Sunday School Lesson for June 29, 2014: Pursue Unity in Christ (1 Corinthians 1:10-17; 3:1-17)

1 Corinthians 1:10
[ A Church Divided Over Leaders ] I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.

1 Corinthians 1:12
What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas ”; still another, “I follow Christ.”

          The first problem mentioned in Corinth: Division.  Not just a small matter; songs in the choir, color of the robes, the format on the weekly program. No, no, these were weighty, theological divisions. Consider the possible points of division:

Paul: The Apostle. Called of God. The greatest church organizer of his day.

Apollos: An Alexandrian Jew, who powerful in the Word of God. Versed in Jewish History, Judaism, and Greek Philosophy. He preached that Jesus was coming (the message of repentance) until Aquila and Pricilla shoed him a more excellent way.

Acts 18:24
Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures.

Acts 18:26
He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

Cephas: Peter, the Apostle, called by Jesus, Himself. Chief among the twelve original disciples.

Jesus Christ: Very God, The Son of God, God in the flesh, Immanuel……

          This doesn’t sound right does it? We divide over the smallest things, not the biggest. Leaders divide of the big stuff. That was the problem. If the leadership is divided, how does the house stand?

‘I follow Paul, He was taught by Gamilael, he was a Jew of the Jews. He received his message directly from Jesus by revelation…’

‘I follow Apollos, the great orator. He preaches with a knowledge and a passion that tells you that he has had an experience with God.’

‘I follow Peter, called by Jesus, he learned directly from Jesus. He’s Hebrew, raised in Israel.’

‘I’m above it all, I’m all about Christ. You guys are missing it…’

          Can you imagine the depth of the schism that is developing here? Here’s the deal. They were all doing this behind one another’s back at Chloe’s house. Just like common gossipers.

1 Corinthians 1:11
My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.

          If, suddenly, the elders among us seem this small, then what is to become of us? These may have seemed like weighty, worthy theological arguments, but the fact that they were quarreling and not working out their issues in the proper spirit indicates that they had devolved into commonness and pettiness, far beneath their station in God’s Kingdom.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~````

1 Corinthians 3:6
I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.

          Paul planted the church at Corinth. He’d preached the gospel there for about eighteen months before moving on to other tasks.  In that period of time, Apollos showed up and everyone was impressed with his knowledge of scripture and his zeal for God. With Paul’s blessing, Apollos was installed as part of the leadership in the church at Corinth. In essence, he was one of the pastors, if not the Pastor. You plant once. You water everyday. Paul planted.. once. Apollos watered…everyday.

          Take a bag of marbles. Separate them by colors and size. What do you have? A lot of different groups of marbles. This marble is not like that marble. Those marbles are smarter that those marbles, prettier the these marbles, bigger than most marbles. You get the picture. A lot of different groups of marbles. But what if what if each group of marbles could see and accept what the other marbles brought to the table? What if the big marbles weren’t intimidated by the little ones? What if the dull marbles could see the value in the pretty ones? What if all the marbles just let the owner of the bag of marbles determine how he wants to use them. After all, He designed them for His plan, His purpose.

Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

          Beloved, there is no greater demonstration of God’s power within the Body of Christ; The Church, than that we all dwell together in unity. John said it like this:

1 John 4:11
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

…………………………………

A morsel for thought: High mindedness and pride place in a place so far beneath our inheritance.

1 Corinthians 3:3
You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?

Another morsel: If this is what ‘mere’ humanness looks like, what kind have people have we become? Who, what are we in Christ? Really?

1 Corinthians 2:9
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

…………………………..

One last thing….

1 Corinthians 16:12
Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was quite unwilling to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity.

Apollos, possibly the set man, the pastor of the church at Corinth was not in Corinth, with Paul. Why? I’m not sure? But it appears that he was receiving some personal encouragement from his mentor, Paul. Had he become discouraged because of the growing division in the church? Maybe. Was he doubting his calling, his ability to lead? Maybe. Was God removing one of His candlesticks (Apollos) from the church in Corinth because of sin? Maybe. Did God have a plan to restore the church at Corinth and Apollos? Definitely. The tone of the letter to the church at Corinth was one of appealing to their Christian sensibilities to love one another with their whole heart. The verse above reveals to us that Apollos was receiving very personal face time with Paul, seemingly for the express purpose of having him return to a place of leadership in Corinth. There is no greater glory for the church than when we dwell together in unity..

Psalm 133

A song of ascents. Of David.

 ¹ How good and pleasant it is 
   when God’s people live together in unity!

 ² It is like precious oil poured on the head, 
   running down on the beard, 
running down on Aaron’s beard, 
   down on the collar of his robe. 
³ It is as if the dew of Hermon 
   were falling on Mount Zion. 
For there the LORD bestows his blessing, 
   even life forevermore.

Selah

.wb


View the video at http://youtu.be/Rs5skry95CM

Sunday School Lesson for June 22, 2014: Hope for a New Day (Nehemiah 7:1-7; Haggai 2:20-23; Zechariah 4 )

Esther 8:8
Now write another decree in the king’s name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king’s signet ring—for no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked.”

          Have you ever had an undertaking that seemed too large for you? Or, have you ever brought a task to completion, only to be unsatisfied with the results? This was Zerubbabel’s lot. The building of the Temple had begun in August of the preceding year. It was now March and the project was nearing completion. However, Zerubbabel wasn’t nearly satisfied with the results. The beauty in this week’s lesson is that God reveals to us His satisfaction and in doing so, encourages us in the same way that He encouraged Zerubabel. In spite of steady encouragement all along the way, this Temple, this rendition of the Temple just didn’t quite measure up. For one thing, God had expressly forbidden the Israelite to outsource the labor. Only Israelite hands and feet were to do the actual work. They could use whatever material resources were available, but the work had to be done by Israelites alone. Additionally, it still just did not look the same. It was a quarter of the size of the original and it just lacked the splendor and regal bearing of Solomon’s version. No, Zerubbablel wasn’t happy, but God was. Zerubbel came out of captivity as a Governor, not a King, but God’s esteem for him was as great as any of the major patriarchs of Scripture who had come before him. God called Zerubabel His signet ring, meaning that Zerubbabel literally had all of the authority of Heaven behind him.

Deuteronomy 30:9
Then the LORD your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land. The LORD will again delight in you and make you prosperous, just as he delighted in your ancestors,

Zephaniah 3:17
The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”

         

God was delighted. He really was. In the rebuilding of the Temple, God demonstrated to the nations of that day and beyond that He would move on the hearts of His people to accomplish His purpose in the earth, even if were only a very few. God has never needed many. A faithful remnant has always been His preference. When we are weak, He is strong. His plan, from the beginning has always been a people who seek after Him with their whole heart, who would obey Him in all their ways. He’ll control the outcomes if we let Him.

Malachi 3:16
[ The Faithful Remnant ] Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name.

          This message is so in line with where we live today with our individual responsibility to further the Gospel. What am I called to do and will it really matter? God is encouraging each one of us to not despise ‘the day of small things.’ Each one of us can do something to further the Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth. If we will let God guide us by His Holy Spirit, nothing will be impossible for us. No gift to small, no task insignificant because… there is no living soul that God does not desire to reach. Not one.

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

          Beloved, embrace God’s will for your life. He delights in the small things you have to offer. You were made for a specific this time with a specific purpose. And the beautiful little secret is… God is delighted, really delighted when you find your place in Him. As it was with Zerubabel and the small remnant that he led out of captivity, so it is with each of us that have been delivered out of darkness and into the light through His marvelous Son, Jesus Christ. Let God use you..

Blessings,

.wb

Check out the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wWgLksbpeA

Blessings..

Sunday School Lesson for June 15, 2014: Live Pure Lives - Haggai 2:10-19, Devotional Reading: 1 Peter 1:13-21

Matthew 18:19
Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

Before we start, there is  a prayer request I’d like to forward. Her name is Carolyn. Patsy and I met her two years ago, when she was being treated for breast cancer. Carolyn was undergoing a similar circumstance at that time. She and her daughter are on this mailing list and we reconnected when I returned to this effort.  Below is Carolyn’s current status based as relayed to me by her daughter:

“She’s actually in the hospital now – went in this past.   Her blood counts have been low (They’ve had to give her 2 blood transfusions in 2 weeks) and now she has a case of pneumonia.

However, her spirits and determination have not been affected.  She’s still ministering to everyone she comes in contact with and believing that she’s healed.  In fact she’s been talking in her sleep all week and I caught her rebuking satan one night.  She was telling him that God still sits on the throne and he has no place here because the Blood of Jesus covers her.   I just laughed at her fussing and gave God a thankful Amen. “

And,

“Yes, that will be fine.  We are always welcoming more prayer warriors.  Her Breast cancer from 2011 metastasized to her lung liver and brain in 2013 after being in remission for almost 2 years.  We believe that God healed her before and he’ll heal her again.”

                Let’s agree with Carolyn and her family for her complete recovery in Jesus’ name. Cancer be cursed, May Carolyn be covered in the Blood of Jesus, for there is healing in the Blood! Amen and Amen!

Matthew 8:17
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

…………………………….

A tale of two letters and three kings –

Ezra 4:21
So, now issue a decree to make these men stop work, that this city may not be rebuilt until a decree is issued by me.

          The opponents of the rebuilding of the Temple wrote a letter to king Artaxerxes. Making no mention of the previous decree by the previous king, Cyrus, who authorized the effort, they simply accused the Jews of plotting insurrection against him. If the Jews were allowed to finish the Temple of God, they would revolt. Long story short: Artaxerxes stopped the work. This was before the reign of Darius.

Ezra 6:12
May the God who has caused His name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who attempts to change it, so as to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued this decree, let it be carried out with all diligence!”

Ezra 6:10
that they may offer acceptable sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.

          Years later, the opponents of the Jews wrote another letter. The Jews had started rebuilding the Temple at the prompting of the preaching of the prophet Haggai. The problem this time, they questioned the original authorization for the rebuilding of the Temple by king Cyrus some sixteen years earlier. The problem was they were writing to Darius, the new king of Persia. Darius had personal reasons for finding on behalf of the Jews. You see, he had taken the throne by force. He was disliked by his peers and rightfully concerned for his life and the lives of his loved ones. Pay attention Church, here’s the deal: He’d heard about the God of the Jews. Here’s what he knew: If God is with you, He’s more than the whole world against you. What what?! I can’t call Darius a believer, not by Christian standards. What I can tell you is that he and everybody else in the surrounding nations knew the history of the nation of Israel and the God they served. They knew that at His whim, nations were toppled, kings were overthrown. They’d heard of His wondrous miracles and his terrible judgments. When faced with a choice, Darius chose wisely. He sided with the God of the Jews. It is against this backdrop that the current rebuilding effort of the Temple of God is cast.

Haggai 2:11
“Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘ Ask now the priests for a ruling:

          Haggai is prompted to ask a question of the priests of Israel. It had to do with holiness. In essence, how was holiness to be maintained? In verses 12 through 14, Haggai poses a question about personal holiness in two parts. Subsequently, two responses are required. The requirement of two responses causes something of a spiritual ‘double take’, a deeper introspection, an inward examination of the hearers. Why? Two reasons. On the one hand, Darius had commanded the opponents Jews to give them every bit of assistance within their power to give: money, food, supplies, everything. At the point of the sword of the king, the opposition acquiesced.. completely. But this presented a problem for the Jews. How much of the building effort could the non-Jews participate in? The answer was none. The actual hands on building of the Temple was to be the sole responsibility of the Jews. The second deeper look at the questions posed by Haggai require a personal response from each participant individually, who is your source? Who are you relying on for sustenance?

Haggai 2:19a
Is the seed still in the barn? Even including the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree, it has not borne fruit?

          This third time that Haggai brought a message to the Jews, it was in the dead of winter. All the seed had been planted. They had been working obediently for three months with no visible, tangible guarantee of a future harvest. Their present ‘blessing’ was coming by the hand of their foes due to the decree of king Darius. But God wanted them to know that their enemies were not their source, He was.

Psalm 110:1
The LORD says to my Lord: “ Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”

          That’s right beloved, your foes will become you footstool. God wants you to turn your face towards… Him. Our job is not to chase blessings, but to chase after the heart of our Father, from Whom all blessings flow. .

Haggai 2:19b
Yet from this day on I will bless you.’”

Genesis 49:25
From the God of your father who helps you, And by the Almighty who blesses you With blessings of heaven above, Blessings of the deep that lies beneath…

          The inference here is subtle, but real, and it is a challenge for each one of us: To keep God first. To keep Him front and center. Beloved, holiness is more about what we do, than what we don’t do. While we don’t smoke, drink or chew, or hang with those who do (most of us J), that in and of itself is not enough. Holiness comes in two parts. Part one: we separate ourselves from the world and the lusts thereof. Part two: We consecrate ourselves unto God. Consecration requires us to acknowledge that holiness, pure holiness must be imparted to us as a gift from God. We don’t deserve holiness any more than we deserve righteousness. If we are to be Holy, then we must be made Holy by God. He imparts it, we receive it as a precious gift. Just as it is with every gift from God. God is looking for a single minded, purposeful intent from us to gain His heart, His favor through our separation and consecration. His desire for all of us is intimacy; face to face – “into me see” with Him. Attainable through our recognition of the Grace given to us through our Lord Jesus, Christ..

1 Peter 1:17b-19
…  conduct yourselves ^(D)in fear during the time of your ^(E)stay on earth; ¹⁸ knowing that you were not ^[a](F)redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your ^(G)futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, ¹⁹ but with precious ^(H)blood, as of a ^(I)lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.

Enjoy the lesson!

.wb

See the video at: http://youtu.be/ZTXUQKtYlhM

Sunday School Lesson for June 8, 2014: Trust God’s Promises– Haggai 1:12-2:9

Haggai 1:12
Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the LORD their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the LORD their God had sent him. And the people feared the LORD.

          In last week’s lesson we observed Haggai, a prophet of God, delivering a word of rebuke from God to the elders of Israel. Sixteen years had passed since the return of God’s people from exile. The people had settled in, but had not completed the rebuilding of the Temple, which was the expressed purpose for them returning to Jerusalem. They built the foundation, then stopped. Whether it was because of discouragement or faithlessness or whether it was just because the cares and concerns of everyday life had pushed the worship of God down their list of priorities. Sound familiar? Never the less, God kept on blessing, didn’t He? Sixteen years, no worship, and they were still building, there growing, amassing stuff.. This does sound familiar…

          Thankfully, the Israelites responded to the Word of the Lord positively; they went to work. A scant three weeks later and there is noticeable progress being made. God’s people are stepping up to the challenge. They are obeying. Beloved, God takes no pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices. He doesn’t need your money. He wants you. The thing on this earth that has the most value to Him is that which was created in His Image and in His likeness: You. He wants you; spirit, soul, mind and body, He sent His Son, Jesus after you… Just wanted you to know..

Haggai 1:13
Then Haggai, the LORD’s messenger, gave this message of the LORD to the people: “I am with you,” declares the LORD.

          Four of the most comforting words in Scripture. “I Am with you.” There is no greater encouragement for believers. None. When God is with, and that’s always, He’s more than the whole world against you. When God meets you in that place where the storms of life are raging, when He whispers, “I Am with you.”, in that still, small voice, just know, just know that He, who has never failed, will not, cannot fail…you. Isn’t that Good news?!

Haggai 2:2
“Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people. Ask them,

          God is not looking for a crowd, is He? Just a faithful few. The Bible is replete with examples of God accomplishing a lot with a little. Beloved, you and God are a majority, if you’ll let Him use you.

Haggai 2:3
‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?

Haggai 2:9
‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the LORD Almighty.”

          You’ve heard the expression, “You ain’t seen nothing yet.” God is letting His people know that the endeavor that they have embarked on has eternal consequences. Eternal. God is clearly telling His people not to judge their effort according to the former glory of the Temple built by Solomon, but to see through eyes of faith and envision a Temple more glorious than can be imagined. Jesus and the Church personify the Temple of God; He is the Head, we are the body. In us, by Him, God’s Holy Spirit abides. I spoke earlier of God finding value in man. How much more so, now that we’ve received His Spirit?

2 Corinthians 4:7
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

----------

Haggai 2:8
‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the LORD Almighty.

          I have to close. Let me close with this. Don’t worry about what you don’t have. Obey God with what you have, He’ll provide whatever else is needed. How often do we put off this project or that because we don’t have all of the material, money, help, stuff, whatever that we think we need to accomplish the task? Use what you have. You won’t go anywhere if you don’t start somewhere. And don’t worry because…God will be with you.

Selah

.wb

See the video (it’s always different) http://youtu.be/5gv08A6ApJE

Sunday School Lesson for June 1, 2014: Obey the Lord, Haggai 1:1-11

Haggai 1:1
[ A Call to Build the House of the LORD ] In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest:

Do you remember? Do you remember when Jesus met you at the crossroads of your life and said, “It is time.” I do. The exact date isn’t necessary, but the day is unforgettable. There is a singular moment for every believer when they turned their heart toward Jesus. From time to time, recall that day, Jesus did. He knew it was coming and when it came He marked it. Amen.

Ezra 1:2
“This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: “‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah.

Haggai 1:2
This is what the LORD Almighty says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the LORD’s house.’”

The people of Haggai’s day had it backwards, didn’t they? Some sixteen years had passed since the return of God’s people from exile in Babylon to the city of God for the express purpose of rebuilding the house or Temple of God. In Jerusalem sixteen years, no Temple! Listen, Don’t let anybody tell you that God is not patient. Sixteen years!!! The question that comes to mind is, “When?” When was going to be a good time to do the thing that God sent you and equipped you to do?

Haggai 1:4
“Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?”

God points out to His people that they have their priorities reversed. They collectively requested from God and from Cyrus to go home so that they could rebuild the Temple of God, but now, they’ve got their finger up in the wind checking for which way the winds of change are blowing. And guess what? They keep coming up with the wrong answer. “It’s not time yet.” Their building Homes, buying cattle, planting crops, building cities but, “It’s not time yet.” Here’s the question Church; when will it be time? “Lord, bless me and I’ll bless you back.” Really!? How does that play itself out? “Lord, I’m a little short this month, I’ll catch you next month?” “ Lord, my car needed repair, you know my heart.” “Lord you know I love you, but….” And how’s that working out for you, I mean them…

Haggai 1:7
This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways.

When God meets you at the crossroads, He will present you with a teachable moment; “Choose you this day”, “What are you doing here?”, “Who do men say that I am?” In this case, “Give careful thought.” Don’t answer too quickly because whatever your response, there are consequences.

Haggai 1:6
You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

Came back to build the Temple, got distracted, got comfortable, got behind, something went wrong… What do you do?

Revelation 2:4-5
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.  ⁵ Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. 

Haggai 1:8
Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” says the LORD.

“Go up..”, God says to them. Another way to say this is “re” or “return”, “pent” “the top”; the same word from which we take ‘penthouse’. God’s simple advice: “Return to me”, “Meet me on the mountain”, “Come to me.” That’s really it, isn’t it? Come to me. Burdened, downcast, downtrodden, hurting… come to Jesus. This is the invitation of the ages. Whether you a little bit off or you’ve never been ‘on’, Jesus extends Hope where there is hope, Love where there has been none. Just put all that other stuff down, or better yet, give it to Him, He’ll give you eternal life in exchange…

Matthew 11:28-29
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Micah 7:18
Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.

Ending this a little soft, aren’t? The last thing I want you know beloved, is that when you respond to correction from God, He removes the enmity, He crushes condemnation, He wipes the slate clean. When you surrender your agenda for His, He forgives! The bible tells me that He throws are sins into the ‘Sea of Forgetfulness, and not even He has the power to remember them. I’m not sure how that works, but I happily take it by faith. Amen!

Blessings,

.wb

See the video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kZ8sEaBjFM

Blessings..