Sunday, February 26, 2012

On 3-4-12 Proverbs 8:22-35 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson, herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as Wisdom’s Part in Creation aka Wisdom’s Origin.

Wisdom’s Part in Creation
Or
Wisdom’s Origin
Proverbs 8:22-35
International Sunday School Lesson
March 4, 2012



Commentary
By
Jed Greenough


Do not be confused by the translation you might be using today.  Depending on which one you are using you may jump to a conclusion that would be in error!!

Yes, I know the wording could draw you to make a conclusion but your intuition is worth following to its end because what you do see is in fact wisdom and it isn’t debatable that its attributes are the same as some of Christ’s.  If we are to use the NIV translation, please notice in our first verse today that it is wisdom that was brought forth as the first of His works.  Now if we go to John 1 starting with the first verse we read, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.”  Christ is not a created being; He created all things and if using this translation that would include wisdom.

But it is fascinating isn’t it to think about wisdom being created just like the earth and sky and man?  Wisdom would then be similar to us in that it also was chosen before the creation of the world.  Pretty cool I think, but…I think the translation is wrong!  Most other Bible translations say to the effect that “the Lord possessed me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old.”  It gives a different meaning doesn’t it and can you really ever imagine God without wisdom?

So what can we draw from this Proverb?  Well let’s begin by again looking at this quote from Ephesians 1:4, “For he chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.”  Further we read according to this proverb that God possessed wisdom before creation so it seems to me that wisdom is the place we should start as well.

In order to gain wisdom we know from the scripture that fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom but what do we do after that?  Quite simply we do what we are doing today, study His word.  Proverbs 8:5a says, “You who are foolish, gain understanding.”  If we gain understanding by reading His word we see the things that we are to do and the things that we are not to do.  Back in Ephesians again as it says beginning in 4:24, “to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteous ness and holiness.”  And it goes on to tell us to put off falsehood, anger, stealing, unwholesome talk, bitterness, anger and there is more.  As we seek to grow in our wisdom we see that some of the things we need to improve in such as building others up, speaking things that will benefit the listener, to be kind and compassionate, forgiving and loving and there is again, more.

We just scratch the surface with these as wisdom is something that once we acquire some we’re not finished.  Instead the more we grow in wisdom by listening to Him through His word the more we understand to stay wise you must stay within that word.







For Discussion:


1.     Reading all of Ephesians is a good place for the Christian to grow in wisdom.
2.     If you wish to understand wisdom in Proverbs a bit more and you can access an NIV Study Bible there is a great outline to be found there: The Wise Man According to Proverbs.
3.     How low must God hold the opposite of wisdom?
4.     God said in Deuteronomy 4:6 in speaking about His decrees and laws, “Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations.”  In doing so they gave a witness.  Discuss how this still can pertain to us today.
5.     Discuss our duty to gain wisdom as Christians as a responsibility to the unsaved.  For a similar meaning read Luke 1:17.
6.     Read 1 Corinthians 1 and 2.
7.     Discuss what Paul said in Ephesians 1:17, “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better.”
8.     Look at several translations, was Wisdom created by God or not?

Upcoming Adult Sunday School Class Commentaries



3-11-12:  The Word Became Flesh John 1:1-14
3-18-12:  The Wedding at Cana (Water Turned to Wine) John 2:1-12
3-25-12:  God’s Word Saves (Nicodemus Learns of New Birth) John 3:11-21
4-1-12:    Jesus Testifies to the Truth John 18:28-37 or John 18:28-38





Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved

Sunday, February 19, 2012

On 2-26-12 Galatians 5:22-6:10 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson, herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as Fruits of Redemption.

Fruits of Redemption
Galatians 5:22-6:10
International Sunday School Lesson
February 26, 2012



Commentary
By
Jed Greenough


Sometimes, no, make that often, we forget to look at the bigger picture as we read our scriptures.  That is easy enough to do when we study for Sunday School using this ISSL/Uniform Series format.  We see what the scripture is on any given Sunday and concentrate on what we have been given but let’s look at this in how we think the context might have been when written.
But before we do that I want to ask you each a question.  I must assume that since today’s scripture begins with” but” you must know that there will be something that is contrary to what you are about to read and so you read what that was.  Having found that in the previous verses that describe the sinful nature, how did it make you feel?  When you read the acts of the sinful nature and then the fruits of the spirit, again how did you feel?  We will get back to this in a bit.
First of all putting this in the proper context I will remind you that this entire letter was written because of the reports that Paul had heard concerning these Galatians.  There was an influence among them causing them to think that they were to live their Christian lives with aspects of the Jewish law instead of by the Spirit.  So this letter was sent with urgency to correct them, to remind them that they came to be Christians by faith in the news they had heard concerning Christ not through following any laws.
Having concentrated on making them understand  through the bulk of his letter that they should live by the Spirit given to them (4:6) and not live by the law Paul is wrapping things up as we read today how the person with the Spirit lives.
So we have some, pretty new to their faith, slightly confused Christians in these Galatians.  Paul had converted them, according to my understanding during his first missionary journey.  This is a fledgling church and Paul has limited means of instructing them.  Zealous teachers of course would have influence.  Paul is far away and writes a forceful letter and to have the most affect he concentrates his firepower. 
Fortunately for us, we have all of our years of sermons and Sunday School lessons.  We have our personal study of not just this lesson but all of Paul’s letters.  Paul couldn’t write everything there was to say in each letter so again he wrote in ways to have the most affect.  For the Galatians Paul wanted to be sure that they understand they are to live by Spirit and truth.  They would have been eager to be instructed by Paul that living in the Spirit was the correct and pleasing way to God.  As I said last week they weren’t pursuing the law because they were lazy they were adding this because they were taught incorrectly that it was pleasing to God.  So Paul very clearly told them you can live one way or the other.  By the Spirit and have these attributes in your life or by the law and have the sinful nature.
Rather extreme examples were given in my honest opinion coupled with those that were less so to impress upon them the extreme difference between following the law and following the Spirit.  A rather efficient way of driving home his point to an eager reader given the constraints Paul was operating under.
So let’s get back to the question I asked.  A question that, to use the words of Rick from Casablanca, won’t matter a “hill of beans” to someone who doesn’t care but like the Galatians, to the passionate, it will matter a great deal.  Again, how do you feel when you read the acts of the sinful nature and the fruit of the Spirit?
Since we aren’t together I cannot get your responses so let me reveal to you my psyche.  I have a passion like I feel the Galatians did and I measure myself with each of the words that are listed there.  It is easy for me to not concentrate on the fact that I haven’t the depravity listed by some of these but rather concentrate on those I shouldn’t have and do.
I know that there are areas that I have where I am weak and if I were left only with this letter to the Galatians I would be motivated to react but in a somewhat depressed manner.  Fortunately I have the rest of the scriptures as well including others from Paul that tell me enough to give me encouragement.
They tell me in places like Ephesians and Romans that I am still living in a sinful body, I will still sin but as I let the process of sanctification work in me I will mature in ever increasing measure until I do become “mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
This knowledge is given to us that we are not perfect and so it comes with a caveat which Paul mentions in Galatians 4:13-14, “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.  The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”



For Discussion:


1.     Stay with me on this one!  If you were to privately ask 20 people what should be a very basic foundational question that could produce a clear answer such as, “What is the gospel?”  You will get 20 different and somewhat convoluted answers.  Likewise if you were to ask what it means to be a spiritual Christian or how you become spiritual you will also get a myriad of answers.  This is vital to the “Galatians” among us.  Discuss this.
2.     Discuss the burdens that we can carry for each other mentioned in 6:2.
3.     With regard to 6:2 see Romans 15:1-3.
4.     6:4-5 talks of not comparing ourselves with others but looking only at our own actions as it deals with the load we carry.  Discuss this.
5.     A teacher may find this more difficult to bring up so hopefully a student will bring up for discussion 6:6.  See also 1 Timothy 5:17.
6.     Discuss all the different ways that we can reap and sow negatively and positively.  Is this verse connected with the preceding verse 6?
7.     With regard to 6:8-10, discuss as whether your church does a good job of ensuring that those within your church are having their various needs met.  How do you know?
8.     How do you arrive at this site?  Bookmark it and make it a habit to start here!


Upcoming Adult Sunday School Class Commentaries



3-4-12:    Wisdom’s Part in Creation (Wisdom’s Origin) Proverbs 8:22-35
3-11-12:  The Word Became Flesh John 1:1-14
3-18-12:  The Wedding at Cana (Water Turned to Wine) John 2:1-12
3-25-12:  God’s Word Saves (Nicodemus Learns of New Birth) John 3:11-21




Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved

Sunday, February 12, 2012

On 2-19-12 Galatians 3:15-18, 4:1-7 will be our International Sunday School Lesson/Adult Sunday School Lesson herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as Heirs to the Promise aka Inheriting Abraham's Promise

Heirs to the Promise
Or
Inheriting Abraham’s Promise
Galatians 3:15-18, 4:1-7
International Sunday School Lesson
February 19, 2012



Commentary
By
Jed Greenough


As we begin we see that this week’s scripture is a fragment of a continuing argument Paul wrote in his letter to the Galatians and for those who missed that and don’t have the time, it might be hard to otherwise see today’s scripture in context. 
Last week Paul had called the Galatians foolish because they were being led astray by others who were teaching them that they needed to follow certain aspects of the law.  In that scripture Paul had reminded these Galatians that they had become Christians when they came to faith after they had heard the gospel and not by observing the law.  He went on in part by telling them about Abraham who likewise was credited because he had faith after what he had heard from God.
In our concluding verses from last week Paul reminded them of the promise, the covenant that God had made with Abraham that all nations including these Galatians would be blessed through him.
And that is where we find ourselves today as Paul continues to explain to them that the promise was being fulfilled now and that the law which came in between did not break or take the place of God’s promise to Abraham centuries before.  The law we read elsewhere in Galatians led to Christ.  In other words the law convicted the world of sin, it pointed out what sin was and the necessity for Christ.  And for those who believe they were now free from sin and most important in the argument to the Galatians free from the law.  Now they are sons of God through faith in Christ and heirs of the promise given to Abraham.
This then catches us up to the remaining verses for today found in 4:1-7.  At just the right time, God’s time, He sent his son.  Before then the world was as slaves and not heirs, slaves to the law.  Paul knew that the Galatians would have understood that slaves do not inherit from the master or the other example Paul used of a child who though an heir could not inherit either until he came of age.  That age arrived when Christ came and freed them from slavery to the law.
Have you given much thought to these Galatians?  I have and I have come to the conclusion that they were not bad certainly but misguided.  And they were misguided due to their exuberance.  It is really an easy conclusion to arrive at because if they were lacking in exuberance to do all that they could to please God they wouldn’t have cared to listen for even a bit when those who were leading them astray told them they needed to do more.
Think about it by looking within your own church.  Who are the ones that are there every week for class, who are those that are there for every chance to worship, for Bible Study and prayer groups?  It is not someone who lacks desire for God.  The ones with an exuberant desire are making comments to the teacher after the class and after the sermon.  These are the ones that are showing up first for every opportunity to study. 
Those who are just going through the motions don’t generally go through much more than they have to and you know who these folks are as well.  They aren’t going to be fretting that they aren’t doing enough nor that they should be doing something different.
If we think about the Galatians like this I think we can empathize with them and Paul.  There was only one of him and there were only new churches back in the day as he went from town to town converting people as he shared the gospel.
What did these people have but each other?  They were all of the same maturity level with regard to their faith and other than the letters of Paul they didn’t have much else.
Today as we read of these events that concerned Paul we too should be concerned.  When Paul heard these reports he did what he could in firing off a passionate letter, but how about us?
Last week I concentrated on the false aspects of the teaching that the Galatians were falling prey to.  I wrote of the need for us today to be on vigilant lookout for teachers who perhaps shouldn’t be teaching and for classes that aren’t sound.  Most importantly I spoke of our need to return to the basics of the gospel.
This week lets concentrate on the fact that these Galatians were probably new to their faith and very little was in place for an infrastructure to make sure that the seed they received would be nurtured in fertile ground.  Let’s apply this to us.
Your church might be just the example that some need and if so I say, “Praise God”.  But many churches despite their resources of complete Bibles, 2000 years of examples and all the other advantages we have now fall short.
The new Christian as excited and exuberant as they are has just about the same chance of going off track as the Galatians did.  We need to make sure that there is a literal plan in place for those new to their faith to be nurtured and not leave it to chance.  I will bet most of your churches require a certain amount of counseling before marriages are performed.  It seems that we should similarly require that there be creative avenues to channel that enthusiastic new Christian into.
Let us not be like a company who works hard for their sales but then neglects that new customer as they focus on getting the next new one.  Let’s be like company who tries just as hard to keep their existing clients happy as they did when they first tried to land them.

For Discussion:


1.     Discuss this great example that Paul uses to very effectively argue that the law which came after the promise to Abraham does not cancel God’s promise and does not make us heirs nor justify us but faith in Christ both justifies and makes us heirs.
2.     Read Romans 8:1-17
3.     Today’s scripture touching on covenants makes me think that we in the church should make a covenant with those new to the faith that we will do all we can to help them mature into the Christians they should be.
4.     Discuss how individuals in your group believe Jews today think that the Abrahamic covenant will be fulfilled.
5.     4:4 says in part, “But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son.”  Discuss why people think the time that Jesus came was when it was instead of 2000 years earlier or later.
6.     If time permits, I would suggest a mailing to the participants in your class and if not hand out this question at the very beginning of class to discuss later, “What does 4:6 mean to you personally?”

Upcoming Adult Sunday School Class Commentaries



2-26-12:  Fruits of Redemption Galatians 5:22-6:10
3-4-12:    Wisdom’s Part in Creation (Wisdom’s Origin) Proverbs 8:22-35
3-11-12:  The Word Became Flesh John 1:1-14
3-18-12:  The Wedding at Cana (Water Turned to Wine) John 2:1-12



Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved

Sunday, February 5, 2012

On 2-12-12 Galatians 3:1-14 will be our International Sunday School Lesson/Adult Sunday School Lesson herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as Freed from Law through Christ aka The Blessing for All

Freed from Law through Christ
Or
The Blessing for All
Galatians 3:1-14
International Sunday School Lesson
February 12, 2012



Commentary
By
Jed Greenough


What are you willing to fight for?  How about your spouse, your kids, friends or your country?  What about fighting for the gospel?
Once upon a time in what seems like a lifetime ago, I spent weeks fighting for just that.  The church we were at was going to bring in a program that supposedly facilitated the introduction of the gospel to people but in reality it didn’t sound anything like the gospel. 
The good folks of my church were quite naively willing to adopt this program for numbers sake.  Without researching the program they were willing to accept it based on worldly reasons not Biblical ones.
It really pained me to go through the process and I don’t look back on the “fight” fondly but it was a fight to defend the gospel and for me there was no choice.
So, I pray that your church is solid as a rock but I would be shocked if your church hasn’t recently utilized, is currently using or planning to put in place some group, some class, or some program, just something that is off track.  Have you realized it and stood quietly by?  Have you relied upon people a little too new to their faith or just not called to teach to choose curriculum because they were willing to lead?  Have you researched the material and the authors?  Have you examined other things that they may have done?  If you cannot answer positively to these questions I would use the same descriptor that Paul did towards the Galatians, you foolish Christians!
You know that sounds just as harsh when I use it as when Paul did but when it comes to the defense of all things Biblical there is no time for timidity.  I challenge you going forward to examine through a different lens the curriculum and the qualifications for your teachers than you might have used before.
My personal opinion is that much of what is utilized in the church today started as a crutch to make it easier to get people to teach, used as a tool to make a different kind of appeal to raise involvement and because of a lack of discernment.  What resulted is a lot of materials and programs that aren’t worth the paper they were printed on or the memory they took up in a program.
That is no small part of why I really love the Uniform Series/International Sunday School lesson idea because week after week it is the study of God’s words not 10 steps to a healthier, wealthier, happier you with a little church talk thrown in for good measure.
That fight for the gospel is what Paul was doing with the Galatians.  He was really upset and concerned as you can see from his writing. 
To them Paul says “Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.”  That is an integral part of today’s lesson if you gathered nothing else from this take that away.  “Christ and Him crucified” is the famous quotation from 1 Corinthians 2.  If you look at those words you see there aren’t many more things you would have to stress than those to open the minds of many.
They might ask:
Why was He crucified?
Why did He have to die?
What does that have to do with me?
Why couldn’t He have just done it in another way if He was God?
What if I believe this or what if I don’t?
We could go on and on but it was this simple message of the cross that was given to the Galatians which caused them to come to faith in Christ Jesus.  But you know what happened?  Disruptive influences happened not dissimilar to those types of things we can see in our churches today. 
This is why Galatians was written.  This is why Paul had to take the time and make a stand for the purity of the gospel message.  Paul had to get rough; he had to remind them that taking on the Law by observing even part of it was taking on a curse.  He had to remind them that they weren’t Christians now because of observing any laws but rather they were Christians now because after hearing of Christ and Him crucified they came to faith.  Period.
Are you willing to get a little rough for the purity of the gospel?


For Discussion:


1.     Do you know who the Galatians were?  It is an interesting history, research and discuss.
2.     Challenge yourself and those in your group to carefully read, pray over and discuss verse 1.  Foolish and bewitched are pretty strong words meant to get one’s attention.
3.     Paul’s argument can be presented with one question to defeat those who had begun considering or engaging in these legalistic thoughts, “Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?”
4.     Discuss not letting confident and zealous teaching intimidate you or cloud your discernment from recognizing incorrect and false teaching.  Galatians 4:17.
5.     Discuss as a hypothetical what could be done, if as I said, hypothetically, there were materials, groups or teacher/leaders in place that were off base.
6.     What if you reviewed all the teachings in your church and you found that literally there were things in place that shouldn’t be, would you try and do something about it?
7.     Discuss having a week of nightly meetings or a group that met on a certain night for an agreed number of times that was a return to discussing the gospel in its most basic form of Christ and Him crucified.  No fluff, just scripture that simply educates all that attend so they can with confidence boldly proclaim the gospel.
8.     Discuss having an introduction to the gospel series of meetings for your community.  Determine the number of nights.  Incorporate a meal.  Simple, short, well thought out messages that build to a conclusion/climax for the attendees would be my suggestion.  Advertise via whatever means your budget allows.  In groups of two go door to door inviting people.  Involve the youth.  Encourage members to invite and literally bring people they know. This is statistically the most effective method for the following reason.  There are people desperate to come through your doors but the fear of walking up the walk and opening that door is ruling over them, discuss how to help them.
9.     As usual, if you need an upcoming lesson that is not posted, please don’t hesitate to send me an email.


Upcoming Adult Sunday School Class Commentaries



2-19-12:  Heirs to the Promise (Inheriting Abraham’s Promise) Galatians 3:15-18, 4:1-7
2-26-12:  Fruits of Redemption Galatians 5:22-6:10
3-4-12:    Wisdom’s Part in Creation (Wisdom’s Origin) Proverbs 8:22-35
3-11-12:  The Word Became Flesh John 1:1-14





Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved