Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Defective Spiritual Vision

Portraits of Jesus

A Study of the Gospel of Mark

Defective Spiritual VisionLesson 6

Jesus Feeds 4000 Men

>>> Read Mark 8:1-10. <<<
Huge crowds were constantly following Jesus. On this occasion, they had been in a wilderness area and hadn't eaten for three days. Jesus didn't want to send them home hungry for fear they would faint during the trip. So He asked for a food inventory: there were seven loaves and a few small fish. Jesus directed the multitude to sit down, and then began serving the food. Miraculously, the supply didn't dwindle. Each loaf generated a large basketful of leftovers besides feeding 4000 men. Jesus' power could not be disputed.
*1* How many men did Jesus feed on this occasion? (a) 4000, (b) 5000, (c) 12, (d) none. Answer: ______. (Note carefully: This is a multiple choice question. In order to answer correctly, the student must insert a letter, not a number!)
*2* How many baskets of food were taken up from the seven loaves and few fish (v8)? Answer: ______ baskets.

Warning about Leaven

>>> Read Mark 8:11-21. <<<
Despite much evidence of Jesus' power and authority, the Pharisees challenged Him to show a sign from heaven. He refused their request. They were simply blind to all evidence and no sign would ever be enough to convince them. Then Jesus and His disciples began to cross the sea by boat. The disciples were worried because they had forgotten to take enough bread with them for the trip. Jesus warned about the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod. Immediately, the disciples imagined that He was criticizing them for having forgotten the bread. Jesus knew what they were saying to each other and rebuked their hard-heartedness. After all, He had twice produced enough food to feed thousands with abundant leftovers. They should have known that He could handle problems with insufficient food. His warning wasn't about the leaven of bread, but about the false teaching and hypocrisy of the Pharisees and Herod. Bad attitudes spread like leaven and He was worried that the disciples might be contaminated by them.
*3* What request did the Pharisees make that Jesus refused to grant? Answer: They wanted Him to perform a ______ from heaven.
*4* What warning did Jesus give to His disciples? Answer: They should beware the ______ of the Pharisees.
*5&6* In saying this, what did Jesus mean by "leaven" (see also Matt. 16:12; Luke 12:1)? Answer: He referred to their false ______ and their ______.

Jesus Heals a Blind Man in Two Stages

>>> Read Mark 8:22-26. <<<
Normally, Jesus' healings were complete and immediate. This case was different--He applied saliva to on the eyes of the blind man, laid His hands on him, and then asked what he saw. The man reported seeing men like trees walking around. So Jesus touched his eyes again, and his vision was perfectly restored. Why didn't Christ heal this man all at once, like He normally did? Jesus' healings were signs, symbols of spiritual truths. In this case, the two-stage healing of the blind man symbolized how men's understanding and insight is often healed in two steps. The disciples, for example, weren't totally blind, for they understood that Jesus was the Son of God (see 8:29). But, on the other hand, they still didn't perceive Jesus' complete ability and therefore had defective vision (see 8:17-18, 31-33). They needed to be touched again so they could see clearly.
Note -- Don't be satisfied to see men like trees walking: Consider the situation of the blind man. While blind, he saw absolutely nothing. When Jesus first touched him, his vision improved: he saw men, though they looked like trees. To one who had been totally blind, that was fantastic progress. But Jesus could do more--He touched the man again and he began to see perfectly. Unfortunately, in the spiritual realm, some are satisfied with one touch. They see, but not clearly. Many don't even realize that they need a complete cure, that they should not be content to see men like trees walking. Consider, for example, someone whose life has been totally devastated by sin. He hears about Jesus, begins to follow many of His teachings and his life improves. Sadly, however, He is unaware that he lacks understanding of Jesus' word in many areas and that he should not settle for distorted vision. Let's check out our own lives. Could it be that we still are not seeing clearly and that Jesus could restore our vision perfectly?
*7* How did the blind man see after Jesus first touched him? Answer: He saw men that looked like ______ walking around.
*8* How did he see after Jesus finished with him? Answer: He saw everything ______.

The Strength and Weakness of Peter

>>> Read Mark 8:27-33. <<<
Jesus asked what the public thought about Him. The disciples reported varying opinions: John the Baptist, Elijah, etc. When Jesus asked their own opinion, Peter boldly responded: Thou art the Christ. It was a brilliant insight. Nevertheless, when Jesus went on to warn about how He was going to be rejected and crucified, Peter was horrified. He could not imagine the Lord being killed. He began to correct Jesus telling Him that this would never happen! Jesus sternly rebuked Peter: "Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's." Peter was tempting Him not to suffer. Temptations are often strongest when they come through people we are close to. So Jesus flatly rejected Peter's advice. Isn't it strange that one minute Peter proclaimed Jesus to be Christ, the next he was calling Him aside to inform Him that He was mistaken! If Jesus was truly the Christ, Peter had no business arguing with Him. Nor do we.
*9* Who did people consider Jesus to be? a) John the Baptist, b) Elijah, c) one of the prophets, d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.
*10* What did Peter confess regarding Jesus' identity? a) He was a great teacher; b) He was a sublime philosopher; c) He was the Christ; d) He was a prophet, but not Divine. Answer: ______.
*11* How did Peter react to Jesus' announcement of His coming suffering? Answer: He took Jesus aside and began to ______ Him.
*12&13* What did Jesus say was the reason Peter would not believe Jesus was going to die? Answer: He was not minding the things of ______ but the things of ______.

The Conditions of Discipleship

>>> Read Mark 8:34-9:1. <<<
Jesus plainly explained what was required to become His disciple. He said that you must deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Him. These requirements are demanding. A person does not naturally deny himself; rather, he usually does what he wants. Death to self is painful, but that is exactly the meaning of taking up one's cross. The cross was an instrument of death--to take it up would be to die to oneself and to one's own desires in order to serve Christ. There is no profit in gaining the entire world, only to lose one's soul in the transaction. It is worth everything to submit to God's stringent requirements for discipleship.
Note -- Deceptive discipleship: Jesus highlighted the requirements for being a disciple because it is so easy to imagine that you are a follower of Jesus when, in fact, you aren't. Discipleship is not mere church membership or moral living. It is total devotion to Jesus Christ. It is to die to self and live 100% for the Lord. Am I really Jesus' disciple?
*14* Which of the following was not given as a requirement for being a disciple? a) deny self; b) take up ones cross; c) follow Jesus; d) speak in tongues. Answer: ______.
*15&16* How did Jesus teach the importance of proper priorities? Answer: He asked what profit a man would have if he could gain the whole ______ but then lose his own ______.
*17&18* Jesus said some of the people standing there would not die before they saw what (9:1)? Answer: They would not die till they saw the ______ of God come with ______.
(Thought question: How can this statement be harmonized with the doctrine that says Jesus' kingdom still has not come even today?)

Jesus Is Transfigured

>>> Read Mark 9:2-13. <<<
Jesus had taken three of His closest friends with Him to a high mountain. There, he began to glow with breathtaking brilliance. Just then, Elijah and Moses appeared, talking with Jesus. The disciples were awestruck. Moses was the great Lawgiver, the one who had led Israel out of Egyptian bondage and through the wilderness. Elijah was a great prophet, one of two men in the Old Testament who went directly to heaven without dying. And there they were talking to Jesus. Peter was profoundly moved by the occasion and suggested that they build three tabernacles: one for Jesus, one for Moses and one for Elijah. No doubt he felt that it would honor Jesus to receive a tabernacle alongside Moses and Elijah. But God's voice boomed from heaven: This is My beloved Son, listen to Him. Moses and Elijah vanished. Only Jesus remained. As they descended, Jesus told the disciples not to tell anyone about what had happened until after He was raised from the dead.
Note -- The greatness of Jesus: God's rebuff of Peter's suggestion to construct three tabernacles teaches volumes. The problem with Peter's plan was that it put Jesus on the same level as Moses and Elijah. He isn't. Jesus is above everyone--in this case, above the greatest figures of the Old Testament era. Our problem is like Peter's. We often tend to build multiple tabernacles. One for Jesus and one for our parents. Or one for Jesus and another for our pastor, for our church, or for a favorite activity. This won't do. Jesus must have the only tabernacle; He must be the supreme authority in our life. Nothing else can be on a par with Him.
*19&20* What two Old Testament characters appeared on the mountain and talked with Jesus? Answer: ______ and ______.
*21* What did Peter want to do on the mountain when he saw Jesus together with these men? Answer: He wanted to build three ______.
*22&23* What did the Father then say about Jesus? Answer: He said that Jesus was His ______, so people should ______ to Him.
*24&25* When were Peter, James and John permitted to tell about the transfiguration? Answer: They could tell about it after Jesus had ______ from the ______.

The Disciples Fail to Cast out a Demon

>>> Read Mark 9:14-29. <<<
As Jesus descended the mountain, He noticed great commotion in the valley. The crowd ran to meet Him. While Jesus had been with three of the apostles on the mountain, the others had been unable to cast a demon out of a boy. Since the apostles had normally been able to cast out demons (notice Mark 6:13), this failure puzzled them and surprised the bystanders. Jesus' enemies were taking advantage of this lapse to discredit Him. The father of the tormented lad asked Jesus to do something, if He could. The Lord turned his statement back on him: "If you can! All things are possible to him who believes." The father said that he believed, but recognizing the possibility that his faith was not as strong as it needed to be, he begged Jesus to help his unbelief. With that, Christ commanded the unclean spirit to leave the boy. The demon cried out and threw the boy into convulsions, but left. Later, the disciples asked why they had been unable to cast out the demon. Jesus explained that they were not relying on God enough, but on their own power: "This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer." Perhaps their prior success in expelling demons had caused them to be self-reliant, and they had neglected to pray in faith to God so that He would cast out the demon.
*26* What problem did the man's son have? Answer: He was possessed by a ______ that caused him to be mute.
*27* What happened when Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit (demon)? The spirit (demon): a) cried out, b) convulsed or tore him, c) came out, d) all of the preceding. Answer: ______.
Summary: Time and again the disciples demonstrated a lack of clear spiritual understanding. They saw Jesus multiply loaves and fishes, but failed to see that He could handle another food emergency. Peter affirmed that Jesus was the Christ, but thought it best to give Him some needed "advice." He believed Jesus was great, but on the same level with Moses and Elijah. The nine disciples in the valley boldly attempted to expel a demon, but without relying on the Lord. They were like those formerly blind who even now saw men like trees walking.

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Interpreting and Understanding the Bible

Introduction

We must be careful not to believe we and only us have been given the authority to interpret Scripture for all. Believing that the Bible can be understood only with further miraculous and discriminatory help from the Holy Spirit, and that such help is given only to us. Although some people and denominational groups believe their particular interpretation of Scripture is the only right one, we must believe that any person born of the spirit of God can pick up a Bible and understand its message? Is it reasonable to believe that the Bible can be understandable to those who read its words seeking to know God?

2 Peter 1:20-21 and Interpretation

Many who claim that ordinary people cannot understand the Bible have misapplied the words of 2 Peter 1:20-21: "But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God." Some have used this passage to claim that ordinary people are not able to interpret Scripture, but that is not what Peter said. The verb "is" in v20 is translated from the verb ginomai, meaning to become or spring into being. The context itself shows that Peter is stating that Scripture does not come (or spring into being) from the writer's ("one's") own personal ideas or interpretation, but from the Holy Spirit's inspiration only. This is clearly shown by viewing v20 in light of v21. The passage is about the authors of Scripture; it has nothing whatsoever to do with the reader's understanding.

Scripture Written to Ordinary People

The Bible itself indicates that it is intended for ordinary people to understand. The letters which are assembled together to form the New Testament were originally addressed to ordinary Christians or to entire congregations of people. Consider a few examples:

"Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints." Romans 1:1,7

"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother, to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." Colossians 1:1-2

"Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:1

"And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea." Colossians 4:16

"I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren." I Thessalonians 5:27

"Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: the time is at hand." Revelations 1:3

New Testament writings were written to ordinary members of the church and it was intended that the writings be read by or be read to those people. The divine instruction is "read", "hear", "read to", etc. Thus, the scriptures themselves tell us that we are to read them ourselves; no mention is made of needing an interpreter to understand them. It is God's will and desire that His word be studied and understood by each individual who would believe and become obedient to that will.

Notice what Paul said in Ephesians 3:3-5: "By revelation (from God) there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. And by referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit." Paul clearly states that we can understand what he wrote by inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Why do People Interpret the Bible Differently?

If the Bible is indeed written in a manner that is intended to be understandable, why are there so many different interpretations on various issues? There may not be a simple answer for this question, but following are a few possible explanations:

1. Some have not asked for wisdom.

James 1:5 says, "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him." God has promised to help those who sincerely ask for such.

2. Some are not diligently searching for truth.

Jesus often spoke in parables; perhaps He did so in order that those who truly wished to know the truth would understand, but the rest would not. Those who were not diligently searching for truth would hear only stories and would not comprehend the deeper truths being given.

In 2 Peter 3:16, Peter spoke of Paul's writings and said, "As also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction." Peter acknowledged that some teachings of Scripture would be difficult to understand. Notice he says it is the untaught and unstable who twist such things to their own destruction. Perhaps they do so because their hearts are not truly searching for the truth of God's word. 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12 speaks of God sending a deluding influence upon those who did not love the truth. Romans 1:28 says that God gave some over to a depraved mind.

In contrast, consider

Why do People Interpret the Bible Differently?

1. Some have not asked for wisdom.

Not only do we perhaps often fail to ask for wisdom, but perhaps we also often fail to ask with the proper motive. James 4:3 says, "You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures." Though the context of this verse is not specifically about wisdom, it may be that our prayers for wisdom may not be answered because something is amiss in our hearts.
2. Some are not diligently searching for truth.

Jesus often spoke in parables; perhaps He did so in order that those who truly wished to know the truth would understand, but the rest would not. Those who were not diligently searching for truth would hear only stories and would not comprehend the deeper truths being given.

In contrast, consider the example of Cornelius in Acts 10. He is described as "a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually (Acts 10:2). The context of the chapter shows that he was a man who was diligently searching for the truth, and thus he was provided a way to learn (by way of Peter).

3. Some are deceived or misled by false teaching.

Perhaps because of a lack of love for truth, some seem to be easily swayed by false teaching. In 2 Corinthians 11:3-4, 13-15, Paul was greatly concerned that the church in Corinth might be led away and deceived by those who were "false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ."

Paul said in Ephesians 4:14 that some are "children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming." He sadly declares in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate to themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths."

1 Timothy 4:1 says, "But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons." Destructive false doctrines of that day were Jewish legalism, gnosticism, asceticism, antinomianism, and docetism.

Note: It is apparently improper to label all who would err in their teaching as false teachers. Compare the example of Apollos in Acts 18:24-28 and the false teachers of 2 Peter 2:1-3. Apollos was not called a false teacher because his motive was pure; he simply needed help to better understand the truth. On the other hand, those whom Peter called false were called such because they indeed had false motives and were of poor character.

4. Some misunderstand due to insufficient scholarship.

Some set out with all sincerity and honesty to understand what the Bible teaches but fail to accurately interpret Scripture simply because they have not studied sufficiently. Perhaps they have not adequately determined the proper context, or misunderstand the historical setting, or perhaps they make some other mistake in trying to properly understand a passage.

5. Some look for proof texts to support what they already believe.

The task of Bible students today is to interpret Scripture in light of its true context. Productive and responsible Bible study requires a proper exegesis, which is defined as a critical examination and interpretation of Scripture based upon its historical setting and meaning to its original readers.

Some Bible students, however, often go to Scripture to find support for what they have already decided (perhaps influenced by their culture or the traditional viewpoint espoused by his/her fellowship). This process is generally called eisogesis, which is defined as reading one's own meaning into a text. While those who practice this method of interpretation may do so with the most honest of intentions, it is nevertheless a dangerous practice if one is truly in search of the truth (consider the example of the unbelieving Jews in Romans 10:1-3 and 1 Corinthians 2:8). We need to strive to be like the Bereans in Acts 17:11 who searched the Scriptures daily to make sure they held only to the truth.

6. Some use different methods of interpretation (hermeneutics).

Not everyone holds to the same method of interpretation (even though acknowledging the authority of Scripture):

Some think that many things are acceptable if not specifically condemned in Scripture; others think many things are NOT acceptable if not specifically mentioned and authorized in Scripture.

Some espouse the authority of commands, examples, and necessary inferences, while others hesitate to recognize and bind anything beyond clear and relevant commands.

Some believe every item of Scripture is to be interpreted literally, while others believe that some items are intended to be figurative in nature. Not everyone agrees on what is intended to be literal and what is intended to be figurative (for example, the book of Revelation)

Some believe that some commands or examples are relevant only to the people and culture of the early church, while others seek to apply such things to people of all time (speaking in tongues, feet washing, etc.)

Some interpret the NT as a written law and emphasize the importance of complying with the various details of commands and examples. Others believe the writings of the NT are not intended to be used as a written code, and thus they generally look more at the broader principles found in Scripture.

Conclusion

Christians believe the Bible is infallible, but certainly we ourselves are not. When we as mere humans set out to interpret the Bible, we sometimes fail to do so as God intended. Some no doubt interpret Scripture more accurately than do others, but it is doubtful that anyone has mastered every point of doctrine perfectly (see James 3:1-2). And, while some things may be difficult to understand, surely those things that are truly necessary to come into a saved relationship with the Lord are clear and easily understood by honest people searching for truth.

Christians will likely always have differing viewpoints on various issues. But let us remember the admonition of Paul in Romans 14:1, 13, 19: "[Let us seek to] accept the one who is weak . . . let us not judge one another anymore, . . . [nor] put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way. . . So then let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another."

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Gods Power Can Work In Your Life

God's Power Can Work in Your Life.

The Bible promises that anyone is able to know God's will, be forgiven of sin, resist temptation, endure hardship, serve obediently, and receive eternal life. God provides the power we need through Jesus' blood, the Scriptures, prayer, hope, love, and other Christians. No one needs to be lost. Anyone can overcome their past, achieve victory over sin, and become what God requires him/her to be.

Introduction:
Joshua 1:7,8 - Most people want to succeed in some area: business, family relations, music, athletics, politics, education, etc. God promised Joshua he could succeed in the most important activity in life: serving God.

People today also need reassurance that we can succeed in being right with God.

People who are not Christians are sometimes overwhelmed by the sacrifices Christians must make, the work to do, habits to change. They become so discouraged they do not even try.
Christians may also become discouraged as they try to live for God and find they have failed in some area. Some give up entirely. Others pretend to serve God while living in sin and excusing themselves by saying they simply cannot accomplish what the Bible says.

The purpose of this study is to show that God has provided all the blessings we need to serve Him successfully and receive eternal life.

These blessings are available to everyone. We must meet conditions that require effort and sacrifice, but all of us are capable of meeting these conditions. You can have God's power working in your life!
Consider the Bible promises. Note words referring to power, strength, and ability in these verses.

I. What Power Does God Make Available?

A. You Can Have the Power to Know and Believe the Truth.

Some people get confused by the different teachings they hear. They say, "I don't believe I can ever understand the Bible. One person teaches it one way and the next teaches it differently. I'll never know what to believe." But God can meet this need.
2 Timothy 3:15-17 - The Scriptures are inspired of God and able to make us wise to salvation. They are profitable to provide us to every good work.
1 Corinthians 2:4,5 - Paul's preaching was in the demonstration of the Spirit and power, so our faith can stand in the power of God.
Romans 1:16 - The gospel is the power of God to save those who believe. But faith comes by hearing God's word (10:17). The gospel is able to produce true faith in the heart of any honest person.
By human power alone truly we never could determine how to obtain eternal life. But God meets our needs by giving us the means to know and believe the truth if we study diligently with an honest, open heart.
[Mark 7:14; Eph. 3:3-5; John 8:31,32; Isaiah 55:11]

B. You Can Have the Power to Become a Child of God.

John 1:12 - Jesus gave the right ("power") to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. Faith alone, without obedience, does not make one a child of God, but simply gives the power to become a child.
1 Peter 1:22,23 - The power to make us children of God is in God's spiritual seed, His word. To be purified and born again, we must obey the truth. This includes repenting, confessing, and being baptized (Acts 2:38; 22:16; 17:30; Mark 16:16; Rom. 10:9,10).
Hebrews 7:25 - Jesus is able to save us to the uttermost. By human power alone we could never obtain forgiveness and become children of God. But God has made this power available to us.

C. You Can Have the Power to Resist Every Temptation.

People often excuse their sins saying obedience is just too hard. "I just can't do it. God will just have to understand." We may even blame God for being too demanding.
1 Corinthians 10:13 - God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. This is true of every temptation. We can be sure this is true because it is based on God's faithfulness.
Ephesians 6:10-18 - The Lord provides strength and power such that we are able to stand against the power of Satan. We can quench every one of his fiery darts (temptations). Again, this is not possible by human power. Perhaps Satan can defeat us if we face him alone, but we can succeed by the power of God's armor.
These verses teach that a Christian can overcome every temptation. There is never any excuse for committing even one single sin. In practice we all commit sin, because we fail to use the weapons properly (1 John 1:8,10). But this is not necessary. If we believe our human nature compels us to sin and nothing can be done about it, we are looking at human power when we should be looking at God's power.
[James 4:7; 2 Cor. 10:4,5; Jude 24]

D. You Can Have the Power to Endure Suffering and Hardship.

Often hardship, grief, sickness, and persecution tempt us to quit serving God. We think, "What's the use?"
2 Corinthians 1:3-10 - Paul suffered beyond power such that he despaired of life. Someone may ask, "Doesn't that prove there are temptations which are beyond our power?" Yes, perhaps we may face temptations beyond our power, but not beyond God's power. Paul here says we should learn to trust in God.
Romans 8:31-39 - No suffering or hardship of any kind is able to separate us from God's love. Rather, we are more than conquerors! We can defeat them all if we are on God's side.
Nowhere does God say He will remove all our problems. Rather He promises we can endure, remain faithful, and receive eternal life despite our problems.
[Phil. 4:11-13; Heb. 11:34]

E. You Can Have the Power to Serve Others.

Discouragement sometimes comes when we try to help others, but we see no positive results. We may decide to quit trying, thinking, "It just doesn't do any good."
2 Corinthians 9:8-10 - God is able to supply all our need, so we can abound in every good work and increase the fruits of righteousness.
John 15:4-8 - Jesus is like the vine that supplies the needs of the branches. Apart from Him, acting by human power alone, we can do nothing. But in Him we can bear much fruit.
2 Timothy 2:2 - Faithful men shall be able to teach others. This is part of the power God promises us.
Romans 15:14 - We shall be able to admonish one another. As in other areas, degrees of ability will vary, but all can develop some ability in teaching.
There is no need for Christians to live barren, unfruitful lives. We can accomplish much good for God if we will make use of His power.
[2 Thess. 1:11,12; 1 Peter 4:11; 2 Tim. 1:7,8; 2 Cor. 1:4]

F. You Can Have the Power to Do Everything Necessary to Receive Eternal Life.

Ephesians 3:20,21 - God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think according to His power that works in us.
Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
1 Peter 1:3-5 - By God's power we are guarded to an eternal and incorruptible inheritance in heaven.
2 Peter 1:3 - His power grants us all things that pertain to life and godliness.
The Bible nowhere teaches that it is impossible for a child of God to fall from grace. But it most certainly teaches that it is not necessary for us to fall!
[Mark 9:23; Isaiah 40:28-31; Eph. 1:19,20; Acts 20:32; Jude 24]

I. What Methods Does God Use to Provide This Power?

This power does us no good unless we know how to obtain it. As we study the methods God uses, note that all of them require effort on our part. There are conditions we must meet in order to have God's power.

A. There Is Power in Jesus' Blood.

1 Corinthians 1:18,23,24 - The power of God is the word of the cross, the message of Christ crucified.
Hebrews 7:25; 9:14 - Jesus' sacrifice is able to save to the uttermost.
"There is power in the blood." But the power is conditional. To receive it, you must repent and be baptized (see earlier discussion). If we sin afterward, we must repent and pray (Acts 8:22; 1 John 1:9).

B. There Is Power in God's Love.

Ephesians 3:16,17 - We may be strengthened in the inner man, being rooted and grounded in love [cf. v19-21]. All of us need to know that we are loved and cared for.
When a person knows he is wrong, he may not care if he does more wrong. He is already alienated, so what will it hurt? But when he knows he has been right and he feels a sense of being loved, he does not want to do anything to break that bond.
1 John 4:9,19; 5:3 - God loves us so much that He gave Jesus to die for us. This knowledge compels us to love God and obey Him. People in sin often talk about the sense of loneliness they feel, knowing they are alienated from God.
Love is a powerful motivation. God's love is the most powerful love there is. It is a bond that draws us to God and motivates us to serve Him successfully. But there are conditions: love must lead to obedience.
[John 14:15]

C There Is Power in the Scriptures.

Romans 1:16 - The gospel is the power of God unto salvation.
1 Corinthians 1:18 - The word of the cross is the power of God.
Ephesians 6:13-17 - Every part of the armor of God is related directly or indirectly to the word: loins girt with truth, feet shod with the preparation of the gospel, the sword which is the word, etc.
Further, the Scriptures are involved in every area in which we need power: they are the basis of knowledge and faith, they tell us how to become children of God, they strengthen us to overcome temptation and comfort us in trouble, etc. [Matt. 4:4,7,10; Rom. 15:4]
Joshua 1:7,8 - To be successful in God's work, Joshua had to meditate on God's law. Again, the power of the word is conditional. We must study and follow the word in order to benefit from the power it provides.
[James 1:21-25; Acts 18:27,28; 20:32; Rom. 15:14; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; Heb. 4:12f; 1 Cor. 10:12f; 16:13]

D. There Is Power in Prayer.

Ephesians 6:18 - There is power in God's armor, but we are to take it on with prayer. We should make our requests known so God can supply what we need to serve Him.
Psalms 138:3 - In the day when I cried out, You answered me, And made me bold with strength in my soul.
James 5:16 - The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
There is no need to bear our burdens alone. We can give them to God. But again there are conditions. We must use the privilege of prayer.
Too many of us are like a man with a powerful automobile who, instead of getting in and turning on the engine, stands behind the car pushing it. He tries to do it all himself and gets nowhere.
[1 Peter 5:7,8; Col. 1:9-11; 2 Thess. 1:11; Phil. 4:6,7]

E. There Is Power in Associating with Other Christians.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 - Two are better than one. If one falls, his companion can lift him up. An enemy might prevail against one alone, but instead there are two to withstand him. A threefold cord is not easily broken. There is strength in working together.
Galatians 6:2 - Christians bear one another's burdens.
2 Corinthians 1:4 - They comfort one another in times of affliction. Sometimes our problems are bigger than we can handle alone. We need help. But remember, if we want others to help us, we need to be willing to help them when they have needs.
Hebrews 10:23-25 - One excellent time to strengthen one another is when the church meets. We can provoke one another to love and good works. We can exhort one another.
Again, the strength God supplies is conditional. We must make use of it. Strangely, many Christians neglect or flat refuse to use this source of strength at the very times they need it most. Facing the greatest spiritual dangers of their lives, when they are tempted to fall away, they neglect to attend church meetings.
We can only be strong when we use what God provides to make us strong!
[Heb. 3:12-14; Eph. 4:16; Col. 3:16; Rom. 15:14]

F. There Is Power in the Hope of Eternal Life.

2 Peter 1:8-11 - The desire to enter the everlasting kingdom motivates us to make our calling and election sure by developing the needed qualities in our lives. Instead of being near-sighted, we should keep our eyes on our goal.
1 Corinthians 9:25 - Goals motivate us to work hard, as illustrated by athletes. Without a clear vision of our goal, we may easily give up in hardship. With a clear and valuable goal, we are strongly motivated to persevere.
Matthew 6:24,33 - But again there are conditions. We must keep our eye on the goal and not become overly involved in affairs of this life. We cannot serve two masters, but must seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. We must keep our priorities straight.
[1 Peter 1:3-5; Acts 20:32; Jude 24]

Conclusion

Acts 10:34,35 - God is no respecter of persons. In every nation, those who fear Him and work righteousness are accepted by Him. Everyone can serve God successfully. This is not just for other people. It includes you and me. [2 Peter 3:9; 1 Tim. 2:4,6; Titus 2:11-14; Acts 2:38,39; Mark 16:15,16; Matt. 28:18-20; Rom. 1:16]
Why then are so many people being defeated in God's service? Because they are not using the armor properly!

Imagine an army of soldiers sworn to protect the country where you live.

Suppose a powerful enemy is coming to attack your city, destroy your wives and children, causing great pain and grief. The enemy has a powerful weapon which your army is convinced it cannot defeat.
Then the soldiers learn of someone who has a powerful new weapon. Everywhere it has been used, the enemy has been defeated.
The new weapon is obtained so every soldier can have one. The weapons come with an instruction manual. Meetings are set up so the soldiers can learn how to use the weapon. Your army can successfully win the victory! All the soldiers have to do is attend the meetings, study the manual, and use the weapons provided.
Would you want those soldiers to stay home from 1/2 to 2/3 of the meetings, when they could come? Should they daydream through the meetings? Should they take the manuals home, lay them on the shelf, and rarely read them?
The enemy is Satan. You and I are the soldiers. We will surely lose, not just our lives, but our souls eternally unless we learn how to defeat Satan's forces. God has provided armor that is guaranteed to defeat Satan, but we must learn to use it. It comes with a manual we must study - the Bible. The church is instructed to provide meetings so we can learn to use the weapons.
You can successfully win the battle against Satan by the means God has supplied. Are you studying and attending the meetings diligently so you can be successful? Are you as diligent as you would want soldiers to be if they were defending you and your family in wartime? Have you even yet enlisted in the army?

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

His Name Is Jesus

The Witness to the Revelation of Jesus Christ , John 1:1-51

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2The same was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

A) Jesus the Living Word: The first witness of John the Apostle, 1:1-5

(John 1:1-5) Introduction: this passage is one of the summits of scripture. In fact, it probably reaches the highest of human thought. What is the thought that reaches the height of human concepts? It is this Jesus Christ, the son of God is..........

             1) The word of God
             2) The creator of Life
             3) the very Being and Essence of Life

These three truths have to be deeply thought about to understand their meaning. A quick reading of this passage leaves a person disinterested, not even close to understanding what is being said. However, the importance of the truth lie at the very foundation of life. They cannot be overstated, for they determine a man's destiny. If Jesus Christ is the word of God, then men must hear and understand that word or else be lost forever in ignorance of God himself.

Through the scriptures we will see that:
1) Christ is eternal (vs.1-2)
2) Christ is the creator(vs.3)
3)Christ is life (vs.4-5)

[1] (1:1-2) Jesus Christ, Son of God- Eternal- Preexistent- Revelation: Christ is eternal. Note three profound statements made about Christ, the Word.
    a. Christ was preexistent. This means He was there before creation. He always existed.
           1)" In the beginning" does not mean from the beginning. Jesus Christ was already there. He did not become; He was not created; He never had a beginning. He "was in the beginning with God"( see John17:5,8:58)


The testimony of John was that Jesus Christ was the word, the one who always existed. He is the Son of the living God.
    b. Christ was coexistent. He was and is face-to -face with God forever. Jesus Christ (the Word) was both with God and acting with God. He was "with God" : by God's side, acting, living, and moving in the closest of relationships. Christ had the ideal and perfect relationship with God the Father. Their life together-their relationship, communion, fellowship, and connection- was the perfect eternal bond. This is exactly what is said:" The same was in the beginning with God"(vs.2)
   c. John did not say that "the Word" was the God. He says "the Word" was God. John was saying that "the Word," Jesus Christ.......Is the very nature and character of God the Father; is a distinct person from God the Father, but he is the very being essence(perfection) of God the Father.

[2] (1:3) Jesus Christ, Creator: Christ is the creator.
         a)All things, means every detail of creation- not creation as a whole, but every single detail. Each element and thing,each being and person-whether material or spiritual, angelic or human, has come into being by Christ.
         b) The words were made, came into being. Nothing was existing, no substance, no matter whatsoever. Matter is not eternal. God did not take something outside of himself, something less than perfect(evil) and create the world. Christ, the word, took nothing but his will and power; and He spoke the Word and created every single thing out of nothing.
         c) Christ was the one who created all things- one by one. Among the God head, He was the active Agent, the person who made all things. Creation was his function and work.(see col.1:16)

[3] (1:4-5) Jesus Christ, Life-Light :Christ is life
         a) Christ is the source of light. "The Life [Christ] was the light of men" From the very beginning man was to know that life, to know God personally and intimately. The knowledge of the life of Christ was to be the light of men, the beam that was to give real life to man, both abundant and eternal, and infuse energy and motivation into man so that he might walk and live as he should. The life [Christ] was to be the light of man's purpose, meaning and significance upon earth.

         b) Christ is the answer to darkness. Christ life did shine in the darkness. Since man had brought darkness into the world(by sin)the life of Christ was the light of man, the beam that showed man the way ,truth, and the life. He show man the way God intended for him to live. He showed man the truth of life, that is the truth about God and man and the truth about the world of man. Christ showed man the life, that is how to save his life and avoid the things that can cause him to stumble and lose his life. Christ's life (the light) cannot be over come.

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Conversion from Sin

Lesson #1: Sin's Consequences and God's Grace

Introduction:

Sin came into the world as a result of the disobedience of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3). Since then, all people become sinners when they too disobey God's law (Romans 3:23). Sin is a universal problem, and the solution to the problem of sin constitutes the theme of the Bible.
The purpose of this study is to examine what the Scriptures teach about the nature of sin and about God's plan to provide forgiveness of sins through the death of Jesus Christ.
As we study, we will ask personal application questions to help each of us evaluate whether or not we personally are guilty of sin and whether or not we have been forgiven by the blood of Jesus. Please give honest consideration to these questions throughout the studies.

I. Sin and Its Consequences

A. The Nature of Sin

What is sin, and how does a person become a sinner? Some churches teach that people inherit guilt from Adam through their parents. They conclude that little babies are born guilty of sin. What does Jesus teach in the Bible?

Sin is committed, not inherited.

>>> Please read 1 John 3:4. <<<
*1* What is sin? Answer: Sin is __________ .
*2* Is sin something a person: (a) commits (practices), or (b) inherits? Answer: ____.
>>> Please read Romans 6:16. <<<
*3* How do people become slaves (servants) of sin? Answer: They present themselves to __________ sin.
>>> Please read John 8:34. <<<
*4* Who is a slave to sin? Answer: Whoever __________ sin is a slave of sin.
We may sin in word, deed, or thought, but our own conduct is what makes us sinners.
>>> Please read Ezekiel 18:20. <<<
*5* Who bears the guilt of a person's sins? Answer: The wickedness of the wicked will be upon __________ .
*6* What sins are we guilty of? (a) just the ones we commit, (b) our father's, (c) Adam's, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ____.
Note that Jesus was a descendant of Adam, born of woman (Luke 3:38; Galatians 4:4). He shared in flesh and blood, being made in all things like us (Hebrews 2:14,17). If people inherit Adam's sin, then Jesus must have been guilty of sin. Yet in Him there was no sin, because He did no sin (1 Peter 2:22; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 3:5; Hebrews 4:15). Jesus was made like us in all things but He did not inherit guilt; therefore guilt is not inherited.
Sin is doing, practicing, committing things that are not in harmony with God's will. Guilt cannot be inherited through our parents. None of Adam's descendants bear the guilt of his sin. Adam's sin is upon Adam alone. If you are guilty of sin, it is because of what you have done.
[See also Mark 7:20-23; Romans 3:9-18,23; 1 Timothy 6:10; James 1:14,15; 2:10,11.]

Each person will be judged for his own life.

Each person's eternal destiny is determined by his/her own conduct. It is determined individually. Each person is held accountable for what he did, not for what his ancestors did.
>>> Please read Romans 2:6-10. <<<
*7* To receive eternal life, what must we do (vv 7,10)? Answer: We must patiently continue in doing (working) that which is __________ .
*8* Who will receive punishment (vv 8,9)? Answer: Tribulation and anguish will be upon everyone who does __________ .
Note that, at judgment, each will be rewarded according to his works or deeds (v6).
>>> Please read 2 Corinthians 5:10. <<<
*9* How many people will be judged? Answer: We must __________ appear before Jesus' judgment seat.
*10* On what basis will each one be judged? (a) what his parents did, (b) what he has done in the body, (c) what Adam did. Answer: ____.
[See also Matthew 7:21,23; Rom. 1:32; 14:12; Matt. 16:27; Rev. 20:12,13; 22:12.]
Note again that the above passages all show that sin is something a person does, works, or practices. Jesus taught that man is active both in sin and in salvation. He becomes a sinner because of what he does; and we will see that what he does also determines whether or not He receives God's offer of salvation.
No passage of Scripture anywhere teaches that little children are born sinners. Sin is not inherited. God does not hold children accountable for their conduct till they are old enough to understand His will and accept the responsibility to serve Him. Then they become sinners when they themselves participate in sinful conduct.
Have you disobeyed God's laws? If so, and if you are old enough to understand God's teachings about sin and salvation, then you need to learn and understand God's will about how to be forgiven of sin.
[Read Psalm 106:37,38; Hebrews 12:9; Matthew 18:3 & 19:14.]
For further information about original sin and the doctrine of inherited sin, please see the links at the end of this lesson.

B. The Universality of Sin

Some examples of sin

The gospel contains many specific lists of sins. Of course, these lists are not intended to be complete catalogs of every imaginable kind of sin; but they do illustrate the kinds of things that constitute sin.
>>> Please read Galatians 5:19-21. <<<
*11* What happens to those who practice works of the flesh such as are listed here? Answer: They will not inherit the __________ .
>>> Please read Revelation 21:8. <<<
*12* What will be the destiny of those who commit these sins? Answer: They will have their part in the lake that burns with __________ .
>>> Please read 2 Timothy 3:1-5. <<<
*13* What are some sins that Paul warned about here: (a) lovers of self, (b) lovers of money, (c) proud, (d) disobedient to parents, (e) unthankful, (f) all the preceding. Answer: ____.
>>> Please read Galatians 1:8,9. <<<
*14* God's curse (anathema) also comes on those who do what? Answer: Those who teach a different __________ .
>>> Please read James 4:17. <<<
*15* Who is guilty of sin according to this verse? Answer: Those who know to do __________ and do not do it.
Think carefully: Have you been guilty of any of these sins? If so, which ones? Have the sins you committed been forgiven? How do you know?
[See also Matthew 15:18-20; Romans 1:29-32]

People who are guilty of sin

Consider now how many people are guilty of sin.
>>> Please read Romans 3:10-17. <<<
*16* How many people are righteous and good because they have lived without sin? Answer: __________ .
>>> Please read Romans 3:23. <<<
*17* How many people commit sin? Answer: __________ have sinned and come short of God's glory.
>>> Please read 1 John 1:8,10. <<<
*18* What is our case if we say we have no sin? Answer: The __________ is not in us.
All people eventually disobey God and become guilty of sin. This is a universal problem.
What about you? What is your condition before God? If you are accountable before God, then you have committed sin. Have your sins been forgiven?

C. The Consequences of Sin

Even before the first sin, God had warned Adam and Eve of the consequences of sin (Gen. 2:16,17). Throughout history, as people have continued to sin, sin has continued to have consequences in this life and in eternity.
>>> Please read Isaiah 59:1,2. <<<
*19* What consequence does sin have? Answer: Your sins (iniquities) have __________ you from God.
>>> Please read Colossians 3:6. <<<
*20* What does disobedience bring upon us? Answer: The __________ of God comes on those who disobey.
James 4:4 adds that whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy to God.
>>> Please read Matthew 25:41,46. <<<
*21* Where will the wicked go after the judgment day? Answer: The wicked will go into __________ .
Please note that, not only will the wicked be eternally lost, but they will also miss eternal life.
>>> Please read 2 Thessalonians 1:8,9. <<<
*22* What is the destiny of those who do not obey the gospel? Answer: They will be punished with __________ from the presence of the Lord.
The righteous will receive eternal life and will be with God forever in heaven (1 Peter 1:3,4). But the wicked will miss this great joy.
So all of us eventually sin. If those sins are not forgiven, we are separated from God in this life and in eternity. His wrath is upon us and He views us as His enemies, so that we suffer everlasting punishment in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15).
Knowledge of the consequences of sin causes great fear and guilt (Psalms 38:4-6). The guilty have every reason to fear their eternal destiny. God views sin as something horrible, and we should do the same.

The Grace of God and the Sacrifice of Jesus

Sin is a universal problem, but God did not want the people He created to be lost eternally. Let us consider the provision God has made to deal with our sin problem.

A. God's Grace and Mercy

Consider the following passages about God's grace and mercy. (When the lesson asks for a definition, please look the term up in your dictionary.)
>>> Please read Ephesians 1:7. <<<
*23* What has the grace of God made available to us? Answer: We have redemption through Jesus' blood, the __________ of sins, according to the riches of His grace.
*24* What definition of "redeem" would best fit the Bible meaning? (a) to condemn eternally, (b) to pay a purchase price to recover something, (c) to neglect or overlook, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ____.
Sinners are slaves of sin, condemned to be punished for our guilt. God's grace led Him to desire to forgive us and pay the price to recover us from guilt and condemnation.
>>> Please read Romans 5:1,2 <<<
*25* What can God's grace do for us? Answer: (a) we are justified by faith, (b) we have peace with God, (c) we rejoice in hope of glory, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ____
*26* What definition best fits the Bible meaning of "justify"? (a) to deny or hide our guilt, (b) to find a psychologist or preacher who will excuse our guilt, (c) to absolve or forgive ones guilt so that they stand right or just, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ____.
>>> Please read Titus 2:11-14. <<<
*27* To how many people has the grace of God appeared? Answer: The grace that brings salvation has appeared to __________ .
>>> Please read Hebrews 2:9. <<<
*28* What did Jesus do for us by the grace of God? Answer: By the grace of God he tasted __________ for everyone.
>>> Please read 1 Peter 1:3,4; Acts 20:32. <<<
*29,30* To what has God's mercy begotten us? Answer: We are begotten to a living hope, to an __________ incorruptible and undefiled, reserved in __________ for us.
*31* What definition of "grace" best fits the Bible meaning? (a) unmerited or undeserved favor from God, (b) goodness inherent within people, (c) ability to hide guilt so no one else knows, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ____.
All of us, at some point in our lives, sin against God and deserve to be punished. We then bear the burden of guilt and will receive everlasting punishment in hell if our sins are not forgiven.
God does not want this to happen, so He chose to offer us forgiveness, redemption, justification, and the hope of eternal life with him in heaven. Since sinners do not deserve such favor, by definition it constitutes "grace." Every one of us should be forever grateful to God for offering us such a hope.
[See also Acts 15:7-11; 20:24; Romans 4:4-7; 5:1,2; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Ephesians 1:5-11; 2:5-10; 1 Timothy 1:13-16; 2 Timothy 1:8-10; Titus 3:3-7.]

B. The Sacrificial Death of Jesus

Grace motivated God to determine a means to offer us forgiveness despite our sins. But this offer expressed itself in a specific, practical form, which required God's Son to come to earth in the form of a man.
>>> Please read Luke 19:10; Matthew 20:28. <<<
*32,33* For what purpose did Jesus come to earth? Answer: He came to seek and save that which was __________ and to give His life as a __________ for many.
>>> Please read Matthew 26:28. <<<
*34* Why did He have to die? Answer: He shed (poured out) His __________ for many for remission of sins.
>>> Please read Romans 5:6-9. <<<
*35* How did God demonstrate His love for us? Answer: While we were still sinners Christ __________ for us.
As a result, we can be justified by His blood (death) and saved from God's wrath.
>>> Please read 1 Peter 2:24; Hebrews 2:9. <<<
*36,37* What is the relationship between our sins and Jesus' death? Answer: He bore our __________ in His body on the tree. By the grace of God, He tasted __________ for everyone.
By His stripes we are healed. This means that He was punished so that we do not need to be punished. He suffered so we could be forgiven and counted righteous (justified) despite our sins.
As stated in Ephesians 1:7, Jesus' blood was the means by which God's grace made redemption and forgiveness available to sinners. His blood was the purchase price that redeemed us from our sins (1 Peter 1:18,19).
>>> Please read Acts 4:12; John 14:6. <<<
*38* How important is Jesus' death to us? Answer: There is salvation in no one else. No one can come to the __________ except through Jesus.
Throughout the Bible, the penalty of sin is referred to as "death" (Ezekiel 18:20; Romans 6:23). Ultimately, this death requires eternal punishment separated from God, in contrast to eternal life (cf. Matthew 7:13,14).
Since He lived a sinless life, Jesus did not deserve to die for His sins. Yet God allowed Him to be slain, even though He was innocent, so that we who are guilty might not have to suffer for our sins. His death satisfied the demands of God's justice, making it possible for us to be forgiven of our sins. But we must properly come to Jesus to be forgiven by His sacrificial death.
It follows that every one of us will be eternally punished for our sins, unless we receive forgiveness through Jesus' death. There is no other way of salvation, no other way to be made right with God, and no other way to receive eternal life.

Personal application questions:

Do you feel guilty and fearful about your sins? __________
Which of the following words would you use to describe yourself right now in your relationship to God: sinner, Christian, saved, lost, guilty, forgiven, pleasing to God, displeasing to God? __________
If you were to die right now, what eternal reward would you receive? __________
Have you received forgiveness through His blood? How do you know? ________________________________________

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

The Message Spreads

The Message SpreadsLesson 5

Jesus Sends out the Twelve

>>> Read Mark 6:7-13. <<<
Please make sure to pick up your Bible and read each paragraph as you proceed with this lesson. In this section, Jesus sent His twelve apostles out in pairs on a preaching tour. This marked the fourth stage in their career. Earlier, they had heard Jesus, been called by Him, and been chosen as apostles. Here they were sent out as His representatives to proclaim the message of repentance. The mission was urgent, so Jesus forbade them to take extra provisions. This restriction was not intended to be permanent (see Luke 22:35-36), but was appropriate for this brief mission (see Mark 6:30). Sending out six pairs of preachers both facilitated the spread of Jesus' message and gave the apostles valuable practical experience.
*1* What message did Jesus' apostles preach (v12)? Answer: They said people should ______.
*2&3* What were they to do when people would not receive their message (v11)? Answer: They should shake off the ______ from their ______.

Herod Fears Jesus

>>> Read Mark 6:14-29. <<<
Perhaps because of the additional groups of preachers being sent out, Herod, the governor, heard about Jesus. His guilty conscience made him worry that Jesus was John the Baptist whom he had beheaded some time earlier. This paragraph tells why Herod had killed John. John had been preaching against his marriage telling him that it wasn't right for him to have Herodias, who had been his brother's wife. As a result, he imprisoned John, but did not wish to kill him. Herodias did. One day, he had a party with many important guests. His stepdaughter provided "live entertainment." Because of her provocative dance, Herod rashly vowed to give her anything she asked, up to half of his kingdom. Upon receiving instructions from her mother, the girl requested that John's head be served to her on a platter. Herod hated to do it, but he didn't want to lose face in front of his dinner guests, so he obliged the girl's request and John was murdered.
Note -- Sins that beheaded John the Baptist: John was a righteous preacher who was murdered because of several sins: 1) an unlawful marriage; 2) resentment and bitterness on the part of Herodias; 3) a lustful dance; 4) a rash promise; and 5) Herod's lack of courage in not breaking the sinful vow. Actions that produced such bitter fruit should be carefully avoided by Christians today. 1) Despite the frequency of divorce and remarriage in our society, Christians must not act against the Lord's instructions (see Mark 10:2-10; Matthew 19:9). 2) All disciples must rid their lives of resentment and bitterness, because they build up and lead to hatred, harsh words and revengeful actions. 3) Lustful behavior provokes every form of sexual sin in our society. Followers of Christ should avoid nightclubs, dances and other activities that encourage sensual feelings. 4) No one should make any promise without careful thought. 5) All should have the courage to do what is right regardless of the presence of others.
*4* Who did Herod think Jesus was? Answer: He thought He was ______.
*5* Why had Herod arrested John the Baptist? Answer: John had preached that it was not lawful for Herod to have his brother Philip's ______.
*6* How did Herodias' daughter please Herod? Answer: She ______ before him on his birthday.
*7,8,&9* What promise did Herod make to Herodias' daughter, and what did she ask for then? Answer: He promised to give her anything up to half of his ______, so she asked for the ______ of ______.
(Note: For more information about unscriptural marriages, see lesson 7 on Mark 10.)

Unsuccessful Attempt to Rest

>>> Read Mark 6:30-44. <<<
When the disciples returned from their preaching trip, Jesus sought to leave the multitude in order to spend time with them privately. They had been so busy they hadn't even had time for meals. Therefore, Jesus and the twelve crossed the Sea of Galilee by boat. The multitude followed Jesus on foot and were already there waiting when the Lord and His apostles landed. Instead of being perturbed, Jesus felt compassion for them because He knew that they were like sheep without a shepherd. He taught them. Then He discussed the options for feeding the huge crowd. The disciples had only five loaves of bread and a few fish. To buy enough food at the market would have been prohibitively expensive. So Jesus simply had the crowd sit down by hundreds and fifties on the grass and He multiplied the food. All ate, were filled and more leftovers were gathered than the amount they had started with. Once again we see Jesus as the One who had the authority to handle every situation.
*10* How did Jesus feel toward the multitude who pursued him while he was trying to get away for a time of rest? a) He was angry, b) He was compassionate, c) He didn't care about them, d) all of the preceding. Answer: ______.
*11,12,13,&14* Fill in the numbers. Jesus' disciples had ______ loaves and ______ fishes. They fed ______ men and had ______ baskets of leftovers.

The Trip Back across the Sea

>>> Read Mark 6:45-56. <<<
Jesus sent the disciples in a boat across the sea. Meanwhile, He went to a mountain to pray. In the wee hours of the morning, He saw the disciples still struggling in their boat. A storm had arisen and they were strenuously rowing trying to get across. He simply walked across the sea to them. At first they thought He was a ghost, but He identified himself, got into the boat, and the storm suddenly stopped. Though the disciples had seen Jesus do many amazing things, every new incident seemed to surprise them. When they landed on the shore, many recognized Jesus and began to bring sick folks for Him to heal. As usual, the Lord healed all that were brought to Him.
*15* While the disciples got on a boat to cross the sea, what did Jesus do? Answer: He went to a mountain to ______.
*16&17* How did Jesus go to the disciples? Answer: He ______ on the ______.

Jesus vs. Traditions

>>> Read Mark 7:1-13. <<<
The Pharisees and scribes challenged the disciples because they ate with unwashed hands. The issue here was not hygiene, but religious ritual. The Pharisees had developed elaborate cleansing procedures that they believed were a part of God's will. The truth is, God had never commanded these washings; they originated with the doctrines and traditions of men. Jesus answered His critics by pointing out the difference between God-given commandments and human traditions. He showed that their insistence on following rules established by men caused them to actually break God's law. He cited the case of "Corban." This was a Jewish tradition that prohibited a person from using his resources to provide for his aging parents if he had previously declared those resources "dedicated" to God. Their obedience to men's doctrines led them to disregard God's will.
Note -- Men's doctrines vs. God's commands: Men continue to follow their own traditions and doctrines rather than God's word. Just like the scribes and Pharisees, people today believe that their doctrines actually are God's will. They haven't learned how to distinguish between unnecessary rules and binding commands. Jesus showed how easy it is to tell the difference: Look at their source. Any religious practice or teaching that comes from man is wrong; those which come from God are right. We should examine everything we do to see whether it comes from God or man. Everything from God is in the Bible. So if what I believe isn't taught by Scripture, I can know it must be from man.
*18&19* What criticism did the Pharisees and scribes raise against Jesus' disciples? Answer: The disciples did not ______ their hands before they ______ food.
*20* What was the authority behind this religious practice? Answer: It was a ______ of the elders.
*21* What did Jesus say about service to God that is based on the doctrines of men (v7)? Answer: He said their worship was ______.

Emphasis on the Heart

>>> Read Mark 7:14-23. <<<
The Pharisees focused primarily on external things. But Jesus showed that what actually defiles a person are the things inside his heart. In the Bible, the heart refers to the mind or spirit of man. Every sin germinates and grows within man's spirit and is then expressed in external action. In this way, the Lord showed how foolish it was for the Pharisees to be frantically seeking external purity by a ritual hand washing procedure. This principle also proved that God no longer had rules prohibiting the eating of certain foods.
Note -- We need a heart check-up: Jesus' words should motivate us to carefully examine our own heart. Heart disease is a warning symptom, and if not detected and cured, will result in all manner of sin. Jesus warned about greed, envy, pride, and lust. These attitudes are wrong, and must be checked at their onset. We must care for our heart by feeding on the pure Word of God and constantly seeking the Lord.
*22* What causes a person to be defiled? Answer: A person is defiled by things that come from out of his ______.

Jesus Heals a Gentile Woman's Daughter

>>> Read Mark 7:24-30. <<<
Jesus had traveled to a predominantly Gentile area. Before this, almost all of His work had been done with Jews. He had healed Jews; His apostles were Jews; and He preached to Jews. Jesus wanted to have some time alone with the apostles, so He withdrew to a Gentile region north of Galilee. He had hoped to stay there undetected, but a Syrian woman found out He was there and came requesting that He heal her demon-possessed daughter. At first, Jesus refused. He said that it was not good to take bread from the children and feed it to the dogs. What he meant was that according to God's plan it wasn't time yet to heal and teach the Gentiles; the Jews (the children) were the ones God intended to be the recipients of the bread (healings and blessings in general) first. God planned that later on through the Jewish people the gospel would be introduced to the Gentiles. This woman showed great faith, humility and quickness because she responded: Yes, but even the dogs under the table get to eat the crumbs. She implied that just a mere crumb of Jesus' miraculous power would be sufficient to heal her daughter. She also recognized that this did not signal the beginning of a major Gentile "campaign." As a result, Jesus healed her daughter. The conversation had made it clear that she would not misinterpret the healing as a sign that the time for the Gentiles had come.
*23* Of what race or nationality was the woman who came to Jesus? (a) Jewish, (b) Hindu, (c) Greek/Gentile (Syrophoenician), (d) American. Answer: ______.
*24* What problem did she want Jesus to solve? Answer: She wanted Him to cure her daughter who had a ______.
*25,26,&27* What did Jesus tell her, and how did she respond? Answer: He said that the children's bread should not be thrown to ______. She said that even the dogs get to eat the ______ that fall from (or are under) the ______.

Jesus Heals a Deaf Man

>>> Read Mark 7:31-37. <<<
Please read this paragraph in your Bible before continuing. You undoubtedly noticed that Jesus used an unusual procedure to heal this deaf man. After taking him away from the crowd, Jesus put His fingers into the man's ears, and touched the man's tongue with His own saliva. Apparently, Jesus was using "sign language" to communicate with him, and to let him know who was about to heal him. Had Jesus not done this, the man would have suddenly begun to hear, but would not have understood why. The multitude's affirmation was absolutely correct: "He has done all things well!"
*28* Where did Jesus put His fingers? Answer: He put them into the deaf man's ______.
*29* What effect did the miracle have on the crowds? Answer: They were amazed and said that Jesus did everything ______.

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Jesus Does the Impossible

Jesus Does the ImpossibleLesson #4

Jesus Stills the Storm

>>> Read Mark 4:35-41. <<<
Jesus consistently demonstrated His authority by doing things which were totally beyond human capacity. In this case, while the disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee by boat, Jesus fell asleep on a cushion. A great storm arose, and the disciples panicked. In desperation, they awoke Jesus saying: "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" He got up and calmly rebuked the wind and the sea. The storm ceased. He then turned to the disciples and reproved them for their lack of faith. Though they had seen Jesus perform many miracles, they were always amazed by each new one. They said: "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?"
Note -- How well do we sleep? Considering the things that the disciples had already seen Jesus do, their doubts about His ability to quiet the storm are astonishing. They had seen Him heal multitudes of people, cast out demons and prove Himself equal to any task at hand. Suddenly, they despaired because of a storm on the sea. Obviously, they didn't really think Jesus could solve this problem because they were amazed when He did. How could they have been so slow and so distrustful? What about us? Do we not believe that Jesus can handle any situation, if we trust and obey His will? Have we not seen in the Scriptures how Jesus can solve every problem? How do we react when we confront a fresh crisis in our lives--do we trustingly and confidently turn to Jesus, or do we throw up our hands in despair? How well do we sleep?
*1* What was Jesus doing when the storm arose on the sea? (a) praying, (b) reading Scripture, (c) sleeping, (d) rowing. Answer: ______.
*2* How did Jesus calm the storm? Answer: He calmly ______ the wind and the sea.
*3* How did the disciples react to this miracle? (a) They ignored it. (b) They were afraid, (c) They were angry. (d) All of the preceding. Answer: ______.

Jesus Casts out a Legion of Demons

>>> Read Mark 5:1-20. <<<
When Jesus got out of the boat, a wild man met Him. The man, inhabited by thousands of demons, could not be subdued by human force, and so he lived as a savage among the tombs. The demons within the man were scared of Jesus. They asked Him not to send them out of the country (to the abyss, Luke 8:31). Instead, they wanted to be able to enter a nearby herd of swine. Evidently, if the demons had been expelled without having permission to go into another being, they would have had to return to Hell. No doubt it was better to inhabit a pig, if necessary, than to be sent back to that awful place. Surprisingly, Jesus granted the demons' request. They left the man and entered the pigs. The herd went berserk because of the presence of the demons within them, ran headlong and plunged off the cliff. The pigs drowned and presumably the demons had to return to the abyss. Perhaps they thought they had outsmarted Jesus when He allowed them to enter the swine, but the truth is, Jesus outsmarted them! In the end they had to return to the abyss--they merely took a roller-coaster ride to get there.
Meanwhile, those who had been tending the hogs went into the city and told the townsfolk about what Jesus had done. What a tremendous opportunity for this small town to have Jesus present! They didn't look at it as an opportunity though; they asked Jesus to leave. The man who had been healed wanted to follow Jesus, but He told him to return to his home and start preaching.
Note -- They asked Him to leave! At first, it may seem incredible that the people of the town didn't want Jesus to stay. But think about what they had just lost: 2000 pigs. Some people owned them; some folks were planning to make money slaughtering, processing and selling them. He had hurt the town's economy. They evidently loved material possessions more than they loved Jesus; because of that, they missed out on the supreme privilege. They asked Him to leave. Do we ever invite the Lord to leave our lives because we love material things more than we love Him?
Note -- Jesus' surprising instructions: When the man who had been healed wanted to follow Him, Jesus gave him strange orders. He refused to allow the man to accompany Him, but asked him to return and tell about his healing in the city. There are two surprising things about this command: 1) Jesus didn't allow the man to accompany him. Putting myself in the demoniac's place, I can see why he would have wanted to be with the one who cured him; but Jesus said no. Would it not have been a wonderful thing to be in Jesus' presence? Certainly. But what Jesus preferred was for the man to testify of His work in the city. Sometimes God may not want us to remain in secure and comfortable surroundings, but rather go to the lost and preach. 2) Jesus normally was telling folks not to tell about their healings (see Mark 1:40-45). Why the sudden change here? Remember where Jesus was. He was on the east side of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had not wanted to be thronged by spectators in the Capernaum area, west of the Sea, but in this wicked town, He was in no danger of becoming too popular. The people in this place needed someone to report the miracle.
*4* What measures had been attempted to subdue the demoniac (v4)? a) psychology, b) shackles and chains, c) shock therapy, d) drugs. Answer: ______.
*5* What name did the demons wear (v9)? Answer: ______.
*6* Where did the demons say they wanted to go? Answer: They wanted to go into a herd of ______.
*7* What happened to the swine when the demons entered them? Answer: They ran off a cliff and drowned in the ______.
*8* What did the townspeople ask Jesus to do? Answer: They asked Jesus to ______.
*9* What did Jesus tell the demoniac to do after he had been healed? a) Tell no one what had happened, b) Lie about what happened, c) Tell everyone what happened, d) Commit himself to an asylum. Answer: ______.

Jesus Heals Woman with Hemorrhage

>>> Read Mark 5:21-34. <<<
A synagogue official named Jairus requested Jesus to come and heal his daughter who was dying. As Jesus was journeying to his house, a desperate woman in the multitude touched the Lord. She had been bleeding for 12 years, had gone to many doctors, and spent all of her money, but had only worsened. She thought that by touching Jesus she could be healed. Sure enough, when she touched Jesus' coat, she could sense that the flow of blood immediately dried up and she was well. Suddenly, Jesus asked who had touched Him. The disciples thought it was a strange question since there was a huge crowd thronging Jesus. Many had "touched" Him. But the woman knew what Jesus meant. Terrified, she came forward and confessed. Jesus reassured her saying that her faith had made her well.
Note -- Why did Jesus embarrass her? Obviously, the woman with the bleeding was hoping to avoid publicity. She didn't make her presence known, but silently touched Jesus' clothes and was healed. Then Jesus put her on the spot by asking who touched Him. She was trembling as she admitted what she had done. Why did He draw attention to this shy lady? Perhaps there are two reasons: 1) If He had not, the woman would have believed that she had been healed by some sort of magic associated with Jesus' clothes. He wanted her to know that He had consciously healed her. Many touched His clothes and were not healed; she was healed by the will of the Lord. 2) If Jesus had allowed her to leave thinking she had "stolen" the healing, her conscience might later trouble her. By publicly identifying her, He was able to comfort and encourage her, telling her to go in peace.
*10* How long had the woman had her problem of bleeding? Answer: ______ years.
*11* How had she tried to get well previously? Answer: She had spent all her money on ______.
*12* When was the woman with the bleeding healed? a) she was not healed; b) when she believed on Jesus; c) when she asked Him to heal her; d) when she touched Jesus' clothes. Answer: ______.
*13* How did the rest of the multitude find out about Jesus' miracle? Answer: He asked who had ______ Him, and the woman confessed.

Jesus Heals Jairus' Daughter

>>> Read Mark 5:35-43. <<<
During the delay caused by the healing of the woman, people came to tell Jairus not to bother Jesus any longer because his daughter had died. Jesus told them to believe and He continued on to the house. There, the mourners laughed when Jesus told them that the girl was "sleeping." He wasn't denying the reality of her death, but was affirming that He would soon raise her; therefore, her death was more like sleep. He took only three disciples and the girl's parents, went into her room, and told her to get up. She did. The witnesses were astounded.
Please notice the theme that runs through the stories in this section of Mark: Jesus can do what is humanly impossible. First, the storm. The disciples were desperate, but Jesus calmed it with a mere word. Then, the demoniac. Though many had tried, no one had been able to bind nor subdue him. Jesus expelled the demons with a word and the man returned to normal. Then, the woman. No physician had been able to heal her though she had spent all her money in the effort. With one touch, she was completely cured. Finally, the daughter of Jairus. When one dies, all attempts to cure the sickness end, because everyone knows you can't raise the dead. Jesus did. Four times in this part of Mark, Jesus entered situations that were humanly impossible and emerged victorious.
*14* Why did people suggest that Jairus not bother Jesus any more? Answer: Because the girl had ______.
*15* Who was in the room when Jesus raised the daughter (v37,40)? a) Jesus, b) the girl, c) the girl's parents, d) Peter, James, and John, e) all the preceding but no one else. Answer: ______.
*16* What does the Bible account say that assures us the girl was really alive again? Answer: She arose and ______.
(Thought question: Considering the nature and purpose of these miracles, who alive on earth today can do such things as these? What can we learn as a result?)

Rejection at Nazareth

>>> Read Mark 6:1-6. <<<
Jesus returned to His hometown of Nazareth. Despite convincing proofs that He was the Son of God, His own townspeople rejected Him. They knew His family and His background and they refused to believe that someone they viewed as a peer could be greater than they. Because the people didn't have enough faith to bring their sick to Him, Jesus healed few. The people in Nazareth forfeited an ideal opportunity to have the Lord with them.
Note -- Great opportunities: It is tragic to see people discarding the fantastic opportunity to be blessed by Jesus. In the country of the Gadarenes, they simply asked Jesus to leave (5:1-20). Here in Nazareth, they refused to believe and therefore didn't even bring their sick for Jesus to heal. As a result, they missed out on the opportunities that others, like Jairus and the woman with the bleeding, benefited from. What about us? Do we take advantage of the opportunity to know Jesus and to be blessed by Him?
*17* What had been Jesus' profession before He began His ministry (v3)? Answer: He had been a ______.
*18* Which of Jesus' family members did the people of Nazareth know (v3)? a) His mother Mary, b) His brothers, c) His sisters, d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.
(Thought question: What does this tell you about Mary?)
*19* How did the people of Jesus' hometown (Nazareth) react to Him? a) They rejected Him, b) They believed in Him, c) They made a hero of Him, d) all of the preceding. Answer: ______.

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Antioch Spreads the Word - Acts 11:27-13: 52

Introduction:
In Acts 11 the church in Antioch had begun. In this study, the focus will return briefly to Jerusalem, then we will observe as the Antioch church begins its work of spreading the gospel.

I. Caring for the Needy - Acts 11:27-30

>>> Please read Acts 11:27-30. <<<
*1* What problem did Agabus predict would occur? He predicted (a) a famine (dearth), (b) Jesus' second coming, (c) a flood, (d) a plague of grasshoppers, (e) a fire, (f) all of the preceding. Answer: ______.
*2* What did the Antioch church do about it? Answer: Antioch sent relief to the ______ in Judea.
*3* To whom were funds sent? (a) central headquarters, (b) a benevolent society, (c) elders of the churches in Judea, (d) all of these. Answer: ______.
Comments: We have earlier read about local churches helping needy disciples (Acts 2:44,45; 4:32-35; 6:1-7). We remember that churches emphasized the spiritual work of helping souls please God. Churches did help the needy, but as discussed in Acts 6, they did not let this divert their focus from their spiritual work. They did this by limiting their benevolent work to needy disciples. Individual Christians helped relatives and other needy people, but local church benevolence was always to brethren in Christ (cf. 1 Tim. 5:3-16).
The Antioch church gathered funds, each person giving according to his ability (cf. 1 Cor. 16:1,2; 2 Cor. 9:6,7). The funds were sent to the elders of the churches in Judea. This is our first introduction to the work of elders. We will see later that this term refers to men in each local church who were appointed to oversee the church's work (Acts 14:23; 20:28; 1 Peter 5:1-3). They were mature, experienced Christians who possessed leadership qualifications listed in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9.
Since these men were appointed in each local church, it follows that each church in Judea would have had its own elders. This in turn demonstrates the concept of independence among local churches. Notice in Acts 11:22-30 that each local church functioned without any central organization or governing body of any kind. The Jerusalem church sent a preacher to Antioch (v22) and the Antioch church spread the gospel (v24-26) without the guidance or control of any missionary board. Likewise, needy members were cared for without the need for any central benevolent institutions. Local churches supervised their own work, but never sent financial donations to any central institutions of any kind.
As illustrated here, local churches did cooperate, but only in ways that respected local church independence according to God's will. We will learn more later, but note here that churches sent funds to other churches only in cases of emergency to help needy saints in the receiving church. And even then each church was free to oversee its own work under its own elders. Never did one church or one eldership oversee the work of another church or a centralized work for many churches.
We will return later to learn more about this Antioch church.

II. Persecution in Jerusalem - Acts 12:1-19

James Slain and Peter Arrested

>>> Please read Acts 12:1-5. <<<
*4&5* Who caused the next persecution, and whom did he kill? Answer: A king named ______ killed ______, the brother of John.
*6* What did he do to Peter? (a) killed him, (b) imprisoned him, (c) beheaded him, (d) beat him, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______.
Comments: The Herods were a family of Jewish kings. The Romans ruled Palestine, but they allowed some Herods to remain in power if they were cooperative. This Herod was Agrippa I.
Herod raised a persecution against the church, killing James the brother of John (cf. Matt. 4:21,22). This was the first recorded death of an apostle. Herod then imprisoned Peter in the charge of four squads of soldiers. Imagine how severely this would affect the Jerusalem church!
Verse 4 in the KJV refers to "Easter," however this has nothing to do with the modern religious holy day of that name. Rather, it refers to the Jewish feast of the Passover. (1) V3 calls it the "days of unleavened bread," which was the Passover (Ex. 12). (2) All modern translations say "Passover." (3) The original Greek word is everywhere else translated "Passover." (4) There is no indication in the context that this was a Christian holy day. Why would Herod, as a Jewish enemy of the gospel, have any respect for a Christian holy day?
An annual holy day in celebration of Jesus' resurrection is unknown in the Scriptures. In fact, Christians kept no annual holy days of any kind. Instead, they remembered Jesus' death in the Lord's supper on the first day of each week (Acts 20:7). The modern holy day of Easter was originally a pagan holy day, which was later adopted by Catholicism (see any encyclopedia). All annual religious holy days exist without Bible authority (cf. Galatians 4:8-11; 1:8,9; Matthew 15:9,13; 2 John 9-11).

Peter's Release

>>> Please read Acts 12:6-11. <<<
*7* How was Peter held captive? (a) two chains, (b) two soldiers, (c) guards outside the door, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.
*8* Who released Peter and led him out of the prison? Answer: An ______ awoke Peter and led him out.
Comment: As Peter lay sleeping in the prison, an angel awoke him and released his chains. The angel led him past the guards and out the iron gate, which opened by itself. The angel led him a ways from the prison and then left him. For other examples of miraculous releases from prison see Acts 5:17-25; 16:19-34.

Peter Finds the Disciples

>>> Please read Acts 12:12-19. <<<
*9&10* Where did Peter find the disciples, and what were they doing? Answer: He went to the home of ______ where people were ______.
*11&12* Who answered the door, and what did people say of her story? Answer: ______ answered. When they heard her story, people thought she was ______.
Comments: Peter went to the home of Mary, the mother of Mark. Christians had gathered there to pray, presumably for Peter. Yet when he appeared, at first they did not believe the answer to their own prayer! After telling them what had happened, Peter went elsewhere.
Next day, Herod and the soldiers were shocked that Peter was gone. The penalty for losing a prisoner in those days was death.

III. The Death of Herod - Acts 12:20-25

>>> Please read Acts 12:20-25. <<<
*13&14* What caused God to be angry with Herod? Answer: He allowed people to call him a ______, not a ______.
*15* What happened to Herod? (a) God killed him, (b) he lived to a ripe old age, (c) his son assassinated him, (d) nothing happened to him. Answer: ______.
Comments: Herod made a speech for the people of Tyre and Sidon. To please him, they said he was a god, not a man. God killed him for allowing this, instead of giving glory to God. God is never pleased when people worship religiously anyone but Him (Matt. 4:10). This confirms our previous conclusion that we should not honor men religiously in ways that only God should be honored (Acts 10:25,26).
This ends the second major section of the book of Acts. The gospel had been spread from Jerusalem throughout Judea and Samaria. Next we will see it spread to the uttermost parts of the earth (Acts 1:8).

IV. Start of Paul's First Journey - Acts 13:1-12

(Note: A Bible or Bible atlas with good maps will be helpful in tracing Paul's journeys throughout the rest of the book of Acts.)
>>> Please read Acts 13:1-12. <<<
*16* Who called Barnabas and Saul to their work of preaching? (a) a missionary society, (b) the Holy Spirit, (c) the earthly headquarters. Answer: ______.
*17&18* What two men did they meet on the island of Cyprus? Answer: The proconsul ______ wanted the truth but a sorcerer named ______ opposed it.
*19* What was Elymas guilty of? (a) deceit, (b) opposing righteousness, (c) perverting God's ways, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.
*20* What happened to him? Answer: Paul struck Elymas with temporary ______.
Comment: The church in Antioch of Syria had a major role in the work of preaching throughout the world. The Holy Spirit began the work by instructing Barnabas and Saul to go on a preaching journey.
They first traveled to Cyprus, an island in the Mediterranean Sea southwest of Antioch. There they met a Roman ruler named Sergius Paulus, who wanted to hear the gospel. But a sorcerer named Elymas withstood the truth. The truth has always had opponents, and as in the case of Simon in Acts 8, the opponent in this story was a sorcerer.
Note that Saul is called "Paul" for the first time in v9 ("Paul" is the Greek form of the Hebrew name "Saul"). Paul firmly rebuked Elymas for his deceit and error. Sorcery is clearly identified in Scripture as being opposed to truth and based on deceit (cf. Gal. 5:19-21). Faithful preachers have always firmly rebuked error (2 Tim. 4:2-4; Rev. 3:19).
Paul did a miracle by striking Elymas temporarily blind. As in Acts 8:5-13, true prophets, who had the power to do true miracles, were perfectly willing to use their power in the presence of unbelievers and false teachers. They did so to validate their message by proving the superior power of true miracles over the power false prophets.
Note that not all miracles gave physical benefits to people. Some actually caused problems as punishment for sin. But all served the purpose of confirming a message or teaching to be from God (Acts 14:3). What modern "faith healer" will do miracles today like the one Paul did here?
Note that, on the basis of the evidence of the miracle, Sergius Paulus did in fact become a believer.

V. Sermon in Antioch of Pisidia - Acts 13:13-52

The Sermon

>>> Please read Acts 13:13-22. <<<
*21* In what city did Paul preach the sermon found in vv 14ff? Answer: Paul preached in ______.
*22* What had God done when Israel was enslaved in Egypt? Answer: God brought them from Egypt to the land of ______.
*23* What rulers did God give Israel at first? (a) kings, (b) Caesars, (c) judges, (d) presidents, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______.
*24* Why were they eventually given kings? Answer: They received a king because the people ______ for a king.
Comments: From Cyprus the company sailed northwest to Perga in Asia Minor (see a map). There John Mark left the company. This later became an occasion of conflict between Barnabas and Saul.
They traveled from there to Antioch in Pisidia (as distinguished from Antioch in Syria). There they entered a synagogue to find an opportunity to teach. Note that, in Paul's preaching trips, in every new city he would go first to the Jewish synagogue. This almost always led to teaching opportunities.
Some try to use the example of Paul to prove that Christians today must observe the seventh-day sabbath. However, these were not assemblies of Christians, but assemblies of unconverted Jews. They observed the sabbath, because the Old Testament was given especially to the Jews (not to all nations - Ex. 31:13-17), and they did not know the Old Testament had been removed by Jesus (Col. 2:14-17; Heb. 10:9,10). Paul knew the law had been removed, but he attended the synagogues to find a good place to begin teaching the gospel.
Given an opportunity to speak, Paul reviewed the Jews' history as recorded in the Old Testament, much like Stephen did in Acts 7. He told how God had freed Israel from Egyptian slavery and gave them the land of Canaan. They were ruled by judges until they insisted that God give them a king (1 Sam. 8). Their first two kings were Saul and then David.
>>> Please read Acts 13:23-31. <<<
*25* Jesus was sent in fulfillment of a promise to whom (vv 22,23)? Answer: Jesus was promised to be a descendant of ______.
*26* Who came before Jesus to prepare the people for Him? Answer: ______ came before Jesus and prophesied of Him.
*27* Why did Jews condemn Jesus to death? (a) they did not know Him, (b) they misunderstood the prophets, (c) both of the preceding. Answer: ______.
Comment: In fulfillment of a promise He had made to David, God sent Jesus to be a Savior to Israel. This states the main thesis of Paul's sermon, as it was in most sermons among unbelievers: Jesus is the Savior of mankind and the appointed Ruler (Christ) of God's people.
Paul then began to accumulate evidence to support his claims regarding Jesus. John the Baptist was sent by God to prepare the way for Jesus, and He testified that Jesus was greater than John himself. Nevertheless, the Jewish people and their leaders killed Jesus, thereby unknowingly fulfilling Old Testament prophecy. But God raised Jesus from the dead, and He then appeared to many witnesses who were sure to know Him since they had known Him for years beforehand.
Paul here lists three proofs to sustain His claim that Jesus was sent by God to give people salvation: (1) the testimony of John, (2) fulfilled prophecy, (3) the resurrection.
>>> Please read Acts 13:32-41. <<<
*28* Who fulfilled the prophecy that he would see no corruption? (a) David, (b) Paul, (c) Peter, (d) Jesus, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______.
*29* What blessing did Jesus bring for the people (vv 38,39)? Answer: Through Jesus ______ was proclaimed to the people.
*30* With what warning did Paul conclude his sermon (vv 40,41)? Answer: Paul warned that they might not ______, even though the message was told to them.
Comments: As Paul drew toward the end of his sermon, he continued quoting other prophecies that Jesus had fulfilled. One of them predicted that He would not see corruption. Just as Peter had done in Acts 2, Paul said this could not be a prophecy about David himself (who spoke it), because David saw corruption. The fulfillment was that, though Jesus died, yet He was raised from the dead. This fulfilled the prophecy and was a great miracle of itself.
These proofs confirmed Paul's claim that Jesus was the Christ whom God had sent. The blessing the people could receive as a result was forgiveness of sins (v38). They could be truly justified from sin, a blessing that the Old Testament law could not provide (v39). Hebrews 10:1-18 explains this point further. The law gave people commands to obey and then condemned them for disobeying (Rom. 3:10-23). Yet the animal sacrifices it required could not give lasting forgiveness; rather, sins were remembered again a year later. The blessing of Jesus' sacrifice is that it can forgive sins so they are never remembered again. This is the great blessing that God had planned throughout history to bring upon all Jews and Gentiles through Jesus.
But this blessing can only be received by those who are willing to meet the conditions that God has ordained. The first of these conditions was that people must believe in Jesus (v39). This condition would, in turn, require several other specific conditions as shown in other examples (repentance, confession, and baptism), but Paul emphasized faith here because these were unbelieving Jews. He then concluded the sermon by warning them of the danger that they might not believe, even after God's work had been explained to them. This too had been prophesied in the Old Testament.

The Effect of the Sermon

>>> Please read Acts 13:42-52. <<<
*31* Who wanted to hear the gospel the following sabbath? Answer: Nearly the whole ______ came to hear the message.
*32* How did the Jews react to this response by the city? Answer: Jews were filled with envy and ______ the teaching.
*33* What did Paul and Barnabas say they would do next? (a) nothing, (b) preach to Gentiles, (c) go home, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.
*34* Why did they eventually have to leave town? Answer: They left because the Jews instigated ______ against them.
Comments: In response to Paul's sermon, many Jews and proselytes (Gentiles converted to Judaism) continued to learn the message. The following week nearly the whole city came to hear. This aroused the Jews to such jealousy that they opposed and contradicted the teaching, so Paul and Barnabas determined to preach primarily to the Gentiles.
Note in v46 that those who reject the gospel have judged themselves to be unworthy of eternal life. By contrast, those who were receptive to the gospel were appointed to eternal life (v48). Some conclude this refers to Calvinistic unconditional predestination of people regardless of their choice or character. But people are often appointed or ordained to a position conditionally based on their characteristics (cf. Acts 14:23 to 1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). Unconditional election would constitute respect of persons (cf. Acts 10:34,35; Rom. 2:6-11). We have seen throughout Acts that people choose for themselves how to respond to the gospel.
Jewish persecution finally compelled Paul and Barnabas to flee.