HOME April 11th YOB Class
Year of the Bible Sunday School Class ~ April 11, 2010
Joshua, Psalms, and Romans
Joshua
1. God chooses Joshua as the replacement for Moses (from line of Joseph, Ephraim) but the main character of this book is really God. Joshua wanted the people of Israel to know Him and fear Him.
2. Joshua send spies into Canaan; Rahab, the prostitute who believes in God, protects them in Jericho. Consider the lessons from Rahab: she uses her “whole personality” in response to God: 1) her mind (she had great faith based on the little knowledge of the Israelite’s God), 2) she responded to her emotions (she feared for her life, knowing that God would turn her city over to the Israelites), and 3) she exercises her will (she put her faith into action by protecting the spies and by pleading for her life and her family’s life)
3. Israelites crossed the Jordan River; God’s miracle of stopping the water from flowing; memorial built. Lesson: the memorial was built to remind the next generation about God’s mercy and goodness – we need to teach the next generation all about God and His truths so they don’t turn to the idols of the world. In Christ we have a new life and can leave the past behind.
4. Remarkable events on the plains of Jericho: circumcision of all males; celebrate Passover; manna stops; Commander of the Lord’s army appears to Joshua and instructs him how to take Jericho; Jericho falls. Lesson: To grow in faith, accept new challenges and trust God to give you a victory. In our prayers, ask for His power to accomplish the tasks He has set before you. With each victory, give God the glory!
5. Achan (tribe of Judah) steals some of the plunder that was placed in the Lord’s treasury; the consequence: Israel is defeated by Ai; Achan and family were stoned and his property was burned to purge land of evil; Lesson: we cannot hide our sin from God
6. God then gives Israel a victory over Ai and many other cities (defeated 31 kings); God showered heavy hailstones upon their enemies and prolonged the light of the sun and the moon on the battle at Gibeon
7. God wanted these cities in Canaan completely wiped out because of their wickedness
8. When God gave them rest from war, Joshua divided the land among the tribes, by lot, before the Lord
9. Levites were given 48 towns within all the lands of the tribes; all God’s promises fulfilled
10. Joshua calls Israel to a great council at Shechem where he reviewed all that God had done for them
11. Israelites make a covenant that they would not worship idols and serve only God.
12. Joshua died at 110 yrs. old, Joseph’s bones were buried in Shechem, Aaron’s son Eleazar died
Psalm 38:
1. Theme: confession of sin; David’s sins had brought God’s anger and wrath
2. Consequences: his severe illnesses; physical troubles can be a consequence of sin (John 5:14)
3. When we suffer the consequences of sin, we can choose our response:
a. Focus on ourselves and our pain (vv. 1-8): David was drowning in his suffering; he writes pitifully descriptive details of his pain; life lesson: we have the freedom to be disobedient to God, but we don’t have the freedom to change the consequences; because of God’s love for us, He rebukes & chastens us
b. Focus on the pain of our loneliness and from the behavior of others (vv 9-14): David feels abandoned and terribly lonely; friends avoid him; his enemies want to ruin him
c. Focus on the Lord and experience forgiveness (vv. 15-22): David hopes in and waits for the Lord, knowing that He will answer his prayers; he confesses with true repentance and wants God to heal him not only for his own comfort but also so he can overcome his enemies; he closes the prayer with three requests: that God is with him, that He is near him, and that God is for him and will help him
4. We need to pray! As we pray, God works in our hearts to help us understand ourselves better and to discern God’s will for us; prayer is a privilege and a blessing
Romans:
Background: Romans 1-8: Paul describes the Christian faith; details of the New Covenant
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our need for a Redeemer because of our sin; God’s judgment
- justification through faith; we have peace with God through Jesus Christ
- struggle we have with sin
- the Holy Spirit gives us life and helps us in prayer and in our weaknesses
- nothing can separate us from the love of God
Then in 9-11, Paul explains…
- God’s sovereign choice of Israel as His people
- how the Jews have rejected God’s gift of righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ
- that Israel’s fall opened the door for the Gentiles to be grafted into the Kingdom of God
- Israel will be saved on account of God’s mercy and love.
Chapters 12-16: Practical applications in living the Christian life:
Chapter 12: Having a right relationship with God affects our lives everyday
v. 1: living sacrifices: worship to God is not only expressed in belief and faith but is also expressed in action by our bodies; in acts of service
vv. 3-5: do not think of yourself more highly than you ought…we form one body: themes:
_______humility__________ ________purpose___________ ____unity_____
So with the renewing of our minds (v.2) we can evaluate ourselves according to Jesus’ examples, we can discern God’s will for us, and through the Holy Spirit we can love others.
vv. 6-8: Gifts: their source: __God______ purpose: _____to meet the needs of the Church body_____
How can you use your God-given spiritual gifts for the good of the Church body? ________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
(for help in identifying your gifts, refer to the separate sheet with the list of spiritual gifts)
vv. 9-21: Love in action…..
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Love’s characteristics
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I do this consistently…
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I need a little work on this one…
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Be sincere, without hypocrisy
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Love what is good
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Honor others above yourselves
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Never lack in zeal for Christ (intense passion)
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Keep spiritual fervor in serving the Lord
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Christian hope is cause for joy
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Endure affliction (distress, trouble, pain, misery)
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Be faithful in prayer
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Share with fellow Christians who are in need
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Practice (pursue) hospitality (a love for strangers)
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Bless those who persecute you; don’t curse
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Identify with others in their joys and in their sorrows
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Live in harmony with others
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Don’t be proud but be willing to associate with people of lower position
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Don’t be conceited
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Do what is right; conduct yourself in the highest of moral standards, upholding the gospel
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Live at peace with others to the extent that it depends on you
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Don’t seek revenge, that’s God’s business
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Overcome evil with good
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Total the # of X’s in each column
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Circle 3 characteristics you can work on TODAY
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D. Bonhoeffer: beginning of love is learning to listen to others; we love God by listening to His Word
B. Graham: don’t be too lazy or too proud to call upon God’s strength to overcome the temptation of self-indulgence and moral softness. It’s more difficult to practice self-discipline. Seek to serve Him.
C. Swindoll: be one whose joy in Christ is contagious even in times of painful trial…with a broad vision…where rules are few and changes are welcome…this attitude comes from God’s grace
Chapter 13: God and Country
vv. 1-7: Submitting to Authorities/Be a Good Citizen:
- everyone is subject to governing authorities
- God established the rule of authority, functioning to benefit society
- all human authority is derived from God’s authority
- John 19:11 Jesus said to Pilate, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.” i.e. those in authority are under God’s sovereign control even if they don’t realize it
- Pilate misused his authority to condemn Jesus; others in history: Herod, Nero, Hitler, Stalin
- Read Psalm 2: 1-6; the Hitlers of the world will face God in judgment
- we are good citizens because of our expectation of the Lord’s return; when we meet Jesus we will have to give an accounting (14:12)
- Charles Hodge (1800s; Princeton Theological Seminary) “Whenever obedience to man is inconsistent with obedience to God, then disobedience becomes a duty!” (refers to the requirement to worship a ruler or idols; see Daniel 3 and what Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego did when King Nebuchadnezzar ordered all peoples to worship a golden image. How did God respond?)
vv. 8-14: Be a Good Neighbor
- “Love your neighbor as yourself (v.9) Greek for “neighbor” is “one who is near” so we should not decide who our neighbor is based on race, status, physical appearances….neighbors are those who are near to us: family, friends, church members, coworkers, store clerks…. What can you do today to express love to a neighbor? _____________________________________ (an unexpected card expressing gratitude, a meal on wheels, a note of encouragement, a chat with someone you’ve been in conflict with, just listening to someone who is experiencing hard times, helping an elderly/handicapped person in obvious need…)
- “love is the fulfillment of the law.” (v.10)
- Saint Augustine: “This law [love your neighbor as yourself] is not written on tables of stone but is shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who is given to us.”
- v. 12 “…put on the armor of light” v. 14 “clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Chapter 14: Keeping Peace
- Consider the blend of people in the early church, the 1st century Christians had disagreements about…
what foods were acceptable,
what worship day was right,
how to observe religious holidays
- Do we quibble about “nonessentials” in church?
- Paul describes two groups in the church: the “weak” (in faith) and the “strong”
Examples: 1) the strong person recognizes that our food choices have no spiritual significance, the weak person “eats only vegetables” (an issue of some foods being “unclean”)
2) which are the sacred days: all days are to be dedicated to God through holy living. In all things we do, do them for the Lord.
- God loves all of us so don’t pass judgment or be a stumbling block to others.
- Believers are at different levels of spiritual maturity and from diverse backgrounds
- Stop judging each other in disputable matters (expression of arrogance) – live harmoniously
Judging is revealed in the forms of: ___gossip, harsh language, disrespect, hearsay_____
How can we cleanse ourselves from the bad habit of being judgmental? ______________
- v. 19: so make the effort to do what leads to peace Paul was concerned about building up all believers. Don’t elevate the nonessentials of custom and ceremony; don’t allow them to disrupt Christian fellowship
Chapter 15: Unity, Encouragement, and Endurance
- Spirit of Unity: Christ is our example and the Holy Spirit is our counselor
What does this mean (having a spirit of unity) and how do we live it??
v. 1: _______be considerate of others, not always focused on self_______________
v. 2: _______build up others______________________________________________
v. 6: _______join together so you glorify God with one heart and one mouth ________
v. 7: _______accept one another____________________________________________
v. 9: ________glorify God for the mercy He has given us ______________________
v. 14: _be full of goodness, be knowledgeable about the Lord, instruct each other wisely _
v. 18: _____don’t speak of anything but what Jesus would have spoken about _________
v. 30: _____pray to God for others who are serving the Lord _______________________
Chapter 16: Greetings to Friends
- Paul has an appreciation for his fellow servants
- Concerned about protecting them from false teachers who try to create division in the church
- Paul urges them to be wise about what is good – put on the spiritual armor!
- Paul ends the letter by:
- Pointing out that that the mystery of God’s plan for redemption has been revealed in Jesus Christ
- Describing God “to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever” (NKJV) alone: there is but one God for Jew and Gentile alike
wise: God’s ways are not our ways, he will make us into the people He wants us to be if we faithfully look to Him for guidance
References:
The Book of Romans; Gib Martin and Larry Richards
Romans: Encountering the Gospel’s Power; John Stott
NIV Study Bible; Zondervan
Be Worshipful; Warren Wiersbe
The Bible Exposition Commentary; Warren Wiersbe