14 June 15
Series: The Book
Part 7
4 Guys and a Text!
This is a useful tool for small group discussion, personal reflection or in a one-on-one conversation. We believe that if the Sunday teaching is discussed outside the morning services, it will be an opportunity to go deeper and build community because God's Word needs to be discussed in community.
We continue our Spring and Summer series called The Book. Over the next several months we are going to be teaching out of all the sections of the Bible and seeing how it’s put together, seeing common threads that connect the books of the Bible to make up The Book.
Today we move into the section of Scripture called the Prophets. There are “major” and “minor” prophets, making up 17 books in all. We are looking today and next week at the Major Prophets. You can see the book shelf below to see what material we have covered and where we are going.
NOTE:
In the Hebrew Bible these books are known as the Latter Prophets. The term ‘latter’ speaks primarily of their place in the Canon rather than their chronological position. These prophets are sometimes called the “writing prophets” because their authors wrote or recorded their utterances. There were other oral prophets like Nathan, Ahijah, Iddo, Jehu, Elijah, Elisha, Oded, Shemaiah, Azariah, Hanani, Jahaziel, and Huldah who left no records of their utterances. Mostly because of their size, the Latter Prophets are subdivided into the Major Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, Daniel), and the twelve Minor Prophets. These prophets ministered during the History section of the Old Testament. Regarding the Major Prophets, Isaiah ministered from about 740-700 BC. Israel was taken into captivity by Assyria in 722BC. Jeremiah ministered from 627-585 BC. He witnessed the capturing of Judah by Babylon in 605 BC. Ezekiel lived in the superpower Babylon and ministered from 590s-570s BC. Finally Daniel lived in Babylon from 605–538 BC.
What do four Major Prophets have to do with us? Perhaps quite a bit. When you look at one of the Hebrew names for prophet, “nabi’ “ you see that it means to declare or announce. That is exactly what the four Major Prophets did. Prophets were to proclaim the Mosaic Law to the nation. Sometimes this involved judgment, warning, words of comfort and peace. Sometimes their words were predictive (they foretold the future).
The prophets declared God’s instructions in two basic ways: word and symbol. Usually the prophets presented God’s word orally (e.g., Jer. 7:1–8:3) or in written form (e.g., Jer. 36:1–32) to varying types and sizes of audiences. Jesus was the ultimate prophet (check out Hebrews 1:1-4).
So how do we relate to the prophets? What do we have in common? When you read the New Testament you quickly discover that we, as Christ followers, are to be proclaimers and presenters, announcing God’s truth. No, we are not prophets in the same way as in the Old Testament. God chose specific ways in those days to communicate. Hebrews 1 demonstrates that that was then and this is now! (See more on this in Carmen’s Corner.) However, we are to announce and speak out God’s word. Check out 1 Peter 3:14-17, 2 Timothy 3:14-17. Note Peter’s clear instruction in how we are to give an answer.
Big Idea: We are to proclaim the word.
What is it like for you to speak out God’s truth in the marketplace, in your family, in a close relationship? Some would say it is HARD! Highly Antagonistic Resistant Dialogue. Read the following references for the four Major Prophets and see if their context was HARD!
- Isaiah - Read Isaiah 6:1-6 - How is God described? If you read the context - the first 5 chapters - you will discover that the Israelites are Unholy, Unholy, Unholy. The exact opposite of the character of God and His message. Isaiah had his work cut out for him.
- Jeremiah - Read Jeremiah 38:1-6- Why is he in the mud?
- Ezekiel - Read Ezekiel 2:1-7, about his call to ministry. How are the people described? HARD?
- Daniel - Read Daniel 6, but note v.5. Note how antagonistic the people were to the law of God!
Discuss the various contexts where you have opportunity to speak out the Word of God. Can you relate at all to the four Major Prophets? If so, in what way? Do you find the Canadian context becoming “HARDer”?
Listen to how a pastor from Australia describes the changing spiritual landscape of his country. See any parallels?
“…the ministry remains interesting in a changing world. I have been reading and thinking lately that the climate for Australian Christians is changing quite a lot. The catch phrase is that it is no longer Athens but Babylon, and that we are now in a hostile culture that doesn't tolerate or interact with Christians, but detests them. We are now seen as misogynistic and homophobic and intolerant and therefore a social evil to be eradicated. The uncovering of massive child abuse by the Catholic Church in the royal commission doesn't help the perception either. This all makes for interesting days for the preacher, pastor and church leader. How do you navigate church when Christendom is most definitely dead? All of a sudden Daniel and 1 Peter and the language of Exile is all the more poignant.”
With the encouragement from Scripture to proclaim the word, yet with a HARD spiritual landscape, we can experience great tension.
What are you learning in that tension as you attempt to speak out God’s truth with gentleness and respect?
Here is one thing I am learning in speaking up in the public arena:
I wrestle at times with fear, and with pride - not wanting to be labeled as “misogynistic and homophobic and intolerant and therefore a social evil to be eradicated”. I need to get used to the new labels, the new pushback, the new categorization of being a Christ follower. On top of that, my pride sometimes makes me hesitant to speak up as readily as I should. I am not ashamed of Jesus, but sometimes ashamed of those who follow Jesus. Sometimes the labels that Christians get stuck with are well deserved. However, I realize that at other times, those labels are coming from people who truly despise the words of Jesus and all the message of Christianity represents.
That’s my journey. How about yours?
Mark
If interested in joining or starting a small group contact our Director of Worship and Discipleship Amanda Van Halteren amandavh@kingston.net
CARMEN’S CORNER
There is some controversy in the Church today about the whole notion of prophets and prophetic gifts. Some, called “Cessationists”, believe that certain spiritual gifts (such as prophecy and prophets in the Old Testament sense) have come to an end, for the following reasons:
As Mark mentioned above – “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son…” (Hebrews 1:1)
We now have the complete Bible with all His teachings (as well as those of the apostles He Himself trained)
Jude (Jesus’s half-brother) also reminds his readers that the faith we believe “was once for all delivered to the saints”, i.e. in the case of doctrine, there is nothing new under the sun – we have it all.
So for those reasons (and more which space here doesn’t allow), they argue that there is no reason at all for God to have to speak through an Old Testament-type prophet anymore. 2 Timothy 3:16 confirms this, telling us about the sufficiency of Scripture for teaching, for reproof, and so forth.
Now, on the other hand are those who believe that those spiritual gifts still exist (“Continualists”) for the following reasons:
There are people in Scripture who clearly weren’t Jesus’ twelve apostles, but who demonstrated these various spiritual gifts (the Seventy in Luke 10, Philip the Evangelist’s four daughters in Acts 21:8-9, and many more)
In a few places (1 Cor. 13:8-12, Eph 4:11-13) Paul indicates that the gifts will not pass away until the “perfect” has come. He is ostensibly referring to the return of Christ and the fulfilment of everything.
So since the early church experienced the fullness of God’s spiritual gifts, and everything is not yet complete, they reason, we have no reason to think God’s gifts don’t continue today, and will until Christ returns.
So which is correct? You decide! :-) This, like some other biblical issues such as eschatology, is a secondary issue. Good Christians can debate it, but must not divide over it, okay?
Here’s one thing we can ALL agree on though: there are some today who suggest that prophecy can be “learned”, and that because you’re “learning” how to listen to God, it’s okay to make mistakes. This is a truly unbiblical position since Deuteronomy clearly tells us that the prophet, since he or she is speaking GOD’S words, will never make a mistake (because our omnipotent God who gives that word is incapable of making mistakes!) In fact, people were warned not to be afraid of those who prophesied falsely, and even to put them death at the time. I think what Moses was saying there is that this is Serious Business, and I guarantee that if it does still exist, God won’t make mistakes. Amen?!
RESOURCES
Arthur, Kay. Teach Me Your Ways: The Pentateuch (New Inductive Bible Study Series) Harvest House Publishers, 2002. ISBN: 978-0736908054. Begin at the beginning - Creation, marriage, sin, civilization. Then learn about God's continuing lovingkindness and faithfulness to His covenant people, even when they let Him down.
Geisler, Norman L., and Thomas A. Howe. When Critics Ask : A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1992.
Grudem, Wayne et al. Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible: A Guide to Reading the Bible Well (p. 40). Crossway. Kindle Edition.)
Koukl, Greg. How Does the Old Testament Law Apply to Christians today? Available at the Stand to Reason website at http://www.str.org/articles/how-does-the-old-testament-law-apply-to-christians-today#.VTpOJSFVikp
Longman III, Tremper. Making Sense of the Old Testament. Baker Books, 1998. Answers 3 questions: What are the keys to understanding the OT? Is the God of the OT also the God of the NT? How is the Christian to apply the OT to life?
Redford, Douglas. The Pentateuch. (Vol. 1, Standard Reference Library: Old Testament). Cincinnati, OH: Standard Publishing, 2008.
Schreiner, Thomas. 40 Questions about Christians and Biblical Law. Kregel Publications, 2010. (ISBN 978-0825438912) – all that Law… what still applies to us? What doesn’t? Why or why not?
Zacharias, Ravi and Vince Vitale. Why Suffering?: Finding Meaning and Comfort When Life Doesn't Make Sense. FaithWords, 2014.
Sunday, June 14, 2015
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Touching Base - Part 277
Series: The Book - Part 6
“28:28”
(Job 28)
This is a useful tool for small group discussion, personal reflection or in a one-on-one conversation. We believe that if the Sunday teaching is discussed outside the morning services, it will be an opportunity to go deeper and build community because God's Word needs to be discussed in community.
We continue our Spring and Summer series called The Book. Over the next several months we are going to be teaching out of all the sections of the Bible and seeing how it’s put together, seeing common threads that connect the books of the Bible to make up The Book.
Last week Amanda introduced us to the Wisdom/Poetical books. Please see her Touching Base as she explained the different genre and themes we find in this section of Scripture. One thing you will note is that in this section the heart, emotion, and experiences rise to the surface. Combine that with the rich imagery of this section and you have a very engaging, relevant section of Scripture that enriches our theology. The individual seeking God is equipped with some great tools to cultivate the innermost sanctuary of the human heart.
Our text this morning is Job 28. Job probably does not need much in way of introduction but just in case read Job 1:1-12.
Before we jump in, think about the following.
To be human means to know what it is like to desire, crave, and thirst.
What desires are often at the forefront of our culture?
What does our culture say about desire?
Our big idea this morning is, Awe God, Not Stuff! Awe means to revere, value, uphold. Now think of the opposite, Awe Stuff, Not God! What is more true in our culture and why?
Text: Job 28
V.1-11 Read this section and answer the following questions.
- Is this a picture of people awing God or awing stuff?
- What is the stuff of this chapter? ( read 12-19 for the complete list)
- What imagery is the writer (Job) developing?
- Describe the effort and energy being expended?
- What image resonates with you?
Job is using the material (i.e. gold, copper) to illustrate stuff. No doubt you can make a quick list of stuff our culture goes after. But think about the stuff that is not material yet people crave. Here is my list, add to it.
• love
• acceptance
• validation
• revenge
• approval
• recognition
• success
• control
• pleasing someone
Some of what I have listed and all of what Job lists is not bad in and of itself. However, there is a problem that Job wants to point out.
V12- Note that at the summit of collecting stuff, man is left without wisdom. What is wisdom?
In the OT it involves both knowledge and the ability to direct the mind toward a full understanding of human life and toward its moral fulfillment. Wisdom is thus a special capacity, and necessary for full human living.
Do you understand the problem? People can have stuff, attain stuff, be buried in stuff but be wisdom poor.
Note where the writer leads the reader to discover the answer.
V.12-22
What do we learn about wisdom?
V.23-28
Who knows where it is?
Who embodies wisdom?
How I summarize 28:28 is, Awe God, Not Stuff!
Fear is defined as genuine faith expressed in, and animated by, a reverential awe, this is the basic meaning of the biblical idea of the fear of God.
The fear of the Lord provides a pervasive orientation throughout the Psalms and Wisdom Books. It is one of the major themes of the Poetical Books. God Himself is the true treasure.
Note that Job has been stripped down to his socks! But, he realizes that he is the richest man in the world because He has God. He doesn’t have God as a means of getting stuff. He doesn’t fear God so that God will somehow grant him a bank account full of what He desires. God Himself, by Himself, is the Treasure. And like Job points out in v.23-27, His qualifications far surpass anything we can dig out of the earth!
Take some time to reflect:
Has stuff gotten in your way of seeking the true treasure?
How do you help your kids keep stuff from becoming the ultimate treasure?
How do you know in your heart when you have crossed the line? How do you know when stuff has become an improper priority in your life?
If you were stripped down to your socks, would you feel rich?
Take some time to thank God that He Himself is the Treasure! Choose to be a 28:28 follower!
Oh ya… one more thing- If God embodies wisdom, then guess what Jesus represents? Check out 1 Corinthians 1:18-31.
Mark
If interested in joining or starting a small group contact our Director of Worship and Discipleship Amanda Van Halteren amandavh@kingston.net
CARMEN’S CORNER
Did you know that Job is considered the oldest book in the Bible, for a few reasons? For one, there are no priests present yet, only Job himself making sacrifices on behalf of his sons. For another, we can look at the nature of the Hebrew language it was written in. Some call it “Paleo-Hebrew”, a type of Hebrew predating that which we see in the rest of the Old Testament. In fact, some have suggested that Job might have been the first book written ever.
One controversial issue surrounding this book in recent years is whether or not Job is the story of a man who actually lived, or simply an allegory meant to help us understand the sovereignty of God (a bit like Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress).
Personally, I think he lived, and the reason for it is because of another Bible text, Ezekiel 14.14. In it, God tells Ezekiel that the peoples’ sin is so bad, that even if Noah, Daniel and Job themselves were there, their combined righteousness would be unable to save Judah and Israel! Obviously, God wouldn’t use the non-existent righteousness of a fictional character to talk about how the people could be saved.
So here, then, is another important principle to remember: Scripture always interprets Scripture! In order to best apply Scripture to our lives, we must have knowledge of its whole sweep, not just the gospels or the parts we like. Amen?
RESOURCES
Arthur, Kay. Teach Me Your Ways: The Pentateuch (New Inductive Bible Study Series) Harvest House Publishers, 2002. ISBN: 978-0736908054. Begin at the beginning - Creation, marriage, sin, civilization. Then learn about God's continuing lovingkindness and faithfulness to His covenant people, even when they let Him down.
Geisler, Norman L., and Thomas A. Howe. When Critics Ask : A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1992.
Grudem, Wayne et al. Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible: A Guide to Reading the Bible Well (p. 40). Crossway. Kindle Edition.)
Koukl, Greg. How Does the Old Testament Law Apply to Christians today? Available at the Stand to Reason website at http://www.str.org/articles/how-does-the-old-testament-law-apply-to-christians-today#.VTpOJSFVikp
Longman III, Tremper. Making Sense of the Old Testament. Baker Books, 1998. Answers 3 questions: What are the keys to understanding the OT? Is the God of the OT also the God of the NT? How is the Christian to apply the OT to life?
Redford, Douglas. The Pentateuch. (Vol. 1, Standard Reference Library: Old Testament). Cincinnati, OH: Standard Publishing, 2008.
Schreiner, Thomas. 40 Questions about Christians and Biblical Law. Kregel Publications, 2010. (ISBN 978-0825438912) – all that Law… what still applies to us? What doesn’t? Why or why not?
Zacharias, Ravi and Vince Vitale. Why Suffering?: Finding Meaning and Comfort When Life Doesn't Make Sense. FaithWords, 2014.
“28:28”
(Job 28)
This is a useful tool for small group discussion, personal reflection or in a one-on-one conversation. We believe that if the Sunday teaching is discussed outside the morning services, it will be an opportunity to go deeper and build community because God's Word needs to be discussed in community.
We continue our Spring and Summer series called The Book. Over the next several months we are going to be teaching out of all the sections of the Bible and seeing how it’s put together, seeing common threads that connect the books of the Bible to make up The Book.
Last week Amanda introduced us to the Wisdom/Poetical books. Please see her Touching Base as she explained the different genre and themes we find in this section of Scripture. One thing you will note is that in this section the heart, emotion, and experiences rise to the surface. Combine that with the rich imagery of this section and you have a very engaging, relevant section of Scripture that enriches our theology. The individual seeking God is equipped with some great tools to cultivate the innermost sanctuary of the human heart.
Our text this morning is Job 28. Job probably does not need much in way of introduction but just in case read Job 1:1-12.
Before we jump in, think about the following.
To be human means to know what it is like to desire, crave, and thirst.
What desires are often at the forefront of our culture?
What does our culture say about desire?
Our big idea this morning is, Awe God, Not Stuff! Awe means to revere, value, uphold. Now think of the opposite, Awe Stuff, Not God! What is more true in our culture and why?
Text: Job 28
V.1-11 Read this section and answer the following questions.
- Is this a picture of people awing God or awing stuff?
- What is the stuff of this chapter? ( read 12-19 for the complete list)
- What imagery is the writer (Job) developing?
- Describe the effort and energy being expended?
- What image resonates with you?
Job is using the material (i.e. gold, copper) to illustrate stuff. No doubt you can make a quick list of stuff our culture goes after. But think about the stuff that is not material yet people crave. Here is my list, add to it.
• love
• acceptance
• validation
• revenge
• approval
• recognition
• success
• control
• pleasing someone
Some of what I have listed and all of what Job lists is not bad in and of itself. However, there is a problem that Job wants to point out.
V12- Note that at the summit of collecting stuff, man is left without wisdom. What is wisdom?
In the OT it involves both knowledge and the ability to direct the mind toward a full understanding of human life and toward its moral fulfillment. Wisdom is thus a special capacity, and necessary for full human living.
Do you understand the problem? People can have stuff, attain stuff, be buried in stuff but be wisdom poor.
Note where the writer leads the reader to discover the answer.
V.12-22
What do we learn about wisdom?
V.23-28
Who knows where it is?
Who embodies wisdom?
How I summarize 28:28 is, Awe God, Not Stuff!
Fear is defined as genuine faith expressed in, and animated by, a reverential awe, this is the basic meaning of the biblical idea of the fear of God.
The fear of the Lord provides a pervasive orientation throughout the Psalms and Wisdom Books. It is one of the major themes of the Poetical Books. God Himself is the true treasure.
Note that Job has been stripped down to his socks! But, he realizes that he is the richest man in the world because He has God. He doesn’t have God as a means of getting stuff. He doesn’t fear God so that God will somehow grant him a bank account full of what He desires. God Himself, by Himself, is the Treasure. And like Job points out in v.23-27, His qualifications far surpass anything we can dig out of the earth!
Take some time to reflect:
Has stuff gotten in your way of seeking the true treasure?
How do you help your kids keep stuff from becoming the ultimate treasure?
How do you know in your heart when you have crossed the line? How do you know when stuff has become an improper priority in your life?
If you were stripped down to your socks, would you feel rich?
Take some time to thank God that He Himself is the Treasure! Choose to be a 28:28 follower!
Oh ya… one more thing- If God embodies wisdom, then guess what Jesus represents? Check out 1 Corinthians 1:18-31.
Mark
If interested in joining or starting a small group contact our Director of Worship and Discipleship Amanda Van Halteren amandavh@kingston.net
CARMEN’S CORNER
Did you know that Job is considered the oldest book in the Bible, for a few reasons? For one, there are no priests present yet, only Job himself making sacrifices on behalf of his sons. For another, we can look at the nature of the Hebrew language it was written in. Some call it “Paleo-Hebrew”, a type of Hebrew predating that which we see in the rest of the Old Testament. In fact, some have suggested that Job might have been the first book written ever.
One controversial issue surrounding this book in recent years is whether or not Job is the story of a man who actually lived, or simply an allegory meant to help us understand the sovereignty of God (a bit like Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress).
Personally, I think he lived, and the reason for it is because of another Bible text, Ezekiel 14.14. In it, God tells Ezekiel that the peoples’ sin is so bad, that even if Noah, Daniel and Job themselves were there, their combined righteousness would be unable to save Judah and Israel! Obviously, God wouldn’t use the non-existent righteousness of a fictional character to talk about how the people could be saved.
So here, then, is another important principle to remember: Scripture always interprets Scripture! In order to best apply Scripture to our lives, we must have knowledge of its whole sweep, not just the gospels or the parts we like. Amen?
RESOURCES
Arthur, Kay. Teach Me Your Ways: The Pentateuch (New Inductive Bible Study Series) Harvest House Publishers, 2002. ISBN: 978-0736908054. Begin at the beginning - Creation, marriage, sin, civilization. Then learn about God's continuing lovingkindness and faithfulness to His covenant people, even when they let Him down.
Geisler, Norman L., and Thomas A. Howe. When Critics Ask : A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1992.
Grudem, Wayne et al. Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible: A Guide to Reading the Bible Well (p. 40). Crossway. Kindle Edition.)
Koukl, Greg. How Does the Old Testament Law Apply to Christians today? Available at the Stand to Reason website at http://www.str.org/articles/how-does-the-old-testament-law-apply-to-christians-today#.VTpOJSFVikp
Longman III, Tremper. Making Sense of the Old Testament. Baker Books, 1998. Answers 3 questions: What are the keys to understanding the OT? Is the God of the OT also the God of the NT? How is the Christian to apply the OT to life?
Redford, Douglas. The Pentateuch. (Vol. 1, Standard Reference Library: Old Testament). Cincinnati, OH: Standard Publishing, 2008.
Schreiner, Thomas. 40 Questions about Christians and Biblical Law. Kregel Publications, 2010. (ISBN 978-0825438912) – all that Law… what still applies to us? What doesn’t? Why or why not?
Zacharias, Ravi and Vince Vitale. Why Suffering?: Finding Meaning and Comfort When Life Doesn't Make Sense. FaithWords, 2014.
Saturday, May 30, 2015
Touching Base - Part 276
Series: The Book - Part 5
“The Bride of Christ as the Virtuous Woman”
(Psalm 31:10-31)
This is a useful tool for small group discussion, personal reflection or in a one-on-one conversation. We believe that if the Sunday teaching is discussed outside the morning services, it will be an opportunity to go deeper and build community because God's Word needs to be discussed in community.
We continue our Spring and Summer series called The Book. Over the next several months we are going to be teaching out of all the sections of the Bible and seeing how it’s put together, seeing common threads that connect the books of the Bible to make up The Book.
We now have arrived in the part of the Bible we call “Wisdom Literature”, and here we find some really interesting stories, sayings and people:
1. Job - although a godly man, he lost everything and struggled to make sense of the meaning of it all (worldly wisdom vs. heavenly wisdom)
2. The Psalms – the expressions of human emotion from rage, to despair, to almost ecstatic-like adoration.
3. Ecclesiastics - where we are told that “everything is meaningless”
4. The Song of Solomon – where most things you read are supposed to have a sexual innuendo.
5. The Proverbs - where wisdom and folly are contrasted as two types of women: folly as the prostitute and wisdom as the admirable woman.
From an “English literature” perspective, the texts change in this section. There are many more poems (or songs), and there is much more use of analogies and metaphors. Some scholars actually differentiate these as “covenant texts” (most of the works before the Psalms and the major and minor prophets) and “wisdom texts” (the five books I just mentioned.)
In an Old Testament framework, the covenant is the “what”…the contract and the laws of obligation, and the wisdom literature is the “how”. Wisdom literature deals with the messiness of life and human nature, and how to be human and live in the covenant.
Note: How to read wisdom literature…with wisdom!!!
The other thing that is an important distinguishing feature of wisdom literature is that there is always a deeper meaning. Unlike the historical books, which were meant to be read plainly and factually, the writers of wisdom literature embed a deeper meaning in the text itself. There can be space for a literal interpretation (for example: it probably really is easier to live on the corner of the roof of your house than with a contentious woman) but there is also the deeper meaning or implication. But it assumes there is a deeper meaning than just the original surface reading. So let’s get started!
Proverbs 31: 10-31 – for Discussion & Reflection
Stop, reflect and share:
What has been your framework for understanding Proverbs 31? Do you think that this falls in line with the author’s original intention? (Recall that Proverbs was written by a man for young men.)
What can be learned from a LITERAL interpretation of Proverbs 31? (In other words…what wisdom can be learned from this text?)
In Ephesians 5, Paul draws a comparison between the marriage of a husband and wife, and that of the relationship between Christ and the church. He does the same in 2 Corinthians 3, mentioning it briefly. The writer of Revelation discusses the marriage of the Lamb in Chapter 19. The church is the bride of Christ, and it is the standard of the Virtuous Woman found in Proverbs 31 to whom we will draw comparison in the following section.
Now let’s find the deeper meaning for us, using the sermon guidelines.
Reflect on the following verses.
What does she look like? (Verses 17, 22 & 25)
What strikes you about these verses? (This can include what was mentioned on Sunday)
Select some of the following questions to discuss and some practical implications. Be intentional about discussing the difference of the church as a body (corporate) and what this means for you personally.
What does this mean for us? What does this mean for us today in a society where people’s identity is their physical appearance? What does the bride of Christ look like? What does she look like? What do we look like?
What does she do? (Verses 13, 16, 20…and other verses you would care to discuss.)
As you read the verses of her “doing”, ask yourself what this implies about her character.
What type of person is she to engage in these issues and to do these types of things?
Using these verses as a grounding point, discuss possible implications for the church’s involvement (as a community) and your individual involvement (personally as a small group) with each other.
How this woman interacts with other characters mentioned in the passage. (Verses 11, 23, 28-29)
How is this woman viewed by her husband and children?
What did we learn about in the earlier verses that would inspire this kind of reaction? (Think in character, not just in tasks.)
How does this inspire (or perhaps challenge) the church of today? In what ways (be practical) would we need to act in this world?
What are the implications for you personally?
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Christ’s response to us was the same as the husband in this passage? That He would trust us? That we would be blessed by Him, and that as a result of our deeds He would be praised and well-known in all the land! Oh that we would strive to be this bride!
Amanda
If interested in joining or starting a small group contact our Director of Worship and Discipleship Amanda Van Halteren amandavh@kingston.net
CARMEN’S CORNER!
This week, you’ll note that Amanda was speaking about verses 10 and onward in Proverbs 31. So I thought I would bring up something interesting in verse 6 of Proverbs 31, where King Lemuel’s mother (he was passing on her teachings to him) recommends that he “Give strong drink to those who are perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress.”
BUT, back in Proverbs 20:1, we’re told that “Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.” HUH?!
Again, an apparent contradiction resolved by CONTEXT: Proverbs 21:1 is talking about social drinking of the “I’m-going-to-drink-till-I-drop” variety, drunkenness, which leads astray and is strongly spoken against throughout scripture (Prov. 20:1; 31:4–5; Isa. 24:9; 1 Cor. 6:9–10; Eph. 5:18).
Proverbs 31:6, on the other hand, is talking about a medicinal use of strong drink - i.e. in the case of one who is “perishing” or in “bitter distress” – he’s not talking about a weekend party gone wrong!
We also note it in the New Testament when Paul told Timothy he ought to drink a little wine for the sake of his stomach and his frequent ailments.
Everything in context, folks!
RESOURCES
Arthur, Kay. Teach Me Your Ways: The Pentateuch (New Inductive Bible Study Series) Harvest House Publishers, 2002. ISBN: 978-0736908054. Begin at the beginning - Creation, marriage, sin, civilization. Then learn about God's continuing lovingkindness and faithfulness to His covenant people, even when they let Him down.
Geisler, Norman L., and Thomas A. Howe. When Critics Ask : A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1992.
Grudem, Wayne et al. Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible: A Guide to Reading the Bible Well (p. 40). Crossway. Kindle Edition.)
Koukl, Greg. How Does the Old Testament Law Apply to Christians today? Available at the Stand to Reason website at http://www.str.org/articles/how-does-the-old-testament-law-apply-to-christians-today#.VTpOJSFVikp
Longman III, Tremper. Making Sense of the Old Testament. Baker Books, 1998. Answers 3 questions: What are the keys to understanding the OT? Is the God of the OT also the God of the NT? How is the Christian to apply the OT to life?
Redford, Douglas. The Pentateuch. (Vol. 1, Standard Reference Library: Old Testament). Cincinnati, OH: Standard Publishing, 2008.
Schreiner, Thomas. 40 Questions about Christians and Biblical Law. Kregel Publications, 2010. (ISBN 978-0825438912) – all that Law… what still applies to us? What doesn't? Why or why not?
Zacharias, Ravi and Vince Vitale. Why Suffering?: Finding Meaning and Comfort When Life Doesn't Make Sense. FaithWords, 2014.
“The Bride of Christ as the Virtuous Woman”
(Psalm 31:10-31)
This is a useful tool for small group discussion, personal reflection or in a one-on-one conversation. We believe that if the Sunday teaching is discussed outside the morning services, it will be an opportunity to go deeper and build community because God's Word needs to be discussed in community.
We continue our Spring and Summer series called The Book. Over the next several months we are going to be teaching out of all the sections of the Bible and seeing how it’s put together, seeing common threads that connect the books of the Bible to make up The Book.
We now have arrived in the part of the Bible we call “Wisdom Literature”, and here we find some really interesting stories, sayings and people:
1. Job - although a godly man, he lost everything and struggled to make sense of the meaning of it all (worldly wisdom vs. heavenly wisdom)
2. The Psalms – the expressions of human emotion from rage, to despair, to almost ecstatic-like adoration.
3. Ecclesiastics - where we are told that “everything is meaningless”
4. The Song of Solomon – where most things you read are supposed to have a sexual innuendo.
5. The Proverbs - where wisdom and folly are contrasted as two types of women: folly as the prostitute and wisdom as the admirable woman.
From an “English literature” perspective, the texts change in this section. There are many more poems (or songs), and there is much more use of analogies and metaphors. Some scholars actually differentiate these as “covenant texts” (most of the works before the Psalms and the major and minor prophets) and “wisdom texts” (the five books I just mentioned.)
In an Old Testament framework, the covenant is the “what”…the contract and the laws of obligation, and the wisdom literature is the “how”. Wisdom literature deals with the messiness of life and human nature, and how to be human and live in the covenant.
Note: How to read wisdom literature…with wisdom!!!
The other thing that is an important distinguishing feature of wisdom literature is that there is always a deeper meaning. Unlike the historical books, which were meant to be read plainly and factually, the writers of wisdom literature embed a deeper meaning in the text itself. There can be space for a literal interpretation (for example: it probably really is easier to live on the corner of the roof of your house than with a contentious woman) but there is also the deeper meaning or implication. But it assumes there is a deeper meaning than just the original surface reading. So let’s get started!
Proverbs 31: 10-31 – for Discussion & Reflection
Stop, reflect and share:
What has been your framework for understanding Proverbs 31? Do you think that this falls in line with the author’s original intention? (Recall that Proverbs was written by a man for young men.)
What can be learned from a LITERAL interpretation of Proverbs 31? (In other words…what wisdom can be learned from this text?)
In Ephesians 5, Paul draws a comparison between the marriage of a husband and wife, and that of the relationship between Christ and the church. He does the same in 2 Corinthians 3, mentioning it briefly. The writer of Revelation discusses the marriage of the Lamb in Chapter 19. The church is the bride of Christ, and it is the standard of the Virtuous Woman found in Proverbs 31 to whom we will draw comparison in the following section.
Now let’s find the deeper meaning for us, using the sermon guidelines.
Reflect on the following verses.
What does she look like? (Verses 17, 22 & 25)
What strikes you about these verses? (This can include what was mentioned on Sunday)
Select some of the following questions to discuss and some practical implications. Be intentional about discussing the difference of the church as a body (corporate) and what this means for you personally.
What does this mean for us? What does this mean for us today in a society where people’s identity is their physical appearance? What does the bride of Christ look like? What does she look like? What do we look like?
What does she do? (Verses 13, 16, 20…and other verses you would care to discuss.)
As you read the verses of her “doing”, ask yourself what this implies about her character.
What type of person is she to engage in these issues and to do these types of things?
Using these verses as a grounding point, discuss possible implications for the church’s involvement (as a community) and your individual involvement (personally as a small group) with each other.
How this woman interacts with other characters mentioned in the passage. (Verses 11, 23, 28-29)
How is this woman viewed by her husband and children?
What did we learn about in the earlier verses that would inspire this kind of reaction? (Think in character, not just in tasks.)
How does this inspire (or perhaps challenge) the church of today? In what ways (be practical) would we need to act in this world?
What are the implications for you personally?
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Christ’s response to us was the same as the husband in this passage? That He would trust us? That we would be blessed by Him, and that as a result of our deeds He would be praised and well-known in all the land! Oh that we would strive to be this bride!
Amanda
If interested in joining or starting a small group contact our Director of Worship and Discipleship Amanda Van Halteren amandavh@kingston.net
CARMEN’S CORNER!
This week, you’ll note that Amanda was speaking about verses 10 and onward in Proverbs 31. So I thought I would bring up something interesting in verse 6 of Proverbs 31, where King Lemuel’s mother (he was passing on her teachings to him) recommends that he “Give strong drink to those who are perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress.”
BUT, back in Proverbs 20:1, we’re told that “Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.” HUH?!
Again, an apparent contradiction resolved by CONTEXT: Proverbs 21:1 is talking about social drinking of the “I’m-going-to-drink-till-I-drop” variety, drunkenness, which leads astray and is strongly spoken against throughout scripture (Prov. 20:1; 31:4–5; Isa. 24:9; 1 Cor. 6:9–10; Eph. 5:18).
Proverbs 31:6, on the other hand, is talking about a medicinal use of strong drink - i.e. in the case of one who is “perishing” or in “bitter distress” – he’s not talking about a weekend party gone wrong!
We also note it in the New Testament when Paul told Timothy he ought to drink a little wine for the sake of his stomach and his frequent ailments.
Everything in context, folks!
RESOURCES
Arthur, Kay. Teach Me Your Ways: The Pentateuch (New Inductive Bible Study Series) Harvest House Publishers, 2002. ISBN: 978-0736908054. Begin at the beginning - Creation, marriage, sin, civilization. Then learn about God's continuing lovingkindness and faithfulness to His covenant people, even when they let Him down.
Geisler, Norman L., and Thomas A. Howe. When Critics Ask : A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1992.
Grudem, Wayne et al. Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible: A Guide to Reading the Bible Well (p. 40). Crossway. Kindle Edition.)
Koukl, Greg. How Does the Old Testament Law Apply to Christians today? Available at the Stand to Reason website at http://www.str.org/articles/how-does-the-old-testament-law-apply-to-christians-today#.VTpOJSFVikp
Longman III, Tremper. Making Sense of the Old Testament. Baker Books, 1998. Answers 3 questions: What are the keys to understanding the OT? Is the God of the OT also the God of the NT? How is the Christian to apply the OT to life?
Redford, Douglas. The Pentateuch. (Vol. 1, Standard Reference Library: Old Testament). Cincinnati, OH: Standard Publishing, 2008.
Schreiner, Thomas. 40 Questions about Christians and Biblical Law. Kregel Publications, 2010. (ISBN 978-0825438912) – all that Law… what still applies to us? What doesn't? Why or why not?
Zacharias, Ravi and Vince Vitale. Why Suffering?: Finding Meaning and Comfort When Life Doesn't Make Sense. FaithWords, 2014.
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Touching Base - Part 275
Series: The Book, Part 4
The King that Wouldn't Go Away
24 May 2015
We continue our Spring and Summer series called The Book. Over the next several months we are going to be teaching out of all the sections of the Bible and seeing how it’s put together, seeing common threads that connect the books of the Bible to make up The Book.
We continue in the Historical books, a thousand-year period that starts in Joshua and ends with Esther. These books tell the story of
(1) Israel’s entry into the Promised Land of Canaan under Joshua;
(2) Israel’s life in the land under the judges and the transition to kingship;
(3) the division of the nation into two rival kingdoms (Israel and Judah) and life in both;
(4) the downfall and exile of each kingdom;
(5) life in the exile; and
(6) Judah’s return from exile.
One of the threads of the historical books, that ties this section to every other section of Scripture, is in regards to what is said to King David by the prophet Nathan. Read 2 Samuel 7:4-29. How many times do you read the word “forever”? How would God establish David’s throne forever? For a clue, go to Acts 2:29-32.
Jesus, in contrast to all the Kings that would sit on the throne of Judah, would be superior. In fact, you could sum it up in three words, KING OF KINGS!
ULTIMATE LAMP
Last week we saw how the prophet Ahijah came to Jeroboam and prophesied that he would be king of the northern kingdom, Israel. But notice what he says about Judah. Note his use of the imagery of a lamp.
“Yet to his son I will give one tribe (Judah), that David my servant may always have be a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen to put my name.” 1 Kings 11:36
The lamp reference apparently refers to the customary practice in Israel of burning a lamp in the window of a house to indicate the family was at home. When the lamp was extinguished, it indicated the breaking up of the home and the destruction of the family.
There were 20 Kings that would rule over Judah, and each one would die. But Jesus was different. Check out the following that speak of Jesus: Luke 1:33, Romans 9:5, Hebrews 1:8,5:6,7:24,13:8
“That lamp of David’s promised reign would be ignited once and for all in the eternal reign of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, whom the Scriptures say was ‘of the house of David.’”
Note one more thing before we move on… a lamp is a picturesque way of describing a successor or successors who would dispel all kinds of darkness. Who ultimately would dispel darkness as a light, lamp? See John 1, 2 Corinthians 4:6.
ULTIMATE TEACHING
Listen to what William Lane Craig says.
“His authority comes to expression in the content and style of His teaching. These two aspects of His teaching are especially evident in the Sermon on the Mount. A Jewish rabbi’s typical style of teaching was to quote extensively from other learned teachers, who provided the basis of authority for his own teaching. But Jesus did exactly the opposite. He began, “You have heard that it was said to the men of old …” and quoted the law of Moses. Then he continued, “But I say to you …” and gave His own teaching. Jesus thus equated His own authority with that of the divinely-given law. It’s no wonder that Matthew comments, “When Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes” (Matt. 7:28–29 RSV).”
Notice that he adjusted the law on his own authority - “But I say to you…” Here is another example:
“You have heard the law that says, “A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.” But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery.” (Matt. 5:31–32 NLT)
Jesus was placing His own authority over the divine law.
TWO THINGS TO THINK ABOUT IN RESPONSE.
• We sometimes make Jesus out to be, not the King of Kings, but one of many good influences of society. So we lump Jesus in with Gandhi, Muhammad, the Dali Lama, and Buddha, and we see Jesus’ teachings perhaps on par with other good teachers. This is a very politically-correct stance. No feathers are ruffled, no offense is made. Yet Jesus’ own self-awareness and what the Scriptures declare from Genesis to Revelation is that there would come a King of Whom John said, “the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” (John 1)
King of Kings - ultimate light, ultimate teaching!
• If he is truly the KING of KINGS, think about all that He is entitled to rule and reign over in your life. Should there be anything that we hold back?
I have started a list, perhaps you can add to it.
- I can trust him with my finances
- I can trust him with my biggest fears
- I can put my confidence in him for my future
- When facing crisis I can know He can guide me
- In death I can be at peace
- Building my life around His values, character makes the best sense
- Using my resources to align with His purposes is the best investment
- Studying His life is the best of all subjects to shape my thinking, values and morals
- …???
KING OF KINGS - Why not start each day this week by declaring that Jesus is the KING OF KINGS and then go out and live like it!
Mark
If interested in joining or starting a small group contact our Director of Worship and Discipleship Amanda Van Halteren amandavh@kingston.net
CARMEN’S CORNER!
So last week, I talked about apparent contradictions among similar texts referring to the Kings of Israel and Judah. This week, let’s stay with that theme… what is UP with Jesus’ two seemingly-different genealogies in Matthew 1 and Luke 3:23-38?
Some say that this is proof of errors in the Bible. “But wait, says any-historian-worth-his-salt, the Jews were meticulous record keepers!” Did you know that a scribe who was copying a page of Scripture and who made ONE error was required to throw that page out and start over again? A pretty expensive and time-consuming error to make when you think that everything was done by hand! So the answer must lie elsewhere – there is NO WAY that Matthew and Luke, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to boot, would have allowed such contradiction to appear.
Well then, let’s turn it over to Dr. Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe, respected Christian scholars:
“This should be expected, since they are two different lines of ancestors, one traced through His legal father, Joseph and the other through His actual mother, Mary. Matthew gives the official line, since he addresses Jesus’ genealogy to Jewish concerns for the Jewish Messiah’s credentials which required that Messiah come from the seed of Abraham and the line of David (cf. Matt. 1:1). Luke, with a broader Greek audience in view, addresses himself to their interest in Jesus as the Perfect Man (which was the quest of Greek thought). Thus, he traces Jesus back to the first man, Adam (Luke 3:38).
That Matthew gives Jesus’ paternal genealogy and Luke his maternal genealogy is further supported by several facts. First of all, while both lines trace Christ to David, each is through a different son of David. Matthew traces Jesus through Joseph (his legal father) to David’s son, Solomon the king, by whom Christ rightfully inherited the throne of David (cf. 2 Sam. 7:12ff). Luke’s purpose, on the other hand, is to show Christ as an actual human. So he traces Christ to David’s son, Nathan, through his actual mother, Mary, through whom He can rightfully claim to be fully human, the redeemer of humanity.”
Well there ya go… another problem solved! See you all next week!
RESOURCES
(New this week) Geisler, Norman L., and Thomas A. Howe. When Critics Ask : A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1992.
Arthur, Kay. Teach Me Your Ways: The Pentateuch (New Inductive Bible Study Series) Harvest House Publishers, 2002. ISBN: 978-0736908054. Begin at the beginning - Creation, marriage, sin, civilization. Then learn about God's continuing lovingkindness and faithfulness to His covenant people, even when they let Him down.
Grudem, Wayne et al. Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible: A Guide to Reading the Bible Well (p. 40). Crossway. Kindle Edition.)
Koukl, Greg. How Does the Old Testament Law Apply to Christians today? Available at the Stand to Reason website at http://www.str.org/articles/how-does-the-old-testament-law-apply-to-christians-today#.VTpOJSFVikp
Longman III, Tremper. Making Sense of the Old Testament. Baker Books, 1998. Answers 3 questions: What are the keys to understanding the OT? Is the God of the OT also the God of the NT? How is the Christian to apply the OT to life?
Redford, Douglas. The Pentateuch. (Vol. 1, Standard Reference Library: Old Testament). Cincinnati, OH: Standard Publishing, 2008.
Schreiner, Thomas. 40 Questions about Christians and Biblical Law. Kregel Publications, 2010. (ISBN 978-0825438912) – all that Law… what still applies to us? What doesn’t? Why or why not?
Zacharias, Ravi and Vince Vitale. Why Suffering?: Finding Meaning and Comfort When Life Doesn't Make Sense. FaithWords, 2014.
The King that Wouldn't Go Away
24 May 2015
We continue our Spring and Summer series called The Book. Over the next several months we are going to be teaching out of all the sections of the Bible and seeing how it’s put together, seeing common threads that connect the books of the Bible to make up The Book.
We continue in the Historical books, a thousand-year period that starts in Joshua and ends with Esther. These books tell the story of
(1) Israel’s entry into the Promised Land of Canaan under Joshua;
(2) Israel’s life in the land under the judges and the transition to kingship;
(3) the division of the nation into two rival kingdoms (Israel and Judah) and life in both;
(4) the downfall and exile of each kingdom;
(5) life in the exile; and
(6) Judah’s return from exile.
One of the threads of the historical books, that ties this section to every other section of Scripture, is in regards to what is said to King David by the prophet Nathan. Read 2 Samuel 7:4-29. How many times do you read the word “forever”? How would God establish David’s throne forever? For a clue, go to Acts 2:29-32.
Jesus, in contrast to all the Kings that would sit on the throne of Judah, would be superior. In fact, you could sum it up in three words, KING OF KINGS!
ULTIMATE LAMP
Last week we saw how the prophet Ahijah came to Jeroboam and prophesied that he would be king of the northern kingdom, Israel. But notice what he says about Judah. Note his use of the imagery of a lamp.
“Yet to his son I will give one tribe (Judah), that David my servant may always have be a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen to put my name.” 1 Kings 11:36
The lamp reference apparently refers to the customary practice in Israel of burning a lamp in the window of a house to indicate the family was at home. When the lamp was extinguished, it indicated the breaking up of the home and the destruction of the family.
There were 20 Kings that would rule over Judah, and each one would die. But Jesus was different. Check out the following that speak of Jesus: Luke 1:33, Romans 9:5, Hebrews 1:8,5:6,7:24,13:8
“That lamp of David’s promised reign would be ignited once and for all in the eternal reign of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, whom the Scriptures say was ‘of the house of David.’”
Note one more thing before we move on… a lamp is a picturesque way of describing a successor or successors who would dispel all kinds of darkness. Who ultimately would dispel darkness as a light, lamp? See John 1, 2 Corinthians 4:6.
ULTIMATE TEACHING
Listen to what William Lane Craig says.
“His authority comes to expression in the content and style of His teaching. These two aspects of His teaching are especially evident in the Sermon on the Mount. A Jewish rabbi’s typical style of teaching was to quote extensively from other learned teachers, who provided the basis of authority for his own teaching. But Jesus did exactly the opposite. He began, “You have heard that it was said to the men of old …” and quoted the law of Moses. Then he continued, “But I say to you …” and gave His own teaching. Jesus thus equated His own authority with that of the divinely-given law. It’s no wonder that Matthew comments, “When Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes” (Matt. 7:28–29 RSV).”
Notice that he adjusted the law on his own authority - “But I say to you…” Here is another example:
“You have heard the law that says, “A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.” But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery.” (Matt. 5:31–32 NLT)
Jesus was placing His own authority over the divine law.
TWO THINGS TO THINK ABOUT IN RESPONSE.
• We sometimes make Jesus out to be, not the King of Kings, but one of many good influences of society. So we lump Jesus in with Gandhi, Muhammad, the Dali Lama, and Buddha, and we see Jesus’ teachings perhaps on par with other good teachers. This is a very politically-correct stance. No feathers are ruffled, no offense is made. Yet Jesus’ own self-awareness and what the Scriptures declare from Genesis to Revelation is that there would come a King of Whom John said, “the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” (John 1)
King of Kings - ultimate light, ultimate teaching!
• If he is truly the KING of KINGS, think about all that He is entitled to rule and reign over in your life. Should there be anything that we hold back?
I have started a list, perhaps you can add to it.
- I can trust him with my finances
- I can trust him with my biggest fears
- I can put my confidence in him for my future
- When facing crisis I can know He can guide me
- In death I can be at peace
- Building my life around His values, character makes the best sense
- Using my resources to align with His purposes is the best investment
- Studying His life is the best of all subjects to shape my thinking, values and morals
- …???
KING OF KINGS - Why not start each day this week by declaring that Jesus is the KING OF KINGS and then go out and live like it!
Mark
If interested in joining or starting a small group contact our Director of Worship and Discipleship Amanda Van Halteren amandavh@kingston.net
CARMEN’S CORNER!
So last week, I talked about apparent contradictions among similar texts referring to the Kings of Israel and Judah. This week, let’s stay with that theme… what is UP with Jesus’ two seemingly-different genealogies in Matthew 1 and Luke 3:23-38?
Some say that this is proof of errors in the Bible. “But wait, says any-historian-worth-his-salt, the Jews were meticulous record keepers!” Did you know that a scribe who was copying a page of Scripture and who made ONE error was required to throw that page out and start over again? A pretty expensive and time-consuming error to make when you think that everything was done by hand! So the answer must lie elsewhere – there is NO WAY that Matthew and Luke, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to boot, would have allowed such contradiction to appear.
Well then, let’s turn it over to Dr. Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe, respected Christian scholars:
“This should be expected, since they are two different lines of ancestors, one traced through His legal father, Joseph and the other through His actual mother, Mary. Matthew gives the official line, since he addresses Jesus’ genealogy to Jewish concerns for the Jewish Messiah’s credentials which required that Messiah come from the seed of Abraham and the line of David (cf. Matt. 1:1). Luke, with a broader Greek audience in view, addresses himself to their interest in Jesus as the Perfect Man (which was the quest of Greek thought). Thus, he traces Jesus back to the first man, Adam (Luke 3:38).
That Matthew gives Jesus’ paternal genealogy and Luke his maternal genealogy is further supported by several facts. First of all, while both lines trace Christ to David, each is through a different son of David. Matthew traces Jesus through Joseph (his legal father) to David’s son, Solomon the king, by whom Christ rightfully inherited the throne of David (cf. 2 Sam. 7:12ff). Luke’s purpose, on the other hand, is to show Christ as an actual human. So he traces Christ to David’s son, Nathan, through his actual mother, Mary, through whom He can rightfully claim to be fully human, the redeemer of humanity.”
Well there ya go… another problem solved! See you all next week!
RESOURCES
(New this week) Geisler, Norman L., and Thomas A. Howe. When Critics Ask : A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1992.
Arthur, Kay. Teach Me Your Ways: The Pentateuch (New Inductive Bible Study Series) Harvest House Publishers, 2002. ISBN: 978-0736908054. Begin at the beginning - Creation, marriage, sin, civilization. Then learn about God's continuing lovingkindness and faithfulness to His covenant people, even when they let Him down.
Grudem, Wayne et al. Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible: A Guide to Reading the Bible Well (p. 40). Crossway. Kindle Edition.)
Koukl, Greg. How Does the Old Testament Law Apply to Christians today? Available at the Stand to Reason website at http://www.str.org/articles/how-does-the-old-testament-law-apply-to-christians-today#.VTpOJSFVikp
Longman III, Tremper. Making Sense of the Old Testament. Baker Books, 1998. Answers 3 questions: What are the keys to understanding the OT? Is the God of the OT also the God of the NT? How is the Christian to apply the OT to life?
Redford, Douglas. The Pentateuch. (Vol. 1, Standard Reference Library: Old Testament). Cincinnati, OH: Standard Publishing, 2008.
Schreiner, Thomas. 40 Questions about Christians and Biblical Law. Kregel Publications, 2010. (ISBN 978-0825438912) – all that Law… what still applies to us? What doesn’t? Why or why not?
Zacharias, Ravi and Vince Vitale. Why Suffering?: Finding Meaning and Comfort When Life Doesn't Make Sense. FaithWords, 2014.
Friday, May 15, 2015
Touching Base - Part 274
Series: The Book, Part 3
Anyone Watching?
17 May 2015
We're continuing a series called The Book. Over the next several months we are going to be teaching out of all the sections of the Bible and seeing how it’s put together, seeing common threads that connect the books of the Bible to make up The Book.
Now we find ourselves in the Historical books, a thousand-year period that starts in Joshua and ends with Esther. These books tell the story of
(1) Israel’s entry into the Promised Land of Canaan under Joshua;
(2) Israel’s life in the land under the judges and the transition to kingship;
(3) the division of the nation into two rival kingdoms (Israel and Judah) and life in both;
(4) the downfall and exile of each kingdom;
(5) life in the exile; and
(6) Judah’s return from exile.
Specifically we are looking at the story found in 1 Kings 12:1-24. This story refers to the dividing of Israel, a key event in the Historical books. Take a moment and read it through (read the previous chapter to get the context.) Notice in particular v.15 and v.24.
What do you think the writer wants us to see?
Here is how I would put it – God’s in the front row - watching and working! In other words, as we live out our lives, God is not only watching, but working in our lives, in our story.
What the writer wants us to see is that the doctrine of providence (providence refers to God’s active governance of the universe, because He is indeed a God who sees. He sees everything that takes place in the universe), is one of the most fascinating, important, and difficult doctrines in the Christian faith. It deals with difficult questions, such as, “How does God’s causal power and authority interact with ours..?”, “How does God’s sovereign rule relate to our free choices…?”, “How is God’s government related to the evil and suffering in this world…?” and “Does prayer have any influence over God’s providential decisions…?”
Believe you me, you could spend an eternity wrestling with these questions. BUT, note that the author does not want us to get caught up in these questions. He is telling the story to help us see that God’s in the front row - watching and working.
How do we see God’s providence working out in this story and thus ours?
1. Power
Think of your own story, your own narrative - are there any power encounters going on?
The stubborn will of a child, the rebellious posturing of a spouse, the gritty grip and control of a boss, the persistent push back of a friend, the defiance of a roommate, the incalculable invasive control of your in-laws - power that can make one think, “How could God ever work in this situation? How could any good thing come from this?” Everyone has their mind made up - how could God ever work?
Look at our biblical story. Look at the power encounter in this story. What kind of power do Rehoboam, Jeroboam and the crowd have? How is it demonstrated? Who seems more powerful?
But note again v.15 and v.24 - what does the author want us to see? Who holds the real power?
Got any power encounters in your story?
Does it ever feel like in your story that all you see is the strong will of people?
Do you ever look at the power encounters in your story and wonder, “How will God ever be glorified in this?”
2. Sin
Power can, at times, result in great evil. Again review this story and ask, “How is power being used by these characters? What sin is manifesting? Regarding Jeroboam also read v.25-33.
Once you are done that exercise, scan your story. What examples of human sin lace your story, your family narrative, and your family tree? What has been the sin you have brought into the narrative? All of us could talk for hours about how sin has tainted our stories. For some sin has had devastating effects on our family story.
But note again v.15 and v.24 - what does the author want us to see? Does it appear that God has a front row seat to all that is happening? Does it appear that he is not only watching but working?
God is using the pernicious power, and the toxic sin to bring about His perfect purposes.
Check out v.15 again and ask, “Who is Ahijah?” Check out 11:26-43. God is bringing judgment upon the house of Solomon and he is using the sin and pernicious power of people to accomplish just that. He is also preserving the line of David (see v.36). Why? Check out Romans 1:1-4.
God’s in the front row - watching and working! His providence means He holds the power and can accomplish His purposes even when life looks really bleak.
What pernicious power is in your story that you need to ask God to work through these days?
What toxic sin is in your story that you need to trust that God can work through? Are you abusing power and thus sinning in your story?
Don’t allow the complexities of sovereignty, God’s providence, to rob you of the hope it can give us as we live out our story. Misguided power and sin that is embraced can be the very thing God uses in our story to accomplish His work. Mystery? For sure! Hope? Absolutely!
Mark Kotchapaw
If interested in joining or starting a small group contact our Director of Worship and Discipleship Amanda Van Halteren amandavh@kingston.net
CARMEN’S CORNER!
DID YOU KNOW?
This week, as Mark discusses the Kings, I thought I’d remind you of a great principle to remember: a contradiction and an apparent contradiction are two different things.
Many atheists like to use the genealogies of the kings of Israel to show so-called “contradictions” in the Bible. However, you can be reassured that these contradictions are apparent contradictions only and can usually be resolved with some historical research and common sense (after all, if God wrote the Bible, which Christians contend, there is simply no way He would allow such a simple error!)
As an example, we are told that in one text (let’s say, 1 Kings) that King X was in charge, but in another text (1 Chronicles for instance, talking about the exact same time period), it says that King Y was in charge! So which is it? Well, it’s quite simple really: they’re BOTH right – it turns out the first King was on the throne, but the other was his son who acted as Regent until his father’s death.
We still see this even today: our own Queen Elizabeth II is still the reigning monarch, but her son Prince Charles has taken on more and more of her duties as she ages. See?!
Count on it: when God writes a book, you can trust the content, even if it’s not always easy or obvious!
RESOURCES
(New this week) Grudem, Wayne et al. Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible: A Guide to Reading the Bible Well (p. 40). Crossway. Kindle Edition.)
(New this week) Zacharias, Ravi and Vince Vitale. Why Suffering?: Finding Meaning and Comfort When Life Doesn't Make Sense
Arthur, Kay. Teach Me Your Ways: The Pentateuch (New Inductive Bible Study Series) Harvest House Publishers, 2002. ISBN: 978-0736908054. Begin at the beginning - Creation, marriage, sin, civilization. Then learn about God's continuing lovingkindness and faithfulness to His covenant people, even when they let Him down.
Koukl, Greg. How Does the Old Testament Law Apply to Christians today? Available at the Stand to Reason website at http://www.str.org/articles/how-does-the-old-testament-law-apply-to-christians-today#.VTpOJSFVikp
Longman III, Tremper. Making Sense of the Old Testament. Baker Books, 1998. Answers 3 questions: What are the keys to understanding the OT? Is the God of the OT also the God of the NT? How is the Christian to apply the OT to life?
Redford, Douglas. The Pentateuch. (Vol. 1, Standard Reference Library: Old Testament). Cincinnati, OH: Standard Publishing, 2008.
Schreiner, Thomas. 40 Questions about Christians and Biblical Law. Kregel Publications, 2010. (ISBN 978-0825438912) – all that Law… what still applies to us? What doesn’t? Why or why not?
y or why not?
Anyone Watching?
17 May 2015
We're continuing a series called The Book. Over the next several months we are going to be teaching out of all the sections of the Bible and seeing how it’s put together, seeing common threads that connect the books of the Bible to make up The Book.
Now we find ourselves in the Historical books, a thousand-year period that starts in Joshua and ends with Esther. These books tell the story of
(1) Israel’s entry into the Promised Land of Canaan under Joshua;
(2) Israel’s life in the land under the judges and the transition to kingship;
(3) the division of the nation into two rival kingdoms (Israel and Judah) and life in both;
(4) the downfall and exile of each kingdom;
(5) life in the exile; and
(6) Judah’s return from exile.
Specifically we are looking at the story found in 1 Kings 12:1-24. This story refers to the dividing of Israel, a key event in the Historical books. Take a moment and read it through (read the previous chapter to get the context.) Notice in particular v.15 and v.24.
What do you think the writer wants us to see?
Here is how I would put it – God’s in the front row - watching and working! In other words, as we live out our lives, God is not only watching, but working in our lives, in our story.
What the writer wants us to see is that the doctrine of providence (providence refers to God’s active governance of the universe, because He is indeed a God who sees. He sees everything that takes place in the universe), is one of the most fascinating, important, and difficult doctrines in the Christian faith. It deals with difficult questions, such as, “How does God’s causal power and authority interact with ours..?”, “How does God’s sovereign rule relate to our free choices…?”, “How is God’s government related to the evil and suffering in this world…?” and “Does prayer have any influence over God’s providential decisions…?”
Believe you me, you could spend an eternity wrestling with these questions. BUT, note that the author does not want us to get caught up in these questions. He is telling the story to help us see that God’s in the front row - watching and working.
How do we see God’s providence working out in this story and thus ours?
1. Power
Think of your own story, your own narrative - are there any power encounters going on?
The stubborn will of a child, the rebellious posturing of a spouse, the gritty grip and control of a boss, the persistent push back of a friend, the defiance of a roommate, the incalculable invasive control of your in-laws - power that can make one think, “How could God ever work in this situation? How could any good thing come from this?” Everyone has their mind made up - how could God ever work?
Look at our biblical story. Look at the power encounter in this story. What kind of power do Rehoboam, Jeroboam and the crowd have? How is it demonstrated? Who seems more powerful?
But note again v.15 and v.24 - what does the author want us to see? Who holds the real power?
Got any power encounters in your story?
Does it ever feel like in your story that all you see is the strong will of people?
Do you ever look at the power encounters in your story and wonder, “How will God ever be glorified in this?”
2. Sin
Power can, at times, result in great evil. Again review this story and ask, “How is power being used by these characters? What sin is manifesting? Regarding Jeroboam also read v.25-33.
Once you are done that exercise, scan your story. What examples of human sin lace your story, your family narrative, and your family tree? What has been the sin you have brought into the narrative? All of us could talk for hours about how sin has tainted our stories. For some sin has had devastating effects on our family story.
But note again v.15 and v.24 - what does the author want us to see? Does it appear that God has a front row seat to all that is happening? Does it appear that he is not only watching but working?
God is using the pernicious power, and the toxic sin to bring about His perfect purposes.
Check out v.15 again and ask, “Who is Ahijah?” Check out 11:26-43. God is bringing judgment upon the house of Solomon and he is using the sin and pernicious power of people to accomplish just that. He is also preserving the line of David (see v.36). Why? Check out Romans 1:1-4.
God’s in the front row - watching and working! His providence means He holds the power and can accomplish His purposes even when life looks really bleak.
What pernicious power is in your story that you need to ask God to work through these days?
What toxic sin is in your story that you need to trust that God can work through? Are you abusing power and thus sinning in your story?
Don’t allow the complexities of sovereignty, God’s providence, to rob you of the hope it can give us as we live out our story. Misguided power and sin that is embraced can be the very thing God uses in our story to accomplish His work. Mystery? For sure! Hope? Absolutely!
Mark Kotchapaw
If interested in joining or starting a small group contact our Director of Worship and Discipleship Amanda Van Halteren amandavh@kingston.net
CARMEN’S CORNER!
DID YOU KNOW?
This week, as Mark discusses the Kings, I thought I’d remind you of a great principle to remember: a contradiction and an apparent contradiction are two different things.
Many atheists like to use the genealogies of the kings of Israel to show so-called “contradictions” in the Bible. However, you can be reassured that these contradictions are apparent contradictions only and can usually be resolved with some historical research and common sense (after all, if God wrote the Bible, which Christians contend, there is simply no way He would allow such a simple error!)
As an example, we are told that in one text (let’s say, 1 Kings) that King X was in charge, but in another text (1 Chronicles for instance, talking about the exact same time period), it says that King Y was in charge! So which is it? Well, it’s quite simple really: they’re BOTH right – it turns out the first King was on the throne, but the other was his son who acted as Regent until his father’s death.
We still see this even today: our own Queen Elizabeth II is still the reigning monarch, but her son Prince Charles has taken on more and more of her duties as she ages. See?!
Count on it: when God writes a book, you can trust the content, even if it’s not always easy or obvious!
RESOURCES
(New this week) Grudem, Wayne et al. Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible: A Guide to Reading the Bible Well (p. 40). Crossway. Kindle Edition.)
(New this week) Zacharias, Ravi and Vince Vitale. Why Suffering?: Finding Meaning and Comfort When Life Doesn't Make Sense
Arthur, Kay. Teach Me Your Ways: The Pentateuch (New Inductive Bible Study Series) Harvest House Publishers, 2002. ISBN: 978-0736908054. Begin at the beginning - Creation, marriage, sin, civilization. Then learn about God's continuing lovingkindness and faithfulness to His covenant people, even when they let Him down.
Koukl, Greg. How Does the Old Testament Law Apply to Christians today? Available at the Stand to Reason website at http://www.str.org/articles/how-does-the-old-testament-law-apply-to-christians-today#.VTpOJSFVikp
Longman III, Tremper. Making Sense of the Old Testament. Baker Books, 1998. Answers 3 questions: What are the keys to understanding the OT? Is the God of the OT also the God of the NT? How is the Christian to apply the OT to life?
Redford, Douglas. The Pentateuch. (Vol. 1, Standard Reference Library: Old Testament). Cincinnati, OH: Standard Publishing, 2008.
Schreiner, Thomas. 40 Questions about Christians and Biblical Law. Kregel Publications, 2010. (ISBN 978-0825438912) – all that Law… what still applies to us? What doesn’t? Why or why not?
y or why not?
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Touching Base - Part 273
03 May 15
Series: The Book - Part 2
What do people see when they read our pages?
This is a useful tool for small group discussion, personal reflection or in a one-on-one conversation. We believe that if the Sunday teaching is discussed outside the morning services, it will be an opportunity to go deeper and build community because God's Word needs to be discussed in community.
We continue a new series called The Book. Over the next several months we are going to be teaching out of all the sections of the Bible and seeing how it’s put together, seeing common threads that connect the books of the Bible to make up The Book. See last week’s TB if you want to
see the breakdown of the bible into various categories.
Like last week, we are teaching out of the Pentateuch - the first five books of the Bible. The author of this book was Moses (in fact Jesus confirmed his authorship about 38 times in the Gospels!) You know what is really interesting about Moses - He was the guy! He is the crème de la crème! Cream of the crop! The best of the best when it came to authors.
Take a moment and think about who your favorite author is? What is it that you like about what they write or how they write? What themes do they write on that inspire you, engage your imagination or challenge your intellect?
Moses, in Jesus’ day and before, was the most popular Jewish author of the Old Testament.
Note:
He was read every Sabbath in the synagogues” (Acts 15:21):
“For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”
The whole Hebrew nation guarded with intense jealousy the name and fame of Moses.
Many called themselves disciples of Moses (John 9:28–29). “We are disciples of Moses!”
Now have you ever read Moses? What did you think? What sections (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) thrilled you or put you to sleep? Tempted to speed-read any sections?
Well the greatest thing in the mind of a Jew was the Law… and guess who was its author? If you said Moses then treat yourself to a high five! Glad to see you are tracking with me.
As you look at all these laws you can categorize them into four sections:
Moral Law (e.g. you can’t marry your stepmother or murder someone)
Case Law (e.g. you must build a fence around your roof so no one falls off),
Ceremonial Law (e.g. dress codes for the priests, what kinds of offerings to make),
Civil Law (e.g. any new king of Israel must sit down and write out a copy of the Law when he becomes king)
But here is the best thing about Moses (or maybe the worst depending on which side of the fence you are on):
His life and writings pointed to the Greater.
Check out the following texts and discover who Moses was pointing to in his writings.
John 1:43-45 (calling of the disciples)
Luke 24:25-27 (on the Road to Emmaus)
Luke 23:36-44 (with the Disciples)
Notice Acts 3:17-26- And Peter went on to say "and Jesus Christ is that prophet."
Note Act 28:23 -24
Why did his life point to the greater?
Check out what Moses says about Abraham in Gen 15:6, and then what Paul says in Romans 3:20. Then check out Romans 8:1-4 regarding the solution.
This is one of the reasons people were angry at Paul, at Jesus, at the disciples. They were misinterpreted as being unfaithful to Moses but in actual fact… Jesus was the Greater One that Moses pointed to and Paul and the disciples simply acknowledged who Moses pointed towards!
What is the take-away? There could be several, like the powerlessness of law-keeping in earning our salvation, but let me leave you with this thought.
Use your life to point to the Greater.
Let’s face it, if the problem of humanity is sin, and that we fall short of God’s glory, then nothing we have in our back pocket, bank accounts or so-called wells of deep insight are going to help our fellow man the way Jesus can. The world ultimately doesn’t need you or me, but Jesus. Jesus is the answer!
Here are some more discussion questions:
If people were to read your “pages” would they find Jesus?
How do you prayerfully attempt to use your gifts and resources to point people to Jesus?
What are the unique challenges of pointing people to Jesus in the home, marriage, with your kids, friends, and workplace?
What is the toughest context and why?
What are the issues you need to be better read up on in order to talk to people about issues related to faith?
How can people pray for you regarding your impact on people’s lives for Christ’s sake?
Mark Kotchapaw
If interested in joining or starting a small group contact our Director of Worship and Discipleship Amanda Van Halteren amandavh@kingston.net
CARMEN’S CORNER!
DID YOU KNOW?
The importance of the Old Testament in pointing to Christ cannot be overstated… a believer who ignores the Old Testament is only getting half the story as you’ll miss all the types and shadows that shouted “Messiah is coming!” One great example (thanks to Nancy Guthrie, in The Promised One – Seeing Jesus in Genesis):
Old Testament
In Genesis 3:15, we are told that eventually, the woman’s offspring would have his heel bruised but he would crush the serpent’s head.
New Testament
In Hebrews 2:14 we see that Jesus, by his death, destroyed him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil.
Old Testament
In Genesis 6:16, God Himself sealed Noah and his family into the ark. In the ark, they were safe from God’s wrath and could not be lost.
New Testament
In John 6:37, Jesus says, “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” In Christ, you are safe from God’s wrath and cannot be lost!
RESOURCES
(New this week) Longman III, Tremper. Making Sense of the Old Testament. Baker Books, 1998. Answers 3 questions: What are the keys to understanding the OT? Is the God of the OT also the God of the NT? How is the Christian to apply the OT to life?
Arthur, Kay. Teach Me Your Ways: The Pentateuch (New Inductive Bible Study Series) Harvest House Publishers, 2002. ISBN: 978-0736908054. Begin at the beginning - Creation, marriage, sin, civilization. Then learn about God's continuing lovingkindness and faithfulness to His covenant people, even when they let Him down.
Koukl, Greg. How Does the Old Testament Law Apply to Christians today? Available at the Stand to Reason website at http://www.str.org/articles/how-does-the-old-testament-law-apply-to-christians-today#.VTpOJSFVikp
Redford, Douglas. The Pentateuch. (Vol. 1, Standard Reference Library: Old Testament). Cincinnati, OH: Standard Publishing, 2008.
Schreiner, Thomas. 40 Questions about Christians and Biblical Law. Kregel Publications, 2010. (ISBN 978-0825438912) – all that Law… what still applies to us? What doesn’t? Why or why not?
y or why not?
Series: The Book - Part 2
What do people see when they read our pages?
This is a useful tool for small group discussion, personal reflection or in a one-on-one conversation. We believe that if the Sunday teaching is discussed outside the morning services, it will be an opportunity to go deeper and build community because God's Word needs to be discussed in community.
We continue a new series called The Book. Over the next several months we are going to be teaching out of all the sections of the Bible and seeing how it’s put together, seeing common threads that connect the books of the Bible to make up The Book. See last week’s TB if you want to
see the breakdown of the bible into various categories.
Like last week, we are teaching out of the Pentateuch - the first five books of the Bible. The author of this book was Moses (in fact Jesus confirmed his authorship about 38 times in the Gospels!) You know what is really interesting about Moses - He was the guy! He is the crème de la crème! Cream of the crop! The best of the best when it came to authors.
Take a moment and think about who your favorite author is? What is it that you like about what they write or how they write? What themes do they write on that inspire you, engage your imagination or challenge your intellect?
Moses, in Jesus’ day and before, was the most popular Jewish author of the Old Testament.
Note:
He was read every Sabbath in the synagogues” (Acts 15:21):
“For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”
The whole Hebrew nation guarded with intense jealousy the name and fame of Moses.
Many called themselves disciples of Moses (John 9:28–29). “We are disciples of Moses!”
Now have you ever read Moses? What did you think? What sections (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) thrilled you or put you to sleep? Tempted to speed-read any sections?
Well the greatest thing in the mind of a Jew was the Law… and guess who was its author? If you said Moses then treat yourself to a high five! Glad to see you are tracking with me.
As you look at all these laws you can categorize them into four sections:
Moral Law (e.g. you can’t marry your stepmother or murder someone)
Case Law (e.g. you must build a fence around your roof so no one falls off),
Ceremonial Law (e.g. dress codes for the priests, what kinds of offerings to make),
Civil Law (e.g. any new king of Israel must sit down and write out a copy of the Law when he becomes king)
But here is the best thing about Moses (or maybe the worst depending on which side of the fence you are on):
His life and writings pointed to the Greater.
Check out the following texts and discover who Moses was pointing to in his writings.
John 1:43-45 (calling of the disciples)
Luke 24:25-27 (on the Road to Emmaus)
Luke 23:36-44 (with the Disciples)
Notice Acts 3:17-26- And Peter went on to say "and Jesus Christ is that prophet."
Note Act 28:23 -24
Why did his life point to the greater?
Check out what Moses says about Abraham in Gen 15:6, and then what Paul says in Romans 3:20. Then check out Romans 8:1-4 regarding the solution.
This is one of the reasons people were angry at Paul, at Jesus, at the disciples. They were misinterpreted as being unfaithful to Moses but in actual fact… Jesus was the Greater One that Moses pointed to and Paul and the disciples simply acknowledged who Moses pointed towards!
What is the take-away? There could be several, like the powerlessness of law-keeping in earning our salvation, but let me leave you with this thought.
Use your life to point to the Greater.
Let’s face it, if the problem of humanity is sin, and that we fall short of God’s glory, then nothing we have in our back pocket, bank accounts or so-called wells of deep insight are going to help our fellow man the way Jesus can. The world ultimately doesn’t need you or me, but Jesus. Jesus is the answer!
Here are some more discussion questions:
If people were to read your “pages” would they find Jesus?
How do you prayerfully attempt to use your gifts and resources to point people to Jesus?
What are the unique challenges of pointing people to Jesus in the home, marriage, with your kids, friends, and workplace?
What is the toughest context and why?
What are the issues you need to be better read up on in order to talk to people about issues related to faith?
How can people pray for you regarding your impact on people’s lives for Christ’s sake?
Mark Kotchapaw
If interested in joining or starting a small group contact our Director of Worship and Discipleship Amanda Van Halteren amandavh@kingston.net
CARMEN’S CORNER!
DID YOU KNOW?
The importance of the Old Testament in pointing to Christ cannot be overstated… a believer who ignores the Old Testament is only getting half the story as you’ll miss all the types and shadows that shouted “Messiah is coming!” One great example (thanks to Nancy Guthrie, in The Promised One – Seeing Jesus in Genesis):
Old Testament
In Genesis 3:15, we are told that eventually, the woman’s offspring would have his heel bruised but he would crush the serpent’s head.
New Testament
In Hebrews 2:14 we see that Jesus, by his death, destroyed him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil.
Old Testament
In Genesis 6:16, God Himself sealed Noah and his family into the ark. In the ark, they were safe from God’s wrath and could not be lost.
New Testament
In John 6:37, Jesus says, “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” In Christ, you are safe from God’s wrath and cannot be lost!
RESOURCES
(New this week) Longman III, Tremper. Making Sense of the Old Testament. Baker Books, 1998. Answers 3 questions: What are the keys to understanding the OT? Is the God of the OT also the God of the NT? How is the Christian to apply the OT to life?
Arthur, Kay. Teach Me Your Ways: The Pentateuch (New Inductive Bible Study Series) Harvest House Publishers, 2002. ISBN: 978-0736908054. Begin at the beginning - Creation, marriage, sin, civilization. Then learn about God's continuing lovingkindness and faithfulness to His covenant people, even when they let Him down.
Koukl, Greg. How Does the Old Testament Law Apply to Christians today? Available at the Stand to Reason website at http://www.str.org/articles/how-does-the-old-testament-law-apply-to-christians-today#.VTpOJSFVikp
Redford, Douglas. The Pentateuch. (Vol. 1, Standard Reference Library: Old Testament). Cincinnati, OH: Standard Publishing, 2008.
Schreiner, Thomas. 40 Questions about Christians and Biblical Law. Kregel Publications, 2010. (ISBN 978-0825438912) – all that Law… what still applies to us? What doesn’t? Why or why not?
y or why not?
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Touching Base - Part 272
26 APR 15
TOUCHING BASE, PART 272
Come and eat, Grandma!
Come and eat Grandma!
This is a useful tool for small group discussion, personal reflection or in a one-on-one conversation. We believe that if the Sunday teaching is discussed outside the morning services, it will be an opportunity to go deeper and build community because God's Word needs to be discussed in community.
This morning we start a new series called The Book. Over the next several months we are going to be teaching out of all the sections of the Bible and seeing how it’s put together, seeing common threads that connect the books of the Bible to make up The Book. Look below and think about what sections you are most familiar with and least familiar with. Where do you like to read? What parts are less engaging or harder to understand?
This morning we are starting with the first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch (Gk. “five-volumed”), from Genesis through Deuteronomy. The Hebrew term for it is torah (“law” or “instruction”), so this is how the New Testament refers to it (Gk. nomos, “law”).
The theme of the Pentateuch is announced in Genesis 12:1–3, the call of Abraham. Each time God appears to the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses), the promises are elaborated and made more specific.
Note what God says in Genesis 12, that he wants to bless, build and make a great nation that will ultimately bless the world through the coming of Jesus. The question is, how will He build and make a great nation? The answer can be found in Deuteronomy 4:7-8
7 What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him? 8 And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?
Note that God is with Israel, in relationship, and we see this in the creation of man. But He also gives mankind instructions (Torah) - directions on how to live and build a life.
God’s Instructions Are For Our Construction - You will note that whether as a theocracy in the OT, or even in modern times, God’s word is meant to build. Remember what Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:15,16. Check it out. The book builds!!
So what do we have in common with these folks who were the original audience - Jews having lived in captivity in Egypt and now being lead by Moses? Not only is it true that God’s Instructions Are For Our Construction but it is also true that God’s word creates a whole bucket-load of tension because there were (and are still today) other “instruction manuals” out there telling us how to build a life.
Question: What will they have to come to terms with? What are we coming to terms with these days?
1. A PLETHORA OF IDEAS
If you were a Jew listening to the account of creation according to Genesis you would immediately note that the biblical account is different than the account of your old landlords the Egyptians. Several means of creation are used interchangeably in the Egyptian accounts including sneezing spitting and masturbation. Does that sound different than Genesis 1 and 2?
The Egyptian worldview consisted of thousands of gods as did the Canaanites’ worldview. Canaan was the new real estate God was giving them under Moses.
In light of these many gods remember what Deuteronomy 6 says?
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
These are just a few examples, but one needs to realize that the Torah was different in many ways, regarding its view of creation, God, and mankind.
We are no different today. To prove my point, discuss the following questions. These are questions that every worldview answers. What are the biblical answers and what are the plethora of answers coming from other worldviews - Atheism, Islam, Hinduism, Naturalism, Materialism?
Worldview Questions:
How did the universe all get started?
What is ultimate reality?
Who are we?
What’s the meaning of life?
How should we live?
What’s our destiny?
2. A BATTLE OF IDEAS
It is interesting that in the book called the Torah (instruction, law), in one of the very first scenes, we already see a battle over the instructions. Go to Genesis 3 and note,
3:1 “Did God really say that?” Doubt.
3:4 “You will not surely die” Counter Perspective
3:5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Independence
Check it out!
The same three temptations were used in the wilderness with Jesus, except that, fully understanding with whom he was dealing, the tempter camouflaged the temptations (see Matthew 4:1–11).
God’s Instruction Is For Our Construction. However, the enemy will flip it to make us think that God’s instruction is for our destruction. Thus we will embrace the counter perspective and move away from dependence on God.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION:
- How do you see the three temptations mentioned above working themselves out in your life or in others?
- What issues represent the greatest battlefield for you, your kids or friends?
- Are you anchored in the word so as to even know when the enemy is proposing a counter perspective?
- What helpful books have you read to help you better articulate a Biblical worldview in light of all the so-called options?
Mark Kotchapaw
If interested in joining or starting a small group contact our Director of Worship and Discipleship Amanda Van Halteren amandavh@kingston.net
DID YOU KNOW?
• A lot of movies show Moses looking surprised when he finds out that he was adopted… don’t believe it for a second! Having been circumcised by his godly Jewish parents at the age of 8 days (as commanded to Abraham by God), it would have been… err… “evident” to him that he wasn’t like the Egyptians around him :-) . This is confirmed in Exodus 2:11 when we read about Moses going “out to where his own people were”.
• There seems to be much argument these days about the authorship of the Pentateuch, some saying that Moses wrote it, others saying he had nothing to do with it. While that’s an interesting idea, it means you must dismiss everything Jesus said about Moses in connection with the Law (about 38 times in the Gospels!)
RESOURCES
Arthur, Kay. Teach Me Your Ways: The Pentateuch (New Inductive Bible Study Series) Harvest House Publishers, 2002. ISBN: 978-0736908054. Begin at the beginning - Creation, marriage, sin, civilization. Then learn about God's continuing lovingkindness and faithfulness to His covenant people, even when they let Him down.
Koukl, Greg. How Does the Old Testament Law Apply to Christians today? Available at the Stand to Reason website at http://www.str.org/articles/how-does-the-old-testament-law-apply-to-christians-today#.VTpOJSFVikp
Redford, Douglas. The Pentateuch. (Vol. 1, Standard Reference Library: Old Testament). Cincinnati, OH: Standard Publishing, 2008.
Schreiner, Thomas. 40 Questions about Christians and Biblical Law. Kregel Publications, 2010. (ISBN 978-0825438912) – all that Law… what still applies to us? What doesn’t? Why or why not?
TOUCHING BASE, PART 272
Come and eat, Grandma!
Come and eat Grandma!
This is a useful tool for small group discussion, personal reflection or in a one-on-one conversation. We believe that if the Sunday teaching is discussed outside the morning services, it will be an opportunity to go deeper and build community because God's Word needs to be discussed in community.
This morning we start a new series called The Book. Over the next several months we are going to be teaching out of all the sections of the Bible and seeing how it’s put together, seeing common threads that connect the books of the Bible to make up The Book. Look below and think about what sections you are most familiar with and least familiar with. Where do you like to read? What parts are less engaging or harder to understand?
This morning we are starting with the first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch (Gk. “five-volumed”), from Genesis through Deuteronomy. The Hebrew term for it is torah (“law” or “instruction”), so this is how the New Testament refers to it (Gk. nomos, “law”).
The theme of the Pentateuch is announced in Genesis 12:1–3, the call of Abraham. Each time God appears to the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses), the promises are elaborated and made more specific.
Note what God says in Genesis 12, that he wants to bless, build and make a great nation that will ultimately bless the world through the coming of Jesus. The question is, how will He build and make a great nation? The answer can be found in Deuteronomy 4:7-8
7 What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him? 8 And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?
Note that God is with Israel, in relationship, and we see this in the creation of man. But He also gives mankind instructions (Torah) - directions on how to live and build a life.
God’s Instructions Are For Our Construction - You will note that whether as a theocracy in the OT, or even in modern times, God’s word is meant to build. Remember what Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:15,16. Check it out. The book builds!!
So what do we have in common with these folks who were the original audience - Jews having lived in captivity in Egypt and now being lead by Moses? Not only is it true that God’s Instructions Are For Our Construction but it is also true that God’s word creates a whole bucket-load of tension because there were (and are still today) other “instruction manuals” out there telling us how to build a life.
Question: What will they have to come to terms with? What are we coming to terms with these days?
1. A PLETHORA OF IDEAS
If you were a Jew listening to the account of creation according to Genesis you would immediately note that the biblical account is different than the account of your old landlords the Egyptians. Several means of creation are used interchangeably in the Egyptian accounts including sneezing spitting and masturbation. Does that sound different than Genesis 1 and 2?
The Egyptian worldview consisted of thousands of gods as did the Canaanites’ worldview. Canaan was the new real estate God was giving them under Moses.
In light of these many gods remember what Deuteronomy 6 says?
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
These are just a few examples, but one needs to realize that the Torah was different in many ways, regarding its view of creation, God, and mankind.
We are no different today. To prove my point, discuss the following questions. These are questions that every worldview answers. What are the biblical answers and what are the plethora of answers coming from other worldviews - Atheism, Islam, Hinduism, Naturalism, Materialism?
Worldview Questions:
How did the universe all get started?
What is ultimate reality?
Who are we?
What’s the meaning of life?
How should we live?
What’s our destiny?
2. A BATTLE OF IDEAS
It is interesting that in the book called the Torah (instruction, law), in one of the very first scenes, we already see a battle over the instructions. Go to Genesis 3 and note,
3:1 “Did God really say that?” Doubt.
3:4 “You will not surely die” Counter Perspective
3:5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Independence
Check it out!
The same three temptations were used in the wilderness with Jesus, except that, fully understanding with whom he was dealing, the tempter camouflaged the temptations (see Matthew 4:1–11).
God’s Instruction Is For Our Construction. However, the enemy will flip it to make us think that God’s instruction is for our destruction. Thus we will embrace the counter perspective and move away from dependence on God.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION:
- How do you see the three temptations mentioned above working themselves out in your life or in others?
- What issues represent the greatest battlefield for you, your kids or friends?
- Are you anchored in the word so as to even know when the enemy is proposing a counter perspective?
- What helpful books have you read to help you better articulate a Biblical worldview in light of all the so-called options?
Mark Kotchapaw
If interested in joining or starting a small group contact our Director of Worship and Discipleship Amanda Van Halteren amandavh@kingston.net
DID YOU KNOW?
• A lot of movies show Moses looking surprised when he finds out that he was adopted… don’t believe it for a second! Having been circumcised by his godly Jewish parents at the age of 8 days (as commanded to Abraham by God), it would have been… err… “evident” to him that he wasn’t like the Egyptians around him :-) . This is confirmed in Exodus 2:11 when we read about Moses going “out to where his own people were”.
• There seems to be much argument these days about the authorship of the Pentateuch, some saying that Moses wrote it, others saying he had nothing to do with it. While that’s an interesting idea, it means you must dismiss everything Jesus said about Moses in connection with the Law (about 38 times in the Gospels!)
RESOURCES
Arthur, Kay. Teach Me Your Ways: The Pentateuch (New Inductive Bible Study Series) Harvest House Publishers, 2002. ISBN: 978-0736908054. Begin at the beginning - Creation, marriage, sin, civilization. Then learn about God's continuing lovingkindness and faithfulness to His covenant people, even when they let Him down.
Koukl, Greg. How Does the Old Testament Law Apply to Christians today? Available at the Stand to Reason website at http://www.str.org/articles/how-does-the-old-testament-law-apply-to-christians-today#.VTpOJSFVikp
Redford, Douglas. The Pentateuch. (Vol. 1, Standard Reference Library: Old Testament). Cincinnati, OH: Standard Publishing, 2008.
Schreiner, Thomas. 40 Questions about Christians and Biblical Law. Kregel Publications, 2010. (ISBN 978-0825438912) – all that Law… what still applies to us? What doesn’t? Why or why not?
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