The Knew Kingdom: January 2007

10 Commandments 5

-The 10 Commandments-
-Part 4-

#5 Honor your father and your mother

Old Testament Observations
1. This is the transitional commandment (from love God to love people)
2. This is the only completely positive commandment
3. This is an oft-quoted commandment in the N.T. (6 times)
4. This is the 1st command with a promise attached (Ephesians 6:1-2)
5. This command, if disobeyed, resulted in death (Exodus 21:15, 17, Leviticus 20:9)

How do we Honor our Parents?
1. Submit to their authority (Genesis 22, Jeremiah 35, Ephesians 6:1, Luke 14:26)
2. Showing gratitude for their sacrifices
3. Speaking/Acting respectively toward them (Proverbs 31:28)
4. Living wisely and righteously (Proverbs 15:20)
5. Repay your debt of love (Genesis 47:11, John 19:26-27, 1 Timothy 5:2-8, Matthew 15:2-6)

We need to honor 3 levels of parents in the above ways

LEVEL 1: PHYSICAL PARENTS
Who is your earthly father?
Who is your earthly mother?

LEVEL 2: SPIRITUAL PARENTS (1 Timothy 5:1-2, Galatians 4:19, 1 Thessalonians 2:7)
Who is your spiritual father?
Who is your spiritual mother?

LEVEL 3: HEAVENLY PARENTS
Who is your heavenly Father? (Malachi 1:6, John 5:22-23)
Who is your heavenly mother? (Galatians 4:26, Revelation 21:2, 9-10)

Luke 18:15-43

Luke 18:15-43
Lowering the Bar
How Low Can You Go?

Being like a little child (18:15-17)
1. What do you think about infant baptism vs. dedication?
All persons to be baptized shall have the choice of baptism by immersion, pouring or sprinkling. Since children are born into this world with natures inclined to sin, and yet the prevenient grace of God provides for their redemption during the period before reaching the age of accountability, those parents who so choose may testify to their faith in God’s provision by presenting their small children for baptism, while those who prefer to emphasize baptism as a testimony by individual believers to their own act of faith may present their children for dedication. (Wesleyan Position)
2. There are many ways to waste time, but investing in the lives of children is not one of them
3. We invite indignation & rebuke from Christ when we attempt to force Him to work on our agenda instead of trying to follow His
4. What childlike characteristics should we emulate?

Being unlike the rich young man (18:18-30)
1. The most important question is “Who is Jesus to me?”
2. The man needed to see his sinfulness before becoming a follower
3. We must decide whether we trust in our own resources or God
4. Letting go of everything for Christ is a great investment

Being unlike the anticipated Messiah (18:31-34)
1. They expected a powerful king in a worldly sense
2. Jesus predicted suffering in His future
3. They expected to be prestigious members of the new kingdom
4. Jesus predicted they too would suffer and focused on the lowly

Being like the blind beggar (18:35-43)
1. The beggar was a man of need
2. Those who led the way saw him as a disruption
3. Jesus altered his day to help this man
4. He didn’t just want something from Jesus, he followed Jesus

Elisha Part 2

2 Kings 2:19-25

Exodus 14:21-22 Moses parted the sea
Exodus 15:22-27 Moses made pure water
* very memorable moments for Israel

2 Kings 2:13-15 Elisha parts the river
2 Kings 2:19-22 Elisha makes pure water
* This would have been viewed as an important
new beginning with Elisha playing the role of Moses

What can we learn from 19-22
1. We've done all we can do and it's still not enough (19)
2. We need something new and miraculous (20)
3. We need something that gets to the heart (21)
4. We need something that will last (22)
* John 4:14

2 Kings 2:23-25 is subject to ridicule from skeptics...

There are certain stories in Scripture that are often brought up by skeptics as if they prove that God and/or His prophets, especially in the Old Testament, were un-necessarily violent, unjust, and downright pathetic. One such story is found in 2 Kings 2:23-25. The skeptics version goes like this, "don't your remember that story when Elisha was walking down the road and some little kids poked fun of his baldness so, over-reacting, he asked God to curse them. God responded to Elisha's request by sending 2 bears that mauled 42 of those little kids. Why would I worship a God like that?"

There are probably many ways to respond to such an accusation. Below I will list 5 points that come to mind that should be pointed out in regards to this story. Once the skeptics version is somewhat deflated, there may be opportunity to begin a healthy discussion about God. First, though, here's the actual passage:

From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some youths came out of the town and jeered at him. "Go on up, you baldhead!" they said. "Go on up, you baldhead!" He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the LORD. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths.

1. Elisha was just taking over for the recently departed Elijah. God used a series of events (Elijah's cloak falling to Elisha, the waters of the Jordan dividing, the purification of the water in Jericho) to display to the other prophets that Elisha was, indeed, a true successor to the great prophet. It was a new beginning, which God tends to accompany with memorable events. Ultimately, He does this to save Israel from her sin.

2. Bethel was a town known for 2 things. For one, it was infamous for its idolatry. For two, it was famous for its prophetic school. It was a show-down town. Who was more powerful? The idols or the Lord? God answered that question with this event. Again, this was a necessary truth for Israel to recognize and so this 'negative' story had a 'positive' purpose.

3. The Hebrew word beneath the word 'youths,' here, is very flexible. The term can mean little kid, young lads, young men, servants, etc. Joseph was described by this term at 17 years old. His younger brother Benjamin was at least 22 when the term was used of him. Skeptics usually utilize the KJV rendering 'little children' (surprisingly, Peterson's The Message follows the KJV's lead and translates the term as 'little kids'). It seems more reasonable to imagine that these weren't little kids at all, but young men in their late teens or early twenties. (*)

4. The people involved weren't lightly poking fun at Elisha, they were mocking God. To jeer, or scoff, at God's prophet is an intense act of rebellion. And his baldness was, likely, only one target of their disdain for Elisha. The fact that they said 'Go on up' was probably a mockery of his claim that His mentor had done just that prior to this event. In other words, they quite likely were telling Elisha that he should just follow Elijah into the sky. The fact that they came out of town to say these things and the repitition of the statement itself shows that this was a hard-hearted attitude and not a spur of the moment joke.

5. Elisha didn't take vengence into his own hands. Granted, He wanted the Lord to do justice to the mockers, but letting God be God is very different from trying to play God ourselves. He let the Lord deal with the problem as He saw fit. One could fairly ask, 'Would Jesus have made the same request of His Father if He were in Elisha's exact situation?' Even if the answer is no, I think it would have less to do with the fact that Jesus is Jesus and more to do with the fact that Jesus was revealed progressively later in God's redemptive plan.

In summary, objections to this passage are based on failures to understand the historical, cultural & revelatory context as well as reliance on weak translations of the Hebrew text. By deflating the emotionalized opening arguments of the skeptics with truthful information, one can steer the conversation toward a worthwhile discussion of God and His word.

(*) Some commentators accept the translation that those mentioned were children, and see this event as a judgment against their wicked parents while, at the same time, an act of grace upon the children in that it prevented them from maturing in wickedness. But even if children were the mockers, one wonders how a skeptic can hold it against God for killing them, while yet refusing to praise God when Elisha raised a young boy from the dead 2 chapters later.

Luke 17:20-37

Luke 17:20-37
The 2nd Coming of Jesus

Have you ever wondered what the 2nd Coming will be like?

In the Interim
1. Keep in mind that the Kingdom is already started! (21)
2. Keep in mind that waiting won’t be easy (22)
3. Keep in mind that regional ‘religions’ will come (23a)
4. Keep in mind your commitment to Christ (23b)

Why will the 2nd Coming be Different
1. It will be unmistakable in significance (24a)
2. It will be unmistakable in scope (24b)

What can we compare it to?
1. The days of Noah
In what sense will the 2nd Coming be like those days?
a. People were eating & Drinking
b. People were getting married
c. People were ignoring God’s message
2. The days of Lot
In what sense will the 2nd Coming be like those days?
a. People were eating & drinking
b. People were buying and selling
c. People were planting and building
During the status quo came destruction (27b, 29b)

Other Considerations
1. We won’t be able to leave on our terms (30-31)
2. We should not look back with longing (32)
3. The one’s taken are the one’s destroyed (34-37)
4. The one’s left behind are the survivors (34-37)

Luke 18:1-14

Have you given up on ‘Prayer’ ?

Parable #1 The Persistent Widow

2 Options
We can pray
We can give up

2 Contrasts
Widow vs. Judge
Judge vs. God

2 Comparisons
Be persistent
Seek Justice

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)

Parable #2 The Two Prayers

The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself
“God, I thank you that I am not like other men – robbers, evildoers, adulterers – or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.”

But the Tax Collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

In Heaven (Stephen Crane)

In Heaven,
Some little blades of grass
Stood before God.
“What did you do?”
Then all save one of the little blades
Began eagerly to relate
The merits of their lives.
This one stayed a small way behind
Ashamed.
Presently God said:
“And what did you do?”
The little blade answered: “Oh, my lord,
“Memory is bitter to me
“For if I did good deeds
“I know not of them.”
Then God in all His splendor
Arose from His throne.
“Oh, best little blade of grass,” He said.

THE PRAYER OF CYRUS BROWN

“The proper way for a man to pray”
said Deacon Lemuel Keyes,
“and the only proper attitude
is down upon his knees.”

“Nay, I should say the way to pray,”
said Reverend Dr. Wise
“is standing straight with outstrecthed arms
and rapt and upturned eyes.”

“Oh, no, no, no.” said Elder Snow
“Such posture is too proud
A man should pray with eyes fast closed
and head contritely bowed.”

“It seems to me his hands should be
astutely clasped in front.
With both thumbs a pointing toward the ground.”
Said Reverend Hunt.

“Las’ year I fell in Hodgkins well
head first,” said Cyrus Brown,
“With both my heels a-stikin’ up,
my head a-p’inting down,
An’ I made a prayer right there an’ then;
Best prayer I ever said;
The prayingest prayer I ever prayed,
A-standin on my head.

10 Commandments 4

-The 10 Commandments-
-Part 3-

#4 Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God

What did the 4th Commandment Entail?
1. It was a command to keep Saturday separate
2. It was a sign of God’s covenant with Israel
3. It was a day to abstain from all work & money
4. It was a day to assemble together for worship
5. It was a day of special ritual & animal sacrifices
6. The penalty for disobedience was death
7. At times, it became an empty shell

What did Jesus Teach about the Sabbath?
1. Jesus did not give a direct affirmation regarding
Sabbath observance under the New Covenant
2. Jesus consistently brought the issue to the table
3. Jesus allowed His disciples to break the Sabbath
4. Jesus argued that under the Old Covenant it was
sometimes common sense to break the Sabbath
5. Jesus implied that the Sabbath was a ceremonial law,
not a moral law
6. Jesus argued that God prefers morality over ritual
7. Jesus seems to have broken the Sabbath to do good works

How did the early church interpret Jesus’ teachings?
1. They came to the conclusion that Christians
were not under Old Testament Law and, especially,
Gentiles should not be burdened by it
2. Paul knew that many Jewish Christians would
continue to observe the Sabbath Law, but seems
to imply that such is the ‘weaker’ position
3. Paul knew that many Gentile Christians would
see no need for observing the Sabbath Law,
and implies that such is the ‘stronger’ position
4. Paul teaches that each believer should be led
by the Lord on this issue and that no Christian
should judge another on this matter. Instead,
we should show respect toward various practices.
5. Paul teaches that the Sabbath was merely
a ceremonial shadow that was fulfilled in Jesus Christ
6. The author of Hebrews teaches that the fulfillment
of the shadow is the peace we experience in Jesus Christ
7. The 1st & 2nd generation of Christians believed we
now experience a perpetual Sabbath. Early Christians
met daily, but met specially on Sunday’s to celebrate
the day of the resurrection

3 Positions to Pick From
1. Sabbatarian- We are obligated to obey the 4th Commandment as was written.
2. Lord’s Day- We are obligated to follow tradition by celebrating the resurrection each Sunday
3. Perpetual- Every day is equal in God’s sight, but we must not forsake the assembling together, and there may be wisdom in the idea of having a day of rest

10 Commandments 1-3

-The 10 Commandments-
-Part 2-

#1 Thou shalt have
no other gods before me

The 1st commandment is a matter of God’s Uniqueness
Is not a matter of PRIORITY
It’s a matter of PRESENCE

1. The Bible is clear that there is only 1 true God
2. The Bible is clear that there are many false gods
You could love a statue
You could love money
You could love food
You could love sports
You could love a person

We know that God is the only true god because
He is the only god that continues to be God
When people CEASE to worship Him

What did Jesus teach about the 1st Commandment
1. Matthew 4:10
Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.
2. Mark 12:28-34
'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'

#2 Thou shalt not make
unto thee any graven image

The 2nd commandment is a matter of God’s Greatness

1. Our God is SPIRIT
2. Our God shouldn’t be REDUCED to an image
3. Whatever can be reduced to an image
isn’t worthy of WORSHIP
4. Idols are real DEMONS (1 Cor. 10:20)

What did Jesus teach about the 2nd Commandment?
1. John 4:24
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth
2. 1 Corinthians 10:14
Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry
3. 2 Corinthians 5:7
We live by faith, not by sight
4. 1 John 5:21
Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.

#3 Thou shalt not take the name
of the LORD thy God in vain

The 3rd commandment is a matter of God’s HOLINESS

3 Ways to Take the Lord’s Name in Vain
1. Failure to render due reverence to His Name
2. Failure to keep your word
3. Failure to positively represent Christ

Elisha Part 1

3 Life Lessons from the Early Life of Elisha

1. Put yourself in a win win situation

Elijah was at the toughest point in his life
--Afriad (19:3)
--Alone (19:4, 10, 14)
--In the desert (19:4)
--Hopeless (19:4)
--Exhausted (19:5, 6, 9)

Why do you think God chose Elisha
--He was hard-working (19:19)
--He was fully committed (19:20-21)
--He was loyal (19:20)
--He was a servant (19:21)
--He was patient (unmentioned in the rest of 1 Kings)

* The situation was positive both directions.
** We need to develop situations like this in our churches

2. Be grateful for your role models (2 Kings 2:1-9)
--He followed him from Gilgal (Beginnings)
--He followed him from Bethel (Prayer)
--He followed him from Jericho (Battle)
--He followed him from Jordan (Transition)

*Great Question to ask..."what can i do for you before I'm taken from you"
**Who helped your developtment?

3. Be bold in your vision
--Asked for a double portion of Elijah's spirit
--Received what he asked for

Luke 17:1-19

Luke 17:1-10
Anger & Gratefulness

1 Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. 3 Take heed to yourselves.

If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”

5 And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” 6 So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

7 And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? 8 But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. 10 So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’

1. Don’t cause others to be angry (1-2)
2. Don’t let your anger continue (3-4)
3. Think very highly of God (5-6)
4. Think very lowly of yourself (7-10)

Proverbs 19:11
A man's wisdom gives him patience;
it is to his glory to overlook an offense.

Proverbs 16:32
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

Proverbs 25:28
Whoever has no rule over his own spirit
Is like a city broken down, without walls.

Luke 17:11-19
Learning to be Grateful

1. Leprosy was a common physical disease of the flesh
2. Sin is a common spiritual disease of the flesh
3. Sin separates us from God
4. Jesus is the source of healing
5. Only a small percentage of people learn to be grateful

Luke 16:19-31

Luke 16:19-31
The Rich Man & Lazarus

The Rich Man
He body was covered with fancy clothes (19)
He lived like a king (19)

The Beggar (Lazarus)
His body was covered with sores (20)
He lived like an animal (21)

Principles for Understanding Time

1. The truth has already been revealed (31)
2. Now is the time for salvation (22)
3. Now is the time for service (20)
4. Wealth doesn’t prove God’s pleasure (22)
5. Difficulty doesn’t prove God’s displeasure (22)
6. Material wealth is a dangerous entity (25)
7. Salvation is based on Christ’s blood, not ours (25)
8. Obedience is the way to show you believe (31)
9. Miracles don’t change hearts (31)
10. Death is the great equalizer (22)

Principles for Understanding Eternity

People are conscious after death (23)
Prayers to saints don’t work (24)
Purgatory is an imaginary place (26)
People, it seems, remember their family after death (28)

10 Commandments Introduction

-The 10 Commandments-
-Part 1-

How would you respond to President Bartlet?

Position #1---We must attempt to submit to all O.T. Law
Position #2---We only need to submit to some O.T. Laws
Position #3---We are not subject to any of the O.T. Laws

Problems with Position #1
1. It is currently impossible
2. None of us can do it (Rom. 3:23, 1 John 1:8)
3. It wouldn’t justify us (Gal. 2:16, 21, 3:11)

Problems with Position #2
1. If we fail at one point, we’re guilty at all (James 2:10)
2. Deciding which one’s to follow seems arbitrary
3. Either Moses’ is our authority or he isn’t

Why aren’t we subject to any of the Old Testament Law?
1. We are freed from the law (Romans 7:1-6)
2. We no longer have any need for it (Galatians 3:25)
3. We have a new law-giver (1 Corinthians 9:21)

Matthew 5:22, 28, 32, 34, 39, 44, 7:29
Luke 9:27-36, Matthew 28:18

So what is the purpose of the O.T. Law?
1. It was given to produce sin (Romans 5:20)
2. It was given to produce death (Romans 7:10, 13)
3. It was given to point us toward Christ (Galatians 3:24)

How many laws were there?
1. There were 613 Mosaic Laws
2. There were 248 Positive Laws
3. There were 365 Negative Laws

How many are we subject to? 0
Are we subject to the 10 Commandments? No

So what is the Law of Jesus?
1. Love God
2. Love People
3. Other New Testament Instructions

Did Jesus Re-Instate any O.T. Laws? Yes
Did He adjust them? Yes

Why didn’t Jesus Re-Instate all O.T. Laws
1. Civil Laws were for National Israel
2. Ceremonial Laws foreshadowed Christ
3. That Chapter in history is over

What if Jesus left no word on an O.T. Law?
1. It is a disputable matter (Romans 14:1)
2. It is to be considered (Romans 14:5)
3. Let the Spirit lead you (Gal. 5:18)

Closing Questions
Why do some insist on obeying Mosaic Law?
Why study the 10 Commandments?

Romans Introduction

Romans : Introduction

Who was the author of this letter?
1. The author claimed to be the Apostle Paul
2. Pauline authorship of ‘Romans’ was not disputed
3. By the early 2nd century onward, his letters were a unit
4. The oldest surviving copy of this unit is from 200AD
This copy is called the Chester Beatty manuscript P46. It is 85% intact and includes Romans, 1-2 Corinthians, Hebrews, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1-2 Thessalonians, Philemon (1-2 Timothy & Titus were not included)

Who was this letter written to?
1. Emperor Claudius had banished all Jews from Rome in AD49.
We learn this not only from Acts 18:2, but from the Roman Historian Suetonius who wrote, “Since the Jews constantly made disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus, he expelled them from Rome.” So only Gentile Christians were left in Rome (perhaps with a degree of Anti-Semitism). Nero rescinded Claudius' decree in AD54, allowing Jews to return (including Christian Jews). So we can see how this would have created difficulties b/w the Gentile and Jewish believers in Rome.
2. It was written to Jewish & Gentile believers in Rome (1:7)
3. The recipients had never met Paul
4. Paul was planning on visiting them shortly (15:23-29)

What are the Contents of this Letter
Part 1----Introduction---------------Romans 1:1-1:17
Part 2----Gospel Presentation--------Romans 1:18-8:39
Part 3----Discussion of ‘Israel’-----Romans 9:1-11:36
Part 4----Christians & Relationships-Romans 12:1-15:13
Part 5----Closing--------------------Romans 15:14-16:27

Where was this letter sent?
1. The letter was sent to Christians in Rome, Italy
2. Priscilla & Aquila were the likely recipients
3. The Roman Church was likely a group of house-churches
4. The letter was to be read to all the Christians

When was the letter written?
1. It is nearly unanimous that Romans was written around AD57
2. Paul was in Corinth when he wrote the letter

Why did Paul write this letter?
1. Most of the Epistles were written to combat crisis
2. Romans, however, seems to have been written in times of peace
3. Paul wanted to firmly establish the church in this strategic city
4. Paul wanted to help the Gentile/Jewish relationships in the church