Go and Make

Think of Peter, James, John, Matthew, etc. What came first: being disciples or believing Jesus was their Savior?


Matthew 28:10,

10 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go, tell my followers to go to Galilee. There they will see me.” … 16 The eleven disciples went to the mountain in Galilee where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they bowed down in worship, though some had doubts. 18 When Jesus came near, he spoke to them. He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 So wherever you go, make disciples of all nations: Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach them to do everything I have commanded you. And remember that I am always with you until the end of time.” [God’s Word]

In the Message: 16-17

Meanwhile, the eleven disciples were on their way to Galilee, headed for the mountain Jesus had set for their reunion. The moment they saw him they worshiped him. Some, though, held back, not sure about worship, about risking themselves totally. 18-20 Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”

In the NIV:

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

That’s the end of Matthew’s gospel! Jesus rose, told them this and … CUT.  That’s a print!

What does this command mean to you?



How important is it? (To you personally or to the church as a whole?)




Breaking it down:
What does this mean?  All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me


How does the authority idea become the reason for the command? Therefore


To a place or do it now or get off your butt or…? Go


What is a disciple and how do I make one? make disciples of all nations


What else?

Versions of this scene are in all of the gospels.
Mark 16:15-16 Then Jesus said to them, “So wherever you go in the world, tell everyone the Good News. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

Luke 24:47-48  “Scripture also says that by the authority of Jesus people would be told to turn to God and change the way they think and act so that their sins will be forgiven. This would be told to people from all nations, beginning in the city of Jerusalem. You are witnesses to these things.”

John 20:21-23 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” After he had said this, he breathed on the disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whenever you forgive sins, they are forgiven. Whenever you don’t forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

What do you notice in common amongst all these versions?


What do the others add to the ideas in Matthew?



Scripture Share: Look over the following verses for what connects with you, or with the gospel passages we read.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths smooth.

Proverbs 3:11-12 Do not reject the discipline of the Lord, my son, and do not resent his warning, because the Lord warns the one he loves, even as a father warns a son with whom he is pleased.

Psalm 86:11 Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

Matthew 4:19-20 Jesus said to them, “Come, follow me! I will teach you how to catch people instead of fish.” They immediately left their nets and followed him.

Luke 6:39-40 Jesus also gave them this illustration: “Can one blind person lead another? Won’t both fall into the same pit? A student is no better than his teacher. But everyone who is well-trained will be like his teacher.

Romans 5:6-8 Look at it this way: At the right time, while we were still helpless, Christ died for ungodly people. Finding someone who would die for a godly person is rare. Maybe someone would have the courage to die for a good person. Christ died for us while we were still sinners. This demonstrates God’s love for us.

Colossians 1:21-22  Once you were separated from God. The evil things you did showed your hostile attitude. But now Christ has brought you back to God by dying in his physical body. He did this so that you could come into God’s presence without sin, fault, or blame.

Colossians 2:6-7 You received Christ Jesus the Lord, so continue to live as Christ’s people. Sink your roots in him and build on him. Be strengthened by the faith that you were taught, and overflow with thanksgiving.

1 Thessalonians 2:6-8  We didn’t seek praise from people, from you or from anyone else, although as apostles of Christ we had the right to do this. Instead, we were gentle when we were with you, like a mother taking care of her children. We felt so strongly about you that we were determined to share with you not only the Good News of God but also our lives. That’s how dear you were to us!

2 Timothy 3: 16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,  so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

1 Timothy 2: 8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.

Hebrews 5:12-14  By now you should be teachers. Instead, you still need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word. You need milk, not solid food. All those who live on milk lack the experience to talk about what is right. They are still babies. However, solid food is for mature people, whose minds are trained by practice to know the difference between good and evil.

1 Peter 2:21 God called you to endure suffering because Christ suffered for you. He left you an example so that you could follow in his footsteps.

1 John 2:5-6 But whoever obeys what Christ says is the kind of person in whom God’s love is perfected. That’s how we know we are in Christ. Those who say that they live in him must live the same way he lived.

1 John 3:16-18 We understand what love is when we realize that Christ gave his life for us. That means we must give our lives for other believers. Now, suppose a person has enough to live on and notices another believer in need. How can God’s love be in that person if he doesn’t bother to help the other believer? Dear children, we must show love through actions that are sincere, not through empty words.

Caesar Kalinowski shares six simple ways to make disciples without adding anything to your schedule. His idea is that his church should expand on the rhythms that they do in the course of everyday life. There's a video:  http://www.vergenetwork.org/2013/05/28/6-rhythms-to-discipleship-caesar-kalinowski/

• Know God’s story.
• Listening. listening to God, and listening in community is how you get to know peoples stories.
• Celebrate. Life is living in a rhythm of celebration. The church should be the most celebratory people of the planet. We get to live forever!
• Rhythm of Eating. Talk about moving from additional to intentional. We’re already eating like 21 times a week…What if I were to have three meals a week with people I’m trying to make disciples of?
• Bless. Ask the spirit to reveal to you three people that you could bless intentionally each week through either words, action, or gift. Imagine a community of people in a neighborhood, like ten or twelve, all blessing three people a week. It’ll transform a place.
• ReCreate. Resting in what Christ has done for us, not to earn, but then we work. It’s the idea of sabbath.

What do you think? Are these scriptural? Practical?




Would they be effective?




Read Hebrews 12:1-12.  How would you summarize this? How does it connect with the other scripture we’ve read? Other than the coincidence of words, does it take discipline to be or make disciples?

What Kind of Fool Am I?

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline” Prov. 1:7

The primary problem with fools as described in the Bible is that of pride.  As we look through scripture, look for these traits:

• They are unteachable. They refuse to accept correction, listen to advice, or take personal responsibility. Instead, they think they are always right and others are fools.
• They have control issues. They think everyone should listen to them and do what they say; often if they meet with resistance, they can be very angry. They seem to fear allowing anyone else (including God) to be in charge. Many times, they feel somehow that they are above the system - the rules that apply to everyone else don't apply to them.
• They do not have spiritual insight.  Since the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and that is why the way of wisdom seems ridiculous to a fool. He might even mock those who walk in it.

There are FOUR Hebrew words for a fool.  It’s notable that they have more words for this than English does, because usually this is reversed! There will be 4 or more English words for a single Hebrew word.

• A simple fool, or peti, is a person who makes mistakes but quickly rights them and is restored to fellowship with God and with others.  Proverbs 1:4, 22, 32; Proverbs 7:7; Proverbs 8:5; Proverbs 9:4, 6, 16; Proverbs 14:15, 18; Proverbs 19:25; Proverbs 21:11; Proverbs 22:3; Proverbs 27:12; Psalm 116:6
• The hardened fool, kesil and ewil, is someone who makes mistakes but never learns from them and will not listen to others.   Proverbs 3:35; Proverbs 8:5; Proverbs 10:1, 18, 23; Proverbs 12:23; Proverbs 13:16, 19-20; Proverbs 14:7-8, 16, 24, 33; Proverbs 15:2, 7, 14; Proverbs 15:20; Proverbs 17:10, 12, 16, 21, 24-25; Proverbs 18:2, 6-7; Proverbs 19:1, 10, 13, 29; Proverbs 21:20; Proverbs 23:9; Proverbs 26:1-12; Proverbs 28:26; Proverbs 29:11, 20; Ecclesiastes 2:14-16; Ecclesiastes 4:5, 13; Eccl 5:1-4; Eccl 6:8; Eccl 7:4-6, 9; Eccl 9:17; Eccl 10:2, 12,15; Psalms 92:6
• The mocking fool, or lewtz. The mocking fool mocks the things of God. This word means “scoffer” or “scorner” and today means a clown. When you encounter cynical people who disregard the things of God, you know these people are mocking fools. Proverbs 1:22; Proverbs 3:34; Proverbs 9:7-8, 12; Proverbs 13:1; Proverbs 14:6, 9; Proverbs 15:12; Proverbs 19:25, 28-29; Proverbs 20:1; Proverbs 21:11, 24; Proverbs 22:10; Proverbs 24:9
• The God-denying fool, or nabal. This term relates to the morally wicked person who ignores the disgrace he brings on his family and who despises holiness.  He conducts his life without any recognition of God and thus is corrupt and perverse. Psalm 14:1, 3; Ps 39:8; Ps 53:1; Ps 74:18, 22; Proverbs 17:7; Prov 17:21; Prov 30:22; Isaiah 32:5-6 (Nabal is also a person, whose story is told in 1 Samuel 25. He insults David, is about to be killed, is saved by his wife Abigail, and then dies of his foolishness. Abigail goes on to become David’s first wife.)

(This section is expanded from Os Hillman http://www.marketplaceleaders.org/becoming-a-fool/ using Strong’s Concordance. HT Randy Deater)


1)    Do you see a difference among types 2-4? Do you know any other types?


Let’s read Proverbs 26.
2)    Can we put in plain words what the author describes as foolish behavior? What makes it foolish?



Let’s read Proverbs 17:7-24.
3)    What happens to fools? What happens to those around them?



Let’s read Proverbs 18:9-24.
4)    How can we deal with fools and/or foolish behavior? What is our responsibility to those with a fool in their lives?



The Top (Biblical) Signs of a Fool:
1.    A fool folds his hands and wastes away. (Ecclesiastes 4:5 & 10:12),
2.    Laughter of a fool is pointless or meaningless (Ecclesiastes 7:6)
3.    Silence is their only camouflage (Proverbs 17:28).
4.    Insults those trying to advise them. (Proverbs 9:7)
5.    Talk their way into a beating. (Proverbs 18:6)
6.    Hates those who try to correct them. (Proverbs 9:8)
7.    Works against those trying to help them. (Proverbs 19:3).
8.    Prefers speaking their opinion to gaining understanding. (Proverbs 18:2).
9.    Despise discipline. (Proverbs 1:7)
10.    Cannot apply wisdom. (Proverbs 26:7,9)
11.    Repeats stupidity. (Proverbs 26:11)
12.    Stubborn to the point of fighting. (Proverbs 20:3)
13.    Dangerous to themselves. (Proverbs 12)
14.    …and even their words are dangerous to others.
15.    They live in darkness and don’t know what makes them stumble. (Proverbs 4:19)
16.    Can’t see where they are headed. (Ecclesiastes 2:14)
17.    Wears their anger on their sleeve, even when it’s counterproductive (Proverbs 12:16)
18.    “Better to meet a bear robbed of its cubs than a fool carried away with his stupidity.” (Proverbs 17:12)
19.    Behavior makes no more sense than a drunk’s. (Proverbs 20:1)
20.    Inflates their own sense of importance. (Galatians 6:3)!
21.    Doesn’t prepare for even important endeavors. (Matthew 7:26-27)

Proverbs 8 & 9 personify Wisdom and Folly as competing for your attention.  Wisdom is calling out to the senseless, trying to teach and save. But Folly… “is loud, gullible, and ignorant.  She sits at the doorway of her house. She is enthroned on the high ground of the city and calls to those who pass by, those minding their own business, ‘Whoever is gullible turn in here!’ ” (Prov 9:13-16)

More resources:
http://bible.org/seriespage/fool-proverbs-261-11
http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/fool-foolishness-folly.html

Too Good to Be True?

A study of the epistle to the Colossians.

Good News, but Too Good to Be True?

The epistle to the Colossians has strongly contested and defended authorship. Arguments in favor of Paul’s authorship include the author saying – in no uncertain terms – that he is Paul. If it is Paul, he wrote it in prison (like Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon); Tychicus is named as the letter carrier, just like Ephesians and Philemon. News of the happenings in Colossae (which still exists in western Turkey) were probably brought by Epaphras, mentioned in the letter to be visiting Paul. (Epaphras is mentioned later in Philemon described as being in prison with him.) 

Christology
Col 1:13-18 Paul’s addressing problems in the church at Colossae. Why start with Christ? Why these ideas about Christ? Are there any big ideas he left out?


Not that Paul isn’t always capable of powerful, dense writing, but this is especially packed. Slowing way down:
Col 1:19 What does it mean?


Col 1:20 What does this mean? Especially “everything on earth and in heaven”?


Col 1:21-22 Why emphasize “physical body”?


Col 1:23 “On the condition…”? How do you make sense of this?


Col 1:24-25 Are we all called to be happy (in the serving sense) in our suffering? What does “whatever remains of Christ’s sufferings” mean?


Warnings
Col 2:8-15 Circumcision again. What made this such a tough issue for the early church? Is there anything like that for us now?


Col 2:16-19  What do you imagine is going on in Colossae? Is there any parallel to it in our day?


Col 2:20-23 Can you put this in your own words? Are you free in this way? How do you know? or What holds you back?

The Prescription
Col 3:1-11 “Therefore, put to death whatever is worldly in you.” How do you do that?




“You’ve gotten rid of the person you used to be and the life you used to live, and you’ve become a new person. This new person is continually renewed in knowledge to be like its Creator.”
Is salvation one and done or is it ongoing?





Col 3:12-17 What do you notice? How do you do this?








Col 4:2-6 Good advice… so what should we do?



Uh oh. 
Col 3:18-4:1 What do these three examples have in common? How would you generalize Paul’s point here?




Some describe this as Paul approving of slavery. Fair or not? In particular, people are arguing that if you want to be literal with same-sex language in the bible you need to be literal with this.



News and Notes
Col 4:7-18 Sometimes people will skip over these specific notes about specific people. What do you notice about them? What’s important about Paul including them in the letter or the church including them in the Bible?



Col 1:3-11 Let’s pray this for each other:

3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in our prayers for you. 4 We thank God because we have heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people. 5 You have these because of the hope which is kept safe for you in heaven. Some time ago you heard about this hope in the Good News which is the message of truth. 6 This Good News is present with you now. It is producing results and spreading all over the world as it did among you from the first day you heard it. At that time you came to know what God’s kindness truly means. 7 You learned about this Good News from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant. He is taking your place here as a trustworthy deacon for Christ 8 and has told us about the love that the Spirit has given you.

9 For this reason we have not stopped praying for you since the day we heard about you. We ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through every kind of spiritual wisdom and insight. 10 We ask this so that you will live the kind of lives that prove you belong to the Lord. Then you will want to please him in every way as you grow in producing every kind of good work by this knowledge about God. 11 We ask him to strengthen you by his glorious might with all the power you need to patiently endure everything with joy. 12 You will also thank the Father, who has made you able to share the light, which is what God’s people inherit.

The Cross Is…

Adapted from In My Place, an article by Steve Brown.  Romans 5:6-11, verse by verse.

Even radical bible scholars count Romans as an epistle definitely written by Paul.  His purposes in writing the letter include:  prayers for his coming journey to Jerusalem, his plan to go to Rome and then on to Spain, to outline his teaching before his arrival in Rome, and to address the big conflict in the community.  The conflict between the Gentile and Jewish Christians developed because Emperor Claudius exiled Jews from Rome in AD 49, which resulted in Gentile Christians taking leadership positions.  The tension came when Jewish Christians returned in AD 54 after Claudius' death and found the Gentiles not keeping Jewish food laws nor observing Jewish holy days.

Martin Luther described Romans as "the chief book of the New Testament… it deserves to be known by heart, word for word, by every Christian."  His lectures on Romans in 1515-16 were probably when he developed his criticism of the Roman church, which led to the 95 Theses of 1517.  In 1738, John Wesley’s reading of Luther's Preface to the Epistle to the Romans began his conversion experience, which may be considered the beginning of Methodism. In 1919, Karl Barth's commentary on Romans was the beginning of neo-orthodoxy, which was a big influence on Bonhoffer and the German Christians who resisted the Third Reich.  Modern day evangelists use the “Romans Road” to present the case for salvation:  Romans 3:23, 6:23a, 6:23b, 5:8,10:9-10,10:13.
That’s a good epistle!

Romans 4:23-25 is a good summary of the 4th chapter on faith.
1)    What is Paul saying? How definitive is it? (Is he clear or ambiguous?)



Today we’re concentrating on only 6 little verses, Romans 5:6-11.  But first we should look at verses 1-5.
2)    How would you sum up those first five verses to a fellow Christian? (To a non-Christian?)



The CROSS is a…necessity v6:  You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
3)    If we are forgiven, why do we always pray to be forgiven?



The CROSS is a…surprise v7:  Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.
4)    How would you feel if someone offered their life up for yours?  (Or, if you’ve experienced this in the military or elsewhere,  how did you feel when they did offer their life for yours?)  What if it was someone who was a better person than you?  Someone with more to lose?  Brown notes: we deserve wrath, we expect anger, and yet we find God offering love.



The CROSS is a…demonstration v8: But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
5)    Can we witness if we are miserable and bound?  God demonstrated his love to us that he might demonstrate his love through us.




The CROSS is a…promise v9: Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!
This reminds me of the best teacher I ever knew.  She enforced complete discipline to make sure that her classroom was a safe place for her elementary students, but always, always any act of discipline was followed by an act of love.
6)    What does this verse mean to you?



The CROSS is a…reality v10: For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
7)    Do you live in guilt? That’s living in a lie.  The reality is you are forgiven.  What difference does that make in how we live day to day?



8)    Are you afraid of death?  That fear is a lie.  The reality is you are going to live forever.  What difference can that make in our decision making?



The CROSS is a…celebration v11: Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
9)    Consider the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32).  What keeps the older brother from celebrating?



10)    What helps you be able to join the celebration?



The CROSS is the … last word. The cross is crucial to Paul. One of the biggest disputes in the early church was over circumcision. The sign of the Abrahamic covenant, it was utterly necessary to be one of God’s chosen. But let’s read Galations 6:11-17.
11)    Why does the cross settle this dispute for Paul?



12)    What disputes in the church today could be settled by this same argument?



The cross is for us? In Matthew 16, after Peter is shut down for telling Jesus that He shouldn’t have to suffer and die, it says: (Mt 16:24-25) ‘Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Those who want to come with me must say no to the things they want, pick up their crosses, and follow me. Those who want to save their lives will lose them. But those who lose their lives for me will find them.’
13)    Amazing that this was before the crucifixion. What do you feel like Jesus is telling you?

Keeping a Kosher Mouth

Adapted from Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus, by Lois Tverburg, chapter

1)    Do you ever say things you wish you could take back? Like what?

When we think about what the bible says about speaking, maybe the first two things to come to mind are commandments: (Exodus 20)
7 “Never use the name of the Lord your God carelessly. The Lord will make sure that anyone who carelessly uses his name will be punished.
16 “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.”

2)    Do you think about these commandments ever? How do you interpret them?


Looking for practical wisdom, we should always consult proverbs.

• 12:18 Careless words stab like a sword, but the words of wise people bring healing.
• 12:22 Lips that lie are disgusting to the Lord, but honest people are his delight.
• 14:3 Because of a stubborn fool’s words a whip is lifted against him, but wise people are protected by their speech.
• 16:23-24 A wise person’s heart controls his speech, and what he says helps others learn. Pleasant words are like honey from a honeycomb – sweet to the spirit and healthy for the body.
• 18:6-8 By talking, a fool gets into an argument, and his mouth invites a beating.  A fool’s mouth is his ruin. His lips are a trap to his soul.  The words of a gossip are swallowed greedily, and they go down into a person’s innermost being.
• 18:20-21 A person’s speaking ability provides for his stomach. His talking provides him a living. The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love to talk will have to eat their own words.

3)    What do you get from this advice? What seems most important in it to you?



In our times we seem to expect that words are of little import, it’s what we do that matters. There almost seems to be an expectation that people will only speak in their own interest or will lie if need be, so don’t pay attention to words.
4)    How does the modern casual attitude towards speech affect our lives?



Jesus spoke a few times about the words we speak.

Read Matthew 5:33-37
5)    What is Jesus saying here? Does it apply to our time as well as to his time?



Read Matthew 15:1-20
6)    What is Jesus’ point? Why might he be so upset? Did the Pharisees ask a bad question?

The single longest teaching on speaking comes in James. Not surprisingly, given the overlap with proverbs, some consider the book to have the most practical advice in the New Testament on Christian duties. Read chapter 3.
7)    What is the advice you find in here about the words we use?




One of the reasons that this chapter of Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus is so interesting is that the author shares rabbinical teaching that comes from the Old Testament scriptures on speech. They’ve thought about exactly how we use speech in sinful ways. It’s like they’re trying to work out this part of Psalm 34:

Ps 34:12-13 Which of you wants a full life? Who would like to live long enough to enjoy good things? Keep your tongue from saying evil things and your lips from speaking deceitful things.

•    Motzei Shem Ra – to put out a bad name – slander. Miriam and Aaron’s criticism of Moses is seen as this (in Numbers 12). This was Jesus phrase in the Beatitudes.
•    Lashon Hara – an evil tongue – telling negative truths.  This is seen as violating humility (which Paul recommends in Phillipians 2:3). Warning sign,  “he’s great, but…” Illustration: slicing a pillow.
•    Avak Lashan Hara – the dust of an evil tongue – non-verbal commentary, or inviting lashan hara by a set up question or invitation. Or sharing something because it shows another in a bad light.
•    Halbanat Panim – whitening the face – humiliating another. “The pain of humiliation is more bitter than death.” Especially dangerous when correcting someone.
•    Geneivat Da’at – stealing knowledge – to mislead without speaking untruth. To imply something false, often to give a too good impression of yourself or something else.  Fake discounts, omitted information, ingenuous offers. Danger sign: someone feels duped.


Speech is a favorite topic of discussion by many wits and wise folk.
•    Once a word has been allowed to escape, it cannot be recalled.  ~Horace
•    “How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is To have a thankless child!” –Shakespeare, King Lear (Lear’s complaining about his daughter.)
•    “Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.” – Ben Franklin
•    “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.” -  Abraham Lincoln
•    A lie does not consist in the indirect position of words, but in the desire and intention, by false speaking, to deceive and injure your neighbour. - Jonathan Swift
•    “It takes your enemy and your friend working together to hurt you to the heart: the one to slander you, and the other to get the news to you.” – Mark Twain

8)    Do any of these seem biblical to you, or a good way to put the scriptural advice?


Much of the above is about speech to avoid. What about words we should try to say? David prayed

Psalm 19:14 “May the words from my mouth and the thoughts from my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my defender.”

9)    What should we be trying to say?

10 Big Ideas from the Nativity

Bad bible blogger! Never put up December's study. It's an mild adaptation of an former youth study. It engendered a pretty healthy discussion with a bunch of old guys, though. Due to the formatting, it's easier to share as a PDF:

A Christian's Hope

“I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe.”
– Dalai Lama

“Hope is the dream of a waking man.”
– Aristotle

“To me, we're marketing hope.”
– Joel Osteen

Is a Christian’s hope different than regular hope? Buddhist hope?  Is hope important?

1)    Do you often think about or experience hope?


2)    When is it hardest for you to have hope?

(Colossians 1:3-6) We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in our prayers for you.  We thank God because we have heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people. You have these because of the hope which is kept safe for you in heaven. Some time ago you heard about this hope in the Good News which is the message of truth. This Good News is present with you now. It is producing results and spreading all over the world as it did among you from the first day you heard it. At that time you came to know what God’s kindness truly means.

3)    How can our hope be stored up in heaven?

 (Titus 1:2-3; 3:7) My message is based on the confidence of eternal life. God, who never lies, promised this eternal life before the world began.  God has revealed this in every era by spreading his word. I was entrusted with this word by the command of God our Savior.

(Romans 8:24-25)  We know that all creation has been groaning with the pains of childbirth up to the present time.  However, not only creation groans. We, who have the Spirit as the first of God’s gifts, also groan inwardly. We groan as we eagerly wait for our adoption, the freeing of our bodies from sin.  We were saved with this hope in mind. If we hope for something we already see, it’s not really hope. Who hopes for what can be seen?  But if we hope for what we don’t see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

4)    Is there any tension or contradiction in Paul’s letter to Titus and to the Romans? Can hope be for something certain and something unseen?

(Titus 2:11-14)  After all, God’s saving kindness has appeared for the benefit of all people.  It trains us to avoid ungodly lives filled with worldly desires so that we can live self-controlled, moral, and godly lives in this present world.  At the same time we can expect what we hope for—the appearance of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.  He gave himself for us to set us free from every sin and to cleanse us so that we can be his special people who are enthusiastic about doing good things.

5)    So what is hope supposed to help us do? How might that work?



Some scripture on hope:

•    Psalm 33:18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope for His lovingkindness,
•    Psalm 31:24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the LORD.
•    Romans 5:2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.
•    Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
•    1 Thessalonians 4:13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope.
•    1 Timothy 4:10 For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.
•    Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

6)    What does hope give us? Have you ever experienced one of these passages?

1 Peter 1: The God’s Word translation often puts faith as confidence. (3, 13, 18-21)
3 Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! God has given us a new birth because of his great mercy. We have been born into a new life that has a confidence which is alive because Jesus Christ has come back to life. …

13 Therefore, your minds must be clear and ready for action. Place your confidence completely in what God’s kindness will bring you when Jesus Christ appears again. …

18 Realize that you weren’t set free from the worthless life handed down to you from your ancestors by a payment of silver or gold which can be destroyed. 19 Rather, the payment that freed you was the precious blood of Christ, the lamb with no defects or imperfections. 20 He is the lamb who was known long ago before the world existed, but for your good he became publicly known in the last period of time. 21 Through him you believe in God who brought Christ back to life and gave him glory. So your faith and confidence are in God.

7)    What is Peter teaching us about hope?



8)    Look back at the quotes on the first page. How would you respond to those speakers?


9)    One more quote:

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” 

– Martin Luther King, Jr. 

What was Rev. King getting at? Is he using hope in the scriptural sense?

(1 Corinthians 13:8-13)  Love never comes to an end. There is the gift of speaking what God has revealed, but it will no longer be used. There is the gift of speaking in other languages, but it will stop by itself. There is the gift of knowledge, but it will no longer be used.  Our knowledge is incomplete and our ability to speak what God has revealed is incomplete.  But when what is complete comes, then what is incomplete will no longer be used.  When I was a child, I spoke like a child, thought like a child, and reasoned like a child. When I became an adult, I no longer used childish ways.  Now we see a blurred image in a mirror. Then we will see very clearly. Now my knowledge is incomplete. Then I will have complete knowledge as God has complete knowledge of me.  So these three things remain: faith, hope, and love. But the best one of these is love.

10)    What is Paul saying that faith, hope and love have in common? We seem to think more about faith and love… what does hope add to our lives in Christ?


Post script: The first question in this study brought up a not uncommon sentiment: "I hope I win the lottery." It reminded me of the story this fall of a man who won the lottery, then waited to collect. He lived his life as if he had not won it, though he had certain knowledge that he had. It relates pretty directly to how Peter and Paul teach us about hope, for we are certain of our hope, also. Here's the news story from USA Today.

Post post script: To some extent this study was inspired by this comic. it's a bit in your face, especially for our group that has some beloved members with terminal illnesses. But it's a good wake up for those not dealing with the temporary nature of this world, which includes me much of the time.

References:

• http://www.biblestudyguide.org/articles/hope/hope-heaven.htm
• Hope quotes
• http://bible.org/article/hope