer replied, “Oh, bishop, if you want to know how we really live, you need to come when you’re not here.” (Reader’s Digest [3/84], p. 16)
Unfortunately, a lot of Christians live that way, keeping up a good front to impress others with their spirituality. But if you knew how they really live, you’d find that they are faking it. They don’t live as authentic Christians. We all value authenticity, especially when it comes to our faith. But how can we know if our faith is genuine? What are the marks of authentic Christianity?
Many of the Colossian Christians had been unsettled by some false teachers who had arisen in their midst. They were telling these relatively new believers that they needed to observe designated holy days, avoid certain foods, and keep certain rules in order to be spiritual. They implied that the gospel which Epaphras had taught the Colossians was not complete or accurate. They needed to add the insights and rules of the false teachers to be genuine believers.
Paul wrote to the church to assure them that the gospel they previously received through Epaphras was the genuine item. It proved its authenticity by the fruit that it had produced in them and was producing in others everywhere it went. In so doing, Paul emphasized, as he often did, three virtues that are essentials of authentic Christianity: faith in Jesus Christ, love for other believers, and the hope of heaven. Also, in Paul’s opening comments, he reflects the authentic Christian virtues of thankfulness and prayer. Putting it together, we learn that …
Authentic Christians are marked by thankfulness and prayer, faith in Christ, love for the saints, and the hope of heaven.
It’s obvious that the Colossians were very different after they heard and believed the gospel which Epaphras preached. If people have not changed, we can assume that either the true gospel was not preached or that it was not believed. Belief in the true gospel results in the changes that Paul himself embodied and that he mentions here.
1. Authentic Christians are marked by thankfulness and prayer.
Colossians 1:3: “We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, …” Paul had not yet met these new believers, but when he heard Epaphras’ report, he welled up with thankfulness to God for how these mostly Gentile former pagans had responded. As a result, he and Timothy (“we”) began to remember them often in their prayers.
The fact that Paul thanked God for the Colossians’ salvation shows that he believed that God is the author and giver of salvation. If as some teach, salvation is the result of sinners exercising their free will, then Paul would have congratulated the Colossians for making such a wise choice, much like a waiter will tell you when you give him your order, “Excellent choice!” I always feel like telling the waiter, “I’m glad that you recognize my culinary genius!” Paul knew that when people responded in faith to the gospel, it was because God had opened their hearts to respond (Acts 16:14). Thus it is appropriate to thank God when He works the miracle of the new birth into dead sinners’ hearts.
In line with this, if God is not sovereign in saving sinners, then you’re wasting your time to pray that lost people would be saved. If God is not able to change the hearts of stubborn, self-willed sinners by giving them new life, then when you pray for their salvation, God’s answer would be, “I’d like to see them saved, too, but it’s not up to Me; it’s up to their free will. But I’m with you—I sure hope that they decide for Me!”
But if God is mighty to save, then we can and should pray for the salvation of the lost and give thanks when it happens. Prayer for the salvation of the lost is implied when the Lord directs us to pray (Matt. 6:10), “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” For God’s kingdom to come on earth, people must be converted and come under the lordship of the king.
Thankfulness and prayer are major themes in this short letter. In Colossians 1:12, Paul says that we are to be joyously “giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.” In Colossians 2:7, he says that we are to be “overflowing with gratitude.” In Colossians 3:15-17 he exhorts the church to “be thankful,” to sing “with thankfulness in your hearts to God,” and to do everything “in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”
Concerning prayer, in addition to Paul mentioning his constant prayers for the Colossians (1:3), in 1:9-12 he specifies the content of his prayers. In Colossians 4:2, he combines prayer and thanksgiving when he commands, “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.” And in Colossians 4:12, he reports that Epaphras was “always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.”
If, like me, you’re prone to grumble about minor irritations and frustrations that pop up just about every day, I hope that you can see that grumbling and thankful prayer are opposites! In fact, thankful prayer is the antidote for grumbling. The next time you find yourself grumbling about something, stop, confess it to the Lord, and instead, by faith thank Him for bringing this irritation into your life so that you can learn to trust Him and rely more fully on Him through prayer. Thankfulness and prayer are marks of authentic Christianity.
The reason Paul thanks God is because he sees in the Colossian church the common triad of Christian virtues: their faith in Christ Jesus, their love for all the saints, and the hope laid up in heaven for them, as contained in the gospel which Epaphras had preached to them. Faith, hope, and love are mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13:13; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 5:8; Romans 5:1-5; Galatians 5:5, 6; Ephesians 1:15, 18; 4:2-5; and, Hebrews 6:10-12; 10:22-24. One writer says that they are a sort of “apostolic shorthand” for genuine Christianity (R. C. Lucas, Fullness and Freedom [IVP], cited by Kent Hughes, Colossians and Philemon: The Supremacy of Christ [Crossway], p. 17). Let’s look at each of these three virtues:
2. Authentic Christians are marked by faith in Jesus Christ, which includes understanding the gospel.
A. Authentic Christians are marked by understanding the gospel.
Some claim to believe in Jesus, but if you asked them to explain the gospel, they would not be able to do it. But to have genuine faith in Christ, you must understand the gospel.
1) The gospel is good news.
“Gospel” means “good news.” I mention this so that we’re not just throwing around Christian jargon without considering its meaning. The Christian message is not primarily an ethical or moral code, but rather good news to those who deserve God’s judgment. As the angel announced to the shepherds on the night that Jesus was born (Luke 2:10), “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
To understand that good news, we first must understand the bad news: we all have sinned and deserve God’s righteous judgment. We stand before God guilty and condemned and we cannot save ourselves. That’s why we need a Savior. And Jesus, the eternal God who took on human flesh through the virgin birth, is the Savior whom God sent to bear our punishment on the cross. The good news is that God offers salvation as a free gift to every sinner who does not work for it, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly (Rom. 4:5). There is no better news in the world than that!
2) The gospel has content.
It is God’s “word of truth” (Col. 1:5). Through Epaphras the Colossians had previously heard it, learned it, and understood it “in truth.” This last phrase probably means that the Colossians truly or authentically understood the message that Epaphras had proclaimed to them (Douglas Moo, The Letters to the Colossians and Philemon [Eerdmans/Apollos], p. 89).
Martyn Lloyd-Jones (Love So Amazing: Expositions of Colossians 1 [Baker], p. 54) makes the point that the gospel does not first come to us through our heart, our emotions, or our will, but rather to our minds or understanding. This runs contrary to so much modern evangelism. A person goes to an evangelistic meeting where after some stirring music and heartwarming testimonies the evangelist gives an emotional appeal of how Christ can help the person with her difficult marriage or his alcohol addiction. Then he calls on those who want to invite Jesus into their lives to make a decision by raising their hands or coming forward. But he has not made clear the content of the gospel. Rather, it’s an appeal to the emotions or to the will that bypasses the mind. Often such appeals result in false converts who were moved emotionally at the moment, but they did not understand the content of the gospel.
Before the gospel can be believed or accepted it must be learned and understood. We must understand something of who God is: He is “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Col. 1:3). In verse 8, Paul also mentions the Holy Spirit, which shows that he had a trinitarian understanding of God’s nature (see 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 1:3, 5, 13). When He was on this earth, Jesus Christ relied on, submitted to, and revealed to us His heavenly Father. As Jesus, He is fully man. As the Lord, He is fully God, one with the Father (John 10:30). As the Christ, He is God’s Anointed One, the Savior whom God promised as the descendant of David (Psalms 2, 110). He came to offer Himself as the perfect sacrifice, the fulfillment of all the Old Testament sacrifices, sufficient to satisfy God’s wrath so that He could justly forgive all our sins.
Paul also describes the gospel as “the grace of God” (Col. 1:6). Grace is central and essential to the gospel. It means that we are sinners who rightly deserve God’s judgment. But it also means that because Jesus paid the penalty we deserve, God can be both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Rom. 3:26). Thus Paul could write (Eph. 2:8-9), “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
So when you share the gospel, make sure that you make the content of the gospel clear. The Holy Spirit must open the mind of the lost person so that he can truly understand the grace of God (1 Cor. 2:14). And the Spirit must grant faith to that lost person so that he can stop trusting in his good works and believe the good news of God’s grace in Christ Jesus. The gospel is good news that contains specific truth content.
3) The gospel is powerful to save sinners.
The Colossians were mostly Gentile pagans, vainly living for the lusts of the flesh, when the gospel came to them. But when God opened their minds to understand, their hearts to respond and their wills to believe, they were dramatically changed. But this powerful change wasn’t unique in Colossae. Paul tells them (Col. 1:6) that “in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing.” He did not mean (here or in Col. 1:23) that the gospel had gone out to every people group in the world at that time. Rather, he is emphasizing that the gospel was not restricted to the Jews. Rather, it was spreading all over the Roman Empire with the same powerful results. As Paul wrote in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
“Bearing fruit and increasing” may point to the internal and external aspects of the gospel’s power. Internally, the gospel bears the fruit of the Spirit in the lives of believers. It gradually but inevitably changes their thinking and behavior. Externally, the gospel increases as transformed believers tell others the good news. Paul emphasizes this powerful effect of the gospel to underscore its authenticity. The true gospel that Epaphras had proclaimed in Colossae had changed their lives and also the lives of others as it spread around the Roman Empire. Authentic Christians understand and believe Christ’s gospel.
B. Authentic Christians are marked by faith in Christ Jesus Himself.
Paul had heard of the Colossians’ “faith in Christ Jesus.” The Greek construction here may emphasize faith “in the sphere of” Christ, meaning that He is “the sphere in which ‘faith’ lives and acts” (Peter O’Brien, Word Biblical Commentary: Colossians-Philemon [Zondervan], p. 11). In other words, our faith must be in all that Christ is and all that He did for us on the cross. But saving faith is always in the person of Jesus Christ, not just in doctrines about Him (see, Douglas Moo, The Letters to the Colossians and Philemon [Eerdmans/Apollos], p. 84).
Faith has no merit in itself, but rather is only as valid as its object. You can have all the faith in the world in a defective airplane, but that won’t make the plane fly or get you to your destination. Many in the cults claim to have faith in Jesus, but their “Jesus” is a false Jesus who was conceived by the cult founder. He is not the Jesus revealed in the apostolic testimony of the New Testament. Our faith must be in the Jesus revealed in Scripture. But the point here is that we are not only to believe correct teaching about Jesus Christ, but also to believe in Christ Himself. He alone is our Savior.
Thus authentic Christians are marked by thankfulness and prayer and by faith in Christ and His gospel.
3. Authentic Christians are marked by love for all the saints.
Often Paul couples faith and love as genuine indicators of conversion (e. g., Eph. 1:15; 1 Thess. 1:3; 3:6; 2 Thess. 1:3; 1 Tim. 1:14; 2 Tim. 1:13; Philemon 5). As he says (Gal. 5:6), “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.” While faith is essential for beginning a relationship with Jesus Christ, it is worthless if it does not result in love for others, especially for “all the saints” (Col. 1:4; 1 Cor. 13:1-3, 13). Love is the distinguishing mark of Christians. As Jesus said (John 13:34-35), “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Authentic Christian love is “in the Spirit” (Col. 1:8), which means that the Holy Spirit produces this love as His fruit in believers. The flesh is basically self-serving, resulting in the deeds of the flesh, which include (Gal. 5:20-21), “enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these.” But Paul describes the love which the Spirit produces in us (1 Cor. 13:4-7),
Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
I encourage you to put those verses on a 3x5 card and read them over and over until they influence your relationships with your family and in this church. If relationships were perfect or ideal, we wouldn’t need the repeated commands to love one another. These commands imply that we’ve got to work continually on our relationships. Love would not need to be patient if the other person were not irritating you. It would not need to be kind or not jealous or not provoked if the other person always acted in a loving way toward you. We all must battle the flesh daily by denying self and seeking the other person’s highest good. Sacrificial love for others, just as Jesus loved us, is an essential mark of authentic Christianity (Eph. 5:1-2). Finally,
4. Authentic Christians are marked by the hope of heaven.
Colossians 1:5: “…because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel ….” Grammatically, the phrase, “because of the hope,” could go all the way back to verse 3, meaning, “We give thanks to God … because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.” Or, it may refer back to faith and love, meaning that their faith and love spring from their hope of heaven (the NIV translates it with this sense). Or, it could refer to love only as springing from their hope.
Probably the best way to understand it is that their faith and love were because of their common hope of heaven. Before Epaphras preached the gospel to them, they had no hope and were “without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12). But the gospel brought the hope (or promise) of heaven and on account of this hope, they believed in Christ and grew in love for one another. “Hope” here does not refer to the act of hoping, but rather to the objective content of hope, namely, God’s promise of heaven for all who believe in Jesus. Since we’re going to be spending eternity with our brothers and sisters in Christ, we’d better learn to love one other now!
I realize, of course, that in heaven all the saints will be perfectly sanctified, so it will be easier to love them than it is now. While we’re all in the process of sanctification, the saints (including myself!) all have some rough edges. Thus some realistic wise guy wrote, “To dwell above with the saints we love, O that will be glory! But to dwell below with the saints we know, well that’s a different story!” But, difficult as it may be, our hope of heaven should motivate us to grow in love for all of God’s redeemed people.
But the point here is, the foundation for faith and love is our hope for heaven. That hope is certain, laid up for us, because it’s based on the promises of God, who cannot lie; but it’s not yet realized. I’m convinced, however, that as American Christians, who live pretty well in this world, we live too much for this world and not enough for the world to come. The apostle Paul wrote (1 Cor. 15:19), “If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.” Can you say that? One Puritan writer put it, “Were earthly comforts permanent, who would look for heavenly?” I’m sure that our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world have their hope in heaven, not in the things of this world. To the extent that we sense how fleeting and how uncertain life is, we will put our hope in the salvation that is laid up for us in heaven.
Conclusion
Someone has said, “Sincerity is the key to success. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made!” We’re all prone to fake it, aren’t we! It’s not spiritually healthy to be overly introspective, but sometimes it is good to do an inside checkup. Paul exhorts (2 Cor. 13:5), “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?” So, ask yourself, “Is my Christianity authentic or am I faking it?” Here are the tests:
Am I marked by thankfulness and prayer? Is my faith in Jesus Christ and His gospel? Am I working at genuine love for all of God’s people, especially those I rub shoulders with every day? Am I motivated in all I do by the hope laid up for me in heaven?
Perfection in these things is not required or possible in this life. But to be authentic Christians, we should be working at and making progress in thankfulness and prayer; faith in Christ and the gospel; love for one another; and the hope laid up for us in heaven.
Application Questions
- What are some practical strategies for a grumbling Christian to grow into a thankful one?
- Discuss: The difference between a Jehovah’s Witness and a true Christian is not faith, but the content or object of that faith.
- Is there a difference between loving and liking fellow Christians? Must we like all Christians?
- How can Christians in comfortable circumstances develop a stronger hope of heaven?
- Where do you need to grow the most: thankfulness, prayer, faith in Christ, love for others, or hope? What’s your plan?
Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2015, All Rights Reserved.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition © The Lockman Foundation
Related Topics: Basics for Christians, Christian Life
O Poder de Orar as Palavras de Deus
Related MediaVirei-me na cama, levemente desorientada.
O brilho atrás das cortinas pesadas produziu luz suficiente para eu perceber que estava em outro quarto de hotel numa outra conferência.
Olhando para um relógio estranho, vi que era apenas seis horas da manhã. Eu tinha ainda uma hora antes do alarme bater.
Aconcheguei-me ao travesseiro, na esperança que o sono me achasse, porém assim que a mente começou a clarear, eu sabia que meu tempo de dormir tinha terminado. Deus tinha outro plano para a próxima hora.
Adormeci na noite anterior pedindo a Deus para interceder na vida de uma das minhas filhas, e o mesmo pedido estava emergindo do meu coração enquanto arrumei o travesseiro, me virei para a mesa de cabeceira e alcancei minha Bíblia.
A palavra de Deus me desafia a evitar pensamentos ansiosos. Ao contrário, é para eu desenvolver um coração agradecido levando minhas preocupações a Ele em oração (Filipenses 4:6).
Sua palavra também me exorta a continuar a orar fielmente pelas coisas (Colossenses 4:2; I Tessalonicenses 5:17).
Contudo, após ajeitar a coberta e colocar a Bíblia no meu colo, reconheci que, novamente, tinha caído numa rotina de oração, a mesma oração com quase as mesmas palavras.
Sabia que precisava orar mais especificamente com o Espírito Santo guiando meus pensamentos (Efésios 6:18a).
Nestes últimos dias minha oração repetitiva tinha sido, “Deus, por favor ajude-a, guia-a, dirige-a.
Eu mudava um pouco as palavras, porém o tom e o argumento permaneciam os mesmos.
Sabia que precisava ser direcionada em como orar mais sabiamente pela minha filha durante este tempo em particular em sua vida, assim abri minha Bíblia e comecei a folhear através das curtas cartas no Novo Testamento.
Poucos anos atrás, decidi que se a palavra de Deus era uma “lâmpada para os meus pés e luz para os meus caminhos, ” (Salmo 119:105), então as orações de Paulo, Pedro e João deveriam servir como um excelente guia para a minha própria vida de oração.
Quando esta decisão realmente imergiu, mudei meu tempo devocional para uma deliciosa jornada através das cartas no Novo Testamento, procurando pelos versículos que revelavam a vida de oração do escritor.
Toda vez que eu achava um versículo ou um grupo de versículos que eu sabia que poderia guiar minha própria vida de oração, eu sublinhava os versículos e escrevia a referência no início da carta.
Cada manhã continuei lendo através das cartas, e descobri que havia tal discernimento em como orar à medida que usei as palavras inspiradas do autor (II Timóteo 3:16) como um guia em minha própria vida de oração.
Minha diligente procura para identificar essas passagens de oração chegou em boa hora agora neste momento em particular no quarto do hotel quando folheei a Bíblia aberta no livro de Efésios.
Ao lado do título Efésios, vi o capítulo e o verso que eu tinha anotado anos antes.
Essas passagens de oração se tornaram muito boas para mim, e eu sabia que a referência 1:17-19a era a passagem que deveria orientar meu tempo de oração nesta manhã, porém comecei a ler os versículos 15 e 16 do capítulo um preparando-me para o tempo de oração que se seguiria.
“15 - Por isso, desde que ouvi falar da fé que vocês têm no Senhor Jesus e do amor que vocês têm por todos os irmãos na fé, 16 - não paro de agradecer a Deus por causa de vocês. Eu sempre lembro de vocês nas minhas orações. ”
Eu amo a fidelidade de Paulo em oração. Amo como ele celebra o que Deus tinha feito nas vidas dos santos, assim como a receptividade dos crentes para com Jesus.
Fui desafiada pelo fato de que Paulo não cessa de dar graças pelos crentes em Éfeso, e que ele estava continuamente lembrando dele em suas orações.
Isto me inspirou quando comecei meu tempo de oração usando estes dois versículos preparando-me como eu devia estar orando.
Agradeci ao Senhor pela fé da minha filha e pelo amor que ela tem e como ela demonstra este amor.
Então eu dei algum tempo para dar graças pelos dons espirituais que ela tem, pelos talentos que lhe foram dados e pelo serviço que ela oferece para Deus.
Pedi a Deus para me ajudar a ser mais consistente na minha vida de oração por ela. Em outras palavras, usei as palavras de Paulo nestes dois versículos para orientar meu próprio tempo de gratidão e confissão.
Estas palavras me ajudaram preparar o meu próprio coração quando fui para os próximos versículos que guiaram meu tempo de oração pela minha filha.
Eu continuei pedindo para que o Deus de nosso Senhor Jesus Cristo, o glorioso Pai, desse do seu Espírito de sabedoria e revelação, para ela que pudesse conhece-lo melhor.
Orei também para que os olhos do seu coração pudessem ser iluminados a fim de que ela pudesse saber a esperança pela qual ele lhe chamou, a riqueza da sua gloriosa herança nos santos, e seu incomparável grande poder para nós que acreditamos (Efésios 1:17-19a).
O que segue é um resumo geral de como usei os versículos acima como uma ferramenta de autoajuda – uma que me levaria a orar sobre coisas que eu não tinha pensado ainda em relação à situação que a minha filha estava passando neste tempo.
“Permaneci pedindo” – Senhor, me ajude a ser fiel consistentemente em orar por estas coisas.
1. “dê-lhe o Espírito de sabedoria” – Senhor, Provérbios torna claro como a sabedoria é algo que precisamos procurar (Provérbios 4:7), e o seu Santo Espírito que é aquela fonte de sabedoria vivendo dentro da minha filha. Por favor ajude-a a procurar Sua sabedoria e abraçar escolhas sábias hoje.
2. “e revelação” – Pai, Você tem tanto que Você quer revelar para ela. Ajude-a a buscar tempo hoje para “se aquietar” (Salmo 46:10). Dê-lhe discernimento quando ela escuta quieta o que Você tem para dizer.
3. “conhecê-lo melhor” – Deus, quero que ela lhe conheça melhor. Durante esta oportunidade de crescimento que ela está passando, ajude-a a ver mais do que o Senhor é. Ajude-a a Lhe ver como um Pai Celeste amoroso (I João 3:1), a ver Jesus como seu salvador (Romanos 8:34), e a entender que o Espírito Santo é seu consolador, conselheiro e guia (João 14:26).
4. “olhos do seu coração para ser iluminada” – Oh, Pai Celestial, todos nós precisamos disto. Os olhos do nosso coração podem vagar, podem ser enganados, e eu não quero isto para a minha filha. Eu quero que ela veja tudo o que é louvável e bom. Por favor, Senhor, abra os olhos do coração dela para ver o que o Senhor quer que ela veja.
5. “para que saibais qual seja a esperança da sua vocação” – Deus, isto é o que eu quero que ela tenha – esperança. Eu sei que quanto mais ela vir o que o Senhor quer que ela veja, mais ela terá esperança. Eu amo o fato de que o Senhor nos chamou para pedir essa esperança. A esperança é nossa para a ter, devemos apenas vê-la e aceita-la como um presente do Senhor. Por favor ajuda minha filha fazer isto hoje.
6. “e quais as riquezas da glória da sua herança nos santos” - Deus, obrigado porque a minha filha tem uma herança esperando por ela no céu, porém ela também tem dicas ou prenúncios desta herança disponível para ela agora mesmo. Ela tem cristãos que foram postos na sua vida para orar com ela, que podem aconselhá-la e que podem encorajá-la. O Senhor nos fez para precisarmos uns dos outros, então por favor ensine-a a como alcançar e tirar proveito da herança terrestre que é dela como filha do Rei (João 1:12).
7. “a suprema grandeza do seu poder para conosco, os que cremos” – Pai, estou contente que o pronome “nós” está incluído nisto porque agora mesmo preciso conhecer o Seu poder também. É o poder que levantou Jesus da morte (Efésios 1:19b-20). O Senhor tem demonstrado continuamente que é capaz, assim peço para que nós, minha filha e eu, possamos ambas aprender como melhor confiar neste poder. À medida que tentamos fazer as coisas na nossa própria força, experimentamos frustração e medo. Eu sei que quando eu me submeto ao Senhor, eu vejo o Senhor (no seu tempo) tomar controle e resolver o que não fui capaz de conduzir. Por favor ajude minha filha a confiar no Senhor neste sentido. Para diariamente cair nos Seus braços que podem ser seu refúgio e força (Deuteronômio 33:27 a).
Quando terminei de orar através de Efésios 1:17- 19 a, encontrei uma tal paz sobre a situação. As palavras de Deus ministraram para mim enquanto me guiavam numa nova forma de orar pela minha filha e pela situação que ela estava enfrentando. Esta, naturalmente, não foi a primeira vez que usei as palavras de Deus para guiar minhas orações, mas fui lembrado novamente do poder de orar nas palavras de Deus.
A palavra de Deus é para ser “lâmpada para nossos pés, luz para nosso caminho” (Salmo 119:105), assim certamente ela seria a origem de orientação para nossas vidas de oração. Considere algumas destas passagens. Sublinhe elas em sua Bíblia de forma que você possa facilmente achá-las quando estiver procurando uma passagem através da qual orar.
- Gálatas 5:16-21 (resistir ao mal) 22-26 (evidência do bom).
- Efésios 3:16-20 (ser fortalecido, mantido, confiante no amor de Cristo).
- Filipenses 1:9-11 (conhecimento, discernimento, cheio com o fruto da retidão (honradez).
- Colossenses 1:9-14 (sabedoria, crescimento, dar graças alegremente, -
- I Tessalonicenses 3:12-13 (amor aumentado, coração fortalecido, sem culpa).
- II Tessalonicenses 1:11-12 (merecedor do chamado de Deus, preencher cada bom propósito).
- I Timóteo 1:12 (força, fé, serviço).
- I Pedro 5:6-11 (humildade, ansiedade, autocontrole, resistir ao diabo, restauração).
- II Pedro 1:5-8 (lista de coisas para adicionar à nossa fé).
- Judas 1:20-25 (oração, amor de Deus, misericórdia, perfeição).
Estas são apenas algumas das muitas maravilhosas passagens que podem ser usadas para guiar nossa vida de oração.
Registre estes versículos, então comece a caça ao tesouro por você mesmo. A medida que você ler a palavra de Deus, esteja atento que Deus o levará para muito mais maravilhosas passagens que podem inspirar uma vida de oração mais profunda.
Se os princípios nestes versículos que você leu se aplicam a uma situação da sua vida, ore então através destas verdades enquanto as aplica para você e sua situação. Deus irá ricamente abençoar você a medida que descobre mais daquilo que a sua Palavra tem para oferecer para você.
Related Topics: Prayer
Introduction: Radical Acts
Related MediaHave any of you actually witnessed a volcano erupting? I saw one from a distance in Alaska, blowing off steam, not very impressive. I have been inside the crater of an extinct volcano. And, two summers ago, Ron and I drove to the visitor’s center on Mt. Rainier outside of Seattle. So much has been reported on the potential for sudden disaster there, I must confess I shuddered at that possibility while on the mountain.
My husband Ron teases me because I am always drawn to earth’s natural calamities. Hurricanes fascinate me. So do earthquakes and volcanoes. Come on. My college major was geology. I’ve had at least 10 volcano-related programs on my DVR over the past month. I think it’s the power—power we can’t totally understand and will never be able to control. We call those things “disasters,” but they can also be beneficial.
On November 15, 1963, the island of Surtsey was born - it was a dramatic, fire-and-brimstone birth that erupted from the icy sea off the coast of Iceland. I remember watching a video in my first geology class. The earth’s outer crust is constantly shifting, and combined with the pressure of molten rock underneath, a fissure broke open on an undersea volcano in April of that year. When the lava broke through the ocean’s surface 6 months later, lightning and thunder accompanied the glowing craters, fissures and boiling water. The violence of the volcano increased so that ash, cinders, and pumice were blown 1,000 feet into the air for about 4 months.
A steady flow of lava over the next year built up an island of one square mile, as much as one acre was added to the island’s size daily. New land on planet Earth. By the time all volcanic activity ceased, the highest point on the island was 560 feet above sea level. Life took hold quickly. By early 1965, the new island boasted of wide sandy beaches on which seaside plants were already taking root giving nesting areas for sea gulls. The island looked as though it had been there for thousands of years. That’s the natural power of the earth.
On the day of Pentecost around 30 A.D., the power of God poured forth on the followers of Jesus gathered in Jerusalem. Born that day was a radically new creation on earth that never existed before—the Church. Not by natural power but by supernatural power. And, the power behind its existence is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a radical blessing to every believer and to the world.
“Radical” is an interesting word—not what I expected. The word “radical” is defined as “having a profound or far-reaching effect.” That certainly describes the Holy Spirit. Through the Spirit’s transforming power in our lives, He changes the world immeasurably and irreversibly. I’d say that is pretty radical.
One of the biblical symbols for the Holy Spirit is “fire.” And, just as fiery lava and ash erupt from a volcano and flow out to build new land, the Holy Spirit’s fire erupts through the lives of believers to build Christ’s church. That’s why there’s a volcano on the cover of this study book. Within a few years, Jesus’ Church was well established on planet earth. We learn this from Acts.
Book Of Acts
The book of Acts is a fast-paced, action adventure book that chronicles the birth and growth of the early church from the Jewish center of Jerusalem to the Gentile nations surrounding her. Have you ever studied Acts? It’s a rich and fascinating book. I love it for so many reasons. And, it’s got something for everyone.
· Acts is a book of history. But, it’s not a complete history of the early church or the apostles but rather a book that selectively gives the history of early Christianity. The author was Luke, the physician and companion of Paul. Acts is actually Luke’s sequel to the gospel that bears his name. It provides a bridge for the writings of the New Testament between what Jesus did in the gospels with what He continued to do and teach through the apostles. Some call it the Acts of the Apostles. But, it’s really the acts of Jesus Christ by His Holy Spirit through His church. The Holy Spirit dominates the entire book of Acts.
· Acts is a book of theology. You will see the work of the Holy Spirit—theology being lived out, evidence for the inspiration of scripture, the gospel message taught from the very beginning never changed.
· Acts is a book of biography—mainly viewing the fire of the Spirit erupting in the lives of Peter and Paul but also every other person whose life was touched by the Spirit and changed forever.
· Acts is also a book about human relationships influenced by the transforming fire power of the Spirit—conflicts occur and are resolved, friendships made and tested, old prejudices surface and are removed, persecutions shared, hospitality extended, generosity displayed, and opportunity taken to share the gospel with whomever would listen. Men and women fired up and not only ready for adventure but living it.
Adventure With The Spirit
The definition of adventure is “an unusual or exciting, typically hazardous, experience or activity.” How adventurous are you? Been on any adventures lately? I have to admit I am not naturally adventurous. Especially the typically hazardous part. I found out that our English word adventure comes from the Latin for “about to happen.” Yep. What a way to look at life following Jesus—something’s about to happen! And, not always what you expect. I can verify the truth of that!
In Acts, the adventure definitely includes the unexpected—miracles occur in strange places and strange ways, the Gentiles are included as equals to the Jews in the Church, an earthquake selectively releases prison chains, unselfish behavior just springs forth in unexpected ways, lots of spur of the moment adventures. Also, executions, beatings, riots, and a shipwreck—happening to the good guys! Adventure rarely means safe. But, it never means alone. The Holy Spirit is with you and me every day, forever.
But, who is this Holy Spirit? Most Christians have only a vague idea about Him. The older translations called Him the Holy Ghost. The word “ghost” doesn’t inspire appreciation or curiosity in me! He is the pneuma—the breath of God. He’s been called the transparent one because we can’t see Him. By faith, I know He lives in me. The Bible confirms that He lives inside every believer. Sometimes, I feel His presence. Maybe you do, too.
He is the One who makes the Christian life possible. He is the first gift we receive from God when we trust in Jesus for salvation. And, all those wonderful treasures Paul writes about in Ephesians and his other letters are wrapped up and delivered by the Holy Spirit to us.
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the trinity—our God is one God but three persons. The Spirit’s not an impersonal “it” or simply an influence but a personal being just as the Father and the Son are persons.
The Spirit is central to salvation. He convicts the unbeliever of sin and makes us new creations the moment we believe. He seals us with Himself so our salvation is secure, and He indwells us forever. He unites us with Christ, placing us into the universal Body of Christ. All part of 1 church since Pentecost—includes those who already in heaven as well as every Christian alive at this moment. The Holy Spirit enables us to understand the Bible and prays for us, even when we can’t.
The Holy Spirit fills us with Himself and transforms us from the inside out so that our character looks more like Jesus and our lifestyle glorifies God more and more. This firepower is inside us. For this, we must choose to cooperate. That means living our lives with a conscious dependence on the Holy Spirit—when facing temptations, making decisions, in our relationships, in how we respond to the Spirit’s leading us. Anything you trust God for that you didn’t trust God for before—that’s the adventure. You’ll learn all about this in our study, Radical Acts.
Getting Fired Up And Ready For Adventure
Our hope is that this study will spark in you a real appreciation, longing, and expectation for the Holy Spirit’s work in your life, and that through the lessons you will discover who the Holy Spirit is, His intended role in your life, and what it means to live in daily dependence upon Him. He is the one who will get us all fired up and ready for adventure as we follow Jesus daily.
Jim Cymbala says in his book, Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, “The work of God can only be carried on by the power of God. The church is a spiritual organism fighting spiritual battles. Only spiritual power can make it function as God ordained. The key is not money, organization, cleverness, or education. No matter the society or culture, the city or town, God has never lacked the power to work through available people to glorify His name.” He goes on to say, “The times are urgent, God is on the move, now is the moment to ask God to ignite His fire in your soul!”
Are you ready?
1. A Fiery Beginning
Related Media(Acts 1:1-2:47)
A.D. 30
A beginning. Something that comes first. We value firsts—being first in line, having a first edition of a book, going to see a movie on the first day of its release. Acts is also a book of firsts, most notably the birth of a new creation on earth, something that never existed before. No one before that day experienced a permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit uniting believers together across all geographic and social boundaries. This happened on the day we call Pentecost when the Church as the body of Christ was born.
The Holy Spirit is the main character dominating the entire book of Acts. He is actively involved in all the firsts. He authors the first gospel message given through Peter. He is the first gift we receive when we accept that gospel message and trust in Jesus Christ as the only way to have a relationship with God who made us. And, He initiates the first response to that gift—spontaneous praise of God erupting from the hearts of those who now have the Spirit inside. A fiery beginning, indeed! What a thrilling, unforgettable experience!!
Read Acts 1:1-2:47 in one sitting to get the whole picture. As you do, read it freshly—as for the first time (try using different translations). Pray that God would open your heart to the truths He has for you from this text.
Day One Study
Read Acts 1:1-11.
1. In vv. 1-3, how does the author introduce this book? Refer back to Luke 1:1-4. What confidence do you have that what you will be studying is trustworthy information? See Colossians 4:14, 2 Timothy 4:11, and Philemon 24 to learn more about the author.
2. To what convincing proofs were the disciples a witness? See Matthew 28:8-10; Luke 24:13-43; and John 20:24-28: 21:1-14. Also, read 1 Corinthians 15:5-7.
Deeper Discoveries: Read all of Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 20-21 for more information about Jesus’ resurrection appearances to His followers.
3. What were Jesus’ instructions to His disciples (Acts 1:4-5)? See also Luke 24:44-48. What were His promises? See also Luke 3:16 and John 14:15-17; 16:7-15.
Focus on the Meaning: The word translated “baptized” came from the process for “dyeing” cloth. It didn’t matter if the cloth was sprayed, dipped, or immersed. The significance was taking on the identity of the dye. For us, the Spirit does the dyeing—with Jesus. We are dyed with Christ. Water baptism is a picture of what the Spirit does to us. John baptized with water; Jesus baptizes with the Spirit—much more significant and with far greater effects. See Romans 6.
4. What do the angels promise to them and to us?
Deeper Discoveries: Using a concordance, research references to the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. What was He doing? Who experienced His presence? What was promised about Him? Summarize what you learn.
Read Acts 1:12-26.
5. Who is gathered together during the waiting time? What were they doing on a daily basis?
Historical Insight: The practice of “casting lots” was common in the Old Testament (Proverbs 16:33), but this is the only time the Apostles did this in the New Testament. The name of each candidate was written on a stone that was placed in a vessel and shaken. The first to fall out obtained the office. (Sue Edwards, Acts of the Holy Spirit, p. 6)
6. Share Your Life: Have you ever prayed with others toward a common goal? If so, describe the experience. How do you feel about praying together with your group?
In this first chapter, three key elements of the book of Acts are introduced: 1) the emphasis on the many witnesses to Jesus’ life, death and resurrection; 2) the Holy Spirit’s guiding and empowering believers, and 3) the dependent hearts of those same believers as they prayed. Keep these elements in mind as you work through the study.
Day Two Study
Read Acts 2:1-13.
In addition to the Sabbath, God ordained annual feasts which all Jewish men were required to attend (Leviticus 23), grouped together so as to require only 3 pilgrimages. The first one included Passover, Unleavened Bread, and Firstfruits in early spring. The Feast of Weeks took place in the summer. And the last one, including the feasts of Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles, took place in the fall (Deuteronomy 16).
At the Feast of Firstfruits, celebrated on the Sunday during the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread, each family offered thanks for God’s provision with the first of their barley harvest. Seven weeks later, at the end of the barley harvest and the beginning of the wheat harvest, came the Feast of Weeks when another offering was given—a thanksgiving for God’s bounty (Leviticus 23:15-22). This festival later came to be known by its Greek name, Pentecost (pent means 50), because it occurred fifty days after Passover.
Since Jesus’ resurrection occurred on Firstfruits, the resurrection event is considered to be God’s “firstfruits” (1 Corinthians 15:20-23), and the giving of the Spirit to believers at Pentecost marked the beginning of the rest of the “harvest” which will continue until Christ returns (Joel 2:28a, 32a).
7. Discovering the Facts: When the gift of the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples as Jesus promised in Acts 1, there were three kinds of supernatural evidence. Describe each.
§ Audible evidence —
§ Visible evidence —
§ Oral evidence —
8. Considering Jesus’ promise in Acts 1:8, what message was conveyed to the believers by the wind blowing from heaven?
From the Greek: The word for “spirit,” pneuma, is related to pnoe, the word translated “wind” in Acts 2:2. It also means “breath.” Breath or wind in the Bible is a symbol for the spirit of God as in Ezek 37:9, 14 and John 3:8. (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, p. 357)
9. Read the following verses and draw a conclusion about what the tongues of fire symbolize: Genesis 15:17, Exodus 3:1-6; 13:21-22; 19:18, and Luke 3:16.
10. Read Exodus 40:33-38 and I Kings 7:51; 8:10-11. How did God inaugurate a new temple dedicated to Him in the Old Testament? Now read 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19. Relate this information to what is happening in Acts 2:1-4?
11. Consider the scene in the city of Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost described in Acts 2:5-13. Who was there? What did they hear (see vv. 6 and 11, stick to the text here)? How did they respond?
Historical Insight: “God-fearing Jews” were devout Jews not native to Israel but from all over the Mediterranean world and the Middle East who were now in Jerusalem either as current residents or as visitors for Pentecost. This group included natural born Jews as well as Gentile converts to Judaism (v. 11).
Think About It: Acts 2:6-7 indicates that the phrase “other languages” were languages understandable to the hearers, a diverse group from “every nation under heaven.” At Babel (Gen. 11:1-11), God separated the people by giving them different languages. At Pentecost, He gave them the Holy Spirit, using those languages to bring the scattered together to hear the gospel, uniting the believers all into God’s kingdom and then scattering them back out to their respective nations to spread the one gospel message in their different languages.
12. Share Your Life: Upon receiving and being filled by the Holy Spirit, the new believers broke out in spontaneous praise of God. According to Ephesians 5:18-20, this is an evident work of the Spirit in someone’s life. When was the last time you broke out in spontaneous praise? What was the occasion? What did you do? How did others respond around you?
Day Three Study
Read Acts 2:14-41.
13. Discovering the Facts: Peter’s sermon in Acts 2:22-32 included five main points that are repeated in sermons throughout Acts though not necessarily in the same order. This was the basic gospel message shared everywhere. See also 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 which was written about 20 years later. What were these points?
§ (1) vv. 22-23a —
§ (2) v. 23b —
§ (3) v. 24 —
§ (4) v. 32 —
§ (5) v. 38 —
Think About It: This same Peter was the one who denied Jesus three times the night before His crucifixion and hid behind locked doors afterwards. The indwelling Holy Spirit made a huge difference in his life, giving him courage and turning this uneducated fisherman into an effective preacher. That same Holy Spirit can make a difference in your life as you trust Him to work.
14. Peter begins his sermon by declaring to the crowd that God fulfilled part of a prophetic promise (Acts 2:17-18, 21, 33, 38-39). What was the promise? How does Peter relate Joel’s prophecy to what just happened?
15. In Acts 2:25-28, 34-35) Peter quotes Psalm 16:8-11 and 110:1, Peter establishes as fact another recently fulfilled prophecy. What was it? Why do you think the crowd needed to be convinced of this?
16. According to Peter, where is Jesus now (2:33a)? What has He just done (2:33b)? Therefore, who is Jesus?
17. At the end of his sermon, what was the audience’s response? What did Peter challenge them to do and promise to them if they did that?
Focus on the Meaning: To convict of sin is a work of the Holy Spirit. The term “repent” is from the Greek metaknoia referring to a change of mind, in this case, a radical change of mind about Jesus—from unbelief to faith. Forgiveness of sins and the Holy Spirit are two gifts given to those who repent and believe. Baptism, as had been taught by John, is an outward expression of inner repentance.
18. Share Your Life: What conclusion have you drawn about Jesus? Share how your heart responded when you really “heard” and took in this message.
Caring for infants and small children can be demanding and exhausting. The same is true for “baby Christians.” On the day of Pentecost, the Church was born, and suddenly the Twelve Apostles became spiritual parents to 3,000 needy infants, many of whom were not residents of Jerusalem and lacked means of long-term support. The apostles’ dependence was now on the Holy Spirit to guide them daily.
Day Four Study
Read Acts 2:42-47.
19. Discovering the Facts: From verse 42, list the four priorities of the new church.
20. Why do you think each of those four priorities is important to the life of a healthy church? Should these be the priorities of churches today? Why or why not? (Please do not mention particular denominations or churches in the discussion.)
21. Describe the heart attitude of these new believers and how they lived out their new faith. See also Acts 4:32-35. Relate this to the work of the indwelling Holy Spirit as described in 2 Corinthians 3:17-18.
Historical Insight: This practice of caring for one another’s needs wasn’t confined to Jerusalem. Read “Care and Prayer” in The Rest of the Story information at the end of this study.
Deeper Discoveries: For a balanced view of the communal sharing described in Acts 2 and 4, see also 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15. What do you see when you combine both passages together? Bring in other Scriptures to support your conclusions.
22. Share Your Life: Are you faithful to a church? If so, what is your heart attitude toward the other believers in your church? Are you spending time with them? Are you praying together with them? This week, ask Jesus to give you the same heart attitude toward them as He did the early Church believers.
Fired Up And Ready For Adventure:
Review the scripture passage covered in this lesson for evidences of the guidance and empowering of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. What will you ask God to do in your life?
Something’s About To Happen – Lesson 1 Lecture
(psst…life as we’ve known it may never be the same!)
Group Share: What’s the closest you’ve been to a fire, and did something good come out of it?
[Watch the “Pentecost Film” at http://www.mark-berry.co.uk/pentecostfilm.mov.]
{Editor's note-- This was a free 90 second film at this location. It is no longer availabler there and is now a for-pay download at this site: http://proost.co.uk/pentecost}
That video pictured what we are studying this week—the fire of the Spirit displayed at Pentecost with spectacular results. And, your fire stories were truly amazing. And so is what happened last Thursday to those passengers on the jet that landed in the Hudson River. Wow! What really caught my attention was what happened after the captain announced, “Brace for impact because we’re going down.” Some folks screamed; some tucked their heads between their knees. Several asked God to forgive them for their sins. An engaged couple kissed. And, the guy in the exit row took out the instructions to read so he would do it right. What a variety of responses! Everyone knew something was about to happen, and life as they had known it may never be the same. They just didn’t know what.
Have you ever had those moments when you knew something life-changing was about to happen but you didn’t know what? I had one of those recently.
My husband Ron has been writing a book for 3 years. Last year, he signed a publishing contract and finally delivered his book on December 15. It is supposed to be out for all to read in June. I have no idea what that will mean for us, but I know something’s about to happen in our lives, and it will be an adventure. Life as we have known it may never be the same.
That’s how I feel about this study. There is no way any of us will not be affected as we gain a greater understanding of the Spirit’s work in our lives. He’s going to act on that understanding. Something’s about to happen to all of us. And, life as we know it may never be the same.
Open your Bibles to Romans chapter 6. It’s the next book after Acts. We’ll get there in a little bit.
Something’s About To Happen
In Acts 1, Jesus told His disciples to hang out in Jerusalem for a few more days because something promised was about to happen. Do you think they had any idea of the adventure that lay ahead for them? Jesus said, “you will receive power to be my witnesses in Jerusalem—okay, they were already there. In Judea—that would be a little different because they were from Galilee, way up in the northern part of Israel. But, Jesus had had some ministry success in Judea so that would be okay. In Samaria—what could that mean? Okay, those Samaritans were half-Jews. They needed the full deal now. We’ve been there before. Okay. And to the ends of the earth—what?! The ends of the earth. That sounds a bit scary, doesn’t it? Have any of you been to the ends of the earth or thought you had? Jesus was telling them, “Something’s about to happen, and life as you have known it will never be the same.”
On the day of Pentecost, an unmistakable sound like that of a tornado suddenly came and filled the place where 120 Jesus people were sitting. A little bigger than the size of our group here. They saw flames of fire resting on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in foreign languages as the Spirit enabled them.
Breaking out in spontaneous praise to God under the Spirit’s influence was not new. Neither was hearing praises uttered in foreign languages in Jerusalem. During festivals, praises to God in all kinds of Mediterranean and Asian languages were frequently heard around the Temple. But, not uttered by Galileans who usually spoke only Aramaic. Everyone knew Galileans because they had a certain drawl. Like we can recognize people from Boston or Georgia by their accent. Those foreign Jews hanging around the Temple heard their own native languages spoken by those very same Galileans, and they knew something amazing and unusual was happening…but what?
They soon learned that Spirit Baptism occurred. And life as they had known it would never be the same.
Probably no other doctrine of the Holy Spirit has created more confusion than that of Spirit Baptism. That confusion comes from several sources: 1) a lack of understanding of the Spirit’s work in the believer’s life, 2) the expectation of certain experiences to be associated with it, and 3) misinterpretation of our English translations.
Dear women, I do not claim to understand everything related to the works of the Spirit. But, God’s Word is clear about the truths He wants us to know so we can have confidence in what He gives to us. So, let’s discover that. First, what did baptism mean to the people of that day? In other words, based on previous experience, what were those 120 Jesus people expecting? Then, what did they actually receive?
What Were They Expecting?
The Old Testament Jews had used water for cleansing rituals and initiation into special groups. Whenever Gentiles — anyone who wasn’t a Jew — became converts to Judaism, they were ritually “cleansed” by water being poured over them.
So, when the Greeks translated the Hebrew Old Testament 200 years before Jesus, they chose the word baptizo or baptismos to represent this water ritual. Our English word comes from that. Baptizo came from the process for “dyeing” cloth. It didn’t matter if the cloth was sprayed, dipped, or immersed. The significance was taking on the identity of the dye. Keep that in mind.
Just before Jesus, John the Baptist preached baptism accompanied by something new—repentance. Repentance is a change of mind, in this case for the Jews to agree their sin is bad and decide to change their behavior. Baptism is no longer just an outward ritual but now requires an inner commitment to change one’s life. This prepared the way for Jesus who challenged people to not only think about their sin differently, but to think about Him differently—as the Son of God to whom they would commit their lives.
When Jesus taught about Spirit baptism, he used a different word than what the disciples had known for the water cleansing ritual. Jesus chose baptisma, “immersion.” If you think in terms of the dyeing process and taking on the identity of the dye, Spirit baptism means the transforming power of the Holy Spirit creates a permanent change in the believer. We are dyed with Christ. We are immersed into Jesus Christ. Never to come out again. In Acts 1:5, Jesus was telling His disciples, “What you are about to receive will be nothing like water baptism.” Something’s going to happen. And, life as you know it will never be the same.
But, what would that look like? Their understanding of the work of the Spirit was only what they read in the Old Testament. The Holy Spirit was very active in Israel—coming upon leaders, prophets, and even craftsmen to enable them to do the work that God had chosen for them to do. This was often accompanied by spontaneous praise of God just flowing from their hearts with joy—one of the evidences of His presence. The Spirit spoke to both men and women for all the people to hear God’s word. But, He never lived with them permanently. That was promised for the future.
Jesus promised His disciples that the Spirit would do many of those same things I just described. But, He would do much more than that. He would live in them forever. And, He would change them from the inside out. Their lives as they knew them would never be the same. And, it would all begin with Spirit Baptism.
What Did They Receive?
There are 11 specific references to Spirit baptism in the New Testament—enough to understand what takes place. We’re going to read a few of those today.
Let me tell you this. Some of our confusion comes from the English translations of the phrase en pneuma. I’m not a Greek scholar; but I can read the works of those who are. Here’s what I discovered: Pneuma is “the Spirit” in every case. That little word en is a preposition and can be translated with, by, in, or of. Translators choose the word that reads best in the context. So, you might read in your Bibles “baptized with the Spirit” in Acts 1:5 and “baptism by the Spirit” in 1 Corinthians 12:13. Different theologies have been built on those two English phrases as though they are different events, but they are really the exact same phrase in Greek and the exact same event. So, because we all come from different spiritual backgrounds, to avoid confusion, I’m calling it “Spirit Baptism.”
I’m going to give you several facts from the Bible about what Spirit Baptism really is so that you will leave here confident that this has happened to you.
Spirit Baptism Is The Spirit’s Work Of Uniting Us With Christ – Identifying Us With Christ’s Death, Burial And Resurrection.
This is described in Romans 6:
“(v. 3)… do you not know that as many as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? … (v. 5) For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be united in the likeness of his resurrection.
At Spirit Baptism, we are joined to Christ Jesus, fused together with who He is and what He has done. His death provided us with forgiveness of sins and His resurrection gave us new life. That’s us being born again. We are dyed with Christ. D-Y-E-D. We take on the identity of Jesus so that when God looks on us, He sees Jesus instead. We are in Christ. All those spiritual blessings we have in Christ — chosen, adopted, forgiven, sealed — are wrapped up and delivered to us in the Spirit. A package deal. Every Christian receives this at Spirit Baptism. This is confirmed in Romans 8:9:
Romans 8:9 — “Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this person does not belong to him.”
Every believer has the complete Holy Spirit, or they do not belong to Christ. Being united with Christ in His death and resurrection is essential for every Christian. That comes with Spirit Baptism. Nowhere in the New Testament is any believer commanded or exhorted to be Spirit baptized. It’s God’s gift initiated by God to those who put their faith in Christ. It is not initiated by us. We are the ones born again.
Do you ever get email invitations to join a club or group? Last year I received an email invitation for a free trial membership to the National Home Gardening Club. I didn’t know all the perks I would get. All I did was respond to the email invitation. Come to find out, members receive all this great stuff—seeds, gardening supplies, and tools. What I receive is initiated by the club, not by me.
That’s how Spirit Baptism is. God initiates it to everyone who trusts in Jesus. We are united with Christ and receive the blessings that identify us as Christians at that time.
Spirit Baptism Is The Spirit’s Work Of Making All Believers Permanent Members Of The Body Of Christ.
Flip over to 1 Corinthians 12, the next book after Romans. On the day of Pentecost, all 120 believers were plugged into the brand new Body of Christ—the Church—by Spirit Baptism.
1 Corinthians 12:13 —”… For in one Spirit we were ALL baptized into one body…”
Permanent immersion into the body of Christ. Paul stated clearly that all had been Spirit baptized and placed permanently into the Body of Christ.
Spirit Baptism Occurs Once And For All At The Salvation Of Each Believer.
Remember that in Acts, God was introducing something new, and He didn’t follow a set pattern at first. So it is not wise to selectively choose a passage from Acts and use it as a doctrinal statement on how to receive the Holy Spirit. Especially up to the point when the Gentiles as a group were added to the Church. But, absolutely positively, everyone who believed received Spirit Baptism. The Spirit writing through Paul makes sure we know this. Read this together with me from the screens.
Gal 3:26-27 –”For in Christ Jesus you are ALL sons of God through faith. For ALL of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”
There’s that being dyed with Christ again. Eph 4 (vv. 4-5) also says this,
“There is one body and one Spirit…one Lord, one faith, one baptism…”
“One baptism” evidently belongs to the same group as “one Lord” and “one faith.” Spirit baptism is a permanent condition and occurs once. Water baptism can be repeated. Spirit Baptism can’t because a person would have to be removed from the Body of Christ in order to be reinstated again by a second baptism. We know that can’t happen because Scripture makes it clear that the Spirit will be with us forever. It’s not like the Old Testament days when He came upon people temporarily for them to do a specific job. Under the new covenant, Jesus assures us that He will never leave us nor forsake us and has given us the Holy Spirit as His indwelling presence, forever. Forever doesn’t stop.
Did you notice the repeated use of all in the verses we’ve read? There’s an emphasis in the New Testament on Spirit Baptism as universal and equal for every believer.
What we can learn from all of these verses is this:
Spirit Baptism Is A Change Of State And Is Not Validated By Any Particular Outward Sign.
What do I mean by change of state? Think of baking a cake. Individual ingredients are mixed together for a cake, but once baked those ingredients can never be separated out again. Like that, a person goes from being without God to being with God forever; from being filthy with sin to being cleansed of all sin; from being an enemy of God to becoming the Temple of God Himself. Those flames of fire represented the presence of God as He inaugurated His new temple. No longer would the faithful go to a building inhabited by God. He is now living in Jesus people. That floors me. And, humbles me—God living inside me. By faith I know this is true because the Bible says so.
What Might Trip Up Some Of Us
What might trip up some of us is that we may expect an experience similar to what they had at Pentecost or a few other places in Acts to validate that Spirit Baptism has happened to us. So, we may tend to measure each other’s spirituality by whether or not one has had a particular “experience.” Primarily speaking in languages foreign to our understanding. Tongues. Some of you may have had that experience in your life. That’s great. I’m not saying that experience is not valid or genuine or anything like that. What I am saying is Spirit Baptism is not necessarily evidenced by that particular experience or any other; it is primarily a change of state from being separated from Christ to being united with Him receiving everything we need for life and godliness. Are you with me at all? Hang on and let me explain.
Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:8 that,
“The wind blows wherever it will, and you hear the sound it makes, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
We’ve already seen that being born again is simultaneous with Spirit Baptism. Jesus said it happens whether or not the believer is conscious of it. He doesn’t promise that our senses will know we are born again at Spirit Baptism.
In Acts, not every new Christian is said to have had the experience of speaking in tongues. And, in less than 30 years, when Paul wrote 1 Corinthians, only some are said to have the gift of speaking in tongues (1 Cor. 12:10-11). The rest are given other gifts by the Holy Spirit. Nowhere does Paul exhort them to be Spirit baptized to receive the tongues gift.
This is very important. Volcanic! The gift of the Spirit is separate from the gifts of the Spirit. Jesus’ gift of His Spirit to every single one of us—ALL EQUALLY—Spirit Baptism—is not the same thing as the spiritual gifts given to individual believers according to the Spirit’s own will and choice—INDIVIDUALLY RECEIVED AND ACCESSED.
Some of you when you believed felt a warmed heart, a feeling of relief or belonging, a sense of tremendous joy. You’ll see joy as one of the first responses of believers in the book of Acts. Some people cannot remember a specific experience. That’s okay. Or, even a specific time. They just know that they looked at things one way before a certain time in their lives and then looked at things differently after that time. And then, we hear about those who have received the outwardly visible gift of speaking in tongues and think, “If only I had that, then I would know that I was Spirit Baptized.”
The point I want to drive home is this: whether or not you sensed anything, God’s Word assures us that Spirit Baptism happened to you the moment you placed your trust in Jesus.
I don’t have the gift of speaking in tongues. I’m open to it or anything else the Spirit would give me. The Spirit has not chosen to give it to me. I think He’s given me the gift of teaching. Jesus got a hold of me in January 1972. Before that, I was not interested in teaching anybody anything. In fact, I was a sports-crazed girl. Obsessed with LSU football. When the Tigers won, I was happy all week. When they lost, I was dumpy. Almost an addiction. When Jesus got a hold of me, I had no outward experience but there was evidence of the Spirit’s work in me. The first thing that changed was my obsession. Football was no longer the focus of my affections. Jesus was. And, His Word. The discoveries I made at first were amazing. I am so grateful that life as I had known it has never been the same. Within only 8 months, I felt compelled to study and teach the Bible to other college students. I feel His pleasure when I teach.
I am reminded of the walk to Emmaus recorded in Luke’s gospel. After the resurrected Jesus left those two men he had been walking with, they said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32) That’s how I feel sometimes. When I study the Scripture to teach it, I feel that warming. 1994—studied Spirit baptism to teach it then …huge warming, backbone creeping feeling, immense joy… I am not an emotional person. I’m pretty flat. That’s how God has wired me. So, I know that warming, that joy, is the Spirit inside me. It’s nothing coming out of my natural self. I’ve tried to not teach, to back off and do other things. But, I’m always drawn back into studying and teaching. I’m compelled to do it. Most of the time I feel so inadequate and bumbling, but I continue on because my heart’s desire is that women and children would know God’s truth. I don’t present a message up here until the Spirit confirms in me that it’s okay to present it. I’ve been wakened in the middle of the night with a warning that I needed to drop something out of a message to be delivered the next day.
Is that evidence that I have been Spirit baptized? I certainly think so, and so do others who noticed the change of focus in my life. Because God has not chosen to give me the gift of tongues does not mean Spirit Baptism hasn’t happened to me. Or, to any other believer. Okay?
Experiencing Spirit Power
But, then there’s another issue. Many of us have a sincere desire to know and experience the power of God. We may tend to think that those outwardly visible signs are the best evidence of spiritual power. I recently read a great way of looking at this.
“The Holy Spirit is indeed manifest in great explosions of revival and power. But to seek those evidences as the primary work of the Spirit is like looking at fireworks exploding on the Fourth of July as the way to keep America independent. The fireworks are a celebration of what already exists…They have very little to do with the business of winning and maintaining liberty and independence. And, that liberty exists whether or not there are any fireworks.” (Donald K. Smith)
Isn’t that a wonderful way to view the sign gifts? Yes, we want to experience spiritual power like we see in the book of Acts. The whole New Testament confirms that the greatest evidence of the power of God in a person’s life is not in the gifts given. It’s in the miracle of a changed life through the Spirit given.
God is healing my 83-year-old dad of cancer right now. And, I am praising Him for it. But, knowing my own selfish nature, which again showed its true colors this week, I believe it requires more life-long Spirit power to transform a person from being an independent, self-centered person to being a God-dependent, love-motivated person. That’s the greatest miracle. Perhaps even greater than a healed body, because it’s the ultimate healing—a life and heart devoted to God for eternity.
But, those changes require us to recognize that we are weak to do anything of spiritual significance on our own. I love what Jim Cymbala says in his book, Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, “God is attracted to weakness. He can’t resist those who humbly and honestly admit how desperately they need Him. Our weakness, in fact, makes room for His power.”
What do you think about that? Does our weakness make room for His power? If that is true, it is inconceivable that such power should be at work in us without results that would show up in all directions. We should sense it.
Developing A Sensitivity To The Spirit At Work
Maybe we just aren’t paying attention. Our society is built on rationalism—everything has to have a naturalistic explanation. I believe we may have become desensitized to the Spirit inside us, and we tend to take credit ourselves for the work that He actually does.
I write the Discovery Workshops for Elementary Sunday School at our church. These are science activities with a Biblical focus. A couple of years ago, we were studying the Holy Spirit, and as so often happens, what I am personally learning finds its way into each lesson. I looked up verses describing the work of the Spirit in a believer’s life then listed those evidences in my life that could be communicated to children so they would recognize them as well. I discovered we can develop sensitivity to the Spirit at work by asking ourselves some questions based on what the Bible promises:
· Has someone explained something to you about the Bible, and you understood what he or she was saying? That’s the Spirit inside of you enabling you to understand.
· Have you ever felt really loved by God? That’s the Spirit inside of you. It doesn’t come naturally.
· Do you have a desire to please God with your life? That’s the Spirit inside of you. Doesn’t come naturally.
· Have you ever started loving someone even more after you started praying for him or her? That’s definitely the Spirit. Doesn’t come naturally.
· Do you like to sing praises to God? Do you feel thankful to God for His goodness to you? That’s the Spirit filling your heart with praise and thanksgiving.
· Have you ever had a huge problem and didn’t know what to ask God to do about it, but God took care of the problem anyway? That’s the Spirit living inside of you working to take care of your need before you even ask.
All of those are evidences of Spirit power in our lives, and just about every one of you could give a personal example of the Holy Spirit’s power in your life, couldn’t you? You all could add to this list. We just need to develop our sensitivity to His work.
Conclusion
I know I didn’t answer all your questions about Spirit Baptism. But, I want you to know with confidence that if you have trusted in Christ, you received Spirit Baptism at that moment. If you haven’t trusted in Christ yet, you can do so today and receive Spirit Baptism immediately. And, now, based on what you know about the Spirit’s work in your life, I hope you develop a sensitivity to His presence and what He is doing in you. Evidence that yes, He lives inside you, empowering you to live and serve Him. That’s the kind of experience we can all embrace and enjoy. And, with that, you might get a sense that something’s about to happen. And, life as you have known it will never be the same as you embark on the adventure God has for you.
References:
Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, “Baptism of the Spirit”
F. F. Bruce, The Book of the Acts
Charles Ryrie, The Holy Spirit
Donald K. Smith, The Holy Spirit in Missions, http://bible.org/seriespage/holy-spirit-missions
Jim Cymbala, Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, page 19
Something’s About To Happen: Lecture 1 Handout
(Life as we’ve known it may never be the same!)
What Were They Expecting?
“For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:5)
What Did They Receive?
1. Spirit Baptism is the Spirit’s work of uniting us with Christ – identifying us with Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. (Rom. 6:3-5; Col. 2:12)
2. Spirit Baptism is the Spirit’s work of making all believers permanent members of the Body of Christ. (1 Cor. 12:13)
3. Spirit Baptism occurs once and for all at the salvation of each believer. (Gal 3:26-27; Eph. 4:4-5)
4. Spirit Baptism is a change of state and is not validated by any particular outward sign. (John 3:8)
Experiencing Spirit Power
· He helps us understand what the Bible teaches. Has someone explained something to you about the Bible, and you understood what they were saying? That’s the Spirit inside of you helping you to understand. John 16:13; 1 Cor. 2:13
· He gives us the words to tell others about Jesus and say that Jesus is God. Have you wanted to tell someone about Jesus but didn’t know what to say, then all of a sudden the words just popped into your head for you to tell that person about Jesus? That’s the Holy Spirit living inside of you prompting you with the right words to say. John 14:26; 1 Corinthians 12:3
· He gives us assurance that we are God’s children. Have you ever felt really loved by God? That’s the Spirit inside of you letting you know for sure that you are God’s child, and He loves you. Romans 8:16
· He encourages us to do what pleases God. Do you have a desire to please God with your life? That’s the Holy Spirit inside of you giving you that desire. Romans 12:11; Jer. 33:31,33
· He helps us to feel joy as we serve Jesus and when we do the right things. Have you ever felt really good when you chose to do the right thing or chose to be helpful? That’s the Holy Spirit inside of you letting you feel God’s pleasure. Romans 14:17-18
· He encourages us to not want to do what doesn’t please God. Have you ever felt something tugging at you inside when you were tempted to do something wrong? That’s the Holy Spirit living inside of you nudging you, reminding you what doesn’t please God so you can choose not to do that. Galatians 5:16
· He enables us to love others. Have you ever started loving someone even more after you started praying for them? That’s the Holy Spirit living inside of you doing that. Galatians 5:22-23
· He makes us want to sing praises to God, in our hearts and out loud, and be thankful for God’s goodness. Do you like to sing praises to God? Do you feel thankful to God for His goodness to you? That’s the Spirit living inside of you filling your heart with praise and thanksgiving to God. Ephesians 5:18-20
· He prays for us when we need help or don’t know what to pray for. Have you ever had a huge problem and didn’t know what to ask God to do about it, but God took care of the problem anyway? That’s the Holy Spirit living inside of you working to take care of your need before you even ask. Romans 8:26-27
“The Holy Spirit is indeed manifest in great explosions of revival and power. But to seek those evidences as the primary work of the Spirit is like looking at fireworks exploding on the Fourth of July as the way to keep America independent. The fireworks are a celebration of what already exists…They have very little to do with the business of winning and maintaining liberty and independence. And, that liberty exists whether or not there are any fireworks.” (Donald K. Smith, The Holy Spirit in Missions, http://bible.org/seriespage/holy-spirit-missions)