A Closer Look at the Creeds

Transcription

Basic Christianity Course
A Closer Look
at the Creeds
q Click
on a study title you’d like to see q
2
INTRODUCTION
5
Study 1: HOW SHOULD WE ADDRESS GOD?
Leader’s Guide — Participant’s Guide
18
Study 2: JESUS CHRIST’S BIRTH
28
Study 3: THE CRUCIFIXION
39
Study 4: THE RESURRECTION
50
Study 5: JESUS AS JUDGE
58
Study 6: THE TRINITY
69
Study 7: AUTHENTIC FELLOWSHIP
81
Study 8: FORGIVENESS OF SINS
91
Study 9: LIFE EVERLASTING
1
©2008 Christianity Today International
ChristianBibleStudies.com
Introduction
Introduction
Th e N icene C reed
In the first three centuries, the church was often forced into secrecy and seclusion.
As a result, it was fraught with theological disputes, especially concerning the divinity
of Jesus Christ.
When Constantine won control of the Roman Empire in 312 A.D., he elevated
Christianity to favored status. He soon discovered the fractured state of the church
and what it believed. To bring unity, he convened a council in the year of 325 that met
in the city of Nicaea. Out of that convention, came the Nicene Creed, which is still a
standard of belief for many Christian churches.
Below is the 1975 ecumenical version agreed upon by the International Consultation
on English Texts (ICET), published in the book Prayers We Have in Common.
Nicene Creed:
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
2
Introduction
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of Life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Th e A p os t les’ C reed
The origin of the Apostles’ Creed is less clear than that of the Nicene Creed. The most common
view is that it was originally developed in the first or second century and was influenced later
by the Nicene Creed. The earliest historical evidence of the creed’s existence is in a letter of the
Council of Milan in 390 A.D.
Almost every denomination has a slightly different version of the Apostles’ Creed. Below is the
ecumenical version of the English Language Liturgical Consultation (ELLC).
Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
3
Introduction
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
This study attempts to take a closer look at the basic doctrines declared in these creeds. It covers
how to address God, the virgin birth, an examination of the death, burial, and resurrection of
Jesus Christ, his role as judge, the role of the Trinity, the role of the church, the forgiveness of
sins, and eternal life.
4
Addressing God
L e a d e r ’s G u i d e
Addressing
God
maker of heaven and
earth, of all that is, seen
and unseen. (Nicene
Creed)
I believe in God, the
Father almighty, creator
of heaven and earth.
(Apostles’ Creed)
What we call God reflects who we believe him to be.
A thing’s name defines it, clarifies how we think of it,
and helps us talk about it. But a name can be much
more than mere definition: it can reveal identity,
character, and relationship. To many, God is just
another concept with a label: Deity, Creator, Judge.
But to the believer, he is the single most important
person one can know. And we want to know—we need
to know—what his name is.
How has God introduced himself to us, and what does this reveal about
his identity? What do God’s names reveal about his character and the way
he acts throughout history? And how does our use of God’s names help us
relate to him?
This study assumes God is more than a concept or a construct, and seeks to
answer the question: How should we address God?
Scr ipt ure: G en esis 2 ; E xo du s 3; M atthew 6 : 5 – 15 ;
H eb rews 2: 18; 4: 16 ; 1 J o hn 2: 1
5
Addressing God
Part 1
Identify the Issue
No te to lea der : Provide each p erson with th e Par ticip an t ’s Guide,
in c luded a t t he end of t his study.
When we first meet someone we tend to want key facts right away: “What do you do? Where are
you from? What is your name?” Without at least having someone’s name, building a relationship
is difficult, if not impossible.
According to the Westminster Shorter Catechism, our main purpose in life is “to glorify God,
and to enjoy him forever.” But glorifying and enjoying God assumes an intimacy far beyond
mere job titles and last-known addresses. We need to know who God is so we can relate to
him—talk to him, glorify him, and enjoy his company.
Even though God has revealed himself and told us who he is, sometimes we still get his name
wrong. Forgetting that the names we use reveal the nature of a relationship, we often think of
God solely in terms of his titles and “job descriptions.” Katie Wiebe recalls what J. B. Philips
had to say about reducing God to labels:
In the classic Your God is Too Small, J. B. Phillips says we tend to give God many names
which aren’t actually his names: managing director, puppeteer, magician, resident
policeman, fun-hater, pie-in-the-sky, and others.
Today we have added “health and wealth bringer” and others.
— Katie Wiebe in the Christian Leader (Dec. 6, 1989); Christianity Today, Vol. 34, no. 9
Discussion Starters:
[Q] Which is more important, that we call on God at all, or that we use the right name?
Does it matter what people call you? Why or why not?
[Q] How have you addressed God in your thoughts and prayers?
• How have your ways of addressing God changed through the years?
• What caused the change?
[Q] Have you ever noticed yourself (or others) using the “scatter-gun” approach in naming
God in prayer? These prayers often begin with something like, “Dear Father-God, Lord Jesus
…” or something similar. Why do you think we sometimes adopt this approach?
6
Addressing God
[Q] We smile at children who struggle to understand God, but how is our concept of God
superior or inferior to a child’s approach?
Madeleine L’Engle has written, “It seems that more than ever the compulsion today is to
identify, to reduce someone to what is on the label. To identify is to control, to limit. To love is
to call by name, and so open the wide gates of creativity. But we forget names, and turn to labels
... If we are pigeonholed and labeled we are unnamed” (“Walking on Water,” Christianity
Today, Vol. 39, no. 2).
[Q] Think back over your recent prayer and thought life. Do you often think of God in
terms of labels and titles?
• Why do you think someone might start to address God in these terms, and what
effect does it have on our relationship with him?
[Q] How does a study of God’s names help us remain intimate with God?
• What does understanding God’s names reveal about who he is—his character, his
nature, and his relationship with us?
Part 2
Discover the Eternal Principles
Teaching Point One: Names are crucial for true intimacy.
Read Genesis 2 (the creation of Adam and Eve) and/or Exodus 3 (God’s call to Moses).
Communicating with God—prayer—is the single most intimate act one can participate in. It is
a willing act of baring the soul, a voluntary nakedness before God. In prayer we bring to him our
needs, desires, wants, and even our apathy, and we lay them all down. Often clumsily, sometimes
hastily, sometimes even thoughtlessly—especially when we lose sight of who God really is.
Perhaps one prescription to remedy thoughtless prayer is to take seriously the various names God
has revealed to us, and to intentionally use them in our prayers to remind ourselves that this is
how God wants us to know him.
Western cultures do not traditionally attach as much significance or meaning to a person’s name
as the ancient Near East people did. In the ancient Near East, to name an unnamed thing was to
validate its existence. We are driven to name things we do not understand, if only to try to grasp
them.
[Q] Consider the creation account in Genesis 2. How did God choose a name for the first
man?
7
Addressing God
• What, if anything, does this name signify about the nature of the one named, and his
relationship to his creator?
Le a d e r ’s Note: The fo ot note in th e NIV f or G en esis 2:7 says: “ Th e
H e b rew for m an (ad am ) s ounds like an d m ay b e related to th e H ebrew
f o r g round (ad am ah); it is also th e n am e Adam ( see G en. 2:20) . ”
[Q] After creating him, what was the first task God gave Adam?
• Why do you think it was important for Adam to name all the living creatures instead
of God?
• How does naming a thing define its relationship to the one doing the naming?
[Q] If names reveal character and identity, how important is it that we learn and properly
use God’s names as he has revealed them to us?
• What is the danger of using our own titles and names for God instead of his own?
[Q] While naming the unnamed is part of how we create identity and understand the
world, what happens when you encounter someone who already has a name?
• How do the names we use for people reflect the nature of our relationship to them?
• What happens when you call someone a name that is inaccurate or derogatory, even
if it’s unintentional?
• What happens when you meet the supreme authority of all creation—would it be
satisfactory to invent a name for the one who named you?
Names go beyond validating existence; names also reveal the identity, character, and nature of
the one who bears the name. Moses understood this when God appointed him to return to
Egypt. Moses asked God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your
fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”
(Ex. 3:13).
God’s answer, for all its simplicity, is the bedrock for every name he has ever revealed to us:
“I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ …
Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God
of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, the name by
which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.” (Ex. 3:14–15)
[Q] In this first recorded instance of God revealing his name to man, what does God want
us to know about himself?
8
Addressing God
• What is the foundation of all of God’s revealed names?
Le a d e r ’s Note: The firs t t h in g G o d wan ts us to k now ab out h is n ame i s
t h a t he is w ho he s ays he is. H e is not who we say he is. H e is not what
a n y b o dy else says he is. H e alone has the right to identify himself. H e
a lo n e ha s t he right to na me h im self.
[Q] What are some things you can do to become more aware of the names God has revealed
to us?
[Q] What is your favorite mode of address for God?
• Why does this name resonate with you more than other names?
[Q] How do the names you use for God change the way you pray or change the content of
your prayers?
• Conversely, how does the content of your prayers affect the name you choose when
addressing God?
Optional Activity:
Using a whiteboard or large poster board, have your group call out as many of the names
and titles of God from the Bible that they can remember (or find). Afterward, play the song
“He Is,” by Aaron Jeoffrey, which highlights titles and ways that God has related to his people
from each book of the Bible. This could spark discussion about which names best fit with the
different parts of the song, which names people had forgotten about, which names had the
most emotional appeal, or which names people might want to try to remember to use more
often. Pay special attention to the end of the song.
Teaching Point Two: God wants us to call him Father.
Read Matthew 6:5–15 (the Lord’s Prayer).
God’s sovereignty and lordship require an attitude of subservience and even slavery. On the
other hand, calling God “Father” or even “Abba”—like calling him “Daddy”—highlights our
relationship to God as children to their father. Neither approach, of course, is wrong, but we
sometimes struggle over which approach is right for the moment.
Jesus’ disciples also needed some guidance about prayer. They needed to know how to pray, how
not to pray, and what to pray for. In Matthew 6, Jesus provides several guidelines for prayer—
fasting, benevolence, and attitude—and perhaps the most well known, the Lord’s Prayer.
9
Addressing God
[Q] When Jesus opened his prayer with “Our Father in heaven,” what was he signifying?
• Do you think Jesus’ and his disciples’ understanding of fatherhood is different from
the American view? If so, how?
[Q] When Jesus instructed us to pray, “hallowed be your name,” what attitude is he guiding
us toward?
• Why do you think Jesus thought it was important to follow “Father in heaven” with
“hallowed be your name”?
[Q] What does it mean for a name to be hallowed—or holy?
• What makes things that are holy different from things that are not, and how does
this affect how we handle them?
Le a d er ’s Note: In H ebrew, the phrase “hallowed b e your name” is
a c t ive ra t her t ha n pa s s ive : “m ay your nam e b e h allowed/ m ade hol y/
s a n c tified. ” In ot her words, “m ay I/ we brin g glor y to your nam e. ”
U s in g t he s a me ro ot word, th e H ebrew f or mar t yred is to die “f or th e
s a n c tifica t ion of t he na me. ”
[Q] When God revealed himself to Moses, he told him that one of his names was “The
LORD, the God of your fathers”—but in this prayer, Jesus reveals God’s name as “our
Father.” What do you think is different between the two Bible contexts, if anything?
[Q] Dads have an awesome, if not frightening, responsibility to their children, for the role
they play and the example they set molds how children see God as Father. How has your
view of your father influenced your view of God as Father?
• In what way has your relationship with your father helped or hindered the way you
approach God?
[Q] If you are a parent, how have the challenges and joys of parenthood changed the way
you view God as Father?
Optional Activity:
Pass out cardboard nametags and pencils and ask each participant to choose a new name
for themselves in the style of Dances with Wolves. Ask them to carefully pick a name that
truly describes them, and that they would be happy to be stuck with. (For example, the poet
in the group might like to be called “Paints with Words.”) People should then be given an
opportunity to explain why they picked this name for themselves. Then, have everybody
switch nametags with somebody else and wear their new nametags while the group breaks
for refreshments. During the break, everyone should make a special effort to call others by the
name on their new nametag.
10
Addressing God
Once you get back together, discuss how it felt to be addressed by a name that didn’t “fit.”
How would it feel to be stuck with the wrong name forever? Then discuss how using the
proper name for each individual not only honors that individual, but also honors the name.
Teaching Point Three: We should call on Jesus’ name.
Read Hebrews 2:18 and 4:16, and 1 John 2:1.
While there are many titles that can apply to God (Creator, Master, Lord, Almighty), other
religions can co-opt those same titles and apply them to their own concepts of deity. Muslims’
name for God, Allah, is derived from the Hebrew Eloah or the Aramaic Alah. But the similarities
between the Christian God and the Muslim God fall apart soon thereafter.
Christianity, unlike other religions, is based on a personal relationship with God, not merely a
set of moral doctrines and theological theories. Salvation comes through Jesus, and in no other
name (Acts 4:12).
This one name, higher and more personal than any other, points conclusively to one member of
the Godhead who cannot be mistaken for a mere concept, construct, or idea. This is the same
Jesus who walked among us and shared our temptations (Matthew 4:1; Hebrews 2:18); who
told his disciples, “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (John 14:14); and
who continues to intercede on our behalf today (Hebrews 2:18; 4:16; 1 John 2:1).
Jeannette Glasscock described her prayers, saying that while she usually prays to the Father, in
times of great need she instinctively calls out for Jesus’ help and intercession. She writes:
When I pray, I address God as Father, in Jesus’ Name.
But, when I’m in a hurry, I just call out for Jesus to help!
For example, while driving a car full of kids in a rainstorm one night we began sliding off
the road into a river and I shouted: “Jesus! Help!” And the car stopped right on the bank!
There is no way that car would have stopped by itself. It was sliding!
— Don and Jeannette Glasscock, via personal e-mail correspondence
(January 30, 2007)
[Q] How do you call out to God when you are in dire straits, and why do you make that
particular choice?
[Q] What difference, if any, does it make whether you pray to Jesus, to the Father, or to the
Holy Spirit?
11
Addressing God
• If it’s okay to pray to Jesus, why or why not also pray to the Holy Spirit?
Le a d er ’s Note: While the Bible neither records anyone praying dire c t l y
to t h e H ol y Spirit, nor commands us to, the H ol y Spirit is never thel e s s
G o d —just as J esus is G o d and the Father is G o d. Praying to G o d—a n y
m e m b er of the G o dhead—is p er fec tl y natural. S ince b elievers are
ca l l e d into fellow ship (relationship) with the Spirit (2 Corinthians
1 3 : 1 4), and the Spirit is already present when we pray, helping us
a n d interceding for us (Rom an s 8:26) , p rayin g to th e H ol y Sp irit
wo u l d cer tainl y not b e wrong. Yet the Scriptures don’t show J esus o r
t h e d is c iples praying to t he H ol y Sp irit, p robabl y b ecause on e of h i s
p r i m ar y ac tivities is to b ear witness of J esus, not to b ear witness o f
h i m self ( J ohn 1 5 :2 6 ).
[Q] What Biblical evidence can you find to support praying to Jesus?
Le a d er ’s Note: Cons ider t he f ollowing p assages. Note th at the Gree k
te r m Kyrios is t ra dit iona l l y considered to b e a title of J esus, an d is
u su a ll y t ra ns la ted “Lord, ” as sh own b elow :
• “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” (John 14:14)
•“With all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord
and ours ...” (1 Corinthians 1:2)
• “Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:19)
• “Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having
such a thought in your heart.” (Acts 8:22)
• “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me
faithful, appointing me to his service.” (1 Timothy 1:12)
• “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are
being tempted.” (Hebrews 2:18)
• “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin,
we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.”
(1 John 2:1)
• “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us
from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
• “Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25)
• “Come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20)
• “Come, O Lord!” (1 Corinthians 16:22)
12
Addressing God
Optional Activity: Last Words
As a group, close with a hymn or worship song directed to Jesus. You don’t have to sing it; you
could hand out printed copies of the song and read it in unison as a closing prayer.
Part 3
Apply Your Findings
Prayer is ultimately about communicating with God, your creator and heavenly Father who
named you before you were born. For too many people, prayer has become routine and formal,
perhaps even dry and emotionally flat. We seek to go beyond mere routine, the kind of prayer
that talks at God, and instead seek to talk with God.
God wants us to have a vital, dynamic relationship with him, but his infinite character and
nature cannot be captured with one name and one way of relating. He is what he is. And he is
at once both Master and Servant, God the Father and Jesus the Son, Liberator and Judge, Alpha
and Omega, the Beginning and the End.
In all of his ways and by all of his names, let us truly get to know the great “I Am.”
Action Point: Jesus stressed that we are to have a childlike attitude in our
faith. Try going deeper with God your heavenly Father by addressing him
as Daddy, Papa, or Abba for the next week or two. Jesus did it, and Paul
encouraged it (Mark 14:36; Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6). See how this change
of address influences your relationship with God and the way you pray.
— Study prepared by Rich Tatum, freelance writer, preacher, and blogger
at http://tatumweb.com/blog/
Recommended Resources
¿ Check out the following Bible studies at: ChristianBibleStudies.com
¿ Knowing God Through His Names
8 Aaron Jeoffrey, by Aaron and Jeoffrey Benward (Starsong/Emd, 1995; ASIN
B000005KUK)
13
Addressing God
¨ All the Divine Names and Titles in the Bible, by Dr. Herbert Lockyer (Zondervan,
1988; ISBN 0310280419)
¨ Every Name Of God In The Bible, by Larry Richards (Nelson Reference; Illustrated
edition, 2001; ISBN 0785207023)
¨ God’s Name, God’s Nature, by Jill Briscoe (Chariot Victor Publishing, 1988; ISBN
0896935841)
¨ Knowing God by Name: Names of God That Bring Hope and Healing, by David R.
Wilkerson (Chosen, 2003; ISBN 0800793420)
¨ Lord, I Want to Know You: A Devotional Study on the Names of God, by Kay Arthur
(WaterBrook Press, 2000; ISBN 1578564395)
¨ Names of God, by Nathan Stone (Moody Publishers; New Ed edition: 1944; ISBN
0802458548)
¨ The Names of God, by Ken Hemphill (B&H Publishing Group, 2001; ISBN
0805424369)
¨ The Names of God, by Andrew Juke (Kregel Classics, 1967; ISBN 0825429587)
¨ Praying the Names of God: A Daily Guide, by Ann Spangler (Zondervan, 2004;
ISBN 0310253535)
¿ The Names of God, by Lambert Dolphin (Accessed: 01/25/2007,
www.ldolphin.org/Names.html)
14
Addressing God
P a r t i c i p a n t ’s G u i d e
Addressing
God
maker of heaven and
earth, of all that is, seen
and unseen. (Nicene
Creed)
Father almighty, creator
of heaven and earth.
(Apostles’ Creed)
What we call God reflects who we believe him to be.
A thing’s name defines it, clarifies how we think of it,
and helps us talk about it. But a name can be much
more than mere definition: it can reveal identity,
character, and relationship. To many, God is just
another concept with a label: Deity, Creator, Judge.
But to the believer, he is the single most important
person one can know. And we want to know—we need
to know—what his name is.
How has God introduced himself to us, and what does this reveal about
his identity? What do God’s names reveal about his character and the way
he acts throughout history? And how does our use of God’s names help us
relate to him?
This study assumes God is more than a concept or a construct, and seeks to
answer the question: How should we address God?
Scr ipt ure: G en esis 2 ; E xo du s 3; M atthew 6 : 5 – 15 ;
H eb rews 2: 18; 4: 16 ; 1 J o hn 2: 1
15
Addressing God
Part 1
Identify the Issue
Even though God has revealed himself and told us who he is, sometimes we still get his name
wrong. Forgetting that the names we use reveal the nature of a relationship, we often think of
God solely in terms of his titles and “job descriptions.” Katie Wiebe recalls what J. B. Philips
had to say about reducing God to labels:
In the classic Your God is Too Small, J. B. Phillips says we tend to give God many names
which aren’t actually his names: managing director, puppeteer, magician, resident
policeman, fun-hater, pie-in-the-sky, and others.
Today we have added “health and wealth bringer” and others.
Part 2
— Katie Wiebe in the Christian Leader (Dec. 6, 1989); Christianity Today, Vol. 34, no. 9
Teaching Point One: Names are crucial for true intimacy.
Teaching Point Two: God wants us to call him Father.
Teaching Point Three: We should call on Jesus’ name.
Part 3
Apply Your Findings
Action Point: Jesus stressed that we are to have a childlike attitude in our
faith. Try going deeper with God your heavenly Father by addressing him
as Daddy, Papa, or Abba for the next week or two. Jesus did it, and Paul
encouraged it (Mark 14:36; Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6). See how this change
of address influences your relationship with God and the way you pray.
— Study prepared by Rich Tatum, freelance writer, preacher, and blogger
at http://tatumweb.com/blog/
16
Addressing God
¿ Knowing God Through His Names
8 Aaron Jeoffrey, by Aaron and Jeoffrey Benward (Starsong/Emd, 1995; ASIN
B000005KUK)
¨ All the Divine Names and Titles in the Bible, by Dr. Herbert Lockyer (Zondervan,
1988; ISBN 0310280419)
¨ Every Name Of God In The Bible, by Larry Richards (Nelson Reference; Illustrated
edition, 2001; ISBN 0785207023)
¨ God’s Name, God’s Nature, by Jill Briscoe (Chariot Victor Publishing, 1988; ISBN
0896935841)
¨ Knowing God by Name: Names of God That Bring Hope and Healing, by David R.
Wilkerson (Chosen, 2003; ISBN 0800793420)
¨ Lord, I Want to Know You: A Devotional Study on the Names of God, by Kay Arthur
(WaterBrook Press, 2000; ISBN 1578564395)
¨ Names of God, by Nathan Stone (Moody Publishers; New Ed edition: 1944; ISBN
0802458548)
¨ The Names of God, by Ken Hemphill (B&H Publishing Group, 2001; ISBN
0805424369)
¨ The Names of God, by Andrew Juke (Kregel Classics, 1967; ISBN 0825429587)
¨ Praying the Names of God: A Daily Guide, by Ann Spangler (Zondervan, 2004;
ISBN 0310253535)
¿ The Names of God, by Lambert Dolphin (Accessed: 01/25/2007,
www.ldolphin.org/Names.html)
17
Jesus Christ’s Birth
Jesus Christ’s
Birth
He came down from
heaven: by the power
of the Holy Spirit he
became incarnate from
the Virgin Mary, and
was made man.
(Nicene Creed)
I believe in Jesus Christ,
God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by
the Holy Spirit, born of
the Virgin Mary.
(Apostles’ Creed)
Jesus’ birth is the best thing that could happen to you—or the worst.
The day after Christmas can be disappointing.
Maybe some part of the holiday didn’t meet our
expectations. Maybe we just don’t want it to be
over. Maybe the new year frightens us. Perhaps
Mary and Joseph felt similarly after Jesus’ birth. In
the following days they had to face the bad news
with the good.
Scr ipt ure: Luk e 1: 2 6 – 38 ; 2: 22 – 38 ; Is aiah 5 2: 9
B ased o n : Th e ser m o n s er ies “ The B ad News Ab o u t J es u s. . . , ”
by M ar k M itch ell, Preac hing To day. co m
18
Part 1
Identify the Issue
We don’t always think a lot about what happened during the days after that wondrous night in
the stable. The gospel writer, Luke, tells us that Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in the temple,
where they were met by the prophets Simeon and Anna.
In the 14th century, an Italian artist named Ambrogio Lorenzetti painted this scene. Simeon and
Anna are at the altar. Mary and Joseph look on in amazed silence. The prophetess Anna has her
eyes fixed on the child. The bearded Simeon, with a solemn look on his face, stares down at the
baby in his arms. Yet the baby Jesus at the center of the picture surprises everyone. They all gaze
awestruck at him because he’s sucking his thumb! The family may marvel, the aged Simeon and
Anna may prophesy, but this little child—this thumb-sucking baby Jesus—is not exactly what
was expected.
Luke doesn’t really tell us that Jesus was sucking his thumb. But there are some surprising things
about this scene. This study will look at some of these surprises.
[Q] What are some misconceptions you might have (or have had) about Jesus’ birth?
[Q] How have artwork and media affected the way you look at Christ’s birth? How have
they helped you? How have they given you false impressions?
[Q] Is there anything about Jesus’ birth that surprises you?
Part 2
Teaching Point One: Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born
to the Virgin Mary.
Read Luke 1:26–38.
Jesus’ beginnings were miraculous and set the stage for the amazing life, death, and resurrection
he would experience.
[Q] What do you find most remarkable about this account?
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Teaching Point Two: Simeon revealed that Jesus would fulfill the
prophecies.
Read Luke 2:25–32.
Luke took pains to describe Simeon. He was an ideal Jew. He embodied everything God
intended for his people. He was righteous and devout. He operated with integrity toward
God and others. He had also been waiting for the consolation of Israel, which is another way
of saying he was waiting for the Messiah. This Messiah would bring consolation—comfort to
people who were anxious and oppressed. The Holy Spirit, who is also called “the Comforter,”
was upon Simeon, and had revealed to him that he would actually see the Messiah before he
died.
Have you ever waited anxiously for a letter that would bring some kind of important news?
You knew it would come, but until you held it in your hand, you could not rest. You checked
your mailbox daily. We can imagine Simeon entering the temple each day, wondering if this
would be the day—in a sense, waiting for the letter God had promised. And one day he sensed
the Spirit leading him into the temple, when Mary and Joseph entered with their baby. He
took the child in his arms, thanked God, and began to pray. He could now die a contented
man—the letter had come; the comfort had arrived; his dreams were fulfilled. 1
[Q] Mary and Joseph discover who Jesus is in bits and pieces. What must have been their
understanding at this point?
[Q] What new thing did Simeon reveal to them (v. 32)? Why would this be significant?
Le a d er ’s Note: Even t hough th e angel G abriel had told the shep herds,
“I b r ing you go o d new s of great joy, which shall b e for all the
p e o p le, ” it wa s a s s umed h e m eant the p eop le of Israel. B ut h ere it i s
c l e a r : Is ra el ’s glor y is t hat the M essiah com es through them , but hi s
co m i ng is not just for them—it ’s for G entiles as well. In these days o f
e q u a l opp or t unit y, t ha t may n ot m ean a wh ole lot to us, but you can
b e s ure it was a sho ck to M ar y and J oseph. Even though they might
n o t ha ve understo o d it al l, they could understand enough to see th a t
t h e ir s on would b e more than just a n ational h ero. His im p ac t woul d
b e worldw ide.
[Q] In what way was Jesus the fulfillment of everything the Old Testament prophets had
hoped for?
Ron DiCianni captures the joy Simeon must have felt upon holding the baby Jesus in his painting Simeon’s Moment.
Superimposed on the background is an artistic map of the world, showing that Jesus would impact the whole world.
1
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Teaching Point Three: Simeon revealed that the good news will be bad
news for some, but Anna revealed that the bad news is good news
after all.
Imagine the pride Mary and Joseph felt at Simeon’s prophecy. But then Simeon spoke again, and
they must have wondered if they heard him right. Read Luke 2:34–35.
For the first time in Luke’s gospel, a dark thread is woven into the bright tapestry. Mary and
Joseph’s faces must have fallen upon hearing these words. Their first thoughts might have been:
But wait a minute, we’re doing everything right. We’re doing everything by the book. How can this be?
Where have we gone wrong?
Who wants to have their son described like this? He’ll cause “the falling and rising of many
in Israel.” No one will stay the same. Those who stand up and reject him will fall; those who
humbly receive him will rise up. By their reaction to him, Jesus will split the nation in two.
Some will see him as “a sign [to] be spoken against.” He won’t be winning “Most Popular” at the
middle school in Nazareth.
But why would he garner such opposition? Simeon said that the thoughts of many hearts will be
exposed. People don’t like to be exposed. People who prefer to stay in hiding resent exposure. No
wonder they would oppose him.
There will even be a cost to Mary. A sword will pierce her soul. Maybe that means that she will
endure what every parent fears most—she’ll bury her son. Or maybe it means that Mary herself
would have to make up her own mind about him, that her own heart would be exposed and
divided.
Simeon’s words are mysterious. You don’t have to have a Ph.D. in literature to figure out that
there is something ominous going on here. But we shouldn’t be surprised. When you turn on a
light, it creates shadows. To be a savior assumes that people need saving. Some people embrace
that; others resent it. Some people rise; others fall.
But the story doesn’t end there. There are some people for whom the bad news is good news
after all. Read verses 36–38.
Like Miriam and Deborah in the Old Testament, Anna is a prophet. She is from the tribe of
Asher—one of the ten lost tribes. She’s 84 years old, and most of that time she’s been a widow.
When it says she never left the temple, it may mean that she lived in one of the rooms of the
many buildings on the temple hill. Anna is the kind of woman who is devoted to the Lord,
serving him with fasting and prayers.
21
We don’t know how much of what Simeon had to say she had been able to hear, but at any
rate she gives thanks to God and starts spreading the news to those who were looking for the
redemption of Jerusalem. Perhaps Anna had lived long enough to know that what is bad news
for some is good news for others.
[Q] Why is Jesus Christ good news for some but bad news for others? How do our decisions
determine whether he is good or bad news to us?
[Q] How does Jesus expose your heart?
• What makes that either good or bad?
[Q] Give an example of a time when you’ve observed Jesus be a dividing line for someone.
[Q] Why would Simeon and Anna have been happy, in spite of knowing that Jesus would
be such a controversial person?
[Q] How does knowing this about Jesus give us perspective on others’ reactions to him?
Optional Activity:
Purpose: To help us let Jesus expose our hearts.
Activity: Ask the group to quietly listen to a recording of a hymn, chorus, or worship song that
expresses why Jesus came to Earth. This could be a Christmas song or another song that makes this
clear. Ask them to think about the words, and to ask Jesus to expose what is really going on in their
hearts.
Teaching Point Four: The coming of Jesus can be good or bad news
for us.
What makes the difference? Why is the coming of Jesus good news for some and bad news for
others? The answer lies in Simeon and Anna. We’ve seen how Luke takes pains to paint a vivid
picture of these two. And the thought that jumps off the page in verses 25 and 38 is that both
were looking and hoping for God to do something. Verse 25 says Simeon was “waiting for the
consolation of Israel.” Verse 38 says Anna spoke of the child “to all who were looking forward to
the redemption of Jerusalem,” which no doubt she was doing also.
Simeon and Anna saw the coming of Christ as good news rather than bad because they
were looking, longing, and waiting for God to break into history and bring consolation and
redemption. In the back of Luke’s mind might have been an ancient prophecy from the prophet
Isaiah. Read Isaiah 52:9.
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In the coming of Christ, this prophecy was fulfilled. The Lord has consoled his people—that’s
what Simeon was looking for; and the Lord has redeemed Jerusalem—that’s what Anna was
looking for. Consolation speaks to our longings for healing and restoration from all of the past
losses and miseries of life. Redemption delivers us from powers that hold us in bondage. It could
be the power of sin. It could be the power of death. It could be the power of Satan.
A pastor met a young boy in front of his church; he was carrying a rusty cage in which several
birds fluttered nervously. The pastor asked, “Son, where did you get those birds?” The boy said,
“I trapped them out in the fields.” The pastor asked, “What are you going to do with them?”
The boy said, “I’m going to play with them, and then I guess I’ll just feed them to an old cat we
have at home.”
Then the pastor offered to buy them, and the boy tried to talk him out of it because they were
good for nothing. The pastor said, “I’ll give you ten dollars for the cage and the birds.” The
boy felt bad for the pastor, but agreed. He walked off with his cash, and the pastor walked to
the back of the church, opened the cage, and let the birds go. What a good illustration of how
Christ redeemed those destined for destruction, not with a few dollars, but with his own life.
[Q] Simeon and Anna looked, longed for, and waited for God. How can we do that?
[Q] How has Christ brought consolation and redemption to you? Give practical examples.
Part 3
Apply Your Findings
If you are satisfied with life as it is, if you have no longing in your heart for consolation or
redemption, this good news of Christ will ultimately be bad news. He’ll be a stumbling block
over which you will fall; he’ll be a sign you will oppose; he’ll expose your heart, and you will
refuse to stay in the light.
But perhaps God has been graciously and tenderly frustrating you with a life that is not
centered on Christ. Maybe he’s been filling you with longings and desires that cannot find their
fulfillment in cars or houses or careers or relationships or anything else this world has to offer.
Maybe he’s been exposing your own heart, and you see there a need for someone beyond yourself
to comfort and redeem you.
To give new plants the best chance to survive, we have to be a little ruthless with them. When
we take them out of their plastic container, we inspect the soil ball. If the plant has been growing
in its pot so long that the roots are circling the bottom, we must untangle the roots. If the whole
pot is filled with circling roots, we have to be merciless. It’s better to break the roots than to
allow the roots to become bound and worthless.
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Maybe you feel like you have been roughed up a bit. That could be God’s severe mercy, because
through that experience you may come to long for comfort and redemption. If this is true of
you, then the coming of Christ is good news. The good news is that Christ has come and will
come again, and only he can bring you consolation and redemption.
Action Point: Provide a time of silent meditation. Each person should ask
themselves how he or she should respond to Jesus Christ: Do you need to
trust him? Let him draw his light into your darkness? Let him “untangle your
roots”? Be honest before God and ask him to begin to do a new work in you.
—Study by Mark Mitchell, with JoHannah Reardon
¿ The Nativity Use this discussion guide to follow this cinematic journey into the
heart of history’s greatest story.
¿ The People of the Nativity This five-session course looks at those in the
genealogy of Jesus, as well as the more familiar characters of Joseph, Mary, the
shepherds, and the angels. Through these people we will learn about the human
condition and God’s character. We’ll also learn how doubts can turn to faith, the
importance of humility and obedience, and how to gain an eternal perspective.
¿ Advent: A Savior for All People Use this four-session course to learn from
Zechariah and Elizabeth how to prepare our hearts to receive all that God has
for us. Mary teaches us about the true meaning of Christmas. We learn how to
prioritize our Christmas from the shepherds. And Simeon and Anna teach us
how to respond to the best gift of all time.
24
Jesus Christ’s
Birth
He came down from
heaven: by the power
of the Holy Spirit he
became incarnate from
the Virgin Mary, and
was made man.
(Nicene Creed)
the Holy Spirit, born of
the Virgin Mary.
(Apostles’ Creed)
Jesus’ birth is the best thing that could happen to you—or the worst.
The day after Christmas can be disappointing.
Maybe some part of the holiday didn’t meet our
expectations. Maybe we just don’t want it to be
over. Maybe the new year frightens us. Perhaps
Mary and Joseph felt similarly after Jesus’ birth. In
the following days they had to face the bad news
with the good.
Scr ipt ure: Luk e 1: 2 6 – 38 ; 2: 22 – 38 ; Is aiah 5 2: 9
B ased o n : Th e ser m o n s er ies “ The B ad News Ab o u t J es u s. . . , ”
by M ar k M itch ell, Preac hing To day. co m
25
Part 1
Identify the Issue
We don’t always think a lot about what happened during the days after that wondrous night in
the stable. The gospel writer, Luke, tells us that Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in the temple,
where they were met by the prophets Simeon and Anna. There are some surprising things about
this scene. This study will look at some of these surprises.
Part 2
Teaching Point One: Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born
to the Virgin Mary.
Teaching Point Two: Simeon revealed that Jesus would fulfill the
prophecies.
Teaching Point Three: Simeon revealed that the good news will be
bad news for some, but Anna revealed that the bad news is good
news after all.
Teaching Point Four: The coming of Jesus can be good or bad news
for us.
Part 3
Apply Your Findings
Maybe you feel like you have been roughed up a bit. That could be God’s severe mercy, because
through that experience you may come to long for comfort and redemption. If this is true of
you, then the coming of Christ is good news. The good news is that Christ has come and will
come again, and only he can bring you consolation and redemption.
Action Point: Provide a time of silent meditation. Each person should ask
themselves how he or she should respond to Jesus Christ: Do you need to
trust him? Let him draw his light into your darkness? Let him “untangle your
roots”? Be honest before God and ask him to begin to do a new work in you.
—Study by Mark Mitchell, with JoHannah Reardon
26
¿ The Nativity Use this discussion guide to follow this cinematic journey into the
heart of history’s greatest story.
¿ The People of the Nativity This five-session course looks at those in the
genealogy of Jesus, as well as the more familiar characters of Joseph, Mary, the
shepherds, and the angels. Through these people we will learn about the human
condition and God’s character. We’ll also learn how doubts can turn to faith, the
importance of humility and obedience, and how to gain an eternal perspective.
¿ Advent: A Savior for All People Use this four-session course to learn from
Zechariah and Elizabeth how to prepare our hearts to receive all that God has
for us. Mary teaches us about the true meaning of Christmas. We learn how to
prioritize our Christmas from the shepherds. And Simeon and Anna teach us
how to respond to the best gift of all time.
27
The Crucifixion
The Crucifixion
For our sake he was
crucified under Pontius
Pilate; he suffered death
and was buried.
(Nicene Creed)
who … suffered under
Pontius Pilate, was
crucified, died, and was
buried. (Apostles’ Creed)
Through the rejection of the Cross, Jesus is exalted as king.
The Cross is central to our faith. What happened
on Good Friday defines Jesus’ life and ministry.
This study seeks to emphasize the value of the
Cross to us by pointing out the new life it provides.
Scr ipt ure: M at t h ew 2 7: 27 – 54
B ased o n : Th e ser m o n “ The Ag o ny o f V ic to r y, ”
by Lee Eclov, Preac hing To day. co m
28
The Crucifixion
Part 1
Identify the Issue
Some years ago, a 14-foot bronze crucifix was stolen from Calvary Cemetery in Little Rock,
Arkansas. It had stood at the entrance to that cemetery for more than 50 years. The cross was
put there in 1930 by a Catholic bishop, and had been valued at the time at $10,000. The thieves
apparently cut it off at its base and hauled it off in a pick-up. Police speculate that they cut it
into small pieces and sold it for scrap.
They figured that the 900-pound cross probably brought about $450. The thieves obviously
didn’t realize the value of that cross.
That is the problem, of course—understanding the value of the cross. As Matthew relates the
story of Jesus’ crucifixion, the theme that runs through all the details is rejection. Not only didn’t
people see the value of Jesus, they also didn’t understand the value of his death. May we not be
so blind!
[Q] What do you see as the purpose of the Crucifixion?
[Q] What difference has it made in your life? Why?
Part 2
Teaching Point One: Jesus was utterly rejected as the Messiah-King.
Read Matthew 27:27–54.
As we come to this text, Jesus has already felt the heavy blows of rejection—Judas’s betrayal,
Peter’s denial, the disciples’ abandonment, the courts that found him guilty of blasphemy, and
the cries of the crowd for his crucifixion. Now the descent continues.
The Roman soldiers dramatized mankind’s rejection of Jesus as king (vv. 27–31). They played a
sadistic game with Jesus, outfitting him like a king but with a cast-off robe, a crown of thorns,
a reed scepter, and a mocking tribute: “Hail, king of the Jews.” It would have been horrible
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The Crucifixion
for anyone, but this is Jesus, whose rightful throne is encircled by “a rainbow, resembling an
emerald”; whose rightful attendants are 24 elders also seated on thrones, thousands upon
thousands of angels, and beings too extraordinary for human description; whose rightful
worship resounds with “Holy, Holy, Holy” and “You are worthy … to receive glory and honor
and power.” This is the one whom those guards parodied and whom this world rejected.
Everything that surrounded the crucifixion shouts rejection (vv. 32–38), a tightly packed
summary according to the Old Testament script:
• He was taken outside the holy city—rejected by his people, like the sin offerings in
Deuteronomy.
• He was offered wine mixed with gall, which tasted like bile. Some think this was a
merciful narcotic, but more likely it was another mocking rejection, as predicted in
Psalm 69:21: “They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst.”
• He was crucified on a man-made tree, the signal of God’s curse (Deuteronomy 21:23:
“Anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse”).
• His clothes were confiscated, leaving him nothing, fulfilling the prediction of Psalm
22:18, a psalm of the Messiah’s rejection: “They divide my garments among them and
cast lots for my clothing.”
• They ironically placed over his head the charge, “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.”
• And they crucified him between two terrorists or robbers, as predicted in Isaiah 53:12:
“[He] was numbered with the transgressors.”
Rejection was written on every single act that surrounded Jesus’ death, yet apparently no one saw
that this was the Suffering Servant of Israel prophesied by Isaiah.
Added to these deeds of rejection was the crowd’s ridicule in verses 39–44. In essence, these
taunts said:
• You can’t build a new temple; why, you can’t even save yourself.
• You aren’t the King of Israel; why, you can’t even come off this Roman cross.
• You aren’t the Son of God, because God won’t save you. God doesn’t want you!
To think such things were said to the one who is one with the Father—to the one who is the Son
of God.
Then came the hammer blow: Jesus was forsaken by God the Father (vv. 45–49). The darkness
from noon till three signaled that God’s own court was in session. Dark drapes were pulled
around the proceedings. It was both too holy and too terrible for our eyes. The darkness was
30
The Crucifixion
a familiar portent of God’s judgment. Listen to the ominous prediction of Amos 8:9–10: “‘In
that day,’ declares the Sovereign LORD, ‘I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the
earth in broad daylight. I will turn your religious feasts into mourning and all your singing into
weeping. I will make all of you wear sackcloth and shave your heads. I will make that time like
mourning for an only son and the end of it like a bitter day.’”
William Hendriksen wrote:
The darkness meant judgment, the judgment of God upon our sins, his wrath as it were
burning itself out in the very heart of Jesus, so that he, as our Substitute, suffered most
intense agony, indescribable woe, terrible isolation or forsakenness. Hell came to Calvary
that day, and the Savior descended into it and bore its horrors in our stead.
We call it the cry of desolation—“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”—and it
climaxes the abandonment of Jesus. C. S. Lewis wrote, “To God, God’s last words are ‘Why hast
thou forsaken me?’” God the Father forsook God the Son because the Judge would not look
upon the sin-bearer. Jesus in those moments was no longer spotless; he was thoroughly stained
with our sin. He was no longer faultless; he was guilty through and through with our sin. God
could not help him; God could not even face him.
When all this rejection came to the crushing climax of the Father’s own rejection—when Jesus
had suffered from sin and for sin—when it was all accomplished, verse 50 says, “He gave up his
spirit.”
D. A. Carson writes, “It was at this moment, when he was experiencing the abyss of his
alienation from the Father and was being cruelly mocked by those he came to serve, that he
chose to yield up his life a ‘ransom for many.’”
Jesus endured all this rejection for sinners. He died from sin and for sin. Gale Webbe wrote,
“The only ultimate way to conquer evil is to let it be smothered within a willing, living, human
being. When it is absorbed there, like blood in a sponge or a spear thrown into one’s heart, it
loses its power and goes no further.”
The charge of the mockers hangs in the air: “He saved others,” they said, “But he can’t save
himself.”
Robert Coleman put it well: “Of course, he could not save himself. He had not come to save
himself. He had come to save the world.”
There is a picture of this in Mark Twain’s story A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.
Mark Twain tells the adventures of a very ordinary man from the 19th century, who is
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The Crucifixion
transported back to the medieval world of King Arthur. At one point he convinces King Arthur
to dress like a peasant and take a journey through his kingdom. The results are generally
laughable as the king, completely oblivious to life in the trenches, tries to carry on with all the
pomp of the court while those around him simply think he is crazy. But there is a wonderful
paragraph describing a moment when this king in disguise reveals the true royalty of his heart.
He and his companion come upon a beggar’s home, and find it silent as death because smallpox
is claiming the beggar’s daughter. The king disappears up a ladder looking for the girl.
There was a slight noise from the direction of the dim corner where the ladder was. It was
the king descending. I could see that he was bearing something in one arm, and assisting
himself with the other. He came forward into the light; upon his breast lay a slender girl of
fifteen. She was but half conscious; she was dying of smallpox.
Here was heroism at its last and loftiest possibility, its utmost summit; this was challenging
death in the open field unarmed, with all the odds against the challenger, nor reward set
upon the contest, and no admiring world in silks and cloth-of-gold to gaze and applaud;
and yet the king’s bearing was as serenely brave as it had always been in those cheaper
contests where knight meets knight in equal fight and clothed in protecting steel. He was
great now; sublimely great. The rude statues of his ancestors in his palace should have
an addition—I would see to that; and it would not be a mailed king killing a giant or a
dragon, like the rest. It would be a king in commoner’s garb bearing death in his arms.
There is Jesus on the cross!
[Q] Imagine that you were one of Jesus’ followers that day. Why do you think they failed to
see him as the suffering servant prophesied in Isaiah 53?
[Q] In what way is an act of sacrifice more powerful than an act of force?
[Q] Why was Jesus so willing to give up his life when everyone, including God the Father,
had forsaken him?
[Q] How can you show your gratitude toward him for this gift to you?
Optional Activity:
Purpose: To connect Old Testament prophecies with the events of the cross.
Activity: On a poster board or whiteboard, write the following Scripture references and have
someone in the group read them: Psalm 69:21; Deuteronomy 21:23; Psalm 22:18; Isaiah 53:9; Amos
8:9; Psalm 22:1. When finished, find the corresponding verses in the Matthew 27 passage and write
them down next to each of these Old Testament prophecies.
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The Crucifixion
Teaching Point Two: When Jesus died, rejected as king, he inaugurated a
new kingdom of life.
In verses 51–54, Matthew records some amazing events. Each was a sign of the life that Jesus
had secured.
In verse 51, the torn veil in the temple signaled that forever after, forgiven sinners could go
boldly to God without fear. The temple would continue to be in use for nearly another 40 years,
but in that moment it was essentially obsolete. All it represented had been torn down, just as
Jesus had promised. No more sacrifices were needed. The priests all became unnecessary; they
were just going through the motions. The great festivals were fulfilled.
By being rejected as Messiah-King, Jesus opened the way to God and closed the door forever on
the old ways. Did you pray this week? You were heard because the veil was torn when Jesus died.
Did you find forgiveness for your sins? You were forgiven because the veil is torn. Did you enjoy
the Lord’s company, his grace and truth? It was so because the veil is torn. Did you think of your
heavenly home? It will be yours because the veil is torn!
Look again at verses 51–53. Isn’t that a strange story! The best scholars think our English
translation needs to be repunctuated here, to indicate that while there was an earthquake when
Jesus died, the bodies of the holy people were not resurrected until after Jesus’ own resurrection.
But the amazing point here is this rash of resurrections!
Here is the thing: the seemingly powerless Savior was mighty enough in his death to break
open the dungeons of the dead. Look closely at these strange holy people. Just like us, they had
trusted God for this moment, never imagining quite how extraordinary it would be. This hints
at our own future—saints walking out of death, into the Holy City, testimonies of the power of
Christ’s life to all we meet in that eternal home.
Look again at verse 54. This centurion and soldiers are the same “governor’s soldiers” who
abused Jesus, who mocked him as king and crucified him as a criminal.
Goethe said, “There the cross stands, thickly wreathed in roses. Who put the roses on the cross?”
That cross is the cross of life!
[Q] What most strikes you about this passage?
[Q] What do you think was the significance of all those resurrections?
[Q] Why was the testimony of the centurion and soldiers so powerful?
33
The Crucifixion
[Q] Although the cross was an instrument of death, what made it into an instrument of life
to us?
[Q] Recount the reasons that the torn veil was so significant.
Le a d er ’s Note: S inners could go b oldl y to G o d with out f ear. No m ore
s a c r i fices were needed. The priests b ecame unnecessar y. The great
fe st iva ls were fulfilled.
• How might this change your appreciation for approaching God now and in the future?
Part 3
Apply Your Findings
The blasphemed Son of God is vindicated by the praise of the very sinners who killed him.
This first expression of budding faith is not made at the empty tomb, but at the feet of the dead
Savior, as the darkness of judgment fled away and the earth convulsed beneath their feet. There
were, perhaps, two converts on that afternoon—the one crucified terrorist and the crucifying
centurion. And they were the first of an innumerable host of unlikely descendants born to Jesus
in fulfillment of Isaiah 53:10: “Though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his
offspring and prolong his days.”
Max Lucado writes, “Had the centurion not said it, the rocks would have—as would have
the angels, the stars, even the demons. But he did say it. It fell to a nameless foreigner to state
what they all knew. ‘Surely this man was the Son of God.’” So let us together echo that great
triumphant affirmation from the foot of the cross: Surely he was the Son of God!
Action Point: How do you need to respond to Jesus’ death on the cross
for you? Do you need to accept his forgiveness and proclaim him Lord of
your life? Do you need to commit your life to his service as a result of his
sacrifice for you? If you have previously made that commitment, evaluate
the current direction of your life. Does it reflect gratitude for Jesus’ sacrifice
and discipleship in his ways? Take some moments for quiet reflection.
If comfortable, ask the group to pray for you in the area you know he is
nudging you.
—Study by Lee Eclov, with JoHannah Reardon
34
The Crucifixion
¿ The Passion of the Christ Use this movie discussion guide to think about this
wrenching portrayal of the brutality of Christ’s crucifixion.
¿ Matthew: The Passion Week This study investigates the deity, majesty, and
royalty of Jesus. We will see that he is more than a man or a good teacher, that
he is able to conquer death, and that he is truly the King of Kings and Lord of
Lords.
¿ Easter Week: Sacrifice & Salvation Holy Week changed the world, with
the Cross as the turning point for all humankind. But it is also six days of
amazing contrasts—from the joyful celebration of the Triumphal Entry to the
Passion only days later. In between are days of both high drama—as in the
confrontations in the temple—and high pathos—as in the Upper Room and
Gethsemane. For people who have never thought about how these episodes fit
together, this series seeks to bring all these conflicting events and emotions into a
unified whole.
¿ Triumph Over Evil: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe An enchanted
wardrobe opens a porthole into Narnia. Four children, who are part of the
fulfillment of prophecy, enter through it. They find Narnia in endless winter,
and Aslan’s magical creatures under the White Witch’s evil control. C. S. Lewis
illuminates the crucifixion of Christ in this dramatic, moving, and breathtaking
story of salvation.
35
The Crucifixion
The Crucifixion
For our sake he was
crucified under Pontius
Pilate; he suffered death
and was buried.
(Nicene Creed)
who … suffered under
Pontius Pilate, was
crucified, died, and was
buried. (Apostles’ Creed)
Through the rejection of the Cross, Jesus is exalted as king.
The Cross is central to our faith. What happened
on Good Friday defines Jesus’ life and ministry.
This study seeks to emphasize the value of the
Cross to us by pointing out the new life it provides.
Scr ipt ure: M at t h ew 2 7: 27 – 54
B ased o n : Th e ser m o n “ The Ag o ny o f V ic to r y, ”
by Lee Eclov, Preac hing To day. co m
36
The Crucifixion
Part 1
Identify the Issue
We have a problem understanding the value of the cross. As Matthew relates the story of Jesus’
crucifixion, the theme that runs through all the details is rejection. Not only didn’t people see
the value of Jesus, they also didn’t understand the value of his death. May we not be so blind!
Part 2
Teaching Point One: Jesus was utterly rejected as the Messiah-King.
Teaching Point Two: When Jesus died, rejected as king, he inaugurated a
new kingdom of life.
Part 3
Apply Your Findings
Max Lucado writes, “Had the centurion not said it, the rocks would have—as would have
the angels, the stars, even the demons. But he did say it. It fell to a nameless foreigner to state
what they all knew. ‘Surely this man was the Son of God.’” So let us together echo that great
triumphant affirmation from the foot of the cross: Surely he was the Son of God!
Action Point: How do you need to respond to Jesus’ death on the cross
for you? Do you need to accept his forgiveness and proclaim him Lord of
your life? Do you need to commit your life to his service as a result of his
sacrifice for you? If you have previously made that commitment, evaluate
the current direction of your life. Does it reflect gratitude for Jesus’ sacrifice
and discipleship in his ways? Take some moments for quiet reflection.
If comfortable, ask the group to pray for you in the area you know he is
nudging you.
—Study by Lee Eclov, with JoHannah Reardon
37
The Crucifixion
¿ The Passion of the Christ Use this movie discussion guide to think about this
wrenching portrayal of the brutality of Christ’s crucifixion.
Lords.
unified whole.
story of salvation.
38
The Resurrection
The Resurrection
On the third day he rose
again in accordance
with the Scriptures.
(Nicene Creed)
again. (Apostles’ Creed)
The evidence is overwhelming that Jesus rose from the dead.
What does Jesus’ resurrection mean? It means
that Jesus is who he claimed to be, that he has the
power he claimed to have, and that we have hope
for this life and the life to come. This study will look
at the evidence that Jesus is truly alive today by
looking at the events of 2,000 years ago.
Scr ipt ure: M at t h ew 2 7: 62 – 28 : 1 5; 1 Co r inthians 1 5: 1– 8 , 1 2– 2 0
B ased o n : Th e ser m o n s er ies “ The Tru th Ab o u t the R es u r rec tio n, ”
by Lee St ro b el, Preac hing To day. co m
39
The Resurrection
Part 1
Identify the Issue
Who would you guess is the most successful trial attorney in the entire world? The Guinness Book
of World Records says, “Most successful attorney: Sir Lionel Luckhoo, who succeeded in getting
his 245th consecutive murder acquittal by January 1, 1985.”
This is an absolutely astonishing feat that nobody else in the world has ever come close to
replicating. More than 200 consecutive murder trials either won before a jury or won on appeal.
He’s probably a very bright person with tremendous analytical skills. He certainly must be an
expert on what constitutes reliable, admissible, and persuasive evidence.
Wouldn’t it be interesting to get an opinion on the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus from a
monumental legal expert like Sir Lionel Luckhoo? During his own spiritual journey, Luckhoo
took his expertise in law and went through the question of whether the resurrection of Jesus
Christ stands up to the test of legal evidence. He ultimately concluded: “I say unequivocally that
the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ is so overwhelming that it compels acceptance
by proof which leaves absolutely no room for doubt.”
Our everyday experience tells us that dead people do not come back to life. Yet here we have
the most successful attorney on the planet applying the legal tests of evidence to the historical
accounts of Jesus Christ’s resurrection, and concluding with absolute confidence that his
resurrection is a reality. Having looked at the evidence, he then did the most logical thing in the
world: he gave his life to Jesus Christ.
Like Sir Lionel Luckhoo, we should examine the evidence for ourselves. In 1 Corinthians 15:17,
the apostle Paul wrote, “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your
sins.” The resurrection of Jesus is the linchpin of Christianity. It is the ultimate authentication of
Jesus Christ’s claim that he is the unique Son of God.
[Q] What makes you believe that Jesus’ resurrection actually did occur?
[Q] What doubts, if any, do you have about the Resurrection?
[Q] Why is belief in the Resurrection central to the Christian faith?
40
The Resurrection
Part 2
Teaching Point One: Evidence shows the Resurrection is not a
created myth.
The accounts of Jesus Christ began very early, before mythology could contaminate them.For
instance, we have a creed, recited by the church as early as 24 to 36 months after the death of
Jesus, that said, “Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures. He was buried. And he was
raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” The creed goes on to specifically mention
eyewitnesses that Jesus appeared to. The fact that these accounts of Jesus’ resurrection go back so
early completely contradicts the assertion that the resurrection was a product of mythology that
developed during the decades following Jesus’ life.
Studies into the rate at which legend accrued in the ancient world tell us it takes a minimum
of two generations for mythology to corrupt a solid core of historical fact. There was nowhere
near that amount of time in the case of Jesus Christ. In fact, when the apostle Paul mentioned
that Jesus appeared to 500 people at one time, he said many of the 500 were still alive. In
effect, Paul was saying, “If you don’t believe me, go ask the witnesses. They’re still around.” The
proclamation that Jesus Christ is the resurrected Son of God began virtually immediately after
his death. It was not a product of mythology.
Read 1 Corinthians 15:1–8.
[Q] According to this passage, what were the essential messages of the gospel?
[Q] Why do you think Paul listed so many people who had seen Jesus after his resurrection?
[Q] Why would some think Jesus’ resurrection was a created myth?
[Q] When did Jesus appear to Paul (v. 8)?
Le a d er ’s Note: S ee Ac t s 9 .
[Q] What kind of difference would that appearance have made to his ministry?
[Q] Why must we be convinced of Jesus’ resurrection in order to properly worship him?
Teaching Point Two: Evidence proves the tomb was empty.
In 1990, archaeologists in Jerusalem uncovered the burial place of Caiaphas, Jesus’ chief accuser.
Nobody has ever uncovered the body of Jesus Christ. History tells us Jesus’ body was laid to
rest in a tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathea, and the tomb was sealed. An extremely heavy
41
The Resurrection
boulder was rolled in front of it, and it was guarded by elite Roman guards. Yet it was discovered
empty on Easter morning—quite significantly, by some women.
The fact that the Bible says women discovered the tomb empty lends even more credibility to
these accounts, because women had low status in Jewish society at that time. If the disciples had
been fabricating this story, surely they would have claimed it was men who discovered the tomb
empty, because their testimony would have been more credible in that culture. This is one more
indication the writers were committed to recording exactly what took place, even though that bit
of historical truth didn’t help their case.
More importantly, however, even Jesus’ opponents admitted the tomb was empty. They bribed
the guards of the tomb to say that the disciples stole the body while they were asleep. That’s
ridiculous, because the disciples didn’t have the opportunity. Besides, if the guards were sleeping,
how did they know it was the disciples who stole the body?
The point is, when the disciples declared the tomb was empty, Jesus’ opponents didn’t respond
by saying, “You’re wrong. He’s in the tomb.” Nor did they respond, “You just have the wrong
tomb. The body is over here.” Instead, they admitted the tomb was empty on Easter.
How did the tomb become empty? Certainly the Roman and Jewish authorities wouldn’t have
taken the body. They wanted Jesus dead. The Jews or Romans would have loved to produce the
dead body of Jesus Christ and kill the doubt right there. But they didn’t because they couldn’t.
Would the disciples remove the body, though they had nothing to gain and everything to lose
by stealing it? They surely would not have endured deprivation and being tortured to death for
a charade. If this had been a conspiracy, certainly one of the disciples would have broken ranks
under the pain of torture and told the truth. But it never happened.
Perhaps the women on Easter morning went to the wrong tomb. When they found it empty,
they assumed Jesus had risen. This argument doesn’t withstand scrutiny either. Not only did
Mary Magdalene and the other women find the tomb empty, but Peter and John checked it
out for themselves. Don’t you think they would have made absolutely sure this was the right
tomb before they risked their lives by proclaiming that Jesus’ body was gone? Besides, Joseph
of Arimathea knew where his own tomb was located, and he certainly would have told them. If
all of them came down with collective amnesia, surely the Jewish and Roman authorities would
have pointed out, “No, here’s the real tomb,” so they could show that Jesus was still inside.
History’s unanimous testimony is that on Easter morning the tomb was empty. There was
no motive for the Jewish authorities, the Romans, or the disciples to steal the body. The only
explanation that fits the facts is that Jesus really did return from the dead.
Read Matthew 27:62–28:15.
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The Resurrection
[Q] Why do you suppose Matthew included the account in 27:62–66?
[Q] Looking at the details of the Resurrection, what stands out to you as important?
[Q] What about the guards’ conversation with the chief priests in 28:11–15 sounds similar
to reasons for rejecting the Resurrection today?
[Q] How do you suppose the early disciples answered that accusation?
Optional Activity:
Purpose: To put ourselves in the mindset of those who lived at the time of Jesus’ resurrection.
Activity: Form teams of three or four. Ask each group to imagine that they are writers for the
Jerusalem Chronicle, reporting on the day that Jesus was resurrected. Ask one or more groups to tell the
story from the perspective of believing it to be true. Ask one or more of the other groups to tell it from
the perspective of believing it to be false. After presenting the different accounts, ask those who thought
the story to be true to defend their views to those who thought it to be false.
Teaching Point Three: The witnesses of the Resurrection are reliable.
Read 1 Corinthians 15:12–20.
During the next 40 days, Jesus appeared a dozen times to more than 515 different individuals. He
talked with people. He ate with people. He even invited one skeptic to put his fingers in the nail
holes in his hands, and to put his hand in his side where the spear had been thrust into him.
Five–hundred-fifteen eyewitnesses. That is a lot of people. If we held a trial on the question of
whether Jesus returned from the dead, and if we were to call each one of the 515 witnesses to give
an account of their encounter with Jesus for just 15 minutes, and if we did it around the clock,
we’d be sitting there for nearly six days. After sitting through 128 hours of eyewitness accounts,
how many people would leave unconvinced of Jesus’ resurrection? This number and quality of
eyewitnesses is unprecedented.
Lee Strobel shares:
When I was a skeptic, I tried to poke holes in the eyewitnesses’ testimonies. Maybe they were
hallucinating. When I talked to psychologists about that, they told me that was not possible.
Hallucinations are like dreams. They’re individual events that can’t be shared between people.
One expert said, “If you had 515 people all having the same hallucination at the same time,
that would be a bigger miracle than the Resurrection itself.”
43
The Resurrection
I then thought that the eyewitnesses’ accounts of the resurrection were an example of group
think. This occurs when people in a group subtly encourage one another through the power
of suggestion to see an image that isn’t really there. I asked Dr. Collins, president of a national
association of psychologists, if this was possible.
“The circumstances would have been all wrong for this sort of thing to have occurred,” he
said. “The disciples were not anticipating a resurrection. The idea of Jesus coming back from
the dead would run totally contrary to all of their Jewish, cultural, and religious beliefs. So
they weren’t primed for that sort of thing to have happened. Besides, Jesus ate with them. He
talked back to them. He appeared at numerous times before all kinds of people, which runs
contrary to this theory.”
The appearances of Jesus were not hallucinations, not wish fulfillments, and not mythology.
They were real historical events that revolutionized people’s lives. Think about what happened
to the disciples. History tells us that before Easter, they were dejected because they thought their
leader was gone forever. After the crucifixion, the disciples were hiding behind closed doors,
afraid they might be put to death. Yet after Easter, these same men were out boldly proclaiming
that Jesus Christ was alive. Suddenly these once cowardly individuals were transformed. History
tells us all but one of those disciples suffered violent deaths. Yet none of them ever disavowed
their testimony that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who literally and bodily appeared to them.
Still, if we look through history, we see all kinds of crackpots willing to die for their religious
beliefs. Terrorists strap explosives to their bodies, walk into a crowded marketplace, and blow
themselves up. Why? Because they sincerely believe they will instantly go to paradise.
People will die for their religious beliefs if they are convinced their beliefs are true. People will
not die for religious beliefs they know are false. The disciples knew that Jesus had risen from the
dead because they were there. Because they knew it was true, they were willing to die for it.
[Q] Why do you suppose some of the Corinthians were saying that there was no
resurrection of the dead (v. 12)?
[Q] Why would our faith be useless if there is no resurrection of the dead (v. 14)?
[Q] What does this tell us about choosing to believe one part of the Bible while rejecting
other parts?
[Q] Why are we to be pitied if we only have hope in this life (v. 19)?
44
The Resurrection
Part 3
Apply Your Findings
Sir Lionel Luckhoo was right. The evidence is overwhelming: early accounts plus empty tomb plus
eyewitness testimony equals the certainty that Jesus Christ was indeed resurrected from the dead as
the ultimate authentication of his claim to be the unique Son of God.
Look at all other religious leaders. Confucius, Abraham, and Mohammed are all in the grave. But
Jesus Christ isn’t. His tomb is empty. Jesus Christ alone possessed the power to overcome the grave.
The evidence points convincingly to Jesus Christ having told the truth when he said in John 11:25,
“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.”
Action Point: The power that raised Christ from the dead is available to you.
What do you need to trust him with? Spend time meditating on 1 Corinthians 15
and share your findings with someone this week.
—Study by Lee Strobel, with JoHannah Reardon
¿ Encounters with the Risen Lord In what unique ways did Jesus meet his followers
after his resurrection? How did his appearances demonstrate his consideration of
their life experiences, emotional fragility, and individual personalities? How does
Jesus meet people today? How do we respond with grace to other believers who
experience Christ in ways that are unfamiliar to us?
¿ Matthew: The Passion Week This study investigates the deity, majesty, and royalty
of Jesus. We will see that he is more than a man or a good teacher, that he is able to
conquer death, and that he is truly the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
¿ Easter Week: Sacrifice & Salvation Holy Week changed the world, with the
Cross as the turning point for all humankind. But it is also six days of amazing
contrasts—from the joyful celebration of the Triumphal Entry to the Passion only
days later. In between are days of both high drama—as in the confrontations in the
45
The Resurrection
temple—and high pathos—as in the Upper Room and Gethsemane. For people
who have never thought about how these episodes fit together, this series seeks to
bring all these conflicting events and emotions into a unified whole.
story of salvation.and Aslan’s magical creatures under the White Witch’s evil
control. C. S. Lewis illuminates the crucifixion of Christ in this dramatic,
moving, and breathtaking story of salvation.
46
The Resurrection
The Resurrection
again in accordance
with the Scriptures.
(Nicene Creed)
again. (Apostles’ Creed)
The evidence is overwhelming that Jesus rose from the dead.
What does Jesus’ resurrection mean? It means
that Jesus is who he claimed to be, that he has the
power he claimed to have, and that we have hope
for this life and the life to come. This study will look
at the evidence that Jesus is truly alive today by
looking at the events of 2,000 years ago.
Scr ipt ure: M at t h ew 2 7: 62 – 28 : 1 5; 1 Co r inthians 1 5: 1– 8 , 1 2– 2 0
B ased o n : Th e ser m o n s er ies “ The Tru th Ab o u t the R es u r rec tio n, ”
by Lee St ro b el, Preac hing To day. co m
47
The Resurrection
Part 1
Identify the Issue
In 1 Corinthians 15:17, the apostle Paul wrote, “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is
futile; you are still in your sins.” The resurrection of Jesus is the linchpin of Christianity. It is the
ultimate authentication of Jesus Christ’s claim that he is the unique Son of God.
Part 2
Teaching Point One: Evidence shows the Resurrection is not a
created myth.
Teaching Point Two: Evidence proves the tomb was empty.
Teaching Point Three: The witnesses of the Resurrection are reliable.
Part 3
Apply Your Findings
The evidence is overwhelming: early accounts plus empty tomb plus eyewitness testimony
equals the certainty that Jesus Christ was indeed resurrected from the dead as the ultimate
authentication of his claim to be the unique Son of God.
Look at all other religious leaders. Confucius, Abraham, and Mohammed are all in the grave.
But Jesus Christ isn’t. His tomb is empty. Jesus Christ alone possessed the power to overcome the
grave.
The evidence points convincingly to Jesus Christ having told the truth when he said in John
11:25, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.”
Action Point: The power that raised Christ from the dead is available to you.
What do you need to trust him with? Spend time meditating on 1 Corinthians
15 and share your findings with someone this week.
—Study by Lee Strobel, with JoHannah Reardon
48
The Resurrection
¿ Encounters with the Risen Lord In what unique ways did Jesus meet his
followers after his resurrection? How did his appearances demonstrate his
consideration of their life experiences, emotional fragility, and individual
personalities? How does Jesus meet people today? How do we respond with grace
to other believers who experience Christ in ways that are unfamiliar to us?
Lords.
unified whole.
story of salvation.and Aslan’s magical creatures under the White Witch’s evil
control. C. S. Lewis illuminates the crucifixion of Christ in this dramatic,
moving, and breathtaking story of salvation.
49
Jesus as Judge
Jesus
as Judge
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right
hand of the Father. He will
come again in glory to
judge the living and the
dead, and his kingdom
will have no end. (Nicene
Creed)
He ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right
hand of the Father, and
he will come to judge the
living and the dead.
(Apostles’ Creed)
J esus wi l l j udge t he liv ing and the de ad.
God’s kingdom operates by its own unique
standards. Justice, fairness, and individual rights
are important. But to God, there’s something even
more important than insisting on your rights.
Christ himself went beyond fairness to show us
an even better way.
Scr ipt ure: Ph ilip pians 2: 1– 1 1
B ased o n : Th e ser m o n “Ou r M erc if u l J u dg e, ”
by M arsh all Sh elley, Preac hing To day. co m
50
Jesus as Judge
Part 1
Identify the Issue
Some people find that the Bible offends their sense of “fairness.” The parable of the vineyard
workers (Matt. 20), for instance, violates the principle of payment according to work
accomplished. Why should everyone get equal pay for unequal work?
A few years ago, a man named Robert De Moor wrote about his family: “Back in Ontario when
the apples ripened, Mom would sit all seven of us down, Dad included, with pans and paring
knives until the mountain of fruit was reduced to neat rows of filled canning jars. She never
bothered keeping track of how many we did, though the younger ones undoubtedly proved
more of a nuisance than a help: cut fingers, squabbles over who got which pan, apple core fights.
“But when the job was done, the reward for everyone was the same: the largest chocolate-dipped
cone money could buy.
“A stickler might argue it wasn’t quite fair since the older ones actually peeled apples. But I can’t
remember anyone complaining about it.”
Just as a family operates by a different set of norms than a corporation, so, too, God’s kingdom
operates by its own unique standards. Justice, fairness, and individual rights are important. But
to God, there’s something even more important than insisting on your rights. Christ himself
went beyond fairness to show us an even better way.
[Q] Give an example from your past of something that didn’t seem fair to you.
[Q] Why do you think God sometimes seems to act unfairly?
[Q] What gives Jesus the right to be our final judge?
[Q] What do you think he will judge us on?
Part 2
Teaching Point One: Every knee will bow to Jesus.
Read Philippians 2:1–11.
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Jesus as Judge
Jesus was assigned and proved his worth as our judge.
[Q] What attitude did Jesus have according to this account?
[Q] What’s the difference between humility and being a doormat?
[Q] Verses 6–11 are probably the words to a song the early Christians sang about Jesus.
According to this song, who is Jesus?
[Q] What did Jesus do with his “rights” and his “true identity”?
[Q] Most gods do not serve. They demand to be served. Why do you suppose Jesus, who is
“in very nature God,” would come to serve (vv. 6–8)?
Teaching Point Two: Before Christ judges us, he offered his life for us.
Adam and Eve had no taint of environmental or genetic flaws. They were without sin, without
bad influences from their childhood, and without pain in their present circumstances. The
Tempter came in disguise—as a serpent. Not overtly, but as a comfortable companion.
Mephistopheles says, in Faust, “The people do not even know the Devil is there, even when he
has them by the throat.”
The serpent’s tactic was to ask seemingly innocent questions about God. He’s a religious devil.
He doesn’t say, “Give me a half hour of your time, and I will damn you for eternity.” No, he
begins by questioning God’s instructions and sowing seeds of doubt about God’s generosity.
One of today’s most common temptations is to take sin lightly. The cosmetics industry uses
words like “Seduction” or “My Sin” as names for cologne. The entertainment media often
portray people who violate God’s commands without any apparent ill effect. In a similar way,
the serpent in Genesis communicates the idea that judgment will never come. He suggests that
God doesn’t really have Adam and Eve’s best interests in mind. He tries to drive a wedge between
them and God, making them suspicious of God’s direction in their lives.
If you successfully get someone to question another person’s motives, no matter what the person
does, it’s not good enough. Even if they do something good, you’ll suspect that they’re doing
it just to fool you for their own selfish, possibly evil, purposes. When you destroy trust, you’ve
poisoned the well that waters the relationship.
The fruit is a peripheral issue. The core sin is our attitude toward God. The real sin is denying
God’s goodness, doubting that his purposes are for our own good. Such sin prevents us from
trusting God.
52
Jesus as Judge
[Q] Can even God force someone to love him? Why or why not?
[Q] What means did Christ use to communicate the depth of his love for us, in spite of
our sin?
• How does that give him the right to judge us?
[Q] In Philippians 2:9–11, what are the results of Christ’s obedience?
Teaching Point Three: If we follow Christ and accept his sacrifice for us,
we no longer have to fear his judgment.
A self-righteous attitude is just as distasteful to God as an attitude of contempt toward holiness
from those who have rejected God’s ways. In addition, those who judge others may be living
by a double standard—condemning behavior in others that they rationalize for themselves. In
Romans 3:19-20, Paul asserts that on Judgment Day, “every mouth [will] be silenced and the
whole world [including the self-righteous] held accountable to God” for their sin.
Some people are raised in godly homes, surrounded by love, and learn about God early and
naturally; others are raised in homes where God’s name is used only in anger. Obviously some
people have better opportunities to learn about God. But God does not reward people for their
family of origin (Jew or Gentile), but only for how they respond to God’s agenda—rather than
self-seeking behavior, rejection of the truth, and following evil.
Those who know God’s law will be judged by the standards of that written revelation. But even
those who do not know the written law of God have an unwritten law within their hearts. We
might call it an instinctive sense of right and wrong. In addition, all people can see the evidence
of the Creator. And all people know about death. God expects people, even if they’ve never read
the Bible, to pursue right and to aim for glory, honor, and immortality.
Those who demand God’s justice will get it on Judgment Day, but that justice will also condemn
them because of their sin. Throughout Romans 1-4, Paul’s point is that no one measures up to
God’s high standards, and therefore no one will be saved by “law.” Instead, we must admit our
guilt and receive the grace and mercy God offers us in Jesus Christ (see Rom. 3:21–31).
Yet the fact that we will not be saved by keeping the law does not mean that we are free to
disregard God’s standards and live a lifestyle characterized by sin. According to Paul and the
other New Testament writers, there is no such thing as faith that does not reveal itself in good
works. And there are no truly good works that do not emerge out of faith. Faith and works are
interwoven. Without outward evidence that our life is directed Godward, chances are slim that
there’s any real faith on the inside (see James 2:14–26).
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Jesus as Judge
[Q] What does it mean to follow Christ and accept his sacrifice for us?
[Q] Jesus told us, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself
will be exalted” (Matt. 23:12). What does this say about the final judgment?
[Q] What does it truly mean to want justice from God?
[Q] How does Christ take away our fear of judgment?
Part 3
Apply Your Findings
Often when we are asked to take the role of a servant, to do some menial or distasteful task,
we feel like saying, “That’s not fair!” Yet how fair is any sacrifice? In Christ, we see God himself
going beyond fairness to love.
Action Points:
• Take time to think through Christ’s sacrifice for you. Read through one of the
Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) to gain a better understanding of what he
has done for you.
• This week, pick one or two jobs that no one else wants to do (washing the dishes,
refilling the coffeemaker, cleaning the toilets, and so on). Ask God for the strength
and love to serve others by doing these jobs, realizing that although they are
unfulfilling now, God will ultimately reward you for your humble service.
—Study by Marshall Shelley, with JoHannah Reardon
¿ Faith Questions This 8-week course will help you and your group think about
and answer common questions about the Christian faith that believers have
pondered over the years.
¿ A God of Wrath The Old Testament gives us many terrifying accounts of how
God executed his wrath on Israel and surrounding nations. In today’s civilized
society, expressing anger is considered a weakness. Have we civilized God, too?
Have we made him in our own image, or do we accept his right to be angry and
punish? This study will examine this question
54
Jesus as Judge
Jesus
as Judge
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right
hand of the Father. He will
come again in glory to
judge the living and the
dead, and his kingdom
will have no end. (Nicene
Creed)
He ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right
hand of the Father, and
he will come to judge the
living and the dead.
(Apostles’ Creed)
J esus wi l l j udge t he liv ing and the de ad.
God’s kingdom operates by its own unique
standards. Justice, fairness, and individual rights
are important. But to God, there’s something even
more important than insisting on your rights.
Christ himself went beyond fairness to show us
an even better way.
Scr ipt ure: Ph ilip pians 2: 1– 1 1
B ased o n : Th e ser m o n “Ou r M erc if u l J u dg e, ” by
M arsh all Sh elley, Preac hing To day. co m
55
Jesus as Judge
Part 1
Identify the Issue
Some people find that the Bible offends their sense of “fairness.” The parable of the vineyard
workers (Matt. 20), for instance, violates the principle of payment according to work
accomplished. Why should everyone get equal pay for unequal work?
A few years ago, a man named Robert De Moor wrote about his family: “Back in Ontario when
the apples ripened, Mom would sit all seven of us down, Dad included, with pans and paring
knives until the mountain of fruit was reduced to neat rows of filled canning jars. She never
bothered keeping track of how many we did, though the younger ones undoubtedly proved
more of a nuisance than a help: cut fingers, squabbles over who got which pan, apple core fights.
“But when the job was done, the reward for everyone was the same: the largest chocolate-dipped
cone money could buy.
“A stickler might argue it wasn’t quite fair since the older ones actually peeled apples. But I can’t
remember anyone complaining about it.”
Just as a family operates by a different set of norms than a corporation, so, too, God’s kingdom
operates by its own unique standards. Justice, fairness, and individual rights are important. But
to God, there’s something even more important than insisting on your rights. Christ himself
went beyond fairness to show us an even better way.
Part 2
Teaching Point One: Every knee will bow to Jesus.
Teaching Point Two: Before Christ judges us, he offered his life for us.
Teaching Point Three: If we follow Christ and accept his sacrifice for us,
we no longer have to fear his judgment.
Part 3
Apply Your Findings
Often when we are asked to take the role of a servant, to do some menial or distasteful task,
we feel like saying, “That’s not fair!” Yet how fair is any sacrifice? In Christ, we see God himself
going beyond fairness to love.
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Jesus as Judge
Action Points:
• Take time to think through Christ’s sacrifice for you. Read through one of
the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) to gain a better understanding
of what he has done for you.
• This week, pick one or two jobs that no one else wants to do (washing the
dishes, refilling the coffeemaker, cleaning the toilets, and so on). Ask God
for the strength and love to serve others by doing these jobs, realizing that
although they are unfulfilling now, God will ultimately reward you for your
humble service.
—Study by Marshall Shelley, with JoHannah Reardon
¿ Faith Questions This 8-week course will help you and your group think about
and answer common questions about the Christian faith that believers have
pondered over the years.
¿ A God of Wrath The Old Testament gives us many terrifying accounts of how
God executed his wrath on Israel and surrounding nations. In today’s civilized
society, expressing anger is considered a weakness. Have we civilized God, too?
Have we made him in our own image, or do we accept his right to be angry and
punish? This study will examine this question
57
The Trinity
The Trinity
We believe in the Holy
Spirit, the Lord, the giver
of Life, who proceeds
from the Father and the
Son. (Nicene Creed)
Father almighty … I
believe in Jesus Christ,
the Holy Spirit.
(Apostles’ Creed)
We better understand God when we better understand the Trinity.
At the very heart of Christian belief is a concept called
the Trinity. It’s so central that one of the greatest
theologians of the 20th century, Karl Barth, said,
“Trinity is the Christian name for God.” God is a
Trinity of three in one, co-equal and yet distinct,
called the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
This study will ask: What does it mean that God is a trinity? Why do
we believe it? Where do we find it in the Bible? Is this philosophical
nonsense or vital to our understanding of God? What difference can
the doctrine of a triune God make in our lives?
Scr ipt ure: J o h n 10 : 22 – 38 ; 13 : 3 1– 3 2; 1 5: 26 ; 17 : 1 – 5; R o m ans 5: 5; 8 :2 6 – 2 7 ;
11: 33–36; Ep h esian s 1 : 1 7; H ebrews 7: 24 – 25 ; 1 J o hn 2 : 5 – 6; 4 : 1 6
B ased o n : Th e ser m o n “ ‘ Tr init y ’ : The Chr is tian Nam e fo r G o d, ”
by M at t Wo o dley, Preac hing To day. co m
58
The Trinity
Part 1
Identify the Issue
The Trinity is not simple. But, if you think about it, most of reality isn’t simple. For instance,
every one of the trillions of cells in your body is incredibly complex. Even the proteins in your
cells are complex. Family relationships are complicated. Football is complex. Most of us can’t
figure out our $20 digital alarm clock. And yet, for some reason, when it comes to God, we want
simple answers; we don’t want to think. But do we really want a God who is less mysterious than
an alarm clock?
The 19th-century philosopher Kant once said that the idea of the Trinity “has no practical
relevance at all … whether we are to worship three or ten persons in the Divinity makes
no difference” in how we live our life. Is that true? Absolutely not. Understanding and
experiencing—and please notice that word experiencing—the Trinity has enormous implications
for our everyday life.
[Q] How would you explain the Trinity?
[Q] What difference do you think it makes that God is triune?
[Q] Why must we accept the truth of a triune God to understand God?
Part 2
Teaching Point One: God is one.
The Trinity isn’t just a concept. The triune God is present among us and ready to meet us. It’s
easy for us to approach God as if we’re approaching a frog for dissection—something we can
place on a table, cut apart, and explain with detached objectivity. God isn’t like that. God is alive
and utterly wild—the most alive and wild being in the cosmos.
What do Christians mean when they talk about a triune God? First of all, we believe that
God is one—we are not bi-theists or tri-theists. Thus we can and should pray with our Jewish
friends the great prayer called the Shema: “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
strength” (Deuteronomy 6:4–5). And although every follower of Jesus breathed the air of radical
59
The Trinity
monotheism, they also met Jesus. So when Jesus said things like “I and the Father are one”
(John 10:30), and when they saw Jesus do things that only God could do—forgive sins, control
the forces of nature—they knew that they had met God in the flesh. And then, as Jesus had
promised over and over again, they also experienced the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.
Christians did not start talking about the Trinity because they liked the number three; they did
so to make sense out of the way God had come to them as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Read John 10:22–38.
[Q] Why were the Jews so reluctant to believe that Jesus was the Christ (Messiah)?
[Q] What proof did Jesus offer that he was the Christ (v. 25)?
[Q] What did Jesus mean when he said, “I and the Father are one” (v. 30)? What did the
Jews believe he meant (v. 33)?
[Q] What is the proof of Jesus’ deity (v. 37–38)?
Teaching Point Two: God is three—diverse, yet unified.
God is not a solitary monarch but a community of three. The three are one, yet the Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit are eternally different from one another. Triune language is our frail but
necessary way of talking to and about God. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are the names that God
has given us to describe the relationships between the three in one.
God is unity—three in one, three torches burning in one holy flame of love. The idea of the
Trinity is like a complex and elegant math equation that holds all of these truths in perfect
tension. All kinds of smart people have developed analogies to try to explain how God can be
three in one:
• God is like the spring that flows into the stream that flows into the lake (according to
the church father Anselm).
• God is like a plant, with the Father as the deep root, the Son as the shoot that breaks
into the earth, and the Spirit who flowers forth to spread beauty and fragrance
(according to the church father Tertullian).
• That God is a Trinity of love means that God is the lover, the beloved, and love itself all
at the same time (according to St. Augustine).
• The Trinity is like three torches in which the light of the first passes to the second and
then is relayed to the third, until they are all burning in one blaze of holy fire.
60
The Trinity
Yet all these pictures break down. That’s why Christian thinkers have always said that if we tried
to grasp the Trinity, we would be “frenzy-stricken for prying into the mystery of God” (Gregory
the Theologian). This is beyond rational thinking, but that doesn’t mean it’s irrational. We can’t
fully understand the concept of the Trinity, but that doesn’t make it nonsensical.
The Trinity does not mean that God is like a pizza cut into three big slices. Nor is God like the
three parts of an egg. It does not mean that God has three modes or three disguises—so God
puts on a Father hat and creates the world, and God puts on a Jesus hat and goes out to save the
world, and then God puts on a Holy Spirit hat …. No, they truly are three in one. When you
meet the Father, you meet Jesus and the Spirit.
They all come together. When God created the world, the Son and the Spirit were also
intimately involved in creation. When Jesus redeemed the world and saved us from sin, he was
resurrected by the Father, and we are born anew through the Holy Spirit. And when the Spirit
helps us grow spiritually, it is the very work of the Spirit of Jesus by the Father who sustains us.
When we come to faith in Christ, we experience the triune God coming to us: a loving Father
who embraces us, a Savior Son who died for us, and the Holy Spirit working in us to help us
grow and mature in our faith.
They exist and work together in perfect unity and oneness. There is a perfect sense of giving
honor to one another. Jesus gives glory to the Father and the Father gives glory to Jesus. The
Spirit gives glory to Jesus. There is not a trace of jealousy, insecurity, hostility, or selfishness.
[Q] Read John 13:31–32. How did Jesus give glory to the Father? How did the Father give
glory to Jesus?
[Q] Read John 17:1–5. Jesus prayed for himself as he was soon to face death. How does this
passage show the distinctions, and the unity, between the Father and the Son?
[Q] Read John 15:26.What does this tell us about all three persons of the Trinity?
Teaching Point Three: The doctrine of the Trinity is necessary for us to
move ahead as Christians.
Let’s fast forward to 11:00 P.M. tonight. It’s dark and quiet; the day is ending. You’re just
finishing your book, reading a blog, listening to your children snore, or eating your last bowl
of Wheat Chex. For the past 16 hours as you’ve lived your life, what difference has the doctrine
of the Trinity made? There are at least five profound and practical ways that belief in the triune
God can change your life:
61
The Trinity
1. It will change the way you love others—your spouse, friends, neighbors, and fellow
pilgrims in Christ.
[Q] Read 1 John 2:5–6. According to this verse, what is the test of knowing the triune God?
2. It will change the way you view God. The Trinity increases our sense of the depth
and mystery of God’s nature, which is full of beauty and wonder. God is not boring,
and he is not bored. God is bursting with life, love, and activity. God is the most
holy, loving, living, creative, and fascinating being in the universe. God is a party or
dance of love that has been going on for all eternity.
[Q] List the ways Paul describes God in Romans 11:33–36.
3. It will change the way you worship. We think of worship in terms of a worship
service, but worship is the gift of participating in Jesus the Son’s offering to the
Father in the power of the Spirit. Or to use less precise language, God is a party
of praise and honor and glory. God is a worship service. Jesus offers his life to the
Father. The Father gives glory to the Son. The Spirit leads the Son and gives glory to
the Son. So whenever we gather together in the name of the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Spirit, we are invited into that eternal service of praise and worship.
[Q] Read Ephesians 1:17. How does this verse describe how all three persons of the Trinity
lead us into knowing and worshiping the true God?
4. It will change the way you pray. The Trinity is already praying for you.
[Q] Read Hebrews 7:24–25 and Romans 8:26–27 and list the ways you are being prayed for
according to these verses.
5. It will change the way you receive love. Because God is triune, followers of Jesus
believe and live their lives in the love of God.
[Q] Read 1 John 4:16 and Romans 5:5. What does it mean to you that God is love and has
enabled you to love?
62
The Trinity
Part 3
Apply Your Findings
God is a party of love, and you’re invited into the party. Jesus the Son has opened the door, the
Father stands ready to embrace you, and the Spirit is there to guide you. Do you know yourself
as loved?
Action Points: Consider how the Trinity can affect your prayers. As a group,
lift your arms toward heaven (and make the sign of the cross if you want
to) and say, “Triune God, I invoke your presence over my house, over my
marriage, over my life, over the lives of my children, over this neighborhood,
and over this world.” Ask the living God, the triune God, to come in all his
power and majesty and grace and love into your home.
—Study by Matt Woodley, with JoHannah Reardon
¿ A Better Look at God’s Face
¨ The Forgotten Trinity, James R. White (Bethany House Publishers, 1998; ISBN
1556617259)
¨ God the Holy Trinity: Reflections on Christian Faith and Practice, Timothy George
(Baker, 2006; ISBN 0801027659)
¨ God’s Life in Trinity, numerous contributors (Augsburg / Fortress, 2006; ISBN
0800638239)
¨ The Holy Trinity: In Scripture, History, Theology, and Worship, Robert Letham (P &
R Publishing, 2004; ISBN 0875520006)
¨ Like Father, Like Son: The Trinity Imaged in Our Humanity, Tom Smail (Eerdmans,
2006; ISBN 0802830668)
¨ The Message of the Trinity: Life in God, Brian Edgar (InterVarsity Press, 2005; ISBN
083082409X)
63
The Trinity
¨ Participating in God: Creation and Trinity, Samuel M. Powell (Augsburg / Fortress,
2003; ISBN 0800636023)
¨ The Trinity, Robert A. Morey (Christian Scholars Press, 1996; ISBN 1931230293)
¨ The Trinity: Biblical Truth Simply Explained Series, Jack Hayford (Baker, 2003;
ISBN 0800793501)
64
The Trinity
The Trinity
We believe in the Holy
Spirit, the Lord, the giver
of Life, who proceeds
from the Father and the
Son. (Nicene Creed)
Father almighty … I
believe in Jesus Christ,
the Holy Spirit.
(Apostles’ Creed)
We better understand God when we better understand the Trinity.
At the very heart of Christian belief is a concept called
the Trinity. It’s so central that one of the greatest
theologians of the 20th century, Karl Barth, said,
“Trinity is the Christian name for God.” God is a
Trinity of three in one, co-equal and yet distinct,
called the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
This study will ask: What does it mean that God is a trinity? Why do
we believe it? Where do we find it in the Bible? Is this philosophical
nonsense or vital to our understanding of God? What difference can
the doctrine of a triune God make in our lives?
Scr ipt ure: J o h n 10 : 22 – 38 ; 13 : 3 1– 3 2; 1 5: 26 ; 17 : 1 – 5; R o m ans 5: 5; 8 :2 6 – 2 7 ;
11: 33–36; Ep h esian s 1 : 1 7; H ebrews 7: 24 – 25 ; 1 J o hn 2 : 5 – 6; 4 : 1 6
B ased o n : Th e ser m o n “ ‘ Tr init y ’ : The Chr is tian Nam e fo r G o d, ”
by M at t Wo o dley, Preac hing To day. co m
65
The Trinity
Part 1
Identify the Issue
The 19th-century philosopher Kant once said that the idea of the Trinity “has no practical
relevance at all … whether we are to worship three or ten persons in the Divinity makes no
difference” in how we live our life. Is that true? Absolutely not. Understanding and experiencing
the Trinity has enormous implications for our everyday life.
Part 2
Teaching Point One: God is one.
Teaching Point Two: God is three—diverse, yet unified.
Teaching Point Three: The doctrine of the Trinity is necessary for us to
move ahead as Christians.
1. It will change the way you love others—your spouse, friends, neighbors, and fellow
pilgrims in Christ.
2. It will change the way you view God. The Trinity increases our sense of the depth
and mystery of God’s nature, which is full of beauty and wonder. God is not boring,
and he is not bored. God is bursting with life, love, and activity. God is the most
holy, loving, living, creative, and fascinating being in the universe. God is a party or
dance of love that has been going on for all eternity.
3. It will change the way you worship. We think of worship in terms of a worship
service, but worship is the gift of participating in Jesus the Son’s offering to the
Father in the power of the Spirit. Or to use less precise language, God is a party
of praise and honor and glory. God is a worship service. Jesus offers his life to the
Father. The Father gives glory to the Son. The Spirit leads the Son and gives glory to
the Son. So whenever we gather together in the name of the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Spirit, we are invited into that eternal service of praise and worship.
4. It will change the way you pray. The Trinity is already praying for you.
5. It will change the way you receive love. Because God is triune, followers of Jesus
believe and live their lives in the love of God.
66
The Trinity
Part 3
Apply Your Findings
God is a party of love, and you’re invited to the party. Jesus the Son has opened the door, the
Father stands ready to embrace you, and the Spirit is there to guide you. Do you know yourself
as loved?
Action Points: Consider how the Trinity can affect your prayers. As a group,
lift your arms toward heaven (and make the sign of the cross if you want
to) and say, “Triune God, I invoke your presence over my house, over my
marriage, over my life, over the lives of my children, over this neighborhood,
and over this world.” Ask the living God, the triune God, to come in all his
power and majesty and grace and love into your home.
—Study by Matt Woodley, with JoHannah Reardon
¿ A Better Look at God’s Face
¨ The Forgotten Trinity, James R. White (Bethany House Publishers, 1998; ISBN
1556617259)
¨ God the Holy Trinity: Reflections on Christian Faith and Practice, Timothy George
(Baker, 2006; ISBN 0801027659)
¨ God’s Life in Trinity, numerous contributors (Augsburg / Fortress, 2006; ISBN
0800638239)
¨ The Holy Trinity: In Scripture, History, Theology, and Worship, Robert Letham (P &
R Publishing, 2004; ISBN 0875520006)
¨ Like Father, Like Son: The Trinity Imaged in Our Humanity, Tom Smail (Eerdmans,
2006; ISBN 0802830668)
¨ The Message of the Trinity: Life in God, Brian Edgar (InterVarsity Press, 2005; ISBN
083082409X)
67
The Trinity
¨ Participating in God: Creation and Trinity, Samuel M. Powell (Augsburg / Fortress,
2003; ISBN 0800636023)
¨ The Trinity, Robert A. Morey (Christian Scholars Press, 1996; ISBN 1931230293)
¨ The Trinity: Biblical Truth Simply Explained Series, Jack Hayford (Baker, 2003;
ISBN 0800793501)
68
Authentic Fellowship
Authentic
Fellowship
We believe in one holy
catholic and apostolic
Church. (Nicene Creed)
I believe in … the holy
catholic Church, the
communion of saints.
(Apostles’ Creed)
What does it mean to believe in the holy catholic
Church and the communion of saints?
Genuine Christian fellowship is a gift of the Holy
Spirit, centered on Jesus, which becomes a living
witness to Christ and the gospel in the world.
Why can authentic Christian fellowship be so difficult
to develop? What are the markers of genuine Christian
fellowship? How can it be deepened and strengthened? These
are the questions we’ll be asking and discussing in this study.
Scr ipt ure: Ac t s 2: 41 – 47 ; 2 Co r inthians 5: 16 – 21 ; G alatians 6 : 2 ;
Ep h esian s 2: 11–22 ; 4: 25 ; Co lo s s ians 3 : 1 6
69
Part 1
Identify the Issue
Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word catholic as: of, relating to, or forming the church
universal.
The Church Christians are a part of is far greater than our individual denominations or local
places of worship. But our experience takes place in that local setting. Christians need each other
to remain faithful, maintain right doctrine, and to reach out to others in mission.
In the book Bowling Alone (Simon and Schuster, 2000), Robert D. Putnam argues that
Americans are spending less time together in social activities and civic engagement. In fact, since
the 1960s, he claims, participation in civic associations, local and national politics, churches and
social clubs, and time spent with family, friends, and neighbors has dropped by 25–50 percent.
He estimates that between 1960 and 2000, church membership and attendance declined by one
third.
In his latest book, Better Together (written with Lewis M. Feldstein, Simon & Schuster, 2003),
Putnam tells the stories of 12 different communities or organizations that are bucking this
trend toward social isolation and lack of civic or church engagement. One of Putnam’s positive
examples is Saddleback Church, an evangelical megachurch in southern California, where
on a typical weekend at least 15,000 people attend. In such a large congregation, it would be
humanly impossible to get to know everyone else. But Saddleback is intentional about helping
attenders become belongers, and involvement in small groups is the key. At any given time,
8,000 people belong to small groups. Senior pastor Rick Warren believes being in Christian
community is an essential part of being a Christian disciple. He says, “If you’re a Christian,
fellowship is not optional.”
[Q] Where do you find your primary support as a Christian? With family members? With a
small group? With co-workers? With Christian friends outside your church?
[Q] In your experience, what are the greatest impediments to meaningful Christian
fellowship?
Le a d ers Note: Pos s ible a n swers: p eop le are to o busy ; p eop le don’t s e e
e a c h other of ten enough outside of church; p eople don’t see it as t h a t
imp o r t a nt.
70
[Q] Does your congregation have small groups? If so, how do people get into them?
• How do small groups change composition over time?
• What do the small groups do?
• How do they contribute to the life of the congregation?
• Which is emphasized more in your small groups—fellowship, study, or outreach and
mission?
[Q] What experiences of Christian fellowship have you had? What were some of your
positive and negative experiences?
Part 2
Teaching Point One: The basis of our fellowship and community in the
church is Christ’s work of reconciliation.
Read 2 Corinthians 5:16–21. The same action that saves us and brings us into fellowship with
God also reconciles us to others and brings us into fellowship with each other in the community
of faith. It’s not just that we find fellowship with each other at the foot of the cross: the cross
itself is what opens up for us the possibility of being a community of the redeemed and
reconciled in fellowship with each other.
[Q] With which statement do you find yourself agreeing most:
1. Part of God’s saving work is to create the church, a fellowship of believers.
2. The creation of the church, a fellowship of believers, is not part of God’s
saving work, but it is one of the consequences of God’s saving work.
3. The church, the fellowship of believers, is just an instrument that God uses
to bring people to faith and to strengthen and support them in their daily walk
with Christ.
4. The creation of the church as a fellowship of believers is for the purpose of
mission in the world—bringing others to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Why did you choose the statement you did? Do you find yourself agreeing with more
than one statement? What is the difference between the four positions? What is at
stake in each position?
71
[Q] How does this Pauline passage describe the mission of the fellowship of believers?
• Is there an integral connection between being reconciled to God, to each other, and
engaging in a ministry of reconciliation in the world?
Teaching Point Two: God’s reconciling gospel leads to fellowship (that is,
community), where natural human boundaries are broken down.
Read Ephesians 2:11–22. Humans prefer being with people like themselves, in what are called
affinity groups. We’re more comfortable around others from the same nation, culture, and social
and economic group. We’re more relaxed and less on guard when we socialize with those who
share our value system and religion.
“Birds of a feather flock together,” we say. But our natural affinities are challenged—and in fact
broken down—in the fellowship of the redeemed and the reconciled. In Paul’s setting, the most
enduring hostility, culturally and religiously, was between Gentiles and Jews. This alienation
carried into the church. Paul, however, taught that Christ has made peace between these two
groups. Now, through Christ, formerly hostile and disparate peoples are being made one.
The dividing wall of hostility has been destroyed by Christ’s death. A new “building” is under
construction, one people of God, who are the dwelling place for the Spirit of God.
[Q] Do you agree or disagree that part of God’s re-creative work in the world is to break
down walls of alienation and hostility between affinity groups—between nations, cultures, and
language groups, between rich and poor, the educated and the less educated, men and women,
young and old, black, white, and brown? Why or why not?
• Why should the fellowship among believers transcend natural, human divides?
[Q] It is often said that the most segregated hour of the week in the United States is Sunday
morning when Christian churches are worshiping. Why is this? Is this a judgment on the
Christian church?
• Should Christian congregations work toward being multi-ethnic and multi-racial? Or
do we just need to accept that we will feel most comfortable worshiping with others
like ourselves?
[Q] How much social diversity is there in your congregation? Why isn’t there more?
• Describe a time when you experienced Christian fellowship with people from other
affinity groups.
72
• How can your church cultivate Christian fellowship with people different from
yourselves?
Teaching Point Three: At the center of the fellowship of believers is
worship of the triune God and the breaking of bread together.
Worship is first and foremost for God—it is directed toward praising, thanking, and glorifying
God, remembering what God has done for us in the past. But worship is also directed toward
and for the people of God—for the edification and renewing in the faith of the body of
believers. Worship is an essential component in the fellowship life of any body of believers.
Read Acts 2:41–47 (cf. Eph. 5:18–20; Col. 3:16).
[Q] What do these texts teach us about worship?
• What elements are directed toward God?
• What elements are directed toward building up the fellowship of believers?
[Q] Why is worship important for Christian fellowship?
• In referring to Hebrews 10:24–25, Snyder notes the human tendency for some to fall
away from meeting with other Christians and for all to water down what is expected of
Christian community. How should the church work to counteract those tendencies?
Christians have different understandings of what the Lord’s Supper means (Mark 14:22–25;
Acts 2:43–47; 1 Cor. 11:17–34). Nevertheless, in the early church the practice of breaking bread
together was probably an extension of having table fellowship with each other. It was a time of
remembering Jesus’ last supper with his disciples. In sharing bread and wine and these sacred
memories, they deepened their fellowship with each other and with Christ.
[Q] What does the Lord’s Supper mean to you? Do you see it mostly as a means of
remembering what Christ has done for us in the past? Or do you also see it as a form of
fellowship among believers?
• How does the Lord’s Supper create and maintain fellowship between believers?
Teaching Point Three: The essential practices of the fellowship of believers
are mutual support, accountability, and forgiving one another.
Howard A. Snyder notes in his article “Authentic Fellowship” that a key word found 58 times in
the Greek New Testament is allelon, meaning “one another.” In a number of the New Testament
73
contexts, “one another” indicates particular responsibilities that believers have toward each other,
practices that are mutual and reciprocal. (For a list of “one another” texts, see
http://mintools.com/bodylife4.htm.) In “one anothering” each other, the faith of believers grows,
and their fellowship with each other deepens and matures. Space permits us to examine only a few
of the “one another” commands:
a. Support one another: Read Galatians 6:2 (cf. 1 Cor. 12:26; 1 Thess. 5:11; but note also
Gal. 6:5). Life is difficult enough as it is, but where would we be without the church’s help
through the tough times—sickness, job loss, economic hardship, wayward children, death,
and other crises? When one person in the body of believers suffers, we should all feel his
pain and help to see him through. Bearing one another’s burdens is our way of fulfilling the
law of Christ—that is, living out Jesus’ own teachings and example.
b. Admonish and correct one another and confess your sins to each other: Read
Ephesians 4:25 (cf. Rom. 15:14; Col. 3:16; James 5:16). As children we dislike correction
and punishment. Anything that smacks of admonition seems negative, a putdown. Yet
we all fall short of our calling as disciples of Jesus. We need each other to point out when
we stray; we need a place where we can let ourselves be vulnerable, where we can confess
our shortcomings and sins. We need a small group setting, a spiritual friend, or a trusted
spiritual mentor with whom we can be real—or who can set us straight when we’ve gone
astray. Correction in the church should never be done with a judgmental spirit, nor should
it be vindictive or punitive. Just as Christ offers unregenerate sinners grace, Christians need
to extend grace to those among us who have erred. Which leads to the next point:
c. Bear with one another, forgiving each other: Colossians 3:16 (cf. Rom. 14:13; 2 Cor.
13:11; Eph. 4:2). Sin, from a biblical perspective, is essentially relational: we sin against God
and we sin against each other. As the philosopher Ernest Becker said, in every relationship
there is a residue of guilt. Being willful persons, we impose our wills on others in ways that
violate them. The glue that keeps communities like the church together is forgiveness—not
excusing sin, but forgiving people for their sins, being reconciled to one another, and
moving into the future with a fresh start. Forgiveness is a solvent that cleans out the residue
of guilt between us. As God in Christ has forgiven us, we must forgive each other.
Snyder makes three points about these “one another” passages: they imply behaviors, not just
attitudes; they suggest appropriate social structures where they are lived out; and they are
imperatives to be lived out, not just spiritual truths upon which to meditate.
[Q] Looking at each of the “one another” passages above, discuss the following:
• What are the specific behaviors?
•Where (in what social context) are they being lived out in our Christian experience?
74
(Where, in other words, do we experience Christian support, accountability, and
forgiveness from and with other Christians?)
•What are you personally being called to do by these “one another” admonitions?
Part 3
Apply Your Findings
Ray Oldenburg has argued that a healthy society needs three elements: family, work, and a “third
place” that is an open and inclusive social setting. The essential requirements of a third place are
that it is neutral territory where rank is forgotten, it is frequented by a core of regular attenders
who foster interpersonal exchange, and conversation is a central activity (The Great Good Place,
Marlowe & Company, 1999). In our society, many people try to find this third place in bars or
pubs. But the ideal place is the church.
[Q] How does Oldenburg’s description of a “third place” fit your understanding of the
fellowship of believers?
• How does the church differ from Oldenburg’s description of a third place?
Action Points: Christian fellowship is a gift of the Holy Spirit, but it also
involves effort on our part. How can we both receive this gift and do
what needs to be done to allow Christian fellowship to flourish? Christian
fellowship takes time and effort. What are you willing to give up in your busy
schedule to enrich Christian fellowship in your life and for those Christians
with whom you relate? How is God calling you personally to take Christian
fellowship more seriously?
—Study prepared by Richard A. Kauffman, pastor, former associate editor of Christianity Today, and author of numerous studies in this series
¿ ChristianBibleStudies.com
¨ Community 101, Gilbert Bilezikian (Zondervan, 1997; ISBN 0310217415)
¨ Community That Is Christian: A Handbook on Small Groups, Julie A. Gorman and
Roberta Hestenes (Baker Book House, 2002; ISBN 0801091454)
75
¨ One Anothering, Richard C. Meyer (Innisfree Press, 1990; ISBN 0931055733)
¨ Rediscovering Church: The Story and Vision of Willow Creek Community Church,
Lynne and Bill Hybels (Zondervan, 1997; ISBN 0310219272)
¨ The Safest Place On Earth, Larry Crabb (Word Publishing, 1999; ISBN
0849914566)
¿ For a list of “one another” texts, see http://mintools.com/bodylife4.htm.
76
Authentic
Fellowship
We believe in one holy
catholic and apostolic
Church. (Nicene Creed)
I believe in … the holy
catholic Church, the
communion of saints.
(Apostles’ Creed)
What does it mean to believe in the holy catholic
Church and the communion of saints?
Genuine Christian fellowship is a gift of the Holy
Spirit, centered on Jesus, which becomes a living
witness to Christ and the gospel in the world.
Why can authentic Christian fellowship be so difficult
to develop? What are the markers of genuine Christian
fellowship? How can it be deepened and strengthened? These
are the questions we’ll be asking and discussing in this study.
Scr ipt ure: Ac t s 2: 41 – 47 ; 2 Co r inthians 5: 16 – 21 ; G alatians 6 : 2 ;
Ep h esian s 2: 11–22 ; 4: 25 ; Co lo s s ians 3 : 1 6
77
Part 1
Identify the Issue
Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word catholic as: of, relating to, or forming the church
universal.
The Church Christians are a part of is far greater than our individual denominations or local
places of worship. But our experience takes place in that local setting. Christians need each other
to remain faithful, maintain right doctrine, and to reach out to others in mission.
Part 2
[Q] With which statement do you find yourself agreeing most:
1. Part of God’s saving work is to create the church, a fellowship of believers.
2. The creation of the church, a fellowship of believers, is not part of God’s
saving work, but it is one of the consequences of God’s saving work.
3. The church, the fellowship of believers, is just an instrument that God uses
to bring people to faith and to strengthen and support them in their daily walk
with Christ.
4. The creation of the church as a fellowship of believers is for the purpose of
mission in the world—bringing others to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Why did you choose the statement you did? Do you find yourself agreeing with more
than one statement? What is the difference between the four positions? What is at
stake in each position?
Teaching Point One: The basis of our fellowship and community in the
church is Christ’s work of reconciliation.
Teaching Point Two: God’s reconciling gospel leads to fellowship (that
is, community), where natural human boundaries are broken down.
Teaching Point Three: At the center of the fellowship of believers is
worship of the triune God and the breaking of bread together.
Teaching Point Four: The essential practices of the fellowship of
believers are mutual support, accountability, and forgiving one
another.
78
A key word found 58 times in the Greek New Testament is allelon, meaning “one another.”
Space permits us to examine only a few of the “one another” commands:
a. Support one another: Read Galatians 6:2 (cf. 1 Cor. 12:26; 1 Thess. 5:11; but note also
Gal. 6:5).
b.Admonish and correct one another and confess your sins to each other: Read
Ephesians 4:25 (cf. Rom. 15:14; Col. 3:16; James 5:16).
c.Bear with one another, forgiving each other: Colossians 3:16 (cf. Rom. 14:13; 2 Cor.
13:11; Eph. 4:2).
Part 3
Apply Your Findings
Ray Oldenburg has argued that a healthy society needs three elements: family, work, and a “third
place” that is an open and inclusive social setting. The essential requirements of a third place are
that it is neutral territory where rank is forgotten, it is frequented by a core of regular attenders
who foster interpersonal exchange, and conversation is a central activity (The Great Good Place,
Marlowe & Company, 1999). In our society, many people try to find this third place in bars or
pubs. But the ideal place is the church.
[Q] How does Oldenburg’s description of a “third place” fit your understanding of the
fellowship of believers?
• How does the church differ from Oldenburg’s description of a third place?
Action Points: Christian fellowship is a gift of the Holy Spirit, but it also
involves effort on our part. How can we both receive this gift and do
what needs to be done to allow Christian fellowship to flourish? Christian
fellowship takes time and effort. What are you willing to give up in your busy
schedule to enrich Christian fellowship in your life and for those Christians
with whom you relate? How is God calling you personally to take Christian
fellowship more seriously?
—Study prepared by Richard A. Kauffman, pastor, former associate editor of Christianity Today, and author of numerous studies in this series
79
¿ ChristianBibleStudies.com
¨ Community 101, Gilbert Bilezikian (Zondervan, 1997; ISBN 0310217415)
¨ Community That Is Christian: A Handbook on Small Groups, Julie A. Gorman and
Roberta Hestenes (Baker Book House, 2002; ISBN 0801091454)
¨ One Anothering, Richard C. Meyer (Innisfree Press, 1990; ISBN 0931055733)
¨ Rediscovering Church: The Story and Vision of Willow Creek Community Church,
Lynne and Bill Hybels (Zondervan, 1997; ISBN 0310219272)
¨ The Safest Place On Earth, Larry Crabb (Word Publishing, 1999; ISBN
0849914566)
¿ For a list of “one another” texts, see http://mintools.com/bodylife4.htm.
80
Forgiveness of Sins
Forgiveness
of Sins
We acknowledge one
baptism for the
forgiveness of sins.
(Nicene Creed)
I believe in … the
(Apostles’ Creed)
We’ve come to think our faith is about comfort instead of repentance.
Repenting from sins may not be our favorite way
of passing time, but it is necessary. Caring for
others is fine, but being a Christian also involves
preaching—and practicing—repentance. In this
study based on the life of David, we will see what
it looks like.
Scr ipt ure: 2 S amue l 12 : 1 3; Ps alm 51
81
Forgiveness of Sins
Part 1
Identify the Issue
A line in the old hymn “At the Cross” has been changed in many hymnals from “such a worm
as I” to “sinners such as I.” The phrase could be changed again, if the current disfavor with the
word sinners were considered, perhaps to “victims such as I.” What other words have replaced
the concept of sinner in contemporary thought?
[Q] Why is it so hard for people to think of themselves as sinners?
[Q] Has the way people perceive their culpability changed over the years?
[Q] How comfortable is our society with the notion of God as judge?
[Q] How has God increased your awareness of your sinfulness?
[Q] How comfortable should we be with the concept of ourselves as sinners?
Part 2
What does real repentance look like? The Bible gives us an example in the sin and repentance of
David. After his adultery with Bathsheba, he conspired to have her husband murdered. Later,
the prophet Nathan confronted David about these sins. The child that resulted from David’s
affair with Bathsheba was ill at the time of its birth, so the king fasted and prostrated himself
before the Lord for seven days. When the child died, David resumed his life. (Read 2 Samuel
11–12 for the whole account.)
Teaching Point One: It takes only an instant to decide to repent.
When Nathan went before the king with his tale of a poor shepherd whose only sheep had
been stolen by the evil herd-owner next door, David got the message. He, with his many
wives, had stolen Uriah’s only wife, then had the cuckolded husband killed. David broke three
commandments. His confession was immediate. So was his absolution. As soon as David said, “I
have sinned against the Lord,” Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin” (2 Sam. 12:13).
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Forgiveness of Sins
It seems so quick. And in one sense it is. The Greek word for repentance is metanoia, simply
the changing of one’s mind. While one may weigh a decision for days, or even years, the act of
changing one’s mind happens in an instant. At some point in time, the decision is made. We are
usually aware of it when we make important choices in life.
The Hebrew word shoov is more picturesque. It means turning, as in turning around, or
returning. A person moving in one direction decides to switch directions. If all sin moves us
away from God’s will, then the best depiction of this is the about-face. Confronted with our sin
and how far from God it has taken us, we confess, turn around, and come running back to the
Father, who right away assures us: “Your sin is forgiven.”
In that way, repentance happens in a moment, in the instant when the sinner confesses his sin,
turns away from his sin and back to God. But repentance is also a process that takes a lifetime.
A cursory reading of this account might lead us to believe that David was too quick to confess
and too quick to return to his normal life. True, David confessed his sin immediately after
Nathan exposed it. His week of fasting and prayer was prompted by the infant’s illness. And he
was back to business, to his servants’ amazement, after the child’s death. But Samuel does not
record what was happening in David’s heart when he was on his face before God. David himself
wrote that account in Psalm 51, the great account of confession and repentance.
Teaching Point Two: The process of repentance requires an ever greater
understanding of ourselves as sinners and of the cleansing we need.
Read Psalm 51 aloud, noting the language of repentance.
First, a little background on the psalm itself. This is not the usual, off-the-cuff, stream-ofconsciousness prayer. This serious supplication is penetrating and rich. It is also beautiful poetry.
The psalm’s words, and even its form, help us understand how repentance is a process.
Psalm 51 is a chiasm. That means it builds to a peak, and the verses before the peak have
parallels or counterparts in verses after the peak. Verse 12 is the peak. In the following outline,
notice the relationship between the first and last sections (1 and 5) and between the second and
the next-to-last sections (2 and 4).
1. Prayer for personal repentance (vv. 1–2)
2. Confession of the sin that inhibits God’s blessing (vv. 3–6)
3. Prayer for restoration (vv. 7–12)
4. Thanksgiving and pledge to share God’s blessing (vv. 13–17)
5. Prayer for national repentance (vv. 18–19)
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Forgiveness of Sins
Repentance begins with an appeal to God. Our repentance is only possible because of the mercy
of God. David invokes not only the name of God, but also his character. God described himself
as merciful (Ex. 34:6–7), and David’s address is a plea for God to act on his mercy. This is not
the prayer of one king to another. This is the beseeching of a lowly creature to the Almighty God
who created him.
Next is a statement of the sinner’s intent. Like a grime-caked coal miner emerging from the
pit at the end of a long, dark day, we want to be washed. We need to head for the showers of
God’s mercy. We need to be cleansed completely. Verse 2 invites God to do all that’s necessary to
cleanse David of his sin. The psalmist develops this theme in verse 7. “Cleanse me with hyssop”
refers to ritual cleansing. Hyssop was a plant used much like a brush or sponge, which was used
to brush or sprinkle blood on the object being purified (see Ex. 12:22; Lev. 14:6–7).
More than a bath, or even an emotional catharsis, David is asking for a spiritual cleansing.
Hyssop connects the cleansing David requests to the sacrifices offered at the temple. Some
commentators say it foreshadows the cleansing we receive through the blood of Jesus (see Heb.
10:22; 1 Peter 1:2).
David uses several Hebrew words for sin. As a poet might search for ways to depict the blue
of the sky (“azure,” “turquoise”), the sinner grapples with his sin and struggles to describe his
deepening understanding of it.
He calls sin “sin,” but also “transgression” and “iniquity.” The words are not exact synonyms.
Their meanings overlap, but their differences are clear enough for us to see sin from several
angles.
• “Transgression” (pesha) is an act of rebellion or disloyalty. It is like trespassing where a
“No Trespassing” sign is posted.
• “Iniquity” (avon) is a crooked or perverse act, an intentional twisting of legal or moral
intent.
• “Sin” (khet) is missing the mark. Here the idea is that though we want to do God’s will,
and even try to do it, we fail—like an archer who aims for the bull’s eye but simply
misses.
David reveals what he learned about himself in his days on the carpet: he is a sinner. David’s
understanding of himself as a sinful man is marked by four revelations:
1. All sin is against God. Certainly David sinned against Uriah, Joab, Bathsheba, and the
baby. His violations of their trust are not to be dismissed. But he comes to the conclusion
that his sin is ultimately against God. David had violated God’s law by abusing his
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Forgiveness of Sins
creations. All sin against people is against the One who made them and who made laws to
protect them. (v. 4)
2. Human beings are sinners from the beginning. David concludes that he had been a
sinner since birth, quite a confession for a king whose every deed had earned him praise.
Scholars are divided over whether humans are already in a sinful condition when they are
born, or simply have the proclivity to sin and are waiting for the opportunity to make their
own sinful choices. In either case, David implies in verse 5 that he has been sinful for as
long as he can remember.
3. People are thoroughly sinful. Sin is not confined to one part of the body or psyche or
personality. Sin cannot be compartmentalized. As sin has affected all of creation, it infects
all of the person. In verse 6, David confesses that he knows God wants truth in the human
heart. As sin has had its influence since the time David was knit together in the womb,
now wisdom must invade his inmost parts.
4. Sin deserves death. David confesses that he is not just an unwitting sinner covered
by the sacrifices—he is the willful kind, one who deserves death: the adulterer, the
conspirator, the murderer. In verse 14, he admits that his sin should require his own life.
Again, he begs God for mercy. He vows to turn from sin to righteousness, and to live
publicly a righteous life as a testimony to God’s mercy and forgiveness.
Teaching Point Three: One sinner’s repentance benefits many sinners.
Repentance brings us back to God. Ongoing contrition keeps us in a flexible, moldable state. It
keeps us from rapidly hardening our hearts, as Scripture says.
We turn from our sins, and by God’s mercy we are restored to a right relationship with him.
David characterizes this as knowing again the joy of God’s salvation (v. 12), but it is not joy for
joy’s sake. God has a purpose, as always. David joins the joy he anticipates in climactic verse 12
with a request for a willing spirit that he may remain in this useful state.
Consider the activities David pledges himself to in verses 13 and following.
[Q] How is David’s repentance played out in acts of thanksgiving in verses 13–17? What are
those acts? What is their bearing on David and on others?
[Q] What is the role of these acts of worship and thanksgiving in renewing, maintaining,
and deepening your own repentance?
[Q] Verses 18 and 19 are more than a coda tacked on to David’s personal prayer. These
intercessions on behalf of the nation flow directly from David’s confession and restoration.
85
Forgiveness of Sins
What is the role of personal confession in national repentance and restoration—both by our
leaders and ourselves?
[Q] How does one person’s repentance influence others?
Part 3
Apply Your Findings
Action Points:
Choose one of the following:
1. Write your own Psalm 51. Recall a time in your life when you were especially
aware of your need to repent. Include in your psalm some of the elements
David used in his psalm of repentance: recounting the effects of sin and owning
them; identifying God as the one sinned against; anticipating the joys that
come with restoration; describing how you will share those joys with others.
Once you have written your personal psalm of repentance, pray it. Then
keep it for the next time you need a reminder of your need to repent and God’s
willingness to restore.
2. Contemplate the Cross. Spend 15 minutes before the Cross. Pray the prayer,
“Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner.” At the end of the time, sing
or read an old hymn about the cross: “Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed,” “When I
Survey the Wondrous Cross,” or “The Old Rugged Cross.”
Later, ask yourself: “How are my understanding of myself as a sinner, my need for
repentance, and my appreciation for God’s grace deepened when I am before the
Cross?” Do you think of yourself as a sinner? Have you confessed your sins and
received Christ’s forgiveness? If not, do so now.
—Study prepared by Leadership journal managing editor Eric Reed.
¿ Freedom of Forgiveness We can’t live for too long before realizing we need to know
how to forgive. We may want to forgive and try to forgive, yet still feel tormented
by hurt and anger. As this study shows, forgiveness is usually a process we have to
learn. We may not forgive perfectly, but we can learn from the Bible how to find the
freedom of full forgiveness.
86
Forgiveness of Sins
¿ Jesus as Your Mentor We often want mentors to show us how to live. Who
does that better than Christ himself? We become mentored when we let him
transform us and use us to help others. Jesus’ life exemplified all the great
qualities found in the best leaders, the best friends, and the most loving people.
The culture around us has influenced our understanding of what our lives should
look like, but God wants to show us the perfect version of life, found in his son
Jesus. This four-session course will show that Jesus lived the best life ever, and
when we let him mentor us, he will show us how to be the best leader, friend,
and lover, living the best way possible.
87
Forgiveness of Sins
Forgiveness
of Sins
We acknowledge one
baptism for the
(Nicene Creed)
(Apostles’ Creed)
We’ve come to think our faith is about comfort instead of repentance.
Repenting from sins may not be our favorite way
of passing time, but it is necessary. Caring for
others is fine, but being a Christian also involves
preaching—and practicing—repentance. In this
study based on the life of David, we will see what
it looks like.
Scr ipt ure: 2 S amue l 12 : 1 3; Ps alm 51
88
Forgiveness of Sins
Part 1
Identify the Issue
A line in the old hymn “At the Cross” has been changed in many hymnals from “such a worm
as I” to “sinners such as I.” The phrase could be changed again, if the current disfavor with the
word sinners were considered, perhaps to “victims such as I.” What other words have replaced
the concept of sinner in contemporary thought?
Part 2
Teaching Point One: It takes only an instant to decide to repent.
Teaching Point Two: The process of repentance requires an ever greater
understanding of ourselves as sinners and of the cleansing we need.
• “Transgression” (pesha) is an act of rebellion or disloyalty. It is like trespassing where a
“No Trespassing” sign is posted.
• “Iniquity” (avon) is a crooked or perverse act, an intentional twisting of legal or moral
intent.
• “Sin” (khet) is missing the mark. Here the idea is that though we want to do God’s will,
and even try to do it, we fail—like an archer who aims for the bull’s eye but simply
misses.
David reveals what he learned about himself in his days on the carpet: he is a sinner. David’s
understanding of himself as a sinful man is marked by four revelations:
1. All sin is against God.
2. Human beings are sinners from the beginning.
3. People are thoroughly sinful.
4. Sin deserves death.
Teaching Point Three: One sinner’s repentance benefits many sinners.
89
Forgiveness of Sins
Part 3
Apply Your Findings
Action Points:
Choose one of the following:
1. Write your own Psalm 51. Recall a time in your life when you were especially
aware of your need to repent. Include in your psalm some of the elements David
used in his psalm of repentance: recounting the effects of sin and owning them;
identifying God as the one sinned against; anticipating the joys that come with
restoration; describing how you will share those joys with others.
Once you have written your personal psalm of repentance, pray it. Then
keep it for the next time you need a reminder of your need to repent and God’s
willingness to restore.
2. Contemplate the Cross. Spend 15 minutes before the Cross. Pray the prayer,
“Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner.” At the end of the time, sing
or read an old hymn about the cross: “Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed,” “When I
Survey the Wondrous Cross,” or “The Old Rugged Cross.”
Later, ask yourself: “How are my understanding of myself as a sinner, my need for
repentance, and my appreciation for God’s grace deepened when I am before the
Cross?” Do you think of yourself as a sinner? Have you confessed your sins and
received Christ’s forgiveness? If not, do so now.
—Study prepared by Leadership journal managing editor Eric Reed.
¿ Freedom of Forgiveness We can’t live for too long before realizing we need to know
how to forgive. We may want to forgive and try to forgive, yet still feel tormented
by hurt and anger. As this study shows, forgiveness is usually a process we have to
learn. We may not forgive perfectly, but we can learn from the Bible how to find the
freedom of full forgiveness.
¿ Jesus as Your Mentor We often want mentors to show us how to live. Who does
that better than Christ himself? We become mentored when we let him transform us
and use us to help others. Jesus’ life exemplified all the great qualities found in the
best leaders, the best friends, and the most loving people. The culture around us has
influenced our understanding of what our lives should look like, but God wants to
show us the perfect version of life, found in his son Jesus. This four-session course
will show that Jesus lived the best life ever, and when we let him mentor us, he will
show us how to be the best leader, friend, and lover, living the best way possible.
90
Life Everlasting
Life Everlasting
We look for the
resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world
to come. (Nicene Creed)
resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
(Apostles’ Creed)
What do we know about the place where we’ll spend eternity?
Considering that heaven is the eternal home of
believers, it is surprising how little we seem to
know about it, and how much we think we know
that is not actually in the Bible. Also, everyone who
has grieved the loss of a Christian loved one has
probably wondered where that person is right
now—before Jesus comes back and establishes his
eternal kingdom on earth. This study will help your
group explore Scripture’s tantalizing insights into
our eternal home.
Scr ipt ure: Luk e 16 : 1 9– 3 1; 2 3: 39 – 43 ; 24 : 1 3– 4 3; 1 Co r inthians 1 5: 3 5 – 5 7 ;
2 Co r int h ian s 5: 1–5 ; 12 : 4 ; H ebrews 1 2: 1; R evelatio n 2: 7; 1 9– 2 2
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Life Everlasting
Part 1
Identify the Issue
Note to leader: Provide each person with the Participant’s Guide, included at
the end of this study.
To enhance your study, you may refer to the book Heaven, by Randy Alcorn
(Tyndale House Publishers, 2004). He offers clear, biblically based answers to
nearly every question you might have about heaven. For a review of this book
from C hristianit y T oday , go to www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/002/34.88.html .
Alcorn’s book was a significant aid in the preparation of this study.
Mark Twain, a gifted writer but a cynical unbeliever, wrote quite often about heaven. In one piece,
entitled “Etiquette for the Afterlife,” he gave advice to people preparing to meet St. Peter:
• “Wait patiently in the queue till it comes your turn to apply for a ticket. Do not look
bored, and don’t scratch your shin with your other foot.”
• “If you get in—if you get in—don’t tip him. That is, publicly. Don’t hand it to him, just
leave a quarter on the bench by him, and let on you forgot it. If he bites it to see if it is
good, you are not to seem to notice it.”
• “Leave your dog outside. Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out
and the dog would go in.”
• “Keep off the grass.”
[Q] People have lots of strange ideas about heaven (such as the idea that we will be greeted by
St. Peter). What are some you’ve heard from movies, books, or other people?
[Q] When are you likely to find yourself thinking about heaven? What do you think about most?
Part 2
Teaching Point One: Believers who die immediately enter an intermediate heaven
to await the day when “the new heaven and the new earth” are established.
Read Revelation 21:1–5.
[Q] Skim through Revelation 19 and 20. In brief, what kinds of things will happen before the
new heavens and the new earth appear? (No need here to quibble over the details, just sketch
out the main events.)
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Life Everlasting
Note to leader: Christ will destroy the wicked on earth and will reign on earth
for 1,000 years (different churches interpret this in different ways, but in any
event it precedes chapter 21). Then Satan will be released, and defeated once
and for all. Then the new heaven and new earth will appear.
[Q] Before all this happens, where are those believers who have died? When we say, “They’re
in heaven,” where is that heaven? Look closely at Revelation 21:2.
Note to leader: John saw the New Jerusalem “coming down out of heaven from
God.” So that is where it must be now. Verse 5 indicates that it is only at this
point in the course of the end times that God is “making everything new.” While
some may suggest that this vision has to be taken symbolically, given the nature
of apocalyptic literature like Revelation, it still seems clear that the location
of heaven now is different than where heaven will be after Revelation 21 is
fulfilled.
Read Luke 23:39–43
[Q] What can you conclude from Jesus’ promise to the dying thief?
Note to leader: First, we can dismiss the idea of “soul sleep”—the suggestion that
believers sleep until the final resurrection, unaware of the passage of time. Jesus
said the thief would be with him “today.” Secondly, Jesus said he would meet the
redeemed thief in paradise. Thus, paradise is where Jesus is now. The word paradise
only appears two other places in the New Testament. (You may ask the class to look
up these two texts.)
• In 2 Corinthians 12:4, Paul tells of a man who “was caught up to paradise. He heard
inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell.”
• In Revelation 2:7, Christ says to the church in Ephesus, “To him who overcomes, I
will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.”
[Q] So what can we conclude about the heaven where Christians who have “fallen asleep”
now are?
[Q] How would you distinguish heaven now from the heaven yet to come, as described in
Revelation 21–22?
Note to leader: Since it is clear that believers who die in the Lord are immediately
with Christ in paradise, but also that this paradise is not the same as “the Holy
City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God”—which will only
happen after all other end-time events—theologians have adopted the phrase,
“the intermediate state” or “the intermediate heaven.” This is the current heavenly
home of believers who have died and are awaiting the final resurrection. It is a
wonderful state of delight, beyond our imagination, but it is not the complete
fulfillment of all that God has promised.
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Teaching Point Two: It is not certain from Scripture what form believers
possess in this intermediate state before the final resurrection.
Note to leader: This subject must be tackled with humility. Godly, Bible-believing
people interpret the Scriptures on this point differently. But it is profitable,
nonetheless, to consider these texts.
Popular lore says people who go to heaven become angels, or floating, disembodied spirits. The
Bible is not specific about what our bodies will be like in either the intermediate or the eternal
heaven, but we do have some important clues from Scripture.
[Q] Read Luke 24:13–43, a description of two of Jesus’ appearances after his resurrection.
Scan through these verses silently and discuss what you learn about Jesus’ resurrection body.
[Q] Do you think that, since Jesus’ body has the characteristics indicated in Luke 24, it
follows that our bodies will be similar to his as soon as we die?
[Q] Read Luke 16:19–31, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. This story gives us a
glimpse into both heaven and hell; however, it is not certain which elements in this story are
literal and which are figurative. Some things suggested here have no other parallels in the
Bible. For example, is there communication between heaven and hell, as depicted here, or
does Jesus bring that into this story to make a larger point? It seems unlikely that believers
who have died spend all their time cuddled up at Abraham’s side. Nonetheless, this story is to
be taken seriously as a glimpse into the afterlife.
[Q] What are some things we might infer from this story about believers’ bodies after we die?
Randy Alcorn, in his book Heaven, observes:
Both the rich man and Abraham reasoned and communicated, and they maintained their
distinct identities from earth. The rich man and Lazarus are depicted as having physical
forms [after death] …. Of course, these references may be entirely figurative. But they might
also suggest the possession of transitional physical forms, existing in a physical Paradise, to
sustain and manifest human identity between death and resurrection. (p. 63)
It seems to many believers that this story, even though it is a parable, must be depicting after-life
reality, lest Jesus be misleading us.
[Q] Read 1 Corinthians 15:35–57 and 2 Corinthians 5:1–5. What insight do these
Scriptures give us into the nature of our bodies between death and the final resurrection at the
return of Christ?
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1 Corinthians 15:35–57 is a key passage on the resurrection body. The problem is that Paul
doesn’t explain whether the resurrection body he describes is ours immediately after death or
only after Christ has brought all things under his control (the context in vv. 20–26) at the final
resurrection.
The brief glimpses the Bible gives us of saints already with the Lord depicts them having human
forms, if not human bodies of some sort. For example, when Moses and Elijah ministered to
Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration (Mark 9:2–10), the disciples saw human figures and even
recognized them. The martyrs under the altar awaiting Jesus’ coming judgment in Revelation
6:9–11 appear to have forms in that they are offered white robes to wear. In the parable in Luke
16:19–31, all three characters—the rich man, Lazarus, and Abraham—are depicted as having
bodies with senses.
On the other hand, passages like Philippians 3:20–21, 1 Thessalonians 4:16, and John 5:25–29
indicate clearly that we will not have our eternal resurrection bodies until the return of Christ.
This question of the “intermediate state” of the believer cannot be resolved with certainty.
However, these things seem to be true:
• After death, believers are immediately and consciously in the presence of the Lord Jesus
Christ (2 Cor. 5:8).
• They are with Jesus in paradise (see comments in Teaching Point 1). Paradise is a place
of delight in the presence of God, other saints, and angels, and is free from trouble and
temptation.
• Believers are conscious and aware of their surroundings and, likely, of at least some events
on earth (Rev. 6:9–11; also Moses and Elijah encouraging Jesus at his transfiguration).
• Believers, while not having their final resurrected bodies, are neither formless nor
indistinguishable spirits (cf. the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, the appearance of
Moses and Elijah, the martyrs under the throne wearing white robes).
• Believers, while not in distress during the intermediate state, will not have a sense of
completion until Jesus’ second coming. We will joyfully anticipate his second coming,
even while we wait in his presence.
Teaching Point Three: Believers now in heaven are likely aware of those
who remain on earth.
[Q] A distraught young woman, whose saintly father had just died, asked the pastor moments
before the funeral, “Can my father see me right now?” How would you answer her?
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[Q] Could we draw any help from the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, which we
looked at earlier (Luke 16:19–31)?
Note to leader: All three of the characters—Abraham, Lazarus, and the rich man—are
aware of earthly people, and the rich man is concerned about his brothers’ welfare. It
is possible that Jesus did not mean this to be taken literally, but on the other hand, we
certainly have reason to take anything Jesus says regarding heaven and hell seriously,
unless the nature of the statement is obviously meant to be taken otherwise.
[Q] Read Hebrews 12:1. Who are the witnesses referred to in this verse? What does the use
of the word witnesses imply to you? (The writer could have said, “Since we are surrounded by
so many examples,” but that isn’t the word he chose.)
[Q] Can you think of Scripture passages that indicate that the inhabitants of heaven are
aware of things happening on earth?
• There is rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:7, 10).
• At Jesus’ transfiguration (Matt. 17:1–3), he was attended by Moses and Elijah, who
presumably came back aware of what Jesus was going through and about to face in his
crucifixion. Thus they were aware of earthly events from their vantage point in heaven.
(Notice that they also appear in bodily form.)
• In Revelation 6:9–11, martyrs are portrayed as being aware of events on earth, eager
to see vengeance on the wicked. Would it not stand to reason that if they are aware of
earth’s ongoing evil, they would also be aware of other earthly events and people?
[Q] If people in heaven are aware of people and events on earth, won’t they know sorrow
over the sin and heartache they see?
Randy Alcorn, in his book Heaven, skillfully addresses this question, making these points
(pp. 72–73):
• “God knows exactly what’s happening on Earth, yet it doesn’t diminish Heaven for
him.” The same is true of the angels, and Abraham in Jesus’ parable.
• He suggests that there is no explicit promise that there is no sorrow of any degree or
kind in the intermediate heaven. The promise of “no more tears” appears in Revelation
21, in conjunction with the coming of the new heaven and new earth.
• “People in Heaven are not frail beings whose joy can only be preserved by shielding
them from what’s really going on in the universe. Happiness in Heaven is not based on
ignorance but on perspective.” That is, seeing from heaven’s vantage point. With such
complete knowledge of God’s sovereignty and workings, the sorrows of earth do not
look the same as they do from here.
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Life Everlasting
Part 3
Apply Your Findings
Randy Alcorn tells this story (from his book Heaven):
In 1952, young Florence Chadwick stepped into the waters of the Pacific Ocean off
Catalina Island, determined to swim to the shore of mainland California. She’d already
been the first woman to swim the English Channel both ways. The weather was foggy
and chilly; she could hardly see the boats accompanying her. Still, she swam for fifteen
hours. When she begged to be taken out of the water along the way, her mother, in a
boat alongside, told her she was close and that she could make it. Finally, physically and
emotionally exhausted, she stopped swimming and was pulled out. It wasn’t until she
was on the boat that she discovered the shore was less than half a mile away. At a news
conference the next day she said, “All I could see was the fog … I think if I could have seen
the shore, I would have made it.” (p. xxii)
[Q] What do you think of the old cliché, “He’s so heavenly minded, he’s of no earthly
good”?
C. S. Lewis wrote:
If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world
were just those who thought most of the next. The apostles themselves, who set on foot the
conversion of the Roman Empire, the great men who built up the Middle Ages, the English
Evangelicals who abolished the Slave Trade, all left their mark on Earth, precisely because
their minds were occupied with Heaven. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think
of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. Aim at Heaven and you will
get earth ‘thrown in’: aim at earth and you will get neither. (Mere Christianity, p. 118)
Let’s conclude with a good story. On Sunday morning, January 9, 2005, Rev. Jack Arnold, a
69-year-old semi-retired Presbyterian pastor, was preaching at Covenant Presbyterian Church in
Ovieda, Florida, where he had once served as senior pastor. Michael Bates, the associate pastor at
Covenant, was listening to Arnold preach and told what happened:
Jack was preaching on the cost of discipleship. As he neared the end of the sermon he
spoke of his favorite verse, “For me to live is Christ, to die is gain.” He quoted Wesley,
saying, “Until my work on this earth is done, I am immortal. But when my work for
Christ is done”—and Jack slapped his hands together toward the sky—”I’m outta here! I
don’t know about you, but when my work is done, I go to be with Jesus. And that will be
gain! And when I go to heaven …” At this point Jack paused briefly, looked up, swayed
slightly, and grabbed the podium before falling back to the floor. And he was gone.
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Life Everlasting
Jack’s son Brian remembered his father at the funeral:
As long as I have known my father he has been a restless man. His choleric personality
certainly accounts for some of this restlessness, but mostly it can be attributed to his deep
conviction that this earth is not his home.
Stanley Hauerwas coined the phrase “resident alien” to describe a Christian’s tentative
relationship to the dominant culture. Dad was a resident alien. In fact, he was more like an
illegal immigrant. He just had no business being here. No business but God’s business. 1
Action Points:
Finish the sentence: If I thought more about heaven, I would probably
_________________________________________________________________________.
In other words, what difference would it make in my life in the present to think
more about my future with Christ?
—Study prepared by Lee Eclov, senior pastor of Village Church of
Lincolnshire, Illinois, and a regular contributor.
¿ Dying and Going to Heaven Perhaps Christians don’t spend enough time
thinking about dying and going to heaven. The preacher of Ecclesiastes tells us
“He has also set eternity in the hearts of men …” This 12-session course will
help you think about the many aspects of this.
¿ Acts: How to Have an Eternal Impact To have an eternal impact we need to
understand what’s important to God. As we catch his heart, we can be driven
by God’s mission: to live not in search of self-fulfillment but in a continual,
dynamic, personal relationship with God and to help others do the same. This
five-part course on the Book of Acts will help us see our need for an eternal
mission, which includes joy in Christ, connecting with others, using our gifts,
and making Christ what our lives are about.
1
http://home.christianity.com/ministries/pcanews/108929.html
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Life Everlasting
Life Everlasting
We look for the
resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world
to come. (Nicene Creed)
resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
(Apostles’ Creed)
What do we know about the place where we’ll spend eternity?
Considering that heaven is the eternal home of
believers, it is surprising how little we seem to
know about it, and how much we think we know
that is not actually in the Bible. Also, everyone who
has grieved the loss of a Christian loved one has
probably wondered where that person is right
now—before Jesus comes back and establishes his
eternal kingdom on earth. This study will help your
group explore Scripture’s tantalizing insights into
our eternal home.
Scr ipt ure: Luk e 16 : 1 9– 3 1; 2 3: 39 – 43 ; 24 : 1 3– 4 3; 1 Co r inthians 1 5: 3 5 – 5 7 ;
2 Co r int h ian s 5: 1–5 ; 12 : 4 ; H ebrews 1 2: 1; R evelatio n 2: 7; 1 9– 2 2
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Life Everlasting
Part 1
Identify the Issue
To enhance your study, you may refer to the book Heaven, by Randy
Alcorn (Tyndale House Publishers, 2004). He offers clear, biblically based
answers to nearly every question you might have about heaven. For a
review of this book from C hristianit y T oday , go to www.christianitytoday.
com/ct/2005/002/34.88.html . Alcorn’s book was a significant aid in the
preparation of this study.
Part 2
Teaching Point One: Believers who die immediately enter an
intermediate heaven to await the day when “the new heaven and the
new earth” are establishe.
Teaching Point Two: It is not certain from Scripture what form believers
possess in this intermediate state before the final resurrection.
This question of the “intermediate state” of the believer cannot be resolved with certainty.
However, these things seem to be true:
• After death, believers are immediately and consciously in the presence of the Lord Jesus
Christ (2 Cor. 5:8).
•They are with Jesus in paradise (see comments in Teaching Point 1). Paradise is a place
of delight in the presence of God, other saints, and angels, and is free from trouble and
temptation.
•Believers are conscious and aware of their surroundings and, likely, of at least
some events on earth (Rev. 6:9–11; also Moses and Elijah encouraging Jesus at his
transfiguration).
•Believers, while not having their final resurrected bodies, are neither formless nor
indistinguishable spirits (cf. the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, the appearance of
Moses and Elijah, the martyrs under the throne wearing white robes).
•Believers, while not in distress during the intermediate state, will not have a sense of
completion until Jesus’ second coen try to do it, we fail—like an archer who aims for
the bull’s eye but simply misses.
Teaching Point Three: Believers now in heaven are likely aware of those
who remain on earth.
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Life Everlasting
Randy Alcorn, in his book Heaven, makes these points (pp. 72–73):
• “God knows exactly what’s happening on Earth, yet it doesn’t diminish Heaven for
him.” The same is true of the angels, and Abraham in Jesus’ parable.
• He suggests that there is no explicit promise that there is no sorrow of any degree or
kind in the intermediate heaven. The promise of “no more tears” appears in Revelation
21, in conjunction with the coming of the new heaven and new earth.
• “People in Heaven are not frail beings whose joy can only be preserved by shielding
them from what’s really going on in the universe. Happiness in Heaven is not based on
ignorance but on perspective.” That is, seeing from heaven’s vantage point. With such
complete knowledge of God’s sovereignty and workings, the sorrows of earth do not
look the same as they do from here.
Part 3
Apply Your Findings
C. S. Lewis wrote:
If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world
were just those who thought most of the next. The apostles themselves, who set on foot the
conversion of the Roman Empire, the great men who built up the Middle Ages, the English
Evangelicals who abolished the Slave Trade, all left their mark on Earth, precisely because their
minds were occupied with Heaven. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other
world that they have become so ineffective in this. Aim at Heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown
in’: aim at earth and you will get neither. (Mere Christianity, p. 118)
Action Points:
Finish the sentence: If I thought more about heaven, I would probably _________.
In other words, what difference would it make in my life in the present to think
more about my future with Christ?
—Study prepared by Lee Eclov, senior pastor of Village Church of
Lincolnshire, Illinois, and a regular contributor.
101
Life Everlasting
¿ Dying and Going to Heaven Perhaps Christians don’t spend enough time
thinking about dying and going to heaven. The preacher of Ecclesiastes tells us
“He has also set eternity in the hearts of men …” This 12-session course will
help you think about the many aspects of this.
¿ Acts: How to Have an Eternal Impact To have an eternal impact we need to
understand what’s important to God. As we catch his heart, we can be driven
by God’s mission: to live not in search of self-fulfillment but in a continual,
dynamic, personal relationship with God and to help others do the same. This
five-part course on the Book of Acts will help us see our need for an eternal
mission, which includes joy in Christ, connecting with others, using our gifts,
and making Christ what our lives are about.
102

A Closer Look at the Creeds

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