Sunday, March 31, 2013

n 4-07-13, Luke 24:36-53 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson, herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as The Lord Appears




The Lord Appears  
Luke 24:36-53
International Sunday School Lesson
April 7, 2013



Commentary
By
Jed Greenough


God empowers us.  All authority comes from Him.  We can try and force our way on events but when it comes to His matters, only those things that are a part of His plan will receive His blessing.
Not everyone who teaches and preaches is called to do so.  This is one of those things that I love to point out because the scriptures are very clear on who is called.  Those that force their will on these positions do not have His blessing because they are following their will not His.
Today’s scripture shows very dramatically the lengths God will go to call those He wants.  Those that are scared, as these men were (John 20:19) or confused or unknowing or who fight the calling can be in for some drama!
God knew that these men needed to be shook right down to their core and get them on their feet both literally and figuratively to start the spread of the gospel.
They had already heard according to Mary that Jesus was alive but here they were locked up behind closed doors out of fear.  They were being told by the two men from last week’s scripture about their encounter with Jesus but I suspect that wouldn’t have accomplished anything either.
So “while they were still talking about this, Jesus Himself stood among them.” 
You can imagine more from your own mind how they reacted than from just reading the few words we are given.  From this encounter the Disciples of Christ went from cowering in private to constantly telling the story in the public venue of the temple.
But even the called are in for a major task when it comes to sharing the gospel story.  Remember how Thomas reacted to their account (John 20:24-28) so how effective can the uncalled truly be expected to be?
Jesus said the following to Thomas in the very next verse of John, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Belief, in the true sense of the original Greek language, is a living, active vibrant faith.  And while only God knows what is in another man’s heart I think it is fair in the general sense to question belief.
Let’s put the called out there that have a difficult task to do despite their calling.  Let’s take steps to be honest about those who are not called.  Both will result, I am confident, in the true growth in numbers of true faithful believers.

For Discussion
1.    Read the other accounts of this encounter found in the synoptic Gospels.
2.    Discuss how you would have reacted to this fantastic encounter had you been present.
3.    Discuss Jesus asking if they had anything to eat.
4.    Discuss how they still needed understanding of how the Scriptures pointed all along to these events.
5.    Read Mark 16:14.
6.    Discuss whether the Scriptures can be truly understood without the assistance of God.
7.    Do you believe you know someone that is being called but they have resisted?  Discuss how you might help them to answer the call.

4-14-13:   The Lord Sends the Spirit aka The Holy Spirit Comes Acts 2:1-16 or Acts 2:1-13
4-21-13:   The Lord Will Return aka Living with Hope 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11
4-28-13:   The Lord Will Triumph aka Hope Comes from God’s Grace 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4, 8-17 or 2:1-3, 9-17
5-5-13:     Living Hope 1 Peter 1:3-16 or 1:3-12


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


Sunday, March 24, 2013

On 3-31-13, Luke 24:13-21, 28-35 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson, herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as The Lord Lives aka The Lord Has Risen Indeed!

The Lord Lives aka The Lord Has Risen Indeed!  
Luke 24:13-21, 28-35
International Sunday School Lesson
March 31, 2013



Commentary
By
Jed Greenough


If you are reading this than I am both surprised and more happy than usual for your visit because to my consternation Easter Sunday is one of the most skipped if not the most skipped Sunday when churches will not hold class.  The whole reason we celebrate this holiday would seem to me the best reason to hold class.  Because you are here it is probably hard for you to understand just as it is for me.
The scripture for today shares this idea of something hard to understand, at least for me.  I don’t have a problem accepting this just understanding. 
You might guess that I am referring to the difference in the parallel accounts of these events.  No, I feel that is explained by the common knowledge that when anything is recounted by more than one individual each teller brings something different to the telling.  So this isn’t where my difficulty in understanding comes from.
Rather my questioning begins with our account from today’s scripture where only one of the two has his name mentioned and the other remaisn nameless though they recount such an important encounter.  I do not consider this insignificant and if I had to pose a theory it would be that some of us are to be like Luke in our telling of the gospel and some of us will be nameless such as the one in this pair.  All are important and all in the end tell about Christ’s death, burial and resurrection and what it can mean to so many.
These two demonstrate that the telling of the gospel need not and should not be done to just those we know but all we encounter.  They demonstrate that though they as followers of Jesus would have been at risk, they boldly told the story of Jesus as far as they knew it.  Their hospitality to a stranger was not meant to enrich them at all but look what they received.  They then eagerly and without a moment’s hesitation rushed to share what they knew and look at how their message spread!
I guess it wasn’t that hard a passage to understand after all and I know each commentary I write God shows me something I didn’t intend but what He did.
So thanks for studying this most important of Sundays and I encourage you to use your talents, resources and spiritual gifts to share the gospel message with renewed zeal using these two especially the nameless individual as your example.
Happy Easter, Jed!
For Discussion:

1.      Discuss why you think the two were kept from recognizing Jesus.
2.      Discuss their reply to Jesus when He asked them “What things?”
3.      Discuss entertaining strangers.
4.      Discuss the not included verses 25-27 especially since it is referred to in today’s verse 32.
5.      Discuss how their eyes were opened by what Jesus said to them in explaining the Scriptures to them before their eyes were literally opened by Him.
6.      Discuss how your class members might better share the gospel.
7.      As a class project put together an example from the scriptures such as Jesus did so that you might show others how the Scriptures pointed all along to Him.
8.      If your church does not hold classes on Easter discuss how you are missing the opportunity to share the gospel with visitors who have not been saved but who might be attending this most attended of Sundays.  P.S. don’t forget the same holds true at Christmas!


Upcoming Sunday School Lessons

4-7-13:     The Lord Appears Luke 24:36-53
4-14-13:   The Lord Sends the Spirit aka The Holy Spirit Comes Acts 2:1-16 or Acts 2:1-13
4-21-13:   The Lord Will Return aka Living with Hope 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11
4-28-13:   The Lord Will Triumph aka Hope Comes from God’s Grace 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4, 8-17 or 2:1-3, 9-17



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

Sunday, March 17, 2013

On 3-24-13, Luke 22:14-30 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson, herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as The Lord’s Supper

The Lord’s Supper
Luke 22:14-30
International Sunday School Lesson
March 24, 2013



Commentary
By
Jed Greenough


 Why is it that despite our example in Christ we find it so difficult to go against our nature and be like servants?  You know it is true.  Even look at the disciples from today’s scripture.  Jesus had just got done saying in verse 21, “the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table.”
Almost immediately their concern went from outrage over the betrayal of Jesus to a dispute in verse 24 about who among them was the greatest!  Can you believe it?  Christ just said that He was about to suffer and one of them would be the one to betray Him.
Rather than dealing with their concern for Him, Christ has to teach them and us that it isn’t to be about us.  Visit here often enough and you will see me repeat the idea of trying to make sure that we are making it about Him and not about us.  And the next theme is that we have a responsibility for each other.
Just last week, though studying Daniel, I reference the things that Christ was stressing in Matthew 24.  In this chapter in talking about the signs of the end He kept going and going.  He made sure we knew what happened first also.  He mentions the servant in charge of his fellow servants in Matthew 24:36-51.  He hasn’t finished this discussion when we see Him relate The Parable of the Bags of Gold.  Jesus really is telling you that He entrusted His wealth to us and we like the servants in the parable will have to answer what we have done with that wealth and He concludes this discussion by showing us this in Matthew 25:31-46:
When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne.  All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left.
“Then the King will say to those His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirst and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
“Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me noting to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Oh yeah, we have a duty that is expected of us to be like servants.  We must make sure as Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:5 that “what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.”
As we draw more and more close to Easter let’s use it as a catalyst to keep our eyes on Jesus just as if we were in that room when He said that He was about to suffer and that we might bring glory to Him by making sure that our brothers and sisters both present and future are having their needs met before considering our own.

For Discussion:

1.      Discuss some of the things that you have heard from the new pope Francis that sound encouraging along these themes.
2.      Discuss how your church may be putting itself ahead of those they have a responsibility for.
3.      Discuss how our communion or whatever your place of worship calls it resembles or does not resemble the Last Supper.
4.      Discuss Jesus’ example as a servant.
5.      Read the examples from prophecy in Isaiah whose theme is the suffering servant.
6.      Read 2 Corinthians 4.
7.      Read the parallel accounts of the Last Supper.

3-31-13:   The Lord Lives aka The Lord Has Risen Indeed! Luke 24:13-21, 28-35
4-7-13:     The Lord Appears Luke 24:36-53
4-14-13:   The Lord Sends the Spirit aka The Holy Spirit Comes Acts 2:1-16 or Acts 2:1-13
4-21-13:   The Lord Will Return aka Living with Hope 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11




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

Sunday, March 10, 2013

On 3-17-13, Daniel 8:1, 15-26 or 8:19-26 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson, herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as Gabriel Interprets Daniel’s Vision aka Gabriel’s Interpretation

Gabriel Interprets Daniel’s Vision aka Gabriel’s Interpretation
Daniel 8:1, 15-26 or 8:19-26
International Sunday School Lesson
March 17, 2013



Commentary
By
Jed Greenough


Deceit.  If you don’t take away much more from today’s scripture, please retain your awareness of that word which appears in verse 25 and its theme in verses 23-26.
Deception is what this latter day “king” will excel at and many will not see it because they believe wrongly.  Many call this the Apostasy, Paul as we read in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 refers to it as the rebellion.  He refers to this “king” as “the lawless one” where his deception is referred to as being “the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing.”  2 Thessalonians 2:9a-10b
And then comes what I think is one of the scariest couple of verses in the Bible.
They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.  For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.2 Thessalonians 2:10a-12
I don’t think I exaggerate when I say that is truly scary and Christ himself took this very seriously and concentrated on it and so that is why I do.  He said beginning in Matthew 24 in a long answer to the question concerning signs of the end of the age several times to watch out for this sign of deceit.  In fact He begins with that warning, “Watch out that no one deceives you.” Verse 4  Many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.” Verse 11  The idea of being deceived is touched again by Him in 23-26.
My feeling is that the deceit has been going on since the beginning as John said in 2 John that many deceivers had already gone out into the world at that time.  And if we understand from Daniel that the end will come like a flood (Daniel 9:26) then it stands to reason that the deception will pick up steam and be pervasive.  If it is pervasive than it is hard to avoid and if it is hard to avoid it better be recognized for what it is.
My honest opinion is that everything and let me repeat that, everything should be examined in this day that we live in to see if what and how we are preaching, teaching, and worshiping is scriptural.  From who is doing it to how it is being done.
Does this seem too strong?  The scripture and our Savior sure seemed to take it serious and to me that means we should too but hey I’m scared by what I just shared from 2 Thessalonians above!
The easiest thing I find to use as a measuring stick is to ask is it popular or palatable to the world?  That is what Satan wants it to be because those of the world are his.  If the things we condone or teach are not what the scriptures teach then of course the world is going to love it.  2 Timothy 4:3 refers to it by saying that people will not put up any longer with sound doctrine.  What they will hear being taught is what Paul referred to as what their itching ears want to hear.
You want to live that way? They are told, sure that’s ok.  You want to worship in an irrevereant and disorderly way?  They are told sure that’s ok.  These are part of the acts of Satan that are being played out in our churches and lives today that is serving up this deceit that was warned about.
Eventually the time will run out and the delusion will be final.  How scared will you be and how serious will you take it?


For Discussion:

1.      Discuss where Susa is and what Persia is called today.
2.      Discuss why the warning about being aware of being deceived is so important to Christians.
3.      This “king” is not operating under his own power but Satan’s.  Discuss why this is more important to grasp then simply a man.
4.      Discuss that even the mighty will be destroyed by Him.
5.      Antiochus Epiphanes seemingly fulfilled this in 165 B.C. but clearly Christ referred to today’s scripture in Matthew 24 in the answer to His disciples in the signs of the end of the age answer.
6.      Discuss how when those who feel secure that this is when they will fall as mentioned in verse 25.

Upcoming Adult Sunday School Class Commentaries



3-17-13:  Gabriel Interprets Daniel’s Vision aka Gabriel’s Interpretation Daniel 8:1, 15-26 or 8:19-26
3-24-13:   The Lord’s Supper Luke 22:14-30
3-31-13:   The Lord Lives aka The Lord Has Risen Indeed! Luke 24:13-21, 28-35
4-7-13:     The Lord Appears Luke 24:36-53




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

Sunday, March 3, 2013

On 3-10-13, Daniel 9:4-14, 17 or 9:4b-14 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson, herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as Daniel’s Prayer

Daniel’s Prayer
Daniel 9:4-14, 17 or 9:4b-14
International Sunday School Lesson
March 10, 2013



Commentary
By
Jed Greenough


Because of the self-centered way in which we all too often live out our lives we almost fail to see the end of the story because we are so busy living.  But just as there was an end for those alive during the days of Noah when “people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark.”  So is there an end to all things.
Daniel was right and just in praying to God and in what he said about his people and about God.  But despite the esteem which God held him the time has already been mapped out.
God told the people what He would do (Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28) if they sinned against Him and He knew that they would.  But Daniel prayed for them and while he was praying an answer came. 
Had Daniel even expected an answer, what he got surely would have been unexpected.  Daniel knew according to verse 2 that the desolation of Jerusalem was to last 70 years.  What he was told was a rapid fire synopsis of history in which sin would be put to an end and everlasting righteousness would reign.
No, not all this is in today’s scripture, but what could we take away from today if we didn’t look at the rest?  That a righteous man prays to God on his people’s behalf confessing their sin and his own.  Sure, that is just but acknowledging transgressions and praying for forgiveness doesn’t change the history that has always been known by God.
Daniel and his people had a limited amount of time to be obedient and serve God but most fell away but Daniel did not.  Still Daniel praised God, served Him, witnessed for Him and prayed for his people.  But the end was still measured out.  Similarly we may be given the opportunity according to the scriptures as we understand them to be obedient and serve God but most will fall away.
We will pray like Daniel that they will turn and so be saved and we should but most won’t.  It may have seemed like an empty future at first to Daniel but as we read ahead in the answer that he was given we to are privy to the fact that in the end righteousness will rule.
As great as Daniel’s role was, I daresay that our roles are similarly great.  We understand a bit more than even Daniel did because of the coming of Christ.  Daniel was told that “multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.  Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” 12:2-3 I doubt Daniel knew what that meant, but we do!
God gave Daniel a time table.  Daniel had his time and now rests in the dust of the earth.
Now it is our time and we know a bit more about that time table and while here have a job to lead many to righteousness while there is still time.  Share the gospel!


For Discussion:

1.      Discuss the difficult reality in knowing that your country has been sinful, needs to repent, need to turn to God and so be saved, know that you need to pray all that but that most won’t repent and God already knows it.
2.      Discuss God keeping His word always with regard to both punishment and reward.
3.      Discuss ways your country has turned from God, has started to be punished and yet does not return to Him.
4.      Discuss the not included verse 18’s, “We do not make request of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy.
5.      Ask who in your group wants to shine like “the stars for ever and ever” and then ask what they are doing about it.
6.      Discuss what it would be like to be paid a visit by Gabriel!


Upcoming Adult Sunday School Class Commentaries



3-17-13:  Gabriel Interprets Daniel’s Vision aka Gabriel’s Interpretation Daniel 8:1, 15-26 or 8:19-26
3-24-13:   The Lord’s Supper Luke 22:14-30
3-31-13:   The Lord Lives aka The Lord Has Risen Indeed! Luke 24:13-21, 28-35
4-7-13:     The Lord Appears Luke 24:36-53




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