Prayer

Living the Parables
-Part VIII-

#16 The Friend at Midnight
Luke 11:5-13

Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'

Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Background
The host was in a desperate situation
The friend was in an unwilling state
Prayer in those days was very reserved

Compare
Our prayers must be made in desperation
Our prayers must be made with boldness

Contrast
God’s door is always open
God is eager to meet the needs of His people

Types of Prayer
Ask
Seek
Knock

#17 The Unjust Judge
Luke 18:1-8

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.'

For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!'”

And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

Background
Widows in those days were very mistreated
Judges in those days were very corrupt
The cry in those days was for justice

Compare
Our prayers must be persistent
Our prayers must be for justice

Contrast
God is a just judge
God wants a relationship with His people

Laws for Prayer
You must ask in faith (Matthew 21:22)
You must first forgive others (Mark 11:25)
You must ask in Jesus' name (John 14:14)
You must remain in Christ (John 15:7)
You must bear fruit (John 15:16)
You must first obey (1 John 3:22)
You must ask according to His will (1 John 5:14)
You must have a right motive (James 4:3)

Hebrews 11:8-19

5 Lessons on Faith from the Life of Abraham

Faith doesn't always know what's next (8)
--Genesis 12:1
--God has a plan/vision for His people, but we don't always get the details
--Faith is moving towards that vision step by step
--God's Word is a lamp for our feet, it shows enough light for your next step

Faith doesn't feel quite at home in this world (9-10, 13c-16)
--We start as aliens to God (Colossians 1:21)
--Then we become aliens to the world (1 Peter 2:11)
--So we aren't interested in earthly treasure
--The church misses this point when it focuses on buildings and earthly traditions

Faith believes God can do the impossible (11-12)
--But Abraham laughed at God! (Genesis 17:15-19)
--But Sarah laughed at God! (Genesis 18:10-15)
--Therefore, faith wasn't (and isn't) the absence of doubt
--Faith is the presence of belief & obedience

Faith doesn't always receive NOW (13ab)
--Abraham was 100 when he finally received a son
--Abraham obtained very little land
--Physical healing NOW is the exception (hence the term 'miracle')
--Our faith is largely future based, earthly answers are just glimpses of heaven

Faith obeys even when it doesn't make sense (17-19)
--Abraham waited for Isaac for many years
--Even still, Abraham held him loosely
--Abrham believed God could do the incredible

James

Below are the notes to a Wednesday night series throug 'James'. The notes are very casual and will be improved next time I go through this great letter.

James 1:1-18
James 1:19-27, 2:14-26
James 2:1-13
James 3:1-4:10
James 4:11-5:12
James 5:13-20

And here are my notes from Sunday School 2011, more in-depth than the above links

James 1:1 (Introduction)
James 1:2-4 (Joy in Trials)
James 1:5-8 (Ask and Receive)
James 1:9-11 (Blessed are the Poor)
James 1:12-18 (The Crown of Life)
James 1:19-20 (Anger Management)
James 1:21-27 (Being Doers)

James 5:13-20

1. Ever been in trouble? Problem? Predicament? Trial? Tribulation?
2. Ever been happy? Joyful? Blessed? Thankful? Appreciative?
3. Ever been sick? Felt crummy? Needed help? Out of money?
4. Ever sinned? Fallen short? Messed up? Made mistake?
5. Ever wandered? Drifted? Gotten lazy? Taken a detour?

WHAT DID YOU DO????

There is an isolationist movement going around…

1. In our culture
a. Front porch with swing has become back deck with privacy fence
b. Automatic garage door openers

2. In Christianity
a. God has been detached from religion
b. ABC philosophy (Anything But Church)

BUT…..IT’S NOT WORKING
40% Of Americans report frequent feelings of intense loneliness
Not only does it NOT work, it is the opposite of what God wants

James 5:13-20
Bag of marbles needs to become bag of grapes (Acts 2:42-47)
We need each other (1 Corinthians 12:21)
One Another passages (From Bob Russell)

OBJECTION
1. We are different
a. But we have the most important things in common
b. Plus even if we are vastly different: SO WHAT?
c. Plus we don’t need to share everything with everyone
i. Acquaintances = congregation
ii. Friends = class
iii. Companions = cell

Natural Church Development
1. Quality and Quantity
a. Is there a lot of laughter in your church
i. 33% declining
ii. 46% just growing
iii. 63% just healthy
iv. 68% growing
b. Hospitality- 2 months
i. 11 times declining
ii. 13 times just growing
iii. 16 times just healthy
iv. 17 times growing

James 4:11-5:12

11-12 DO NOT JUDGE
1. Do not slander your brother
a. Implies that your brother is living rightly
b. If you do, you are breaking the law of love
2. Do not judge
a. As soon as you judge, you yourself are breaking the law
b. As soon as you judge, you are making yourself out to be God
3. Then why does the rest of the NT consist of judgments?

13-16 DO NOT ASSUME
1. Don’t assume you have tomorrow to plan for
2. Recognize that God is in control
3. It’s not really the words, it’s the mindset
a. If you don’t use the words it may be evidence you don’t have the mindset

1-6 DO NOT OPPRESS THE POOR
1. They were still rich, but their riches were as good as gone
2. Do not hoard
3. Do not underpay for service
4. Do not live in self-indulgence
5. Probably indirect murder, but flatly called murder by God

7-11 DO NOT GRUMBLE
1. Do not be impatient
2. Do not grumble against each other

12 DO NOT SWEAR
1. Do not swear

17
ANYONE, THEN, WHO KNOWS THE GOOD HE OUGHT TO DO AND DOESN’T DO IT, SINS.
1. Kind of strange to find this verse in the midst of a bunch of DO NOT phrases
2. It’s giving us a TO DO list in comparison, The Bible never leaves us at STOP
a. DO LOVE EACH OTHER
b. DO DEPEND ON GOD
c. DO GIVE TO THE NEEDY
d. DO PATIENTLY ENDURE
e. DO BE HONEST

James 3:1-4:10

1-2
player to coach
saved to ss teacher
*if you can control your tongue you can control yourself

3-6
Illustrations

7-8f
It’s very difficult to tame the tongue
-dirty mouthed Christians
-public speaking don’t
-you’ve had lots of practice so you’ll need lots of time

9-12
Tongues can be extremely good or extremely bad
-just like people

13-18
How to gain the whole world
1. Be envious
2. Have selfish ambition
-survival of the fittest mentality, but everyone thinks they are most fit to survive
Source: worldly wisdom, unspiritual, devil
It’s great advice on how to get to the top of the world, but not where it matters

The best kind of wisdom thinks BIGGER
-longer lasting
-unlimited growth (looking up to God)

Shown by good life BE
Shown by good works DO

Characteristics V. 17


JAMES 4
WHY WE WAR

1-2 desires, selfishness, want, greed, envy, whining, complaining, begging…my way or the highway.

2 If you really have a desire ask
3 If you really ask that way I won’t say yes
#1 reason for ‘unanswered prayer’ (it’s not really unanswered)

4 Being friends with the world is being selfish like the world
-they even have their own trinity (me, myself, I)

It’s hatred towards God b/c it’s rejecting God’s purpose
5 It’s the natural state of fallen man = me
6 But God has grace to offer salvation from the ME disease

7-10 How do we find this grace?
-first of all…grace is that thing that brings us to the point where we realize we need more grace
-then to find more grace we….
1. Submit to God
2. Resist the devil
3. Come near to God
4. Wash your hands
5. Purify your hearts
6. Grieve, mourn, wail
7. Turn laughter into mourning
8. Humble yourself

He WILL lift you up to something better than selfishness can bring

James 2:1-13

VERSE 1
Did Christ show favoritism in His life?
If we believe in Christ, we will follow His lead (Acts 10:34)
What is favoritism? Is it the same as preference?
How would a church show favoritism?

VERSE 2-4
James’ illustration
Is it in our church?
Is it in you?

VERSE 5
God has chosen the poor in the eyes of the world
All throughout the Bible God makes incredibly strange choices

VERSE 6-7
We tend to favor the same people who make our lives as Christians hard
-We envy their money, their power, their influence

VERSE 8-11
Favoritism is a serious sin
Important for parents- Joseph
Important for judges- Deut. 25:1-3
Important for ministers- 1 Tim. 5:21

VERSE 12-13
Be merciful before you are judgmental

James 1:19-27, 2:14-26

**Next Wednesday night at 10pm a new reality television show is premiering: Todd TV. The cameras are going to follow this guy around 24/7 and then show us highlights each week.
**What if our last 24 hours were videotaped? What kind of person would viewers of that tape think we were? Would they be able to see that we are Christians? That we have faith?
** That is what James is talking about in the passages we are going to look at tonight. Can there be faith where there is no evidence of it? Can you have a saving faith without having works?

JAMES STARTS FROM THE BEGINNING
-Last week we ended on verse 18, which stated that God chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits
-Birth implies growth
-Firstfruits implies that there is more coming
-verses 19-21 tell us to receive with meekness the implanted word

19-21
If we are re-born/born-again…we won’t be the same. We’ll be + do differently
-we’ll be quick to listen
-we’ll be slow to speak
-we’ll be slow to become angry
-we’ll get rid of moral filth
-we’ll get rid of evil
-we’ll let the word planted in us, the seed, do what it is supposed to
MATTHEW 13:3-9

22-25
It means nothing to hear, but not do
-Mirror illustration

26-27
A truly religious person will do these things….
-keeps a tight reign on his tongue (or his religion is useless)
-visits orphans and widows in trouble (both in general and specifically)
-stays unspotted from the world (holy, blameless)

14-17
Faith without works…
-What does it profit
-Can such a faith even be a saving faith?
-Illustration of one needing food and shelter, but only being prayed for
-Such a faith is dead, unprofitable, and won’t save you or me

18-20
Faith must be demonstrated to be seen as genuine before men

James 1:1-18

1-1
You may remember last years discovery of the James Ossuary
- James was a half brother of Jesus (Mark 6:3)
- James didn’t believe in Jesus at first (John 7:5)
- James saw the resurrected Christ (1 Cor. 15:7)
- James did believe in Jesus after the resurrection (Acts 1:14)
- James became a leader in the Jerusalem church (1 Cor. 15:13-21)
- James was well known in the early church (Jude 1:1)
- James was executed about 30 years later (Josephus-stoned by Ananus)
- James wrote a letter to Jewish converts 10-15 years before his death (James 1:1)

2-4
Pure Joy????
WHEN you face trials, not if
You have to pass a test to move onto the next grade
The goal of all this is maturity

5-8
God understands why we ask why, He’ll help us understand
Ask in anger? Ask in humility? Ask in doubt? Ask in trust?

I Asked For
I asked for strength, and God gave me difficulties to make me strong.
I asked for wisdom, and God gave me problems to solve.
I asked for prosperity, and God gave me brawn and brain to work.
I asked for courage, and God gave me dangers to overcome.
I asked for patience, and God placed me in situations where I was forced to wait.
I asked for love, and God gave me troubled people to help.
I asked for favors, and God gave me opportunities.
I received nothing I wanted; I received everything I needed.
My prayer has been answered.

9-11
If you are a poor Christian, rejoice in your spiritual richness
If you are a rich Christian, rejoice that you have been shown the emptiness of riches

12-15
Passing a spiritual test brings spiritual rewards
Tough Questions from verse 13
1. If God never tempts, why does it say He tempted Abraham (Gen 22:1)
2. If James says ‘count it all joy’ when Jesus says ‘lead us not into temptation’
3. If God can’t be tempted, how come it says Jesus was tempted?
-The translation tempted/tested/trial are based on the same Greek words
- God allows, Satan desires, Sin causes (JOB)

TEMPTATION:
Works like fishing (God put us in a beautiful lake, sin polluted the lake, Satan offers us what we need with a catch, sin is us wants to go after his bait, we get hooked (literally and figuratively), we die.

16-18
So don’t think of God sending bad things into your life, He is a good God. He will provide for you. He gives good and perfect gifts. He wants to produce in us spiritual life.

1 Samuel

This was a Wednesday Night Series which I took turns teaching. That is why some weeks are missing.

1 Samuel 2
1 Samuel 3
1 Samuel 4-5
1 Samuel 6:1-12
1 Samuel 6:13-7:17
1 Samuel 8-9 (Saul Intro)
1 Samuel 10-11 (Saul's Early Work)
1 Samuel 11
1 Samuel 12
1 Samuel 13-14
1 Samuel 13-15 (Saul's Fall)
1 Samuel 16-31 (Saul's Jealous End)
1 Samuel 16
1 Samuel 17
1 Samuel 20
1 Samuel 21
1 Samuel 22
1 Samuel 23
1 Samuel 27
1 Samuel 30

1 Samuel 30

‘Bad to Worse’

~After a depressing 3 day journey, David and his men find their homes destroyed and their families missing. What kinds of ‘disasters’ do we face in life?

Principles for Troublesome Times

1. Grieve (1-5)
a. Denial/shock
b. Anger
c. Bargaining
d. Guilt/blame
e. Depression
f. Loneliness
g. Acceptance
h. Hope

2. Don’t play the blame game (6a)
a. Three days earlier the Philistines were afraid David would turn on them, now David’s men are turning on HIM.
b. Fixing blame doesn’t fix anything
c. Stoning David may have ruined their chances of restoration
d. Those who play the blame game rarely have solutions and rarely play the praise game

3. Turn to the Lord for Strength (6b)
a. David had wept so long and hard that we was physically and emotionally exhausted. He was empty.
b. Isaiah 40:31
c. How do we turn to the Lord?

4. Seek Godly direction (7-8)
a. Saul sought a witch for guidance even though he had access to the tabernacle. David sought the only tabernacle item he could get his hands on.
b. David didn’t act rashly. 3 must occur before 4. We should not be led by emotions, but by the Spirit
c. How do we seek Godly direction?

5. Come Together as a Family (9-10)
a. We aren’t designed to thrive alone
b. The same men that just threatened to stone him, now joined him
c. Bad circumstances can yield good results
d. Romans 8:28

6. Keep Serving (11-15)
a. Satan has a goal, in tragedy, to destroy ministry. He wants us to stop serving
b. Galatians 6:9
c. God can put people in our path that if we take the time to serve, have surprising amounts of aid for our cause. Some frogs really are princes.

7. Fight for Your Family (16-20)
a. Some things are worth fighting for. Family is one of them. Justice is another.
b. Don’t just let go in disappointment when a family member is going down the wrong road.
c. Fight! (First Knight)

8. Make Grace the Law for your Life (21-25)
a. If you follow 1-7, you will make it through tragedy, but others might not. Be gracious and patient with them.
b. Recognize you only made it because of God
c. Recognize that there were others important to your success

9. Remember all who Helped You (26-31)
a. Share the victories. Share your thanks.
b. This keeps us from pride
c. This reminds us we’re a body
d. This keeps us ‘others’ focused
e. This expands the future kingdom
f. This brings peace

1 Samuel 27

‘Thought to himself’
-God is not mentioned again until 30:8
-Could it be that David was excluding God from his decisions?
-Most commentators say yes

‘I will be destroyed’
-Was this wisdom or fear?
-Most commentators say fear
-It was from the recognition of the Ziphites (23:19, 26:21) and Advisors (26:19)

‘The best thing’
-Really?
-Few boldly reject God, many slowly drift away doing what is good, but not best

‘Settled in Gath’
-They learned Gittith there
-Psalms 8, 81, 84

‘David had his two wives’
-Merab was supposed to be his, never was (18)
-Michael loved him, but was taken away (25:44)
-Ahinoam was probably one of the distressed, in-debt, discontent, etc (22:2)
-Abigail was Nabal’s widow (25)

‘He no longer searched for him’
-Walking into enemy territory would start a war

‘Then David said to Achish’
-Acquainted since 21:10-14 when David went there alone, but was rejected by advisors
-Comes now with 600 men and their families

‘Achish gave’
-He believed ‘an enemy of my enemy is a friend’

‘A year and four months’
-1105bc (Samuel born)
-1050bc (Saul king)
-1025bc (Goliath killed)
-1010bc (David king)
-15 years between means 15 MAX for David’s hiding, but he didn’t hide right away

‘Went up and raided’
-To occupy the men
-To gain supplies
-To do Saul’s job (28:18)

‘David would say’
-This was a lie
-Was it a justified lie in a time of war towards an enemy?
-Almost no one believes so
-He had put himself in a compromising situation
-There is such a thing as a no-win-situation, but only after a bad choice

‘Achish trusted’
-Lies are hard to find out
-He knew Saul was after him

5 Lessons
1. Watch for warning signs (27:1)
a. Physical, relational, social (snowball affect….watch and pray)

2. We can learn new methods of worship from others (27:3)

3. Patience is one of the most important virtues
a. If he hadn’t waited a) He may have been killed b) he may not have been chosen

4. Fear and doubt can put us in a bad situation (27:1)
a. Intellectual (skeptics)
b. Moral (humanist)
c. Circumstantial (Christian)

5. We can accomplish God’s work in any circumstance (27:8)
a. As long as you can love, you can minister and make a difference

1 Samuel 23

22:5 Why would Gad tell David to leave a stronghold? (a fortified place, survival)
· God doesn’t call us to a peaceful place of safety, God calls us to fight the good fight of faith.
· The righteous man doesn’t avoid all troubles, he is delivered from them

23:1-2 ‘Look’ – He wouldn’t have seen this need had he stayed in Adullam
1. The Philistines were robbing Keilah, starving them
2. David asked the Lord if he should help
3. King Saul was too focused on David to help his own people

Excuses David could have used…
1. It’s Saul’s job (somebody else will do it)
2. I’ve got my own problems (too busy)
3. My men are afraid (nobody else wants to)
4. The Philistines hate me (I’m not the man for this job)

God commands war
1. The enemy had invaded a land
2. The enemy was robbing a people
3. The enemy was killing a people

What should a Christians position on war be?
1. Pacifism? (sermon on the mount, Paul)
2. Just-war-theory? (Jesus cleansing temple, Paul, Augustine)
3. Crusaders? (Israel, middle agers)

The early church were pacifists
1. They believed Jesus was coming back VERY soon
2. They were persecuted by the Romans, why join them?
3. Romans worshiped false gods and idols
4. They believed Jesus spoke against it
· Only #4 remains a possibility today

The middle ages church were crusaders
1. Onward Christian soldiers
2. Goal of expanding Christianity, THEN eliminate injustice

Mixed throughout history- Just war theory
1. Pacifism is for individual b/c an individual can appeal to authority
2. Pacifists make church guidelines into state guidelines
3. Crusaders make state guidelines into church guidelines
4. Just war theory is the hardest to pin down
5. How do we ever know the real situation?
6. Can we really trust our leaders?

Generally accepted Tenets of a just war
1. Competent authority- state, not individuals
2. Probability of success
3. Last resort
4. Just intent- goal of peace and reconciliation
5. Just cause- act of defense against aggression
6. Proportionality- good results should outweigh evil done
7. Discriminate means- attempts to avoid loss of innocent life

Cat and Mouse Game
v. 7-8 Saul told David is in Keilah
v. 13 goes from place to place
v. 14 looks from day to day
v. 14 Saul finds David in the desert, David leaves Ziph
v. 25 Saul finds David in Maon, David escapes b/c of Philistines

The chapter ends with David right on the Dead Sea. Trapped. Safe for the moment, but running out of places to run.

1 Samuel 22

19:18 He Went to Samuel the Prophet
20:1 He went to Jonathon the Prince
21:1 He went to Ahimelech the Priest
21:10 He went to King of Gath of the Philistines
22:1 He went to a…..cave?

David had hit rock bottom
*There’s a 500 ft. hill in Adullam pierced with numerous caves. 2 Miles North was the spot David defeated Goliath, who would have thought he’d be hiding in a cave overlooking that site.

God’s plan starts to unfold in the strangest of venues (22:1-5)
1. He gets to see and protect his family
2. He gained an army (400 men)
3. He now had a prophet with him
4. He gains a priest at the end of the chapter

But mistakes from the past can come back to get us…

Saul’s Persuasive Speech (22:6-8)
1. Spear in hand (very persuasive)
2. Tribal loyalty (appeals to Benjamites)
3. They’ll be wealthier with Saul
4. They’ll be respected with Saul
5. He lies about the character of David
· Sounds like a political campaign

Doeg Makes sense of 21:7

David went to Ahimilech and was provided for
1. With prayer
2. With food
3. With weapons

Ahimilech was lied to by David so he has no idea what’s coming. He might even think he is being thanks/rewarded by Saul.
1. Nope (13)
2. Saul lies (13)
3. Ahimilech claims ignorance (14-15)

Saul has the Priests murdered
1. Saul is crazy (16)
2. His men were sane (17)
3. It should tell Saul something that only Doeg the Edomite agrees with (18)
4. Doeg kills 85 Priest and families and animals (18-19)

David gains a Priest
1. Abiathar escapes (20)
2. Updated David (21)
3. David takes responsibility (22)
4. David protects the Priest (23)

He began this chapter in a cave forced to flee at every turn
He ends with his family safe, a prophet, a priest, and a band of brothers

Things are looking up!
Have you hit rock bottom? Perhaps there’s nowhere to go but UP!

1 Samuel 21

19:18 He Went to Samuel the Prophet
20:1 He went to Jonathon the Prince
21:1 He went to Ahimelech the Priest

Why Go to Ahimelech
1. He was hungry
2. To seek direction
3. To say goodbye
4. To get a weapon

Why was Ahimelech scared/surprised?
1. David was a fugitive
2. David was usually accompanied by many fine men

Was it OK for David to lie?
1. Ahimelech was not an enemy, David wasn’t hiding the truth he was spouting a lie
2. Ahimelech may have helped David or at least been able to be more specific in aid
3. The lie had negative consequences

So what does David’s failure tell us?
1. Nobody is perfect
2. Nobody has arrived
3. All are capable of sinning
4. Holiness is a daily choice

Was Ahimelech wrong to give David the bread?
1. Read Leviticus 24:8-9
2. The Pharisees in Jesus’ day were rigid followers of Mosaic law. They had 39 categories of action forbidden on the Sabbath.
3. Jesus used this passage as an illustration to make the following point (Matthew 12:1-8).
4. The letter of the law is less important than the Spirit of the law. Don’t focus on a strict interpretation of the words, but on a strict interpretation of the purpose.
5. There are exceptions to every rule, even this one

What does, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice’ mean?
1. Love is more important than law
2. Mercy is more important that rule and ritual
3. Jesus would rather have you give clothes to the poor then dress up on Sunday morning
4. Jesus would rather you give food to the hungry than commit to a day of fasting
5. Jesus would rather you talk to the lonely than commit to praying for them for an hour each day
Verse 7- foreshadowing, a bad omen

David’s 2nd Request: A sword
1. He lies again to get what he wants
2. David might have seen the sword as he asked the question…or at least knew the answer.

*perhaps noticing Doeg, David decides to leave

He went to the prophet
He went to the prince
He went to the priest
He went to the PHILISTINES?!?!?!

Remember, David is supposedly going to be King, but at the moment he is a fugitive begger in his own land. How much worse can it be in Gath?

Why wouldn’t Achish kill him on the spot?
1. David was hated by Saul. An enemy of my enemy is my friend?
2. Perhaps David could be used against Israel
3. He was a skilled fighter
4. Perhaps Achish had been jealous of Goliath
5. He didn’t know David was to be the next King

*But Achish’s servants don’t want David around, doubting or refuting all 5 points. Perhaps they saw his new sword and/or heard that song on the radio.

Is this deceit excusable?
1. He probably was pretty crazy at this point!
2. It was a war strategy in a sense
3. A little more cloudy than the previous case

*Achish might have known David was faking, he thinks highly of David in chapter 28. So the plan works and David escapes to write some devotional literature.

READ PSALM 34

1 Samuel 20

FAITHFUL FRIENDS

Opening Illustration
Two men were out hunting in the northern US when suddenly a grizzly bear came charging towards them. The first man started frantically putting on his sneakers. The second man anxiously asked, ‘what are you doing? Don’t you know that you can’t outrun a grizzly bear?’ The first man replied, ‘I don’t have to outrun the grizzly bear, I have to outrun YOU!’

Not the kind of friend you want in hard times
Ecc. 4:9-10
1 Samuel 20

What makes a great friend?

Faithful
Resolute
Ingenuous
Emotional
Near
Defender
Selfless

Faithful
1. David went to Jonathon in his darkest hours v. 1
2. Contest winner of ‘define friend contest’ said ‘ a real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.’

Resolute
1. Having decided purpose, fixed in determination
2. Jonathon was willing to do whatever David asked v. 2-4

Ingenuous
1. Straightforward, frank, not hiding anything
2. Jonathon told David everything he needed to know v. 5-16
3. True friendship happens when you’re totally honest with someone and they like you anyways

Emotional
1. Jonathon loved David as he loved himself v. 17, 34, 41
2. True friendship improves happiness and abates misery by doubling our joy and dividing our grief

Near
1. Jonathon was available and put himself on the line v. 18-29
2. Pee Wee Reese was there for Jackie Robinson

Defender
1. Jonathon stood up for David v. 30-33
2. In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends (Martin Luther King Jr)

Selfless
1. Jonathon let go and did what was best for David v. 34-42
2. Those who live in the Lord NEVER see each other for the last time

1 Samuel 17

FACING YOUR GIANT

*The valley between (v. 4) you and your goals is your fear of the Giants

GIANT attributes
1. Big (v. 4)
2. Blinding (v. 5)
3. Strong (v. 5-7)
4. Loud, mocking (v. 8-10)
5. Intimidating (v. 11+24)
6. Chronic (v. 16)
7. Approaching (v. 23)

Facing Opposition
1. From Family (v. 28)
2. From Authorities (v. 33)
3. From enemies (v. 43-44)

Slaying GIANTS
1. Preparation (v. 34-37) ILL field goal kicker w/o contacts

2. Perspective (v. 26)
a. Israel was focusing on the size of Goliath
b. Goliath was focusing on the size of David
c. David was focusing on the size of God
d. When we do that, everything else seems smaller

3. Protected (v. 38-40)
a. David is a great example of putting on the armor of God

4. Passionate (v. 45-51)- Eventually, you gotta run out and slay the giant

1 Samuel 16

SAMUEL (1-9) to SAUL (9-15) to DAVID (16-END)

Samuel was near the end of his life and ministry at this point, but he still had lessons to learn. If you’re still here, there’s a reason. If you’re still here, you’ve not yet arrived.

LESSON #1 LEARN TO MOVE ON
~ God had rejected Saul as King
~ Samuel had a hard time separating his personal investment and his professional obligations
~ It is hard, when God wants something done in a different way or through a different person, it’s hard to move on because of personal attachments, investments
~ How long will you mourn? When will you be on your way?

LESSON #2 LEARN TO TRUST GOD
~ It seems somewhat strange that Samuel still needed to learn this lesson…but perhaps the older we doubt how much God can do through us. We have that verse about not looking down on someone b/c of their youth, the opposite is true also
~ His fear says a lot about Saul’s character and his prior repentance
~ Another example of wisdom where some would count it a lie
~ Samuel was scared of Saul. The people were scared of Samuel

LESSON #3 LEARN NOT TO MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES
~ He’s selecting a new King for the second time
~ He’s only done this once, so he tries to do it the same way
~ Only problem: It didn’t work too well the first time
~ Don’t judge a book by the cover

****13-14
1. Evidence of Holy Spirit in Old Testament
2. God is the ultimate cause, there are only two choices: light/darkness

LESSON #4 LEARN TO LET GO
~ Samuel then went to Ramah
~ We skim over that line, but think about it: He left everything unfinished. He left it all up to God
~ How will God bring this about?
~ When witnessing, don’t keep talking once the door of opportunity is closed
~ God will find a way

1 Samuel 13-14

The right kind of King: Contrasting Saul and his son

1. Posture- What kind of posture do you want out of a leader?
a. Offensive or defensive?
b. Action or reaction?
c. Saul’s leadership
i. Saul remained at Gilgal (13:7)
ii. Saul counted the men (13:15)
iii. Saul was staying (14:2)
d. Jonathon’s leadership
i. Jonathon attacked (13:3)
ii. Jonahton climbed (14:13)
iii. Jonathon raised his hand (14:27)
*Christianity is not stationary. You don’t get saved and hold the rock down. You get saved and hold onto the rock.

2. Protection- Where does your leader find protection
a. External or internal
b. Physical or spiritual
c. Saul’s leadership
i. Saul chose 3,000 men from Israel (13:2)
ii. Saul counted (13:15)
d. Jonathon’s leadership
i. Realized numbers weren’t top priority, God’s hand was (14:6)
ii. Won with only 2 (14:7-14)
* A spiritual leader’s heart is not in the physical realm. He is less concerned with counting heads and more concerned with finding God’s hand.

3. Practicality- Do you want a leader of law or grace?
a. Weighed-down or filled
b. Chained or free
c. Saul’s leadership
i. Bound the people under and oath to fast (14:24)
ii. Brought fear and weariness (14:26, 28)
iii. Produced atmosphere of silence (14:39, 37)
d. Jonathon’s leadership
i. Was energized for battle (14:27)
ii. Wanted men to be unburdened (14:29)
iii. Realized the ridiculousness of legalism (14:43)
* A spiritual leader doesn’t add to God’s law. He’s practical. He does what works so long as it doesn’t involve disobedience

4. People- What kind of followers do you want to see being produced?
a. Saul’s leadership produced
i. Fearful (13:6)
ii. Fleeing (13:15)
iii. Exhausted (14:31)
iv. Hungry (14:32)
b. Jonathon’s leadership produced
i. Loyalty (14:7, 45)
ii. A scrambling enemy (14:19-20)
iii. Confidence (14:22)
iv. Victory (14:23)
* We want leaders like Jonathon

1 Samuel 12

FINISHING WITH STYLE

CONTEXT (11:15, 12:1-2)
1. They were having a great celebration to confirm Saul as King
2. For every new beginning, there is a closing
3. In this case, it was the closing of the judges and Samuels leadership
4. He took this occasion to give his farewell address

6 C’s to Closing with Class….

1. Character is key (3-5)
a. Make sure you’ve righted all your wrongs
b. In Samuel’s case, his integrity was obvious
c. Without integrity, people aren’t interested in listening
d. Example: Bill Clinton, Rush Limbaugh
e. It’s even more true of spiritual leaders
f. One of the hardest truths in life is that once you’ve compromised your character there is no way to make things perfect again
g. People call in to talk shows and ask how they can make their kids perfectly happy after a divorce, how they can make their spouse perfectly trust them after adultery. It can’t be done.
h. If you’re not living a life of integrity now, you won’t have the privilege to close with class later.

2. Cite the past (6-12)
a. Every time the Lord has been the answer, so get your act together!
b. We cried in Egypt, He sent an answer, we forgot
c. We cried at being conquered, He sent an answer, we forgot
d. And now we’re asking to be more like other nations and less like His people, we want a king

3. Caution the people about the present (12-15)
a. Asking for a king was a bad thing
b. You had a king: God
c. The judges were doing their job w/o taking from you (compare 8:11-18 with 12:3-4)
d. But God can work in this bad situation. He’ll continue to bless if we fear him.

4. Cast vision for the future (20-25)
a. Continue to serve the Lord
b. Stay away from idolatry
c. Keep looking back
d. Consider yourself warned

5. Continue to pray (19, 23)
a. It would be a sin to stop praying for them
b. The people were conveying a sense of urgency ‘so that we will not die’
c. The people were admitting their error, ‘we have added to all our other sins’
d. If you no longer have the strength to be a warrior in battle, be a prayer warrior. That’s where the battle really is.

6. Confirm your words and actions (16-18)
a. Your life shouldn’t be judged based on how it measures up with others, it should be judged by how it measures up with God’s will and word.
b. Samuel’s words were confirmed by thunder and rain in dry season.
c. Our words can be confirmed by God’s Word, God’s blessing, God’s Holy Spirit.

1 Samuel 11

LEADING THROUGH A CRISIS

CONTEXT

1. Nahash the Ammonite went up
a. They were descendants of Lot
b. They had been squashed before, but were back for more

2. And besieged Jabesh Gilead
a. Sent no one to destroy Gibeah
b. Were destroyed by Israel as a result

3. And all the men of Jabesh said to him, ‘make a treaty with us, and we will be subject to you.’
a. They were probably small in number
b. They were probably very weak

4. But Nahash the Ammonite replied, ‘I will make a treaty with you only on the condition that I gouge out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace on all Israel.
a. The left eyes were covered by the shield in battle, so taking out the right eye would make them incapable of warring, but still able to work as captives.

5. The elders of Jabesh said to him, ‘Give us seven days so we can send messengers throughout Israel; if no one comes to rescue us, we will surrender to you.’
a. Reasons why Jabesh allowed this:
i. Israel was disorganized and he didn’t think they’d find anyone
ii. He probably didn’t even know they had a king at this point
iii. Perhaps he knew that Israel itself had destroyed Jabesh Gilead
iv. He wanted to win without fighting

6. When the messengers came tot Gibeah of Saul and reported these terms to the people, they all wept aloud.
a. They realized the Jabesh Gilead was just the beginning
b. They were more willing to shed tears than blood

THE LEADERSHIP OF SAUL

1. Just then Saul was returning from the fields, behind his oxen, and he asked, ‘what is wrong with the people? Why are they weeping?’ Then they repeated to him what the men of Jabesh had said.
a. He was still working, not sitting on a throne all day
b. He wanted to know what was going on in the midst of his people

2. When Saul heard their words, the Spirit of God came upon him in power, and he burned with anger.
a. He had zeal for his people’s honor and dignity
b. His anger was probably aimed at the Ammonites and Israelites:
i. The Ammonites wanted to make Israel disgraced
ii. The Israelites were giving up

3. He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers throughout Israel, proclaiming, "This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel." Then the terror of the LORD fell on the people, and they turned out as one man.
a. He acted with authority, made his position clear
b. He didn’t threaten their lives like (Judges 21:5), just their oxen
c. Clear-cut authoritative leadership sometimes brings unity

4. When Saul mustered them at Bezek, the men of Israel numbered three hundred thousand and the men of Judah thirty thousand. They told the messengers who had come, "Say to the men of Jabesh Gilead, 'By the time the sun is hot tomorrow, you will be delivered.' " When the messengers went and reported this to the men of Jabesh, they were elated. They said to the Ammonites, "Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and you can do to us whatever seems good to you." The next day Saul separated his men into three divisions; during the last watch of the night they broke into the camp of the Ammonites and slaughtered them until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
a. He used wise tactics
i. He knew the numbers of his army
ii. He implanted hope
iii. He separated his men into three divisions
iv. He used a surprise attack

5. The people then said to Samuel, "Who was it that asked, 'Shall Saul reign over us?' Bring these men to us and we will put them to death." But Saul said, "No one shall be put to death today, for this day the LORD has rescued Israel."
a. He showed mercy on his detractors, even when it would have been easy to destroy them

6. Then Samuel said to the people, "Come, let us go to Gilgal and there reaffirm the kingship." So all the people went to Gilgal and confirmed Saul as king in the presence of the LORD . There they sacrificed fellowship offerings before the LORD , and Saul and all the Israelites held a great celebration.
a. He turned the focus back to God and celebrating His victory

1 Samuel 6:13-7:17

THE SLOW SHIFT TO BETTER WORSHIP

12 steps to the next level…

God Will bring us there…

1. When we’re doing all we can do on this level (v. 13)
2. When we rejoice in His presence (v. 13)
3. When we burn our bridges (v. 14-15)
4. When we are good examples to our neighbors (v. 16-18)
5. When we memorialize our great encounters with God (v. 18)
6. When we are reverent (v. 20)
7. When we want it (v. 21, 7:1-2)
8. When we guard it (v. 1)
9. When we lay aside all else (v. 3-4)
10. When we fast and confess (v. 5-6)
11. When we are dependant on God for protection (v. 7-8)
12. When we have Godly leadership (v. 9-17)

1 Samuel 6:1-12

If you look up the term Philistine in the dictionary you should find two definitions:
1. A member of an Aegean people who settled ancient Philistia around the 12th Century B.C.
2. Someone smug, lacking cultural values, lacking knowledge in a specific area

That second definition is based on the attitude and actions of Philistine people we know
1. Remember Goliath (tape and action figure). He was very smug
2. Remember the story of Sampson and Delilah. They lacked values.
3. And here we see a specific area of knowledge they lacked. Couldn’t accept blame

THEY DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR SIN

It wasn’t for lack of effort though. They tried several strategies and by observing their efforts wee can learn what NOT to do when the blame is on us

WHAT NOT TO DO WHEN THE BLAME IS ON YOU

1. Don’t Spread it around
a. This is our natural tendancy (Genesis 3:12-13)
b. Ashdod to Gath to Ekron to field (6:1)
c. And we do this all the time, blaming people or circumstances
d. Truman was known for a sign on his desk, ‘the buck stops here’ designating that he was responsible for the decisions he made. He decided he took responsibility.
e. We must not pass the buck in our own lives

2. Don’t JUST Compensate for it
a. People tend to overcompensate in the area they failed in (6:2-6)
b. This is actually a good thing, but not if it’s the only thing. (disagree with Dr. Laura)
c. We must not refuse to face the music
d. Compensation w/o repentance is just a bunch of golden rats and tumors

3. Don’t Doubt You’ve Been Found Out
a. It doesn’t matter if they can prove it
b. It doesn’t matter if you won’t admit it
c. It matters that you did it
d. The Philistines still doubted their actions were to blame (6:7-18)
e. Your sins WILL find you out. God already knows.

SO
1. Don’t spread the blame-take full responsibility for your actions. We admire this in others. Do it yourself.
2. Don’t just compensate. Your extra efforts are filthy w/o genuine repentance. They are golden rats and tumors.
3. Don’t doubt you’ve been found out. You’ve already been found out by God. Deal with it.

HOW TO DEAL WITH IT/WHAT TO DO WHEN THE BLAME IS ON YOU

There is only 1 answer: REPENT

There is only one good thing to do with sin. Repent of it. Ask forgiveness and change direction. It’s the hardest option now, but it has the only bearable long term results.

In fact, when you stop passing the buck, when you face the music, when we admit our sin, we find a wonderful surprise….Then and only then….Jesus takes the blame for us. He bears the responsibility before the Father. All these other methods are attempts to deflect blame…amazingly, the only way to get rid of blame is to accept it because only then will Jesus take it from you.

1 Samuel 4-5

WHEN GOD’S PEOPLE TRY TO ‘USE’ GOD INSTEAD OF BEING ‘USED’ BY HIM, IT’S A BAD SITUATION FOR ALL PARTIES INVOLVED

Chapter 4

Pre-Context (vs. 1-2)
The Philistines defeat Israel (vs. 1)

1. About 4,000 killed, Israel defeated (vs. 2)

Israel’s perspective (vs. 3-5)
Why did the Lord bring defeat? (vs. 3a)

1. We didn’t have our good luck charm (vs. 3b)
2. They kept their wicked leaders (vs. 4)
3. They made a lot of noise (vs. 5)

Philistia’s perspective (vs. 6-9)
What’s all this shouting? (vs. 6)

1. They were afraid (vs. 7)
2. They remembered God’s past actions (vs. 8)
3. They fought (vs. 9)

Post-Context (vs. 10-11)
The Philistines defeat Israel again (vs. 10)

1. Israel lost 30,000 foot soldiers (vs. 10)
2. The ark was captured (vs. 11)
3. Eli’s sons were killed (vs. 11)

Aftershocks (vs. 12-22)
Israel mourns (vs. 12-13)

1. Eli learns of Israel’s demise (vs. 14-17)
2. Eli dies (vs. 18)
3. Eli’s daughter-in-law dies during pregnancy (vs. 19-22)

Chapter 5

Pre-Context (vs. 1-2)
The Philistines return home victorious (vs. 1)

1. They put the ark with their favorite God (vs. 2)

Things don’t go well for the Philistines (vs. 3-12)
The ark is ‘bad luck’ for them

1. Dagon couldn’t stand beside the ark (vs. 3-5)
2. The people of Ashdod want to get rid of the ark (vs. 6-8)
3. The people of Gath want to get rid of the ark (vs. 9)
4. The people of Ekron want to get rid of the ark (vs. 10-12)

1 Samuel 3

Foreshadowing Greatness
1. Hannah vowed to give Samuel to the Lord (1:11)
2. He worshipped the Lord at the temple (1:28)
3. He ministered before the Lord (2:11)
4. He ministered before the Lord (2:18)
5. He grew up in the presence of the Lord (2:21)
6. He continued to grow in stature and in favor with the Lord and men (2:26)
7. He ministered before the Lord (3:1)

Why was the word of the Lord rare? Why were there not many visions?
1. Has something to do with this books chronological predecessor (Judges 21:25)
2. Only 2 prophets were mentioned in the whole period of Judges (4:4, 6:8)
3. There often seems to be a calm before a storm. Very little before something big
4. If people have no appetite for it, He’ll stop sending it (Amos 8:11)
5. Remember, rare and not many are not absolute terms

The Transition to Samuel
1. Things are bad: The priests are evil, the Word rare, the lamp about to go out
2. This would have been just before sunrise
3. In this context, God speaks to Samuel
4. Samuel ‘did not yet know the Lord’ (in terms of an audible voice)
5. Put yourself in Eli’s shoes (God is speaking to a child instead of you)
6. Put yourself in Samuel’s shoes (God is speaking a judgment against your teacher)

The Leadership of Samuel
1. The Lord was with him
2. His prophesies (being from God) were perfectly accurate
3. He was recognized as a true prophet
4. So God spoke to the people of Israel through Samuel
5. He was the last judge

1 Samuel 2

2 CONTRASTING FAMILIES

Hannah’s Prayer Life

1. She asked for a son (1 Samuel 1:11-16)
a. She kept on praying
b. She was praying in her heart
c. She was deeply troubled
d. She poured out her soul
e. She was in great anguish and grief

2. She left it in God’s hands (1:17-20)
a. Received the blessing from the priest
b. Ate something
c. No longer downcast
d. Worshiped

3. She was obedient (1:21-28)
a. Weaned her son
b. Brought him to the house of the Lord
c. Gave him to Eli to serve the Lord

4. She praised God for His gift (2:1-11)
a. She prayed again! (We often forget that part)
b. She rejoiced
c. She adored God for who He was to her
d. She recognized God’s justice and sovereignty

Eli’s Priestly Life

1. His sons were wicked (2:12-17)
a. No regard for God
b. They took for themselves the offerings
c. They didn’t even wait for the fat to be burned
d. They were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt
e. They slept with women who served at the entrance

2. He ministered to Hannah and Elkanah (2:18-21)
a. He blessed them
b. He trained Samuel

3. He rebuked his sons, but enough? (2:22-26)
a. He asked them why
b. He told them not to
c. He reasoned with them

4. His family was prophesied against (2:27-36)
a. They had been chosen
b. He honored his sons more than God
c. His family would lose the priesthood
d. His descendants will die in their prime
e. A faithful priest will be raised up
f. His descendants will beg

A Cure for Loneliness

A CURE FOR LONELINESS
1 KINGS 19

What is Elijah dealing with? LONELINESS (And he’s not alone)

1. I am like a pelican in the wilderness, I am like an owl of the desert. I lie awake and am like a sparrow alone on the housetop (Psalm 102).
2. Loneliness is the most devastating malady of this age (Paul Ternier)
3. Loneliness is the number 1 illness in America (Billy Graham)
4. Loneliness is the central and inevitable fact of human existence (Thomas Wolfe)
5. I am very lonely (H.G. Wells)
6. Janis Joplin talking to a friend after a concert, ‘After I come off the stage all I do is sit around and watch TV. I am so lonely.’ She then overdosed on drugs and died.
7. 40% of Americans admit to frequent feelings of intense loneliness
8. An add in a Kansas Newspaper read, ‘I will listen to you talk for 30 minutes without comment for $5.’ She ended up receiving 10-20 calls a day.

What is loneliness?

*Remember, loneliness is NOT the same thing as being alone
1. You can be most lonely in a crowded room
2. I was most lonely at college surrounded by kids my age
3. David Henry Thorough defined a city as ‘a place where hundreds of people are lonely together.’
4. Solitude, being alone, can be a great thing
a. Matthew 14:13,23
b. Mark 1:35,45
c. Luke 4:42, 5:16
d. John 6:15
e. 1 Timothy 5:5
5. Loneliness is not isolation. Loneliness is insulation. It is feeling cut off, unwanted, unneeded, unloved, unnecessary.

What Causes Loneliness?

L-Loss (ie. Death of a loved one)
O-Obedience ‘Be good and you will be lonely (Mark Twain)
N-Neglect ‘Loneliness and the feelings of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty’
E-Exclusion
L-Lord (Psalm 4:3)
I-Insecurity
N-Narcissism
E-Evolution (a recent study says college students are the most lonely group
S-Shyness (people are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges)
S-Society (automatic garage door openers, back patio, privacy fence)

What are the effects of loneliness

It’s crippling….(Job 7:16, 1 Kings 19:3-5, Jeremiah 20:14-15)
1. 50% of people that have heart attacks report feeling depressed and lonely prior to it
2. 80% of people seeking psychiatric help do so primarily b/c of loneliness
3. Suicide, alcoholism, overeating, under-eating, no sleep, too much sleep, etc
4. No wonder God said it is not good for man to be alone

What is the cure for loneliness?

Faith in God- God met with Elijah in a whisper
1. Deut. 31:6-8
2. James 4:4
3. There is no such thing as pure solitude, only feeling alone
4. Helen Keller had every reason to be feel lonely, but with the help of Ann Sullivan she learned to communicate with the outside world.
a. Ann: I want to tell you about God today, the one who created us
b. Helen: Good. I’ve been thinking about Him for a long time
5. God is real. He can reveal Himself to us in the loneliest places.

Fellowship- God made new contacts for Elijah
1. Friends
2. Family
3. Fellowship of believers

Yet, we still experience loneliness. Something is wrong with fellowship, something has corrupted it…but what?

Why does loneliness linger?

The yeast of the Pharisees
Hypocrisy
Luke 12:1
Gandhi- I like your Christ, I just don’t like your Christians
Hypocrisy is a show, it’s all external, it’s preaching w/o practicing, it’s lying
How might church people be hypocrites?

The yeast of the Sadducees
Doubt
Matthew 16:6-12
More political than religious
Sadduceeism is having to have everything figured out naturalistically
It is never being in awe
How do church people be Sadducees?

The yeast of Herod
Greed
Mark 8:15
Power and wealth was their goal
How do church people do this (TV)

The old yeast
Immorality
1 Corinthians 5:1-8
Immorality can devastate a church
Divorce rates, etc are same in church and world

The yeast of the law
Legalism
Galatians 5:1-9
What is legalism?
What are some examples?

The church grows the right way when these 5 things are absent
The church grows the wrong way when they are present

It is interesting that church growth in Acts occurred when the opposite of these 5 traits were present:

When the people are sincere
When the people are in awe
When the people are givers
When the people are pure
When the people live under grace

If we copy the early church in these ways, the church will be part of the cure for loneliness

Galatians 6

Commands that Many Christians have Largely Ignored (6:1-6)

Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.

1. Brothers- We often try to enforce these commands on unbelievers
2. If- Sin is rampant in the church
3. Restore- Many times the goal seems to be elimination
4. Gently- When sin is dealt with, it is often in a harsh manner
5. Watch- Some Christians get ‘too’ gentle and put themselves in jeopardy

Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else for each one should carry his own load

1. Carry- It’s easy to say ‘I’ll pray’, it’s harder to actually help
2. Something- A lot of Christians come to think pretty highly of themselves
3. Test his own actions- Many look for flaws in others, but never in the mirror
4. Pride- Christians are often taught to consider themselves scum
5. Comparing- It’s carnal to compare, but spiritual to seek Christ’s standard
6. Own- We have a personal responsibility to be solid disciples

Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.

1. Receives- Many Christians don’t seek out instruction in the word
2. Instruction- Some Christian teachers today deliver ‘feel good’ messages
3. In the Word- Many Christian teachers don’t preach the word
4. Must share- Fewer and fewer Christians share testimonies regularly
5. Instructor- Many teachers get burnt-out b/c by hearing only bad news

Consequences (6:7-10)

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked.

1. Do you think this was a warning or a judgment?
2. In what ways may have the Galatians been mocking God?
3. Why do people think they can trick God?
4. Read Matthew 7:21-23
5. Read Matthew 25:31-46

A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

1. Are consequences inevitable?
2. What types of things please the sinful nature?
3. What types of things please the Spirit?
4. What are the consequences of each?

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

1. Is it easy to be a Christian?
2. Are rewards always experienced on this side of eternity?
3. Why are we so prone to give up?

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

1. What opportunity is Paul referring to?
2. What does ‘do good’ entail?
3. What does he tell us to ‘especially’ do good to Christians?

Something New

See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!

1. Who ‘literally’ wrote Paul’s letters? (Romans 16:22)
2. Why do you think Paul wrote this line? (1 Corinthians 16:21)
3. How passionate & serious does Paul come across here?

Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.

1. Who are the ‘those’ Paul is speaking of?
2. What was most important to these People? Internals or Externals?
3. Why were these men doing what they were doing?
4. Why would being more ‘Jewish’ make one safer?
5. Do we ever choose safety/comfort over righteousness?

Not even those who are circumcised obey the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your flesh. May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

1. What did the Jews ‘try’ to present as their motivation?
2. Why do people think the flesh/externals is/are worth boasting about?
3. Where do we as Christians place our pride?
4. What does it mean to say that the world has been crucified to me?
5. What does it mean to be crucified to the world?

Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation. Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the Israel of God.

1. Are externals bad?
2. What matters most?
3. Who is the ‘Israel of God’?

Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

1. What externals did Paul count as important? (2 Corinthians 11:23-25)
2. What did these marks indicate?

Possessions

Living the Parables
-Part VII-

#14 The Rich Fool
Luke 12:13-21

And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." '

But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'

This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself
but is not rich toward God.

Obsessions with Possessions
How you deal with possessions is serious business
Worldly wealth is very deceptive
There are many kinds of greed

Patterns to Avoid
Don’t focus solely on self
Don’t store up treasures on earth
Don’t assume that you have plenty of time

Principles to Remember
Set limits on luxuries
Store up treasures in heaven
Trust God for your basic needs


#15 The Shrewd Manager
Luke 16:1-8

Jesus told his disciples: "There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So he called him in and asked him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.'

The manager said to himself, 'What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg— I know what I'll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.'

So he called in each one of his master's debtors. He asked the first, 'How much do you owe my master?' 'Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,' he replied. The manager told him, 'Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.' Then he asked the second, 'And how much do you owe?' 'A thousand bushels of wheat,' he replied. "He told him, 'Take your bill and make it eight hundred.'

The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.

Facing up to Reality
The manager knew he was guilty
The manager knew he was facing ruin
The manager knew relationships last longer

From Selfishness to Stewardship
The church needs to improve its shrewdness
Use possessions to acquire things of lasting value
Putting paper money to work produce pure gold
How we spend shows who we serve

Genesis 27:1-28:9

Rival: One who attempts to equal or surpass another, or who pursues the same object as another; a competitor

Round 1 Genesis 25:19-26
Rivalry can cause division
Rivalry can reveal strengths & weaknesses
Rivalry can produce feelings of superiority & inferiority

Round 2 Genesis 25:27-28
Rivalry often produces opposites
Rivalry can result from favoritism

Round 3 Genesis 25:29-34
Rivalry can result from not serving one another
Rivalry can result from selfishness
Rivalry can result when we only live for the moment

Round 4 Genesis 27:1-45
Rivalry can worsen when we act ‘behind the back’
Rivalry can involves a lot of deception
Rivalry can cause intense agony

Round 5 Genesis 26:34-35, 27:46-28:9
Rivalry can worsen when we make bad choices
Rivalry can worsen when we make good choices
Rivalry can cause us to do right for the wrong reasons

Round 6 Genesis 32:3-21, 33:1-17
Rivalry can create walls between family members
Rivalry can put us on the defensive
Rivalry can be defeated by love and forgiveness
Rivalry is hard to kill completely

Round 7 Genesis 35:27-29
Rivalry can be defeated at funerals

Round 8 Numbers 20:14-21, Deut. 23:7, 1 Samuel 14:47, 2 Kings 8:20-22
Rivalry is often remembered even when the reasons are forgotten
Rivalry often produces a lack of compassion
Rivalry can involve extremely destructive behavior

Round 9 Obadiah 1:10-15
Rivalry can turn brothers into enemies

Solution:
1. Attempt to grade yourself by Christ, not by comparison to others
2. Be willing to take the 1st step on the road to recovery
3. Consistently apply the Golden Rule

Genesis 25:19-26

The Story of Isaac

High Expectations

The promise seemed to focus on the his birth (15:4, 17:15-21, 19:10-15)
The miracle of his birth lifted expectations about his life (21:2, 12)
The expectation of resurrection made Isaac unique (22:10, Hebrews 11:19)

His Biography

Foundations
He probably lived a very sheltered/pampered life for 40 years (25:20)
The death of Sarah and arrival of Rebekah served as a transition (24:67)

The Prime of His Life
He had great faith that God would provide, despite a 20 year wait (25:21-26)
He played favorites with his children, loving Esau more (25:27-28)
He was given the same promise Abraham had been given (26:1-6)
He lied in order to avoid confrontation (26:7-11)
He was blessed greatly by God (26:12-13)
Abimelech and his people did not like having him around (26:14-21)
He began to take ownership of more land (26:22-25)
He agreed to a treaty with Abimelech and his people (26:26-33)
The wives of his favorite son Esau caused him great grief (26:34-35)

The End for Isaac
He blindness brought about a great conflict in his family (Genesis 27-33)
Isaac died after 180 years of life (35:28-29)

Lessons from His Life

1. Jesus, and no one else, is the true fulfillment of God’s promise
2. The family of God does not grow by natural means
3. We each need to have our own personal faith
4. Children tend to mimic their children closely, for better or worse
5. It is better to be proactive than reactive

Hebrews 11:1-7

In the last part of chapter 10, the author of Hebrews applied the truth of Christ's superiority in a myriad of ways:

1. Draw near to God! (22)
2. Hold unswervingly to the hope we profess! (23)
3. Spur one another on! (24)
4. Continue meeting together! (25)
5. Cease deliberately sinning! (26)
6. Persevere with passion! (36)

Now, in chapter 11, the author illustrates his applications with well-known stories from the Old Testament. These characters are examples of 'not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.' It was because of their faith that they were commended (11:2)

First, faith is defined:

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see

Some have twisted the first example as if it were claiming God created the world by faith, but verse 3 actually teaches that WE understand creation by faith. Faith is our part, not God's part.

The examples of faith are as follows:

1. Us: By FAITH we UNDERSTAND

Those who accept and build their lives on the foundation that God did not form the world out of visible materials do so by faith. We believe that the universe was formed at God's command. Too many Christians look at the issue of origins from a purely scientific basis. But believing the account of Genesis is most accurately an act of faith. No human being was present when God created the world, so we must accept this belief by faith. Certainly evidence, rightly interpreted, will accompany this truth, but creation can not be proven. It is an issue of faith. And by this faith we believe the following about the world:

a. The physical universe is not eternal
b. That God is the Creator of the universe
c. That the world was specifically designed by God
d. That God's command is sufficient to create (Romans 4:17)

2. Abel: By FAITH he OFFERED

Why was Abel's offering 'better'? There are several possibilities:

a. Perhaps because Cain’s offering wasn’t a ‘firstfruit’
b. Perhaps because Cain’s offering didn’t include blood
c. Perhaps because Cain’s offering wasn’t by faith

Because of the attitude behind and nature of his offering, Abel was commended as a righteous man and his story of faith is preserved for all to see (even though he died as the 1st martyr).

3. Enoch: By FAITH he was TAKEN

Enoch walked with God (Genesis 5:21-24) and was taken by God without experiencing death. All who walk with God by faith will be rewarded by God. The nature of the reward is up to God, but the rewards can only be gained by faith because w/o faith it is impossible to please God.

4. Noah: By FAITH he BUILT

We know the following from Scripture regarding Noah:

1. He was a righteous man (6:9, Ezekiel 14:14)
2. He was blameless among the people of his time (6:9)
3. He walked with God (6:9)
4. He was a man of Faith (Hebrews 11:7)
5. He was a preacher (2 Peter 2:5)

There is indication that there had never been rain on the earth prior to the flood, but Noah obeyed the command to build an ark anyways. He believed God was going to judge because God said He was going to judge. He was rewarded by becoming heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

The faith of these 3 men did not include equal actions
1. Abel actively offered
2. Enoch passively was taken
3. Noah actively built

The faith of these 3 men did not produce equal results
1. Abel was the 1st human to die
2. Enoch was the 1st human not to die
3. Noah lived as the world around him died

But the faith of these 3 men was identical. And this is what they were commended for.

Hebrews 10:19-39

Now that the author has so firmly established the greatness of the New Covenant and the superiority of Jesus as High Priest, he turns to practical application. What should we do as a result of these great truths?

1. Draw near to God! (22)

Whereas God seemed unapproachable under the formalities of the Old Covenant, the New Covenant provides a path for intimacy with God. This is a bold reality that can be expereienced 'sincerely' and with 'full assurance' (words that weren't produced by the Old Covenant). Whereas the Old Covenant dealt with externals, the New Covenant touches our 'hearts' and our 'bodies'!

2. Hold unswervingly to the hope we profess! (23)

Since the New Covenant is so much better and this High Priest is so much greater, why would we turn from it? The opposite should occur! We should hold onto Jesus (now that we have drawn near) with a passion and delight ourselves in the hope that all His promises are worth their weight in gold!

3. Spur one another on! (24)

The New Covenant is for people of every race, religious background, nation, language, etc. And it is for all these together. This great salvation is not individualistic. Instead, we become 1 body! That is the mystery of the Gospel. Because of this truth, we shall encourage one another toward 'love' and 'good deeds'!

4. Continue meeting together! (25)

It seems many 1st century believers were neglecting their earthly purposes. It is possible to be so spiritually minded that you are of no earthly goood. Such is not true spirituality! The people of the New Covenant are to share their lives together! They encourage one another more and more as time goes by.

5. Cease deliberately sinning! (26)

To continue sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth is a rebellion against the Spirit of grace. Those who choose to rebel like this only have judgment to look forward to. It is even more serious to reject the New Covenant that it was to reject the Old Covenant since the New Covenant involves the blood of the Son of God.

6. Persevere with passion! (36)

Often times when someone first enters into the New Covenant, they face suffering, insult & persecution with great courage and boldness because they knew their spiritual inheritance was worthh far more than earthly comforts. But it is easy for such boldness to fade with time. We must continue to focus on the future and follow Christ with wreckless abandon! The moment we start to give up is the same moment we start to be destroyed. Instead, we must keep believing in order to continue experiencing salvation!

Compassion

Living the Parables
-Part VI-

#13 The Good Samaritan
Luke 10:30-37

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"

He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"

The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."

Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

Popularity
This is probably 1 of the 2 most famous parables
This story has become part of our culture & vocabulary
This is probably the most practical of all parables

Geography
Jerusalem & Jericho were only 17 miles apart
To go toward Jericho was a 3,300 descent
The terrain was ideal for bandits
The road was nicknamed ‘The Path of Blood’

Background
In 720 BC the Northern Kingdom was destroyed
The remaining members married foreigners
In 586 BC the Southern Kingdom was destroyed
Those remaining members maintained their Judaism
In 440BC the Southern Jews began to rebuild Jerusalem
The Southern Jews refused the help of the Northern Jews
In 128BC the Southern Jews destroyed the Northern Temple
The Southern Jews now referred to Northern Jews as Samaritans
In AD6, the Samaritans scattered human bones in the Temple
The feud during Jesus’ day was at its peak (John 4, Luke 9:51-56)

Context
The expert was testing Jesus (25)
The expert wanted to justify himself (29)
The expert asked a common question (29)

Common Excuses for Not Caring
Our religion requires us to be ‘clean’
Our fear restricts us from risk
Our selfishness seeks personal comfort
Our laziness leaves the job to others
Our cynicism creates a cold heart

The Basics of True Concern
A truly concerned person has compassion for the hurting
A truly concerned person connects with the hurting
A truly concerned person cares for the hurting
A truly concerned person pays a cost for the hurting

The Points of The Parable
Our neighbor is anyone in need
Christ is more concerned w/who we are than who our neighbor is
Christ commands us to help the hurting

...........


Each time we encounter a person or persons in need we make a choice. We either help or we don't. I suppose the 'spiritual' thing to say is we should always make the choice to help. But I don't think that's possible or wise in the real world. Maybe I'll take a hit for having this opinion, but here are some principles I use for making these choices.

7 Principles for a Good Samaritan

1. Consider the manner of the request
If a person is overly aggressive in their request or uses a high pressure environment to provoke a hand-out, I'm less likely to give. If they are interested in cash and not in conversation, I'm less likely to give.

2. Consider the quantity of the problem
How many people are involved in this need? Are there 200 needy people in 1 place? If so, I'm less likely to give to any of them and more likely to take the problem to the church to develop a larger scale ministry.

3. Consider the quality of the problem
Is the problem specific? Does it require immediate attention? If so, I'm much more likely to choose to meet the need. I'm much more interested in providing shoes to a bare foot man than a quick $20 to a healthy young male.

4. Try to connect/converse
I feel like if I can converse with the person in need, I'm able to get a better sense for what action is wise. Plus, connecting provides an opportunity to minister more fully.

5. Try not to give cash
My policy is it's always better to meet the need specifically than to just hand the person/people cash. Do they need gas? Fill their car up for them. Do they need heat? Pay their bill. We are called to give, but we are also stewards.

6. Try to limit the risk
Should I pick up that hitch-hiker? A good policy is to keep the risk to a minimum. What time of day is it? What's the reputation of that road? I am not sure a woman driver should make a habit of picking up male hitch-hikers.

7. Let the Spirit lead you
Most important, seek the Holy Spirit's guidance. He is all-wise and will help you make wise choices. The first 6 principles take a back seat to principle number 7.

Forgiveness

Living the Parables
-Part V-

#11 The Two Debtors
Luke 7:41-43

"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"

Points to Ponder
We are all in debt to God
God is in the business of canceling debts
We all place a ‘value’ on the amount of debt we owed
One’s love for God usually corresponds with their sense of debt


#12 The Unforgiving Servant
Matthew 18:21-35

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"

Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

"The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

"But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.

"His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'

"But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.

"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."

Background
The Rabbi’s advised forgiving 3 times
All of Palestine paid 800 talents in taxes
The 1st servant owed roughly $2 million
The 2nd servant owed roughly $20

The Truth about Forgiveness
Forgiveness is NOT natural for us
Forgiveness IS natural for God
Without Forgiveness, relationships are BROKEN

Experiencing Forgiveness
1. The ‘sorry I got caught’ experience
2. The ‘fresh start’ experience
3. The ‘responding’ experience
4. The ‘imitation’ experience

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Fall of Ancient Babylon

Below is a compilation of OT Scriptures discussing the destruction of Ancient Babylon

2 Chronicles 36:17-23
This passage is obviously not a prophecy, but does show the history involved with the following stages:
1. Neb/Babylon destroy Jerusalem (17-19)
2. The 'land' was desolate for 70 years (20-21)
3. Cyrus/Persia allows them to return (22-23)
In this passage the exile is said to have lasted 'until the kingdom of Persia came to power'

So that is what happened historically

As far as prophecy goes, we'd want to look first at the end of the 70 year prophecy of Jeremiah

Jeremiah 25:12-14
In this passage Jeremiah prophesies that:
1. Babylon will be destroyed when the 70 years is over (12-13)
2. Babylonians will be enslaved by 'many nations' (14)
If your bible has footnotes, you may be directed toward Jeremiah 50-51 which sheds more light on the destruction of Babylon

Jeremiah 50:9 (also 50:41)
This passage predicts an "alliance of great nations from the land of the north" will bring down Babylon

Jeremiah 51:27-28
This passage lists some of the members of that alliance: Ararat, Minni, Ashkenaz, & the Medes

Next, we would turn to Daniel 5 (the writing on the wall) which includes a mixture of prophecy AND history.

Daniel 5:26-31
In this passage, Daniel is apparently brought out of retirement so that the Babylonian King Belshazzar can understand the mysterious writing that was written on the wall during his party. The writing was not hard to read, it was hard to interpret

Mene, mene, tekel, parsin

The last word, parsin, was interpreted by Daniel to indicate: "Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians" (28).

This prophecy became history that very night (30)

So now Daniel is living under the rule of the Medes and Persians. In the first year of that rule, Daniel (who apparently didn't return to Israel with the others, probably b/c of age) is reading Jeremiah 25 (see Daniel 9:2). He recognizes that the 70 years has ended, but still feels the need to repent for his sins and the sins of his people (9:20).

This is the context of the much disputed 9:20-27. The 70 years had ended, now a 490 year prophecy was given to replace it. But I suppose I'm getting off topic!

One last reference, perhaps the most important on the subject at hand. Isaiah, about 200 years prior to the event, predicted the defeat of Babylon:

Isaiah 44:28-45:2
This passage prophecies that God will use Cyrus (amazingly identified by NAME, 200 years before he was famous) to decree the rebuilding of Jerusalem. It even tells how God would bring him to power: "I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron" (2).

This is interesting, historically, because we know from history that Babylon (considered unbreakable in that day) was defeated when Cyrus's army broke through a gate blocking underground passage via the river which flowed into the city.

Conclusion
Hope one of these passages was what you were looking for. Some of the difficulties involved are the fact that Scripture speaks of 'many nations' defeating Babylon AND of Darius defeating Babylon AND of Cyrus defeating Babylon.

I think from these Scriptures it is best to guess that Cyrus was the leader of Persia which was the most powerful section of a broad alliance. Darius may have been the lead general of the army that defeated Babylon.

But there is little debate, that I am aware of, that this happened at the end of 70 years of captivity under Babylon. Cyrus, upon obtaining the remaining Jews, issued a decree which ended Jeremiah 25's prophecy and started Daniel 9:20-27's.