West Concord Church

2 Chronicles 34:8-33 The Recovery of Gods House (vv. 8-13) The Need of the Temple A focused worship toward the Person of God A faithful witness to the presence of God The Neglect of the Temple The insidious kings The ineffectual priests The indifferent people The Discovery in Gods House (vv. 14-33) The Pronouncement The Perplexity The Prophecy Concerning Judah Concerning Josiah The Proclamation More To Consider The Bible is like a telescope. If a man looks through his telescope he sees worlds beyond; but if he looks at his telescope, he does not see anything but that. The Bible is a thing to be looked through to see that which is beyond; but most people only look at it and so they see only the dead letter. Phillip Brooks. I would recommend you either believe God up to the hilt, or else not to believe at all. Believe this book of God, every letter of it, or else reject it. There is no logical standing place between the two. Be satisfied with nothing less than a faith that swims in the deeps of divine revelation; a faith that paddles about the edge of the water is poor faith at best. It is little better than a dry-land faith, and is not good for much. C.H. Spurgeon. "Why is it that the vast majority of Christian believers remain largely unexposed to Christian learning--to historical-critical studies of the Bible, the content and structure of the great doctines, to two thousand years of classic works on the Christian life, to basic disciplines of theology, biblical languages and ethics? Why do bankers, lawyers, farmers, physicians, homemakers, scientists, salespeople, managers of all sorts, people who carry out all kinds of complicated tasks in their work and home, remain in a literalist, elementary school level in their religious understanding? How is it that high school age church members move easily and quickly into the complex world of computers, foreign languages, DNA and calculus, and cannot even make a beginning in historical-critical interpretation of a single text of Scripture? How is it possible one can attend or even teach Sunday School for decades and at the end of that lack the interpretive skills of someone who has taken three or four weeks in an introductory course in the Bible at a university or seminary?" Edward Farley (no relation), "Can Church Education Be Theological Education", Theology Today, July 1985. It is said that when the famous missionary, Dr. David Livingstone, started his trek across Africa he had 73 books in 3 packs, weighing 180 pounds. After the party had gone 300 miles, Livingstone was obliged to throw away some of the books because of the fatigue of those carrying his baggage. As he continued on his journey his library grew less and less, until he had but one book left--his Bible. Today in the Word

2 Chronicles 34:1-7 A Boy King (vv. 1-3) Crowned by age 8 Committed by Age 16 Convicted by age 20 A Burdened King (vv. 4-6) The purge The priests The pandemic A Brave King (v. 7) He accomplished his mission He accepted his ministry More to Consider In 1818, Ignaz Phillip Semmelweis was born into a world of dying women. The finest hospitals lost one out of six young mothers to the scourge of "childbed fever." A doctor's daily routine began in the dissecting room where he performed autopsies. From there he made his way to the hospital to examine expectant mothers without ever pausing to wash his hands. Dr. Semmelweis was the first man in history to associate such examinations with the resultant infection and death. His own practice was to wash with a chlorine solution, and after eleven years and the delivery of 8,537 babies, he lost only 184 mothers--about one in fifty. He spent the vigor of his life lecturing and debating with his colleagues. Once he argued, "Puerperal fever is caused by decomposed material, conveyed to a wound. . .I have shown how it can be prevented. I have proved all that I have said. But while we talk ,talk, talk, gentlemen, women are dying. I am not asking anything world shaking. I am asking you only to wash...For God's sake, wash your hands." But virtually no one believed him. Doctors and midwives had been delivering babies for thousands of years without washing, and no outspoken Hungarian was going to change them now! Semmelweis died insane at the age of 47, his wash basins discarded, his colleagues laughing in his face, and the death rattle of a thousand women ringing in his ears. "Wash me!" was the anguished prayer of King David. "Wash!" was the message of John the Baptist. "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me," said the towel-draped Jesus to Peter. Without our being washed clean, we all die from the contamination of sin. For God's sake, wash. Boyce Mouton. Robert Murray McCheyne wrote to Dan Edwards after the latter's ordination as a missionary, "In great measure, according to the purity and perfections of the instrument, will be the success. It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus. A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God". Paul Borthwick, Leading the Way, Navpress, 1989, pp. 65. After a violent storm one night, a large tree, which over the years had become a stately giant, was found lying across the pathway in a park. Nothing but a splintered stump was left. Closer examination showed that is was rotten at the core because thousands of tiny insects had eaten away at its heart. The weakness of that tree was not brought on by the sudden storm; it began the very moment the first insect nested within its bark. With the Holy Spirit's help, let's be very careful to guard our purity. Our Daily Bread.

Romans 1 I Am a Debtor (vv. 13-14) To everyone Anywhere Anytime I Am Ready (v. 15) Ready Willing Able I Am Not Ashamed (vv. 16-17) Because of the gospels power Because of the gospels promise More to Consider While walking through the forest one day, a man found a young eagle who had fallen out of his nest. He took it home and put it in his barnyard where it soon learned to eat and behave like the chickens. One day a naturalist passed by the farm and asked why it was that the king of all birds should be confined to live in the barnyard with the chickens. The farmer replied that since he had given it chicken feed and trained it to be a chicken, it had never learned to fly. Since it now behaved as the chickens, it was no longer an eagle. "Still it has the heart of an eagle," replied the naturalist, "and can surely be taught to fly." He lifted the eagle toward the sky and said, "You belong to the sky and not to the earth. Stretch forth your wings and fly." The eagle, however, was confused. He did not know who he was, and seeing the chickens eating their food, he jumped down to be with them again. The naturalist took the bird to the roof of the house and urged him again, saying, "You are an eagle. Stretch forth your wings and fly." But the eagle was afraid of his unknown self and world and jumped down once more for the chicken food. Finally the naturalist took the eagle out of the barnyard to a high mountain. There he held the king of the birds high above him and encouraged him again, saying, " You are an eagle. You belong to the sky. Stretch forth your wings and fly." The eagle looked around, back towards the barnyard and up to the sky. Then the naturalist lifted him straight towards the sun and it happened that the eagle began to tremble. Slowly he stretched his wings, and with a triumphant cry, soared away into the heavens. It may be that the eagle still remembers the chickens with nostalgia. It may even be that he occasionally revisits the barnyard. But as far as anyone knows, he has never returned to lead the life of a chicken. Theology News and Notes, October, 1976, quoted inMultnomah Message, Spring, 1993, p. 1.

John 15:1-8 I. The Picture (vv. 1-4)A.Jesus is the Vine. B. God the Father is the Gardener.The pruningThe pruned C.The need for connection II.The Personalization (vv. 5-8)A.We are the branches. 1.The fruit:Fruit we bear by our works (Matt. 7:15-20)Fruit we bear in our witness (Prov. 11:30)Fruit borne through worship (Galatians 5:22-26) 2.The fire: Judgment B.The blessing of connection 1.Provision from God2.Glorification of God3.Participation with God More to Consider Fruitfulness is the result of the Sons life being reproduced in a disciple. The disciples part is to remain. The word remain, a key word in Johns theology, is menō which occurs 11 times in this chapter, 40 times in the entire Gospel, and 27 times in Johns epistles. What does it mean to remain? It can mean, first, to accept Jesus as Savior (cf. 6:54, 56). Second, it can mean to continue or persevere in believing (8:31 [hold is remain]; 1 John 2:19, 24). Third, it can also mean believing, loving obedience (John 15:910). Without faith, no life of God will come to anyone. Without the life of God, no real fruit can be produced: Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. What did Jesus mean by these symbolic words about vine branches being burned? These words have been interpreted in at least three ways: (1) The burned branches are Christians who have lost their salvation. (But this contradicts many passages, e.g., 3:16, 36; 5:24; 10:2829; Rom. 8:1.) (2) The burned branches represent Christians who will lose rewards but not salvation at the judgment seat of Christ (1 Cor. 3:15). (But Jesus spoke here of dead branches; such a branch is thrown away and withers.) (3) The burned branches refer to professing Christians who, like Judas, are not genuinely saved and therefore are judged. Like a dead branch, a person without Christ is spiritually dead and therefore will be punished in eternal fire (cf. Matt. 25:46). Judas was with Jesus; he seemed like a branch. But he did not have Gods life in him; therefore he departed; his destiny was like that of a dead branch. Blum, E. A. (1985). John. In J. F. Walvoord R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 325). Victor Books.

John 14 The Peace Jesus Provides (v. 1) Gentle comfort Grounded command The Place Jesus Prepares (vv. 2-4) He came here for us He goes away for us He is coming back for us The Path Jesus Prescribes (vv. 5-6) Thomas question: Show us the way? Jesus answer: I am the Way, (How can I be saved?) I am the Truth, (How can I be sure?) I am the Life. (How can I be satisfied) More to Consider To comfort the disciples, Jesus gave them several exhortations along with promises. Do not let your hearts be troubled, He said. Troubled is tarassesthō (stirred, agitated) from the same verb translated troubled in 11:33; 13:21; 14:27. Ones heart is the center of his personality. Each believer is responsible for the condition of his heart (cf. Prov. 3:1, 3, 5; 4:23; 20:9). By a firm trust in God the Father and Jesus the Son, they could relieve their soul-sorrow and be sustained in their coming tests. When Jesus said, Trust in God; trust also in Me, He was probably giving commands, not making statements (see niv marg.). Death should not be a terror to them because Jesus was leaving to prepare a place for them in heaven, the Fathers house. Blum, E. A. (1985). John. In J. F. Walvoord R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 322). Victor Books. He began His ministry by being hungry, yet He is the Bread of Life. Jesus ended His earthly ministry by being thirsty, yet He is the Living Water. Jesus was weary, yet He is our rest. Jesus paid tribute, yet He is the King. Jesus was accused of having a demon, yet He cast out demons. Jesus wept, yet He wipes away our tears. Jesus was sold for thirty pieces of silver, yet He redeemed the world. Jesus was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, yet He is the Good Shepherd. Jesus died, yet by His death He destroyed the power of death. Gregory of Nazianzus, A.D. 381.

If He Were Still Dead (15:12-19) Our faith would be worthless Our message would be groundless Our love would be hopeless Our lives would be pointless But Because He Lives (15:20 54-58) Death is harmless Hell is winless Hope is limitless Life is endless More to Consider For the writers of the New Testament, Jesus' resurrection was the focal point of their teachings. Peter wrote that we have an indestructible inheritance awaiting us in heaven, made available "through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." Paul wrote that belief in Jesus' resurrection from the dead is required for eternal life. In fact, Paul was so adamant about the importance of Jesus' resurrection that he wrote, "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still under condemnation for your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ have perished!" For Paul, if Jesus did not rise from the dead, Christianity is false, we will be judged for our sins by the true God, and Christians who have died are lost. In addition, Paul writes a few verses later, "If the dead are not raised, 'let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.'" In other words, if Jesus' resurrection did not occur, we may as well live it up, because this life is all there is. Anyone can claim anything. Jesus asserted that he was speaking truth from God. When someone makes such a lofty claim, critics rightly ask for the evidence. Jesus' critics asked him for a sign, and he said he would give them onehis resurrection. It is the test by which we could know that he was telling the truth. Such a historical test of truth is unique to Christianity. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, he was a false prophet and a charlatan whom no rational person should follow. Conversely, if he did rise from the dead, this event confirmed his radical claim. Gary Habermas, The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus. What does it look like to look at life through the window of the resurrection? As I assess my life right here, right now, what about the resurrection must I remember? Let me suggest five things. The resurrection of Jesus guarantees your resurrection too. Life is not a constantly repeating cycle of the same old same old. No, under Gods rule this world is marching toward a conclusion. Your life is being carried to a glorious end. There will be a moment when God will raise you out of this broken world, and sin and suffering will be no more. The resurrection tells you what Jesus is now doing. Jesus now reigns. First Corinthians 15 says that he will continue to reign until the final enemy is under his feet. You see, your world is not out of control, but under the careful control of One who is still doing his sin-defeating work. The resurrection promises you all the grace you need between Jesuss resurrection and yours. If your end has already been guaranteed, then all the grace you need along the way has been guaranteed as well, or you would never make it to your appointed end. Future grace always carries with it the promise of present grace. The resurrection of Jesus motivates you to do what is right, no matter what you are facing. The resurrection tells you that God will win. His truth will reign. His plan will be accomplished. Sin will be defeated. Righteousness will overcome evil. This means that everything you do in Gods name is worth it, no matter what the cost. The resurrection tells you that you always have reason for thanks. Quite apart from anything you have earned, you have been welcomed into the most exciting story ever and have been granted a future of joy and peace forever. Paul Tripp, New Morning Mercies

John 11:20-27, 38-44 The Sorrow Over the Dead (vv. 20-24) Frustration Faith The Savior of the Dead (vv. 25-27) The Announcement The Assurance The Summons of the Dead (vv. 38-44) The Protest The Prayer The Proof More to Consider As Vice President, George Bush represented the U.S. at the funeral of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. Bush was deeply moved by a silent protest carried out by Brezhnev's widow. She stood motionless by the coffin until seconds before it was closed. Then, just as the soldiers touched the lid, Brezhnev's wife performed an act of great courage and hope, a gesture that must surely rank as one of the most profound acts of civil disobedience ever committed: She reached down and made the sign of the cross on her husband's chest. There in the citadel of secular, atheistic power, the wife of the man who had run it all hoped that her husband was wrong. She hoped that there was another life, and that that life was best represented by Jesus who died on the cross, and that the same Jesus might yet have mercy on her husband. Gary Thomas, Christian Times, October 3, 1994, p. 26. Little Philip, born with Down's syndrome, attended a third-grade Sunday School class with several eight-year-old boys and girls. Typical of that age, the children did not readily accept Philip with his differences, according to an article in leadership magazine. But because of a creative teacher, they began to care about Philip and accept him as part of the group, though not fully. The Sunday after Easter the teacher brought L'eggs pantyhose containers, the kind that look like large eggs. Each receiving one, the children were told to go outside on that lovely spring day, find some symbol for new life, and put it in the egg-like container. Back in the classroom, they would share their new-life symbols, opening the containers one by one in surprise fashion. After running about the church property in wild confusion, the students returned to the classroom and placed the containers on the table. Surrounded by the children, the teacher began to open them one by one. After each one, whether a flower, butterfly, or leaf, the class would ooh and ahh. Then one was opened, revealing nothing inside. The children exclaimed, That's stupid. That's not fair. Somebody didn't do their assignment." Philip spoke up, "That's mine." Philip, you don't ever do things right!" the student retorted. "There's nothing there!" "I did so do it," Philip insisted. "I did do it. It's empty. the tomb was empty!" Silence followed. From then on Philip became a full member of the class. He died not long afterward from an infection most normal children would have shrugged off. At the funeral this class of eight-year-olds marched up to the altar not with flowers, but with their Sunday school teacher, each to lay on it an empty pantyhose egg. Source Unknown.

I. A Holiday Ambush (vv. 22-24) A Celebration A Confrontation II. A Logical Answer (vv. 25-27) "I told you." "I showed you." III. A Bold Announcement (vv. 28-30) Eternal Security Exact Identity

John 10:11-21 The Intensity of the Shepherd (vv. 11-13) The hireling flees from the wolf. The Shepherd faces the wolf. Total commitment Total sacrifice The Intimacy of the Shepherd (vv. 14-18) He is known by the current sheep (Jewish believers) He will be known by the other Sheep (Gentile believers) He will die for all the sheep. (John 15:13-14) The Illustration of the Sheep (vv. 19-21) The reaction The response More to Consider There is a contrast here between the Pharisees (hirelings) who had no concern for the sheep, and Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd. The hirelings flee and protect themselves when the enemies come; but Christ willingly gives up His life for the sheep. (See Acts 20:29.) Christ as the Good Shepherd gives His life on the cross (Ps. 22); as the Great Shepherd, He cares for the sheep (Heb. 13:20 and Ps. 23); and as the Chief Shepherd He will come again in glory for His sheep (Ps. 24 and 1 Peter 5:4). In v. 18 He speaks of both His death and His resurrection. Warren Wiresbe How clearly this must have spoken to the men and women of Israel. Their rulers, like religious leaders of many times and many faiths, were quick to demand respect and obedience. They were quick to lord it over others; quick to judge, advise, condemn. But no one in Israel would imagine for a moment that one of the authorities would lay down his life for one of the common people. Those leaders might lay down their lives for truth. More than once the men of Israel had refused to fight on the Sabbath, and had been killed easily by pagans. More than one Israelite had offered his body to Roman swords rather than permit a statue of Caesar, or even the Legion Eagles, to enter Jerusalem. To die for a conviction was not that uncommon. But to die for love of the sheep? Never! Truth was important to the authorities; people were not. Lawrence O. Richards He is giving his life still. The life that is in the man Christ Jesus he is always giving for us. It is for us he lives, and because he lives, we live also. He lives to plead for us. He lives to represent us in heaven. He lives to rule providence for us. Charles Spurgeon

Colossians 1:1-8 Faith in Christ Love of the Saints Heaven Focused Hope Fruitfulness Teachable Spirit Spirit Centered Love More to Consider Going to church doesnt make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you an automobile. Billy Sunday Jesus's resurrection is the beginning of God's new project not to snatch people away from earth to heaven but to colonize earth with the life of heaven. That, after all, is what the Lord's Prayer is about. N.T. Wright Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell. I want to run a rescue shop, within a yard of hell. C.T. Studd When you go to church you are really listening-in to the secret wireless from our friends: that is why the enemy is so anxious to prevent us from going. He does it by playing on our conceit and laziness and intellectual snobbery. C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity We shall, as we ripen in grace, have greater sweetness towards our fellow Christians. Bitter-spirited Christians may know a great deal, but they are immature. Those who are quick to censure may be very acute in judgment, but they are as yet very immature in heart. He who grows in grace remembers that he is but dust, and he therefore does not expect his fellow Christians to be anything more; he overlooks ten thousand of their faults, because he knows his God overlooks twenty thousand in his own case. He does not expect perfection in the creature, and, therefore, he is not disappointed when he does not find it. ... I know we who are young beginners in grace think ourselves qualified to reform the whole Christian church. We drag her before us, and condemn her straightway; but when our virtues become more mature, I trust we shall not be more tolerant of evil, but we shall be more tolerant of infirmity, more hopeful for the people of God, and certainly less arrogant in our criticisms.Charles H. Spurgeon,Spurgeon's Sermons Vol. 1-10

John 10:1-10 Jesus Illustration (vv. 1-6) Contrast The thief The shepherd Connection Familiar Fearful Jesus Illumination (vv. 7-10) The Door Jesus is the Door of salvation Jesus is the Door of satisfaction The destroyer Steals Kills Destroys More to Consider Hence we find in non-Christian religions a restless sense of the hostility of the powers of the universe; an undefined feeling of guilt, and all sorts of merit-making techniques designed to get rid of it; a dread of death, and a consuming anxiety to feel that one has conquered it; forms of worship aimed at once to placate, bribe, and control the gods, and to make them keep their distance, except when wanted; an alarming readiness to call moral evil good, and good evil, in the name of religion; an ambivalent attitude of mind which seems both to seek God and to seek to evade him in the same act. Therefore, in our evangelistic dialogue with people of non-Christian religions, our task must be to present the biblical revelation of God in Christ -- not as supplementing them but as explaining their existence, exposing their errors, and judging their inadequacy. James Packer, Your Father Loves You, Harold Shaw Publishers, 1986. The apostles preaching focused on the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Peter, speaking to the Sanhedrin, clearly proclaimed Jesus as the only way to heaven: Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). Paul, speaking to the synagogue in Antioch, singled out Jesus as the Savior: I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin (Acts 13:3839). John, writing to the church at large, specifies the name of Christ as the basis of our forgiveness: I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name (1 John 2:12). No one but Jesus can forgive sin. Eternal life in heaven is made possible only through Christ. Jesus prayed, Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent (John 17:3). To receive Gods free gift of salvation, we must look to Jesus and Jesus alone. We must trust in Jesus death on the cross as our payment for sin and in His resurrection. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe (Romans 3:22). Gotquestions.org

John 9:1-12, 35-41 The Miracle (vv. 1-12) A physical blindness, A Saviors boldness A miraculous blessedness A groups bewilderment The Meaning (vv. 35-41) Spiritual sight Invitation Revelation Adoration Spiritual blindness Full disclosure Fatal darkness More to Consider In the final analysis, all physical problems are the result of our fall in Adam, for his disobedience brought sin and death into the world (Rom. 5:12ff). But afterward, to blame a specific disability on a specific sin committed by specific persons is certainly beyond any mans ability or authority. Only God knows why babies are born with handicaps, and only God can turn those handicaps into something that will bring good to the people and glory to His name. Warren Wiresbe For 51 years Bob Edens was blind. He couldn't see a thing. His world was a black hall of sounds and smells. He felt his way through five decades of darkness. And then, he could see. A skilled surgeon performed a complicated operation and, for the first time, Bob Edens had sight. He found it overwhelming. "I never would have dreamed that yellow is so...yellow," he exclaimed. "I don't have the words. I am amazed by yellow. But red is my favorite color. I just can't believe red. I can see the shape of the moon--and I like nothing better than seeing a jet plane flying across the sky leaving a vapor trail. And of course, sunrises and sunsets. And at night I look at the stars in the sky and the flashing light. You could never know how wonderful everything is." Max Lucado, God Came Near, Multnomah Press, 1987, p. 13. Physicist, Arthur Zajoc quotes from a study by a Dr. Moreau who observed that while surgery gave the patient the "power to see," "the employment of this power, which as a whole constitutes the act of seeing, still has to be acquired from the beginning." Dr. Moreau concludes, "To give back sight to a congenitally blind person is more the work of an educator than of a surgeon." To which Zajoc adds, "The sober truth remains that vision requires far more than a functioning physical organ. Without an inner light, without a formative visual imagination, we are blind," he explains. That "inner light" -- the light of the mind -- "must flow into and marry with the light of nature to bring forth a world." National Right to Life News, March 30, 1993, p. 22.

John 6:41-68 The Test of Reality (vv. 41-51) The Jews assumption We know Him! Jesus assertion The Test of Credibility (vv. 52-59) The Jews objection Hes crazy! Jesus objective The Test of Fidelity (vv. 60-68) The disciples confusion This is hard! Jesus clarification Peters confession More to Consider So, when the devil throws your sins in your face and declares that you deserve death and hell, tell him this: "I admit that I deserve death and hell, what of it? For I know One who suffered and made satisfaction on my behalf. His name is Jesus Christ, Son of God, and where He is there I shall be also! Martin Luther If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. If none of my earthly pleasures satisfy it, that does not prove that the universe is a fraud. Probably earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy it, but only to arouse it, to suggest the real thing. If that is so, I must take care, on the one hand, never to despise, or to be unthankful for, these earthly blessings, and on the other, never to mistake them for the something else of which they are only a kind of copy, or echo, or mirage. I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that country and to help others to do the same. C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity You say, 'If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied.' You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled. Charles Spurgeon He is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. John Piper, Don't Waste Your Life

John 4:1-26 A Divine Appointment (vv. 1-8) An unusual journey An unusual encounter A Deliberate Awkwardness (vv. 9-12) Breaking social barriers Bringing strange ideas If you knew Strange words Strange water A Displayed Awareness (vv. 13-20) A natural request A supernatural revelation His authority Her argument A Direct Answer (vv. 21-26) The hour is coming and now is. Iam He More to Consider The Samaritan woman contrasts sharply with Nicodemus (John 3). He was seeking; she was indifferent. He was a respected ruler; she was an outcast. He was serious; she was flippant. He was a Jew; she was a despised Samaritan. He was (presumably) moral; she was immoral. He was orthodox; she was heterodox. He was learned in religious matters; she was ignorant. Yet in spite of all the differences between this churchman and this woman of the world, they both needed to be born again. Both had needs only Christ could meet. Edwin A. Blum Jesus Himself is the supreme example of cross-cultural ministry. Jesus left heaven to minister on earth. He was the first incarnational missionary as God in the flesh. In a similar way, Christians today should live the gospel among the cultures of the world. Jesus also demonstrated His concern for reaching other cultures by witnessing to the Samaritans, an ethnic group despised by the Jews of His day (Jn 4). John Mark Terry, Apologetics Study Bible He began His ministry by being hungry, yet He is the Bread of Life. Jesus ended His earthly ministry by being thirsty, yet He is the Living Water. Jesus was weary, yet He is our rest. Jesus paid tribute, yet He is the King. Jesus was accused of having a demon, yet He cast out demons. Jesus wept, yet He wipes away our tears. Jesus was sold for thirty pieces of silver, yet He redeemed the world. Jesus was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, yet He is the Good Shepherd. Jesus died, yet by His death He destroyed the power of death. Gregory of Nazianzus, A.D. 381.

John 4:1-26 A Divine Appointment (vv. 1-8) An unusual journey An unusual encounter A Deliberate Awkwardness (vv. 9-12) Breaking social barriers Bringing strange ideas If you knew Strange words Strange water A Displayed Awareness (vv. 13-20) A natural request A supernatural revelation His authority Her argument A Direct Answer (vv. 21-26) The hour is coming and now is. Iam He More to Consider The Samaritan woman contrasts sharply with Nicodemus (John 3). He was seeking; she was indifferent. He was a respected ruler; she was an outcast. He was serious; she was flippant. He was a Jew; she was a despised Samaritan. He was (presumably) moral; she was immoral. He was orthodox; she was heterodox. He was learned in religious matters; she was ignorant. Yet in spite of all the differences between this churchman and this woman of the world, they both needed to be born again. Both had needs only Christ could meet. Edwin A. Blum Jesus Himself is the supreme example of cross-cultural ministry. Jesus left heaven to minister on earth. He was the first incarnational missionary as God in the flesh. In a similar way, Christians today should live the gospel among the cultures of the world. Jesus also demonstrated His concern for reaching other cultures by witnessing to the Samaritans, an ethnic group despised by the Jews of His day (Jn 4). John Mark Terry, Apologetics Study Bible He began His ministry by being hungry, yet He is the Bread of Life. Jesus ended His earthly ministry by being thirsty, yet He is the Living Water. Jesus was weary, yet He is our rest. Jesus paid tribute, yet He is the King. Jesus was accused of having a demon, yet He cast out demons. Jesus wept, yet He wipes away our tears. Jesus was sold for thirty pieces of silver, yet He redeemed the world. Jesus was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, yet He is the Good Shepherd. Jesus died, yet by His death He destroyed the power of death. Gregory of Nazianzus, A.D. 381.

Jeremiah 17 The Quest for Happiness (vv. 5-6) Deserted Distracted Dry The Quest for Truth (vv. 7-8) Refreshed Ready Restful The Core of Our Quest (vv. 9-10) The heart of the problem The problem of the heart More to Consider The heart of every problem is the problem in the heart, and the human heart is deceitful (Jacob in the Hebrew) and incurable. We often say, Well, if I know my own heart, but we dont know our own hearts. God does. He searches the heart and mind and knows exactly how to reward each person. If we want to know what our hearts are like, we must read the Word and let the Spirit teach us. The hearts of the Jewish leaders were turned away from the Lord and His truth. Consequently, they made unwise decisions and plunged the nation into ruin. Warren W. Wiersbe If the ways of blessing and cursing are so clear (vv. 58), why would anyone choose the path of sin? The cause for such action is in the heart. It is so deceitful that Jeremiah wondered who could even understand it. God answered by informing Jeremiah that He can search the heart and examine the mind. God knows those innermost thoughts and motives that an individual might hide from all others. Therefore God could justly render to each person what his deeds deserve. Charles H. Dyer Many passages of Scripture teach that God judges people by their deeds, while others indicate that He judges people by their motives. There is no inconsistency, as this verse points out, because ones heart and actions are closely connected. Other passages clearly teach that God evaluates people based on their hearts (1 Sm 16:7; 1 Kg 8:39; Lk 16:15), but actions reveal what is in peoples hearts (1 Sm 2:3; Mt 7:1516; 12:3335; 15:1819; Jms 2:18). Whether one is judged by inward motivation or outward acts makes no difference. What a person actually does reveals where his or her heart lies (Mt 21:2831). Douglas R. Groothuis

Building Your Life I Corinthians 3:9-15 Our Building Partners (vv. 9-10) Fellow workers with God Fellow workers with each other Our Building Foundation (v. 11) Our Foundation Our faith Our Building Materials (v. 12) Gold, jewels, and precious stones Wood, hay, and straw Our Building Inspection (vv. 13-15) The fire The finish More to Consider The Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy is going to fall. Scientists travel yearly to measure the building's slow descent. They report that the 179-foot tower moves about one-twentieth of an inch a year, and is now 17 feet out of plumb. They further estimate that by the year 2007 the 810-year old tower will have leaned too far and will collapse onto the nearby ristorante, where scientists now gather to discuss their findings. Quite significantly, the word "pisa" means "marshy land," which gives some clue as to why the tower began to lean even before it was completed. Also--its foundation is only 10 feet deep! Unknown. Paul had established the church at Corinth on the foundation of Christ. gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw: These building materials refer to the quality of work done by the Corinthians, and possibly also to their motivations or the kinds of doctrines they taught. The Day speaks of the time when Christ will judge the merits of His servants work (see 2 Cor. 5:10), not whether they receive forgiveness of sin. Likewise, fire does not refer to the eternal fire of damnation (see Rev. 20:10) but to the evaluation of believers works (see Rev. 2:18, 19; 3:18; 22:12). Fire proves the quality of gold, but it consumes wood, hay, and stubble. Some good work is actually self-centered aggrandizement. The true value of such service will become obvious to all in the day of Gods judgment (see Rev. 3:17, 18). Roland Allen Gods fellow-workers ( [theou sunergoi]). This old word (co-workers of God) has a new dignity here. God is the major partner in the enterprise of each life, but he lets us work with him. Witness the mother and God with the baby as the product. Gods husbandry ( [theou geōrgion]). Gods tilled land (, ̓ [gē, ergon]). The farmer works with God in Gods field. Without the sun, the rains, the seasons the farmer is helpless. Gods building ( ̓ [theou oikodomē]). God is the Great Architect. We work under him and carry out the plans of the Architect. It is building (̓ [oikos], house, [demō], to build). Let us never forget that God sees and cares what we do in the part of the building where we work for him. Archibald T. Robertson

Caution (v. 7) Do not disrespect Gods person Do not disrespect Gods plan Consideration (v. 8) Sow to the flesh: Reap corruption Sow to the Spirit: Reap everlasting life Encouragement (v.9) Dont give up Dont give out Exercise (v. 10) Take advantage of opportunities Take care of one another More to Consider But God has also told us to be careful where we sow, and it is this principle that Paul deals with here. He looks on our material possessions as seed, and he sees two possible kinds of soil: the flesh and the Spirit. We can use our material goods to promote the flesh, or to promote the things of the Spirit. But once we have finished sowing, we cannot change the harvest. Warren W. Wiersbe Pauls point is that there are natural laws in the spiritual as well as the material realms. Sow seeds in the ground and in time they produce a crop. In the same way the moral acts a person sows produce a crop as well. Theres a story of a farmer who ridiculed his churchgoing neighbors, worked every Sunday, and had a bumper crop. He sent a letter to the local paper deriding their faith. His profit proved God didnt careor couldnt act. Paul said God is not mocked: Our acts are seeds, growing slowly, but sure to produce a crop in keeping with our planting. The papers editor understood the principle, and after the farmers letter printed this observation. God hasnt harvested His crops yet. Lawrence O. Richards Charles Francis Adams, 19th century political figure and diplomat, kept a diary. One day he entered: "Went fishing with my son today--a day wasted." His son, Brook Adams, also kept a diary, which is still in existence. On that same day, Brook Adams made this entry: "Went fishing with my father--the most wonderful day of my life!" The father thought he was wasting his time while fishing with his son, but his son saw it as an investment of time. The only way to tell the difference between wasting and investing is to know one's ultimate purpose in life and to judge accordingly. Silas Shotwell, Homemade, September, 1987. The Truth Concerning Sowing and Reaping You reap what you sow. You reap more than you sow. You reap later than you sow.

Philippians 3:12-16 What Was Pauls Goal? (v. 12) The knowledge of God The power of Christs resurrection To share in Christs sacrifice What Was Pauls Plan? (vv. 13-14) Forgetting the past Reaching forward Pursue passionately What Was Pauls Advice? (vv. 15-16) Personal focus Corporate focus More to Consider Pauls salvation experience had taken place about 30 years before he wrote to the Philippians. He had won many spiritual battles in that time. He had grown much in those years, but he candidly confessed he had not obtained all this, nor was he yet made perfect (v. 12). He still had more spiritual heights to climb. This testimony of the apostle reminded the saints at Philippiand it serves to remind believers todaythat there must never be a stalemate in their spiritual growth or a plateau beyond which they cannot climb. Robert Lightner Paul is not suggesting that we run to get to heaven! The Olympic runners in ancient Greece had to be citizens of the nation they represented. They also had to be free men, not slaves. The unsaved sinner is a slave, but the Christian is a citizen of heaven (3:20) and has been set free by Christ. Each Christian is given a special place on the track for his or her own service, and each one has a goal established by Christ. Our task in life is to lay hold of that for which Christ laid hold of us (v. 13). Paul is not talking about salvation but sanctificationgrowth and progress in Christian life and service. Warren Wiresbe When the author walks onto the stage, the play is over. God is going to invade, all right; but what is the good of saying you are on His side then, when you see the whole natural universe melting away like a dream and something else comes crashing in? This time it will be God without disguise; something so overwhelming that it will strike either irresistible love or irresistible horror into every creature. It will be too late then to choose your side. That will not be the time for choosing; It will be the time when we discover which side we really have chosen, whether we realized it before or not. Now, today, this moment, is our chance to choose the right side. C.S. Lewis.

Matthew 2:1-12 The Search of the Wise Men (vv. 1-8) They consulted the politicians They consulted the academics They consulted the religious The Success of the Wise Men (vv. 9-12) They were joyful They were worshipful They were obedient More to Consider The exact identity of the Magi is impossible to determine, though several ideas have been suggested. They have been given traditional names and identified as representatives of the three groups of peoples that descended from Noahs sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. More likely they were Gentiles of high position from a country, perhaps Parthia, northeast of Babylon, who were given a special revelation by God of the birth of the King of the Jews. This special revelation may simply have been in the sky, as might be indicated by their title Magi (specialists in astronomy) and by the fact they referred to a star which they saw. Or this revelation could have come through some contact with Jewish scholars who had migrated to the East with copies of Old Testament manuscripts. Many feel the Magis comments reflected a knowledge of Balaams prophecy concerning the star that would come out of Jacob (Num. 24:17). Whatever the source, they came to Jerusalem to worship the newborn King of the Jews. (According to tradition three Magi traveled to Bethlehem. But the Bible does not say how many there were.) Louis Barbieri, Dallas Theological Seminary The visit of the Magi is an indication that the Gentiles will someday worship the King when the kingdom is set up on earth (Isa. 60:6). Their experience is a good lesson in finding the will of God: (1) they followed the light God gave them; (2) they confirmed their steps by the Word of God; and (3) they obeyed God without question and He led them each step of the way. Note that they went home by another way (v. 12). Anyone who comes to Christ will go home another way and be a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17). Wiersbe, W. W. (1992). Wiersbes expository outlines on the New Testament (pp. 1718). Victor Books.

Part 3: Christmas Is the Gospel John 3:16 God Loves the World He loved us first (1 John 4:10) He loves us forever (Rom. 8:37-39) God Gave His Only Son An eternal plan (Is. 7:14) An eternal provision (Luke 2:11) We Believe in Him Simple truth (1 John 5:13) Simple faith (Eph. 2:8-9) We Live Forever We can have it now (1John 5:13) We can count on it (Titus 1:2) More to Consider On January 6, 1850, a snowstorm almost crippled the city of Colchester, England; and a teenage boy was unable to get to the church he usually attended. So he made his way to a nearby Primitive Methodist chapel, where an ill-prepared layman was substituting for the absent preacher. His text was Isaiah 45:22Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth. For many months this young teenager had been miserable and under deep conviction; but though he had been reared in church (both his father and grandfather were preachers), he did not have the assurance of salvation. The unprepared substitute minister did not have much to say, so he kept repeating the text. A man need not go to college to learn to look, he shouted. Anyone can looka child can look! About that time, he saw the visitor sitting to one side, and he pointed at him and said, Young man, you look very miserable. Young man, look to Jesus Christ! The young man did look by faith, and that was how the great preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon was converted. Warren W. Wiresbe Why would God come this time in the form of a baby, rather than a firestorm or whirlwind? Because this time he has not come to bring judgment but to bear it, to pay the penalty for our sins, to take away the barrier between humanity and God, so we can be together. Jesus is God with us. Tim Keller The gospel message is about the greatest gift of all timeGod gave us Jesus Christ, his Son, who brings great joy to everyone who receives him. The purpose of Christmas is to share this gift. And what a perfect opportunity! Christmas is a holiday that focuses on the Savior of the world. There could be no better reason to celebrate Christmas. We can share the most wonderful gift of Jesus so that others may experience the great joy of salvation. If you dont know Jesus Christ as your Savior and youd like to experience great joy, you can receive his gift of salvation right now and join in the celebration of Christmas. Source unknown

Isaiah 9:1-7 The Need for Hope (v.1) Gloom Distress Oppression The Nature of Hope (vv. 2-5) Light Joy Peace The Names of Hope (vv. 6-7) Wonderful Counselor Mighty God Everlasting Father Prince of Peace More to Consider As Vice President, George Bush represented the U.S. at the funeral of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. Bush was deeply moved by a silent protest carried out by Brezhnev's widow. She stood motionless by the coffin until seconds before it was closed. Then, just as the soldiers touched the lid, Brezhnev's wife performed an act of great courage and hope, a gesture that must surely rank as one of the most profound acts of civil disobedience ever committed: She reached down and made the sign of the cross on her husband's chest. There in the citadel of secular, atheistic power, the wife of the man who had run it all hoped that her husband was wrong. She hoped that there was another life, and that that life was best represented by Jesus who died on the cross, and that the same Jesus might yet have mercy on her husband. Gary Thomas, in Christianity Today Hope means hoping when things are hopeless, or it is no virtue at all...As long as matters are really hopeful, hope is mere flattery or platitude; it is only when everything is hopeless that hope begins to be a strength. G.K. Chesterton Although Mt 4:16 applies the passage as a whole (vv. 27) to Jesus Christ by implication, the NT does not specifically apply to Him the names, or titles, listed in this verse. Some commentators believe Isaiah was describing a Judean ruler to come during his own time; thus, these names were applied to the reigns of Hezekiah, Josiah, and even Ahaz. But even if the names do not recur, as such, in the NT, they fit the ministry and messianic role of Jesus. As a Wonderful Counselor, He is a doer of miracles, wonders, and signs (Acts 2:22) who sends the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, to continue His work (Jn 14:26). Hailed as My Lord and my God (Jn 20:28) in His resurrection, Jesus has been given all authority in heaven and on earth (Mt 28:18). As one with the Father (Jn 10:30), He is eternalalive forever and ever (Rv 1:18). As a member of Davids royal line (Rm 1:3) He is the Prince who brings peace between Jew and non-Jew (Eph 2:14), whose rule over all kingdoms (Rv 1:5) brings an end to wars. John Collins

Luke 15:1-7 We Were Desperately Lost (vv. 3-4) The Pharisees assessment was accurate Our lostness was shameful He Relentlessly Searched for Us (v. 4) He valued us He pursued us He saved us He carried us He celebrated us We Were Joyously Found (vv. 5-7) The joy of the Shepherd The joy of Heaven More to Consider The shepherd was responsible for each sheep; if one was missing, the shepherd had to pay for it unless he could prove that it was killed by a predator (see Gen. 31:3839; Ex. 22:1013; Amos 3:12). This explains why he would leave the flock with the other shepherds, go and search for the missing animal, and then rejoice when he found it. Not to find the lost sheep meant money out of his own pocket, plus the disgrace of being known as a careless shepherd. Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 233). Victor Books. The Parable of the Lost Sheep teaches that there is rejoicing in heaven when a sinner repents. Jesus was not saying the other 99 sheep were not important. Instead, He was emphasizing that the one sheep not in the fold corresponded with the sinners with whom Jesus was eating (vv. 12). The 99 righteous persons refer to the Pharisees who thought themselves righteous and therefore in no need to repent. Martin, J. A. (1985). Luke. In J. F. Walvoord R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 244). Victor Books. Dr. Andrew Bonar told me how, in the Highlands of Scotland, a sheep would often wander off into the rocks and get into places that they couldn't get out of. The grass on these mountains is very sweet and the sheep like it, and they will jump down ten or twelve feet, and then they can't jump back again, and the shepherd hears them bleating in distress. They may be there for days, until they have eaten all the grass. The shepherd will wait until they are so faint they cannot stand, and then they will put a rope around him, and he will go over and pull that sheep up out of the jaws of death. "Why don't they go down there when the sheep first gets there?" I asked. "Ah!" He said, "they are so very foolish they would dash right over the precipice and be killed if they did!" And that is the way with men; they won't go back to God till they have no friends and have lost everything. If you are a wanderer I tell you that the Good Shepherd will bring you back the moment you have given up trying to save yourself and are willing to let Him save you His own way. Moody's Anecdotes, pp. 70-71.

Isaiah 61:10-11, Rev. 19:6-8 An immediate Consideration (Is. 61:10-11) Internal elation External elegance Wrapped in Gods salvation Clothed in Gods righteousness Natural expression An Eternal Celebration (Rev. 19:6-8) The Marriage Supper The Bridal Gown More to Consider I'm reminded of E.B. White's comment: "People have re-cut their clothes to follow the fashion...People have remodeled their ideas too -- taken in their convictions a little at the waist, shortened the sleeves of their resolve, and fitted themselves out in a new intellectual ensemble copied from a smart design out of the very latest page of history." When slavery to fashion invades the church, our latest ideas are yesterday's fads. We adopt the world's agenda -- just a few years too late. Many churchmen sport theological bell-bottoms. Charles Colson, Against the Night, p. 151. [how can anyone] be silly enough to think himself better than other people, because his clothes are made of finer woolen thread than theirs. After all, those fine clothes were once worn by a sheep, and they never turned it into anything better than a sheep. Thomas More, Utopia In these verses the prophet seems to be speaking for the redeemed remnant who will rejoice (cf. comments on 9:3) in response to Gods blessings mentioned in 61:19. Salvation and righteousness are pictured as clothes worn by the people (cf. Gods clothes, 59:17). In other words the Israelites are characterized by salvation (Gods redeemed people) and righteousness (those who are living by Gods standards; cf. 58:8; 60:21). To picture their joy and blessing a bridegroom wore a fancy headgear, like a priests turban, and the bride wore costly jewelry. God will cause Israels righteousness to spring up in (be known by) other nations (cf. 61:11; 62:12) much as the soil sustains the growth of plants Martin, J. A. (1985). Isaiah. In J. F. Walvoord R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1116). Victor Books.

2 Chronicles 20 Prayer (vv. 1-4)A. When the world attacksB. seek the Lord. Preaching (vv. 14-17)A. Do not fearB. Do not falterC. Do not fight Praise (vv. 20-23)A. The praising choirB. The providential confrontationC. The promised confusion Power (vv. 27-30)A. The rejoicing of Gods peopleB. The reputation of Gods people More to Consider Worship is all that we are, reacting rightly to all that He is. How broad is the biblical concept of worship? And how accurate is your perception of it? Worship is to the Christian life what the mainspring is to a watch, what the engine is to a car. It is the very core, the most essential element John MacArthur When faced by a combined army of the Moabites and the Ammonites, two ancient enemies of Israel (Gen. 19:3038; Deut. 23:3; Neh. 13:1ff), Jehoshaphat put his faith in the Lord, and God gave him a great victory. The combination of prayer (20:313), prophecy (20:1417), and praise (20:1822) brought him the victory. (We wonder how the choir of Levites felt about going out before the army. But worship is a great weapon against the enemy.) Wiersbe, W. W. (1993). Wiersbes Expository Outlines on the Old Testament (2 Ch 1336). Victor Books. It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased. C S Lewis What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. A.W. Tozer

Psalm 24 The Range of Worship (vv. 1-2) The fullness of worship The foundation of worship The Requirements of Worship (vv. 3-6) Our part Pure hands Pure heart His part Blessing Righteousness The Reception of Worship (vv. 7-10) Lift up our heads: attention Lift up our doors: welcome More to Consider What is worship? Worship is to feel in your heart and express in some appropriate manner a humbling but delightful sense of admiring awe and astonished wonder and overpowering love in the presence of that most ancient Mystery, that Majesty which philosophers call the First Cause, but which we call Our Father Which Are in Heaven. A.W. Tozer, quoted in D.J. Fant, A.W. Tozer, Christian Publications, 1964, p. 90. True biblical worship so satisfies our total personality that we don't have to shop around for man-made substitutes. William Temple made this clear in his masterful definition of worship: For worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by His holiness; the nourishment of mind with His truth; the purifying of imagination by His beauty; the opening of the heart to His love; the surrender of will to His purpose -- and all of this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable and therefore the chief remedy for that self-centeredness which is our sin and the source of all actual sin. Warren W. Wiersbe,The Integrity Crisis, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1991. Barclay quotes William Temple, the renowned archbishop of Canterbury, as defining worship as quickening the conscience by the holiness of God, feeding the mind with the truth of God, purging the imagination by the beauty of God, opening the heart to the love of God, and devoting the will to the purpose of God Matthew R. Mounce. I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation. If it were possible for a created soul fully to 'appreciate,' that is, to love and delight in, the worthiest object of all, and simultaneously at every moment to give this delight perfect expression, then that soul would be in supreme blessedness. To praise God fully we must suppose ourselves to be in perfect love with God, drowned in, dissolved by that delight which, far from remaining pent up within ourselves as incommunicable bliss, flows out from us incessantly again in effortless and perfect expression. Our joy is no more separable from the praise in which it liberates and utters itself than the brightness a mirror receives is separable from the brightness it sheds. C.S. Lewis.

The Cross (vv. 5-8) A. Christ willingly surrendered His self-willed deity B. Christ willingly submitted to the limitations of humanity C. Christ willingly succumbed to an agonizing death 1. Agonizing physically 2. Agonizing emotionally 3. Agonizing spiritually The Crown (vv. 9-11) A. Christs exaltation 1. The Father exalted His Person 2. The Father exalted His Position B. Christs glorification 1. Global 2. Universal C. Christs vindication More to Consider Definitions of Political Systems Communism: You have two cows. The government takes both of them and gives you part of the milk. Socialism: You have two cows. The government takes one and gives it to your neighbor. Fascism: You have two cows. The government takes both cows and sells you the milk. Nazism: You have two cows. The government takes both cows, then shoots you. Bureaucracy: You have two cows. The government takes both of them, shoots one, milks the other, then pours the milk down the drain. Capitalism: You have two cows. You sell one of them and buy a bull. In a democracy, everyone has two cows, then a vote is taken, and whatever the majority decides to do, you do, and that's no bull! Pulpit Helps, August, 1992, p. 8. I want to give a word of caution here. Be very careful about calling Jesus your Lord if He is not your Lord. He made the statement that many would call Him Lord, Lord, and even perform miracles in His name, yet He will say, I never knew you (see Matt. 7:2123). My friend, you had better know Him as your Savior before you say He is your Lord. If He is your Savior, then you can become obedient to Him as your Lord. McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles (Philippians/Colossians) (electronic ed., Vol. 48, p. 53). Thomas Nelson. The person with the submissive mind, as he lives for others, must expect sacrifice and service; but in the end, it is going to lead to glory. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time (1 Peter 5:6). Joseph suffered and served for thirteen years; but then God exalted him and made him the second ruler of Egypt. David was anointed king when he was but a youth. He experienced years of hardship and suffering, but at the right time, God exalted him as king of Israel. Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 7677). Victor Books.

Live as a Light in Darkness (vv. 11-15) Infiltrate but do not imitate Illuminate but do not alienate Cooperate but do not deviate Live in Liberty Under Direction (v. 16) Freedom in the world Freedom from the world Live by Love Amidst Desperation (v. 17) Considerate love to the unsaved Sacrificial love to the saved Reverential love to Savior Respectful love to the sovereigns More to Consider Years ago, the communist government in China commissioned an author to write a biography of Hudson Taylor with the purpose of distorting the facts and presenting him in a bad light. They wanted to discredit the name of this consecrated missionary of the gospel. As the author was doing his research, he was increasingly impressed by Taylor's saintly character and godly life, and he found it extremely difficult to carry out his assigned task with a clear conscience. Eventually, at the risk of losing his life, he laid aside his pen, renounced his atheism, and received Jesus as his personal Savior. Whether we realize it or not, our example leaves an impression on others. Sign in an executive's office: "What I am about to say represents one four-billionth of the world's opinion." Jack Williams, Phoenix Gazette. Dr. John Geddie went to Aneityum in 1848 and worked there for God for 24 years. On the tablet erected to his memory these words are inscribed: When he landed, in 1848, there were no Christians. When he left, in 1872, there were no heathen. J.O. Sanders, Spiritual Leadership, p. 24. An elderly gentleman was sitting on a park bench, basking in the sun, when another elderly fellow sat down. They looked at each other for a moment but did not speak. Both men sat there, staring straight ahead. After a while, one of them heaved a big, heartfelt sigh. The other jumped up immediately and said, "If you're going to talk politics, I'm leaving." Bits Pieces, June 24, 1993, p. 7. The penalty that good men pay for not being interested in politics is to be governed by men worse than themselves. Plato.

The Dread of the Cross (vv. 27-29) The Sons resolve The Fathers reassurance The Necessity of the Cross (vv. 30-33) The wonder of the crowd The weight of the crucifixion Judgment of sin Destruction of Satan Redemption of humanity The Brilliance of the Cross (vv. 34-36) The blindness The brightness Walk in the light Believe through the light Live by the light More to Consider The government of Polish Prime Minister Jaruzelski had ordered crucifixes removed from classroom walls, just as they had been banned in factories, hospitals, and other public institutions. Catholic bishops attacked the ban that had stirred waves of anger and resentment all across Poland. Ultimately the government relented, insisting that the law remain on the books, but agreeing not to press for removal of the crucifixes, particularly in the schoolrooms. But one zealous Communist school administrator in Garwolin decided that the law was the law. So one evening he had seven large crucifixes removed from lecture halls where they had hung since the school's founding in the twenties. Days later, a group of parents entered the school and hung more crosses. The administrator promptly had these taken down as well. The next day two-thirds of the school's six hundred students staged a sit-in. When heavily armed riot police arrived, the students were forced into the streets. Then they marched, crucifixes held high, to a nearby church where they were joined by twenty-five hundred other students from nearby schools for a morning of prayer in support of the protest. Soldiers surrounded the church. But the pictures from inside of students holding crosses high above their heads flashed around the world. So did the words of the priest who delivered the message to the weeping congregation that morning. "There is no Poland without a cross." Chuck Colson, Kingdoms in Conflict, pp. 202-3. All heaven is interested in the cross of Christ, all hell is terribly afraid of it, while men are the only beings who more or less ignore its meaning. Oswald Chambers.

Adapted from an outline by Warren W. Wiresbe Human Life is a Gift from God (vv. 9-10) Is it worth it? Life is God-given Human Life is Linked to Eternity (v. 11) Human perspective Gods plan Human Life Can be Enjoyed Now (vv. 12-15) A current enjoyment A coming reckoning More To Consider It is possible to view these verses as the basis of hope rather than despair. Since all has been determined by God, there is purpose and meaning in the events of life. Since there is a set time for everything, there can be a sense of security. Instead of despair, there can be delight: He has made eveything beautiful, that is, right or proper for its time (v. 11). God has both purpose for and relationship with man. That God remains in charge of all events is a common Old Testament concept. Schultz, C. (1995). Ecclesiastes. In Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Vol. 3, p. 439). Baker Book House. Without God, everything suffers in the futility of temporality. The pleasures and even the good works of this life are simply a means of marking time until its inevitable cessation, when everything will be snatched from our grasp. The Preacher highlights the permanence, completeness and security that are to be found in the realization that God has an eternal purpose in all that he does. This purpose is to engender fear into the heart of man! This fear may initially bring thoughts of dread and terror to the heart of man, but its intent is to give recognition of Gods awesome power and authority. Winter, J. (2005). Opening up Ecclesiastes (pp. 5556). Day One Publications. Get the right perspective. When Goliath came against the Israelites, the soldiers all thought, "He's so big we can never kill him." David looked at the same giant and thought, "He's so big I can't miss." God Can Make It Happen (Victor).

The Laws for Humanity (vv. 1-17) Laws concerning our relationship to God (vv. 1-11)1. Worship no other gods2. Do not make idols 3. Do not misuse Gods name4. Keep the Sabbath holyLaws concerning our relationship to others (vv. 12-17)5. Honor your parents6. Do not murder7. Do not commit adultery8. Do not steal9. Do not lie10. Do not covet The Lord of Humanity (vv. 18-21)Fear of the dramaFear of the Divine More to Consider The Function of Human Government The general function of human government, as instituted by God, may be said to be threefold: to protect, punish, and promote. The Function of Protection: The moment Adam sinned it was obvious that civilizations would need some form of restraint and rule to protect citizens from themselves. An example of this function is seen in Acts 21:27-37 where Roman soldiers step in and save Paul from being murdered by his own enraged countrymen in Jerusalem. The Function of Punishment: Both Paul and Peter bring this out. Paul writes that duly appointed human officials are to be regarded as God's servants to "bear the sword," that is, to impose punishment upon criminals (vv. 3,4). Peter tells us that governors are "sent by him for the punishment of evildoers" (1 Pet 2:13, 14). The Function of Promotion: Human government is to promote the general welfare of the community where its laws are in effect. Paul commands us to pray for human leaders "that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty" (1 Tim 2:1,2). New King James Version Notes, Thomas Nelson, p. 1152 1 Peter 2:13, Our Responsibility to Human Government It is impossible for a believer to be a good Christian and a bad citizen at the same time. As children of God our responsibility to human government is threefold: We are to recognize and accept that the powers that be are ordained by God. "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God." (Rom 13:1) This truth applies even to atheistic human governments unless, of course, the law is anti- scriptural. In that situation the believer must obey God rather than man (Acts 4:18-20). In fact, when Paul wrote those words in Romans 13:1, the evil emperor Nero was on the throne. See also Titus 3:1. We are to pay our taxes to human government (Matt 17:24-7; 22:21, Rom 13:7). We are to pray for the leaders in human government. "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior" (1 Tim 2:1-3). We are to take responsibility for the right ordering of civil society without falling prey to the idea that it is within our power to build the Kingdom of God on earth. Evangelicals and Catholics Together: The Christian Mission in the Third Millennium, 1994.

The Conflict (v. 1) The inquiry The indictment The Cause (vv. 2-3) Our selfish preferences Our selfish pleasures The Conviction (vv. 4-5) Charge of adultery Cheating on God The Cure Humility before God Proximity to God Purity in God More to Consider The two major ideas vying for supremacy within the last century and a half are state run, centrally planned communism (and its little brother, socialism) and free market, private property centered capitalism. Arthur Brooks of the American Enterprise Institute, presenting for the internet think tank PragerU.com, demonstrates the goal of both political ideologies to work for the basic common good. Quoting Frederic Hayek, Brooks says, Whats the best way to help poor people escape poverty? Progressives and conservatives have very different answers to this question, but before we explore those answers, lets agree on this: Both progressives and conservatives believe that the government has a moral obligation to help those who, through bad luck or unfortunate circumstances, cant help themselves. Heres what a conservative icon, Nobel Prize-winning economist, Frederic Hayek, said on the subject: There is no reason why, in a society that has reached the general level of wealth ours has attained, the first kind of security should not be guaranteed to all...some minimum of food, shelter, and clothing sufficient to preserve health and the capacity to work. Whatever the media might tell you, there isnt a conservative out there who would not agree with Hayeks statement. Both philosophies seek to turn collective attention toward a common good, and both have been and are being tried to various levels of success. However, both are human constructs and, therefore each have their weaknesses. Mike Farley In the absence of a compelling external authority that enables us to draw the line confidently between right and wrong, true and false, we are left to fumble about with only our feelings to guide us. And are these feelings not often driven by self-desire and self-justification? Feelings are notoriously unreliable as a guide to belief or behavior. David F. Wells

Genesis 1:26-31, 2:15-17 God Given Animation (1:26a) Gods life (Gen. 2:7) Gods likeness God Given Authorization (1:26b-27) God is the Owner Humanity is the manager God Given Aspiration (1:28-31) Have a fruitful life Enjoy a fruit-filled life God Given Limitation (Gen. 2:15-17) One forbidden tree One fearful warning More to Consider A biblical answer explains why all of life has become disordered. As the twenty-first century is beginning in the West, part of that disorder is the sense that life has no center, that it is adrift, and that it has no meaning. This answer, which explains all of this, is sin. And this is the normative answer. It does not change. This, in every age, is the answer that explains life's disorder. The center has not been lost. What has been lost is our ability to see it, to recognize it, to bow before it, to reorder our lives in light of it, to do what we should do as people who live in the presence of this center, this Other, this triune, holy-loving God of the BiblePaul's statement is that, since the fall, we have "worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator" (Rom. 1:25). David F. Wells So, to eliminate any confusion on this point, I am going to give you a short quiz. In the Christian Story, who is the creator and sustainer of the universe? Who is the Lord, the master of the universe? Who is all-powerful? Who is the center of the universe? The answer to each of these questions is, of course, Godthe God who is completely distinct from the rest of his creation. Gregory Koukl Sovereignty or governance means to be in control of or to be in charge of. Sovereignty concerns not only Gods right to control all, but also His actual sovereign dominion over all things. Sovereignty is based in several of His attributes since God is allpowerful, allknowing, allwise and allgood. This is because God knows the best thing to do and has the power to do it. He is prior to all things, produces all things, sustains all things, transcends all things, knows all things, can do all things, owns all things, rules over all things and controls all things. Norman L. Geisler

Matthew 7:24-29 The Structure of Life (vv. 24-25) The Rock The sand The Storms of Life (vv. 26-27) The same storms The different outcomes The Sovereign of Life (vv. 28-29) The astonishment The Authority More to Consider The reason you often cannot tell the difference between them is that the deep foundations of their lives are hidden from view. The real question is not whether they hear Christs teaching (nor even whether they respect or believe it), but whether they do what they hear. Only a storm will reveal the truth. Sometimes a storm of crisis or calamity betrays what manner of person we are, for true piety is not fully distinguished from its counterfeit till it comes to the trial. If not, the storm of the day of judgment will certainly do so. Stott, J. R. W., Stott, J. R. W. (1985). The message of the Sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7): Christian counter-culture (p. 209). InterVarsity Press. From picturing two ways and two trees, our Lord closed His message by picturing two builders and their houses. The two ways illustrate the start of the life of faith; the two trees illustrate the growth and results of the life of faith here and now; and the two houses illustrate the end of this life of faith, when God shall call everything to judgment. There are false prophets at the gate that leads to the broad way, making it easy for people to enter. But at the end of the way, there is destruction. The final test is not what we think of ourselves, or what others may think. The final test is: What will God say? Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 31). Victor Books. A person who comes to Christ for salvation comes to Christ the Lord, who has the right to demand obedience because of His lordship. Note that Jesus did not teach here that works save us, but rather that doing good works is a reflection of our obedience to Gods will (7:1620, 2427; cp. Jms 2:1426). Attempting to earn salvation by works is a rejection of Christs sovereignty. Sin replaces Gods sovereignty with our human bent toward self-will and rebellion against Gods will. Cabal, T., Brand, C. O., Clendenen, E. R., Copan, P., Moreland, J. P., Powell, D. (2007). The Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith (p. 1416). Holman Bible Publishers.

Our Relationship with the Culture: Part 2 Matthew 7:15-23 The Deceivers (vv. 15-20) False identity Faithful identifier Bad trees bear bad fruit Good trees bear good fruit The Deceived (vv. 21-23) Religion professed Look at what we have done for You! Relationship possessed No dependence upon ourselves Complete dependence on Christ More to Consider One of the major characteristics of false prophets in the Old Testament was their amoral optimism, their denial that God was the God of judgment as well as of steadfast love and mercy. They were guilty, Jeremiah said to the people, of filling you with vain hopes They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, It shall be well with you; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart they say, No evil shall come upon you. Similarly, God complains: They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace. Such talk was, to say the least, a grave disservice to the people of God. It gave them a false sense of security. It lulled them to sleep in their sins. It failed to warn them of the impending judgment of God or tell them how to escape it. Stott, J. R. W., Stott, J. R. W. (1985). The message of the Sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7): Christian counter-culture (p. 199). InterVarsity Press. Those hearing this sermon must have wondered about the religious leaders, who seemed to be good men, teaching spiritual truths about Messiah and His kingdom. Jesus made it clear they were not good for they were leading others astray. Even if they were doing supernatural deedsprophesying in His name, driving out demons, and performing many miracles, they were not obedient to the Father, continually doing His will (Matt. 7:21). They would be refused admission to the kingdom because Jesus had no personal relationship with them (vv. 21, 23). Barbieri, L. A., Jr. (1985). Matthew. In J. F. Walvoord R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 34). Victor Books.

The Rebellion vv. 1-3 Gods Response vv. 4-6 The Messiah vv. 7-9 Our Response vv. 10-12 THE WAY TO WISDOM Receive Gods Instruction Serve The Lord and Rejoice Honor and Obey Jesus Take Refuge in Him

Two Gates The Culture gate The Kingdom gate Two Ways The wide way The narrow way Two Outcomes Destruction Life More to Consider What is immediately striking about these verses is the absolute nature of the choice before us. We would all prefer to be given many more choices than only one, or better still to fuse them all into a conglomerate religion, thus eliminating the need for any choice. But Jesus cuts across our easy-going syncretism. He will not allow us the comfortable solutions we propose. Instead he insists that ultimately there is only one choice, because there are only two possibilities to choose from. John Stott In his 1983 acceptance speech for the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion, [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn] recalled the words he heard as a child, when his elders sought to explain the ruinous upheavals in Russia: "Men have forgotten God; that's why all this has happened." He added, "If I were called upon to identify briefly the principal trait of the entire twentieth century, here too I would be unable to find anything more precise and pithy than to repeat once again: 'men have forgotten God.'" John Wilson, reviewing "Solzhenitsyn and the Modern World, in Christianity Today, Feb 7, 1994, p. 57. A friend who lives in a forested area found his home overrun with mice--too many to exterminate with traps. So he bought a few boxes of D-Con and distributed them around the house, including one under his bed. That night he couldn't believe his ears; below him was a feeding frenzy. In the morning he checked the box and found it licked clean. Just to make sure the plan worked, he bought and placed another box. Again, the mice went for the flavored poison like piranha. But the tasty and popular nighttime snack did its deadly work. In the days that followed, all was quiet. Just because something is popular doesn't mean it's good for you. It can be deadly--like sin. Craig Brian Larson, in Leadership

The Call to Dependency on God (vv. 7-8) Ask when in need Seek when confused Knock when rejected The Illustration of Dependency on God (vv. 9-11) The home life example The heavenly exemplar The Empowerment through Dependency on God (v.12) Gods care empowers disciples to be caring Gods care empowers disciples to be sacrificial More to Consider Sign seen in a textile mill, "When your thread becomes tangled, call the foreman." A young woman was new on the job. Her thread became tangled and she thought, "I'll just straighten this out myself." She tried, but the situation only worsened. Finally she called the foreman. "I did the best I could," she said. "No you didn't. To do the best, you should have called me." Sermonillustrations.com, Source Unknown. In an essay on prayer, C.S. Lewis suggested that God treats new Christians with a special kind of tenderness, much as a parent dotes on a newborn. He quotes an experienced Christian: "I have seen many striking answers to prayer and more than one that I thought miraculous. But they usually come at the beginning before conversion, or soon after it. As the Christian life proceeds, they tend to be rarer. The refusals, too, are not only more frequent; they become more unmistakable, more emphatic.". At first glance, such a suggestion seems to have it all backward. Shouldn't faith become easier, not harder, as a Christian progresses? But, as Lewis points out, the New Testament gives two strong examples of unanswered prayers: Jesus pled three times for God to "Take this cup from me" and Paul begged God to cure the "thorn in my flesh." Lewis asks, "Does God then forsake just those who serve Him best? Well, He who served Him best of all said, near His tortured death, 'Why hast thou forsaken me?' When God becomes man, that Man, of all others, is least comforted by God, at His greatest need. There is a mystery here which, even if I had the power, I might not have the courage to explore. Meanwhile, little people like you and me, if our prayers are sometimes granted, beyond all hope and probability, had better not draw hasty conclusions to our own advantage. If we were stronger, we might be less tenderly treated. If we were braver, we might be sent, with far less help, to defend far more desperate posts in the great battle." Quoted in Disappointment With God, Philip Yancey, Zondervan, p. 208.

Our Relationships with Others Matthew 7:1-6 Beware of Judging Harshly (vv. 1-2) Be discerning (Matt. 7:15-20, James 2:18) Do not be destructive Be Aware of Judging Hypocritically (vv. 3-5) The spec in their eye The plank in your eye The hypocrisy in our hearts Be Wary of Judging Harmfully (v. 6) Godly truth and testimony Ungodly trampling and tearing More to Consider The picture of somebody struggling with the delicate operation of removing a speck of dirt from a friends eye, while a vast plank in his own eye entirely obscures his vision, is ludicrous in the extreme. Yet when the caricature is transferred to ourselves and our ridiculous fault-finding, we do not always appreciate the joke. We have a fatal tendency to exaggerate the faults of others and minimize the gravity of our own. We seem to find it impossible, when comparing ourselves with others, to be strictly objective and impartial. On the contrary, we have a rosy view of ourselves and a jaundiced view of others. Indeed, what we are often doing is seeing our own faults in others and judging them vicariously. That way, we experience the pleasure of self-righteousness without the pain of penitence. So, you hypocrite is a key expression here. Moreover, this kind of hypocrisy is the more unpleasant because an apparent act of kindness (taking a speck of dirt from somebodys eye) is made the means of inflating our own ego. John Stott It was F.B. Meyer, I believe, who once said that when we see a brother or sister in sin, there are two things we do not know: First, we do not know how hard he or she tried not to sin. And second, we do not know the power of the forces that assailed him or her. We also do not know what we would have done in the same circumstances. Stephen Brown,Christianity Today Given half a chance, people often crawl out of the boxes into which we've relegated them. Larry D. Wright.

The Disciples Faith:The Liberty of Faith Matthew 6:25-34 The Invitation to Trust in God (v. 25) How will my necessities be met? What is most necessary? The Examples of Trust in God (vv. 26-30) Look at the birds of the air: God feeds them Consider the lilies of the field: God adorns them The Liberty through Trusting in God (vv. 31-34) The enslaving focus of the lost The liberating faith of the saved More to Consider Faith in God makes great optimists. Over in Burma, missionary Adoniram Judson was lying in a foul jail with 32 lbs. of chains on his ankles, his feet bound to a bamboo pole. A fellow prisoner said, "Dr. Judson, what about the prospect of the conversion of the heathen?", with a sneer on his face. His instant reply was, "The prospects are just as bright as the promises of God." The Presbyterian Advance Sir Wilfred Grenfell, medical missionary in Labrador, found himself adrift on an ice flow, headed out to sea. He mercifully killed his dogs, made a coat out of their hides, put up a distress flag, and lay down and slept. Later he said, "There was nothing to fear. I had done all I could, the rest lay in God's hands." Donald Campbell, Daniel, Decoder of Dreams, p. 20. The worldliness which Christians are to avoid can take either a religious or a secular shape. So we are to differ from non-Christians not only in our devotions, but also in our ambitions. In particular, Christ changes our attitude to material wealth and possessions. It is impossible to worship both God and money; we have to choose between them. Secular people are preoccupied with the quest for food, drink and clothing. Christians are to be free of these self-centred material anxieties and instead to give themselves to the spread of Gods rule and Gods righteousness. That is to say, our supreme ambition is to be the glory of God, and neither our own glory nor even our own material well-being. It is a question of what we seek first. John Stott