Week 10/21-10/27: Redeemed Response - Trusting the God Who Speaks

 Day One: Acts 7: 2-5 “Brothers and fathers,” he said, “listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran, and said to him: Get out of your country and away from your relatives, and come to the land that I will show you. “Then he came out of the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. From there, after his father died, God had him move to this land you now live in. He didn’t give him an inheritance in it, not even a foot of ground, but He promised to give it to him as a possession, and to his descendants after him, even though he was childless.

Finish the story by reading 6-16 in your Bible.

HAVE YOU EVER RECEIVED A GIFT and had no clue what it was?

A few years ago some of my cousins gave my grandmother a Nintendo DS and the game Brain Age for Christmas. When she opened the package, she had no idea what she had been given.

After letting her sit there with a confused look trying to figure that contraption out for a bit, my cousins finally explained the gift. They let her know that it was a portable video game system, and that the game Brain Age was designed to help stimulate brain activity. Since the potential of losing her mental sharpness is one of my grandmother’s greatest fears about getting older, the game was a great gift. After she figured out what it was, she was greatly appreciative and has used it regularly.

Notice that last part. She could only truly appreciate and use the gift after she figured out what it was. The same thing is true with the Bible. If we do not know it, we cannot appreciate it, apply it, trust it, or proclaim it.

Look back at our passage. Stephen knew the Bible. In this brief passage, he quickly traces the history of the Christian patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In the midst of the discussion, he even stops to quote Old Testament passages. The implication is clear: Stephen knew the Word of God!

What about you? Do you know the message and stories that are contained in the Bible? Or is it one of those things that just takes up space on your shelf? In the next few days we’ll look at the importance of trusting and proclaiming God’s Word. But here’s the kicker. If you don’t know the Word of God, it’s going to be impossible to truly trust and proclaim it.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷How often do you read God’s Word?

▷▷What can you do to make sure you spend time in God’s Word on a regular basis?

▷▷Will you commit to reading your Bible daily? Why or why not?

Week 10/21-10/27: Redeemed Response - Trusting the God Who Speaks

Day Two: Acts 7:44-51 “Our ancestors had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, just as He who spoke to Moses commanded him to make it according to the pattern he had seen. Our ancestors in turn received it and with Joshua brought it in when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers, until the days of David. He found favor in God’s sight and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. But it was Solomon who built Him a house. However, the Most High does not dwell in sanctuaries made with hands, as the prophet says: Heaven is My throne, and earth My footstool. What sort of house will you build for Me? says the Lord, or what is My resting place? Did not My hand make all these things? You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always resisting the Holy Spirit; as your ancestors did, so do you.”

IF YOU KNOW MUCH ABOUT FOOTBALL, you probably know about “quick slants.” For the uninitiated, a “quick slant” is a passing play where a wide receiver runs straight ahead for about two yards, then sharply darts to the inside of the field at a 45 degree angle. The quarterback usually takes three steps backward, and immediately hurls the ball to the receiver just as he is beginning to make the 45 degree turn.

It is a very fast passing play that occurs just seconds after the ball is snapped. In fact, it all occurs so fast that the quarterback has to throw the ball before the receiver ever turns to look at the ball. The quarterback has to fully trust that the receiver is going to run exactly two yards and cut inside at exactly a 45 degree angle. If the receiver is off even slightly, then the ball will fall incomplete, or, even worse, be intercepted.

So why is this important? It demonstrates the difference between knowing something and trusting in something. It is one thing for both the receiver and quarterback to know the play. It is another thing for the quarterback to trust the receiver is going to be where he is supposed to be.

Notice here in our passage how Stephen continues his sermon. As he moves from Bible story to Bible story, mentioning various characters and events, he acknowledges these as real, factual, historical events and people. He doesn’t merely know the stories of the Bible; he fully trusts the truthfulness of the stories. He places complete faith in the accuracy of all the events and lives his life in accordance with that faith. This demonstrates a complete trust of God’s Word!

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷What is the difference between knowing Bible facts and trusting the truth of the Bible?

▷▷Why is it important to trust that the Bible is true?

▷▷Does your life show that you trust the truth of the Bible? How can we learn to trust the Bible and apply it to our lives?

Week 10/21-10/27: Redeemed Response - Trusting the God Who Speaks

Day Three: Acts 7:52-56 “Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They even killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become. You received the law under the direction of angels and yet have not kept it.” When they heard these things, they were enraged in their hearts and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, filled by the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw God’s glory, with Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

Finish the story by reading 57-60 in your Bible.

IMAGINE YOU’VE BEEN ASKED to serve as the campaign manager for an upcoming election. Think for a moment about what that would entail.

First, you would have to know the person and some info about them. It may be common sense, but it would be impossible to be the campaign manager for a person that you don’t know.

Second, you would have to trust the person. As campaign manager, if you are going to devote your time and energy into getting this person elected, you have to be able to trust the candidate. You have to trust that they are genuinely going to try to solve the issues that they are campaigning on. By agreeing to be the campaign manager, you are putting your name on the line as well, trusting that the candidate will not ruin your name.

Finally, you have to proclaim the worthiness of the candidate. This is, after all, your real job. The entire purpose of the campaign manager is to tell the world about why your candidate would be best. You ultimate goal is to figure out the best way possible to proclaim the worthiness of your candidate.

Did you notice that in order to do the ultimate job of campaigning for the candidate, you first had to know the person and trust the person? We find this exact same process when dealing with God’s word. We cannot proclaim the Word of God without knowing and trusting it.Stephen demonstrated this perfectly. His ultimate goal was to boldly proclaim the gospel of Christ. He was able to make this proclamation because he knew and trusted the Bible. God desires each and every one of us to boldly proclaim the gospel. If we are to be obedient in this endeavor, we must be committed to this mantra: Know - Trust - Proclaim.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷Why is it important to proclaim God’s word?

▷▷Why do we have to know and trust God’s word before we proclaim it?

▷▷What are you doing to proclaim God’s word on a regular basis? What keeps you from speaking about God?

Week 10/14-10/20: Perfect Response - The Faithful Servant

Day One: Mark 14:32-36 “Then they came to a place named Gethsemane, and He told His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be deeply distressed and horrified. Then He said to them, “My soul is swallowed up in sorrow—to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake.” Then He went a little farther, fell to the ground, and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. And He said, “Abba, Father! All things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”

NOBODY VOLUNTEERS FOR SUFFERING. We do not like hurt or pain very much. Typically most of us avoid pain at all cost. Generally, the only sufferings that most of us endure are the sufferings thrust upon us, usually leaving us without an option to face them. You may have been forced to face hurt or pain unwillingly because of a divorce, breakup, death in the family, a friend letting you down, or countless other ways, but volunteering for suffering? Most never have or will. But praise be to God, Jesus did.

Jesus Christ, our Savior, willingly suffered for us. He willingly endured the suffering of the cross, knowing the physical pain that would accompany it and knowing the separation and wrath coming from his Father in heaven. If anyone has ever been undeserving of suffering, it was the Lord Jesus. Yet he suffered voluntarily. With his death looming over Him in the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed for the Father to remove the cup of suffering if possible. But ultimately, His desire was for his Father’s will to be done, even if it meant His own suffering. His suffering brought us life and redeemed us. Jesus laid down his life to the Father’s will.

If we belong to Christ, we too should willingly lay down our lives to God’s will, even if suffering follows. Jesus warns that suffering will come to those who belong to Him (Matt.10:22).Knowing this, we should still willingly submit our will to God. Christ has shown us the way.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷When you think about “suffering” and your life, what comes to mind?

▷▷Why was it important that Jesus endure suffering on our behalf?

▷▷Jesus warns that suffering will come to those who belong to Him. What might that mean for your life?

Week 10/14-10/20: Perfect Response - The Faithful Servant

Day Two: Phil. 2: 5-11 “Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross. For this reason God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow—of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth— and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

HAVE YOU EVER experienced public shame? There are all sorts of ways it can happen. It can happen accidentally through some circumstance like slipping and falling in the middle of the hallway between classes, or dropping an easy fly ball in a baseball game. It can also happen intentionally, as someone uses shame to embarrass and hurt you. Teachers may do this by making you stand up in class because you got caught talking as they were teaching. A coach may make you drop and do push-ups in front of the team because you messed up the play. Public shame can be a form of punishment.

Public shame is one the ways the Romans of Jesus’ day would punish people. The use of crucifixion was simultaneously a form of physical punishment and shame. It brought shame on the person in multiple ways: they were naked and they were put on public display. With Jesus, they not only did this, but they brutally beat him, mocked him by placing a crown of thorns around his head, and placing a sign above him that read “King of the Jews.” Jesus Christ our Lord became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. He humbled himself by taking on flesh, marching to the cross, despising its shame.

Why did Jesus embrace this shame? To accomplish the Father’s grand design in salvation. Through his willingness to suffer pain and public humiliation, he became the propitiation (wrath-diverting sacrifice) for our sins. He did the work of redemption for us that we could never do for ourselves. In this way, he submitted to the Father’s will, embracing the humiliation and shame.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷What public shame have you endured before? How does it make you feel to look back on it?

▷▷How is shame related to suffering? Why would God allow Jesus to be exposed to both?

Week 10/14-10/20: Perfect Response - The Faithful Servant

Day Three: Heb. 1:1-4 “Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. 2 In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son. God has appointed Him heir of all things and made the universe through Him. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of His nature, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. 4 So He became higher in rank than the angels, just as the name He inherited is superior to theirs.”

THE BEST MOVIES IN THE WORLD, I THINK, are the ones that end with the hero making some great sacrifice to save the lives of many people. In making the sacrifice, the people are saved and the individual is exalted as the great hero. I watched the movie Armageddon (1998) as a teenager. The story depicted a veteran astronaut and his team who are going to save the planet by diverting an oncoming asteroid from hitting Earth. This astronaut, Harry, is put in position where either he or his daughter’s love interest, A.J., are going to have to stay behind and die to successfully accomplish the mission.A.J.appears to be the one tasked to do it, but at the last moment, Harry steps in, pushes A.J.aside, and takes his place. Harry destroys the asteroid and loses his life, but saves the planet and the man his daughter loves. The movie ends with Harry’s funeral where he is honored and recognized as the great hero.

We love movies like this. Why is it that we love these types of stories and movies? Because deep down inside of us we know that we are in need of a rescue and we know the one who does it is worthy of all praise. The story of the gospel is one in which Jesus Christ willingly submitted his own life, in order to save a people for himself. Jesus willingly took our place, by taking on flesh and dying on the cross. On the third day he rose from the grave, conquering Satan, sin, and death. In doing so, He is exalted. He is the hero. He is worthy of worship, praise, and adoration. He is given the name that is above every name. After making purification for our sins, he was seated at the right hand of his Father. Jesus is the great hero.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷What movie can you think of that involves a hero sacrificing himself to take someone’s place?

▷▷What traits are common among those heroes?

▷▷Does it change your view of the gospel to think of yourself as someone needing rescue, and Christ as the hero?

Week 10/7-10/13: Perfect Response - The Faithful Teacher

Day One: Matt. 5:17 “Don’t assume that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.”

I RECENTLY WENT on a mission trip to Haiti. In Haiti, Creole and French are the dominant languages. English, my dominant and secondary language, is not spoken by many of the native Haitians. Right away, I knew this was going to be a difficulty we would have to deal with.

On this trip I was with several pastors and we were working with multiple indigenous Haitian churches. We taught a pastor’s conference, a youth conference, and worshiped in their churches on Sunday morning. It was amazing being able to worship alongside these believers, but the language barrier kept presenting problems.

One of our main issues became the lack of interpreters. We had plenty of English Bible teachers and plenty of Haitian churches to teach in, but we did not have enough translators. Having someone to interpret, and interpret correctly, is very important in communication. With matters as weighty as salvation and the things of God, you do not want something you say to be interpreted incorrectly and since I didn’t know any Creole and very little French, having a trusted interpreter was essential.

When you begin to think about how important this is, take into consideration the importance of Jesus coming to us to teach us what the Old Testament is really about. Think about how incapable we are of knowing the way of the kingdom of God without Jesus. He perfectly interpreted to us things known only in the wisdom of God and made them available to us. He showed things to us only discernible by the Spirit of God, and then gave us His Spirit to keep guiding us into these truths (John 16:13).He was not only the perfect teacher but also the perfect interpreter.

What a perfect and matchless Savior we have in Christ, our Great Interpreter of the truths of God!

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷What qualities does an interpreter need to possess? How was Christ the perfect interpreter?

▷▷How does the right understanding change everything?

▷▷Have you ever been in a situation where you thought something was true only to find out you didn’t understand it correctly?

Week 10/7-10/13: Perfect Response - The Faithful Teacher

Day Two: Matt. 5:21-22, 27-28 “You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder, and whoever murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Fool!’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But whoever says, ‘You moron!’ will be subject to hellfire.”

“You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery. But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

HAVE YOU EVER WITNESSED someone doing the right thing with the wrong motives? It happens all the time—people serving and helping others, not because of their sincere desire to help, but out of their sincere desire to be praised for helping.

There are people who attempt to do the right things morally, not because they seek to honor God, but because they seek relief from guilt or public shame. In these cases, it is evident that someone may be doing the right things, but with the wrong motives. Is it possible to do the right things, but still have a corrupt heart? God does not seek people who look only to do the right things, He searches the heart of man when judging our actions.

While teaching during his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus explains this reality to the onlookers and listeners. Jesus teaches about the laws they had grown accustomed to hearing, but He immediately surprises everyone by raising the bar on those laws. He reminds them that it is not enough to avoid murder, but our hearts should be such that we avoid hatred. It is not enough that we resist adultery, but our hearts should be such that we resist lust.

The issue is not about the external sin being avoided, but about the internal workings of the heart behind the sin. It is not enough to do good or right things: Jesus teaches us to interpret the law by showing the heart behind it.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷Describe a time when you did the right thing but for the wrong reasons?

▷▷What was the result of those actions?

▷▷Which rules do you easily obey by focusing on the rule and not the intent?

Week 10/7-10/13: Perfect Response - The Faithful Teacher

Day Three: Matt. 5:43-48 “You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

I REMEMBER GROWING UP playing sports, and even in the Army as a soldier, times when a coach or superior officer would command me to do something that they themselves could not do. Have you ever experienced this? A coach tells you to run five laps around the field, but you know he could not manage one lap without needing oxygen. A parent requires you to clean your bedroom when theirs would qualify to be featured on an episode of “Hoarders.” These situations bother us so much because there is a part of us that expects the people giving the commands and making the rules to be doing the things they are dictating. This just makes sense right?

Thankfully, Jesus does not fall into this category. He taught us the loftiest of truths. He raised the bar to highest levels. He revealed to us the mysteries of the kingdom of God hidden from eternity’s past (Matt.13:11).These are the biggest, most gigantic truths in the entire world.

However, He never commanded or laid out one expectation of God that He Himself did not meet and fulfill. This is the amazing thing about Jesus. He not only came to teach us what the Kingdom of God was like and what citizens of this kingdom were supposed to live like, but He came to model it and fulfill those requirements at the same time. When He met God’s expectations, He did so for us. In our place. He did this not only because he was the perfect Savior, but because he was the Master Teacher. As our great teacher, he modeled with his life the very things he taught us with His words.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

▷▷How do you respond when someone commands something they either don’t do or can’t do?

▷▷Would you hire a badly out-of-shape person to be your personal trainer? Why or why not?

▷▷How does knowing Christ has both set and met God’s standards in your place impact your life?