Sunday, November 24, 2013

On 12-1-13, Luke 1:26-40 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as The Angel foretells Jesus’ Birth


The Angel foretells Jesus’ Birth
Luke 1:26-40
International Sunday School Lesson
December 1, 2013



Commentary
By
Jed Greenough


Did you invite someone to Sunday school this week?  I hope that you did or that there is still time.  This week as we shift to the season of Christmas I think what a great time for someone as we see the announcement to Mary that she will be with child.  This is a great time for that person new to your class or to the Good News to begin anew as well.
You see, I think that for many this idea of a virgin birth is a stumbling block.  What could you do with this lesson as a teacher or as an active participant to help them see that it is all just a part of God’s plan and why it had to be this way and how for Him it is just like anything else He does?  Like we breathe, God creates.
Remember a few weeks back when we studied that scripture, where in a dream Jacob saw angels ascending and descending a staircase to heaven?  In my commentary I mentioned how I feel based on that and some of the things we see experienced in the Bible that the angels are a very busy bunch.
In your lesson maybe you could help a new person by showing them some of these instances.  I think I’d use the book of Daniel to show how active Gabriel was and don’t forget in this same book Michael’s activities.
Gabriel, of course we see then again, in today’s scripture.  As it begins it mentions the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy.  This Gabriel is a busy guy and I think that is a good place to talk about with your new person as you show how the scripture earlier in the chapter has Gabriel telling Zechariah that Elizabeth his wife would have a child and how he would prepare the way for the Lord.
Zechariah sings about this later in this same chapter and you can of course tie that in with the prophecy concerning him in …whew!  There’s too much and not enough time in this one lesson to share all you know!  But the excitement to do so is palpable isn’t it?  If it isn’t, well, you better find a replacement.
Here in this very lesson the young Mary stands in the presence of an angel.  I know there are times according to Hebrews 13:2 that we can be in their midst and not know it but there are other times when people just know and it is evidently awesome.  Zechariah and Daniel were terrified in this same Gabriel’s presence (Luke 1:12 and Daniel 8:17).
Quite the girl isn’t she?  Two men reduced to quivering and she is more concerned with what he has to tell her and what he said as we know is more than just significant.  Here we see the reverse of the famous old saying “From your lips to God’s ears.”  Here is, From God’s lips to your ears or as close as we can get as Gabriel was told this and he stands in God’s presence (Luke 1:19).
Mary certainly shows God knows who to pick and when to pick them as she clearly shows in the rest of the chapter that she understands exactly what the angel has told her, accepts the honor, and takes no glory in it for herself but glorifies God.
That is probably a pretty good spot to wrap it up for the new person as they have spent their life thinking mostly about themselves.  They need to see it isn’t about them and hopefully you will be able to plant enough in them to draw them back next week!
For Discussion:
1.      Read Isaiah 7
2.      Read Micah 5
3.      Matthew 1:18-23
4.      Discuss this fact that Mary understood what and who she would be carrying.
5.      I wouldn’t make it a part of my lesson but be prepared to discuss the genealogy of Mary.  As you know, Elizabeth and Zechariah, Mary’s relation would have to be Levite.
6.      Discuss why Jesus must be conceived in this manner.

Upcoming Lessons

12-1-13     The Angel Foretells Jesus’ Birth Luke 1:26-40
12-8-13     Mary Sings Her Praise or Mary’s Song of Praise Luke 1:46-56
12-15-13    Zacharias Prophesies About His Son, John Luke 1:57, 58, 67-79
12-22-13    Jesus is Born Luke 2:1-17
12-29-13    Jesus is Presented in the Temple Luke 2:21, 22, 25-38 or 2:25-38



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

Monday, November 18, 2013

On 11-24-13, Exodus 40:16-30, 34, 38 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as Beginning of the Tabernacle

Beginning of the Tabernacle
Exodus 40:16-30, 34, 38
International Sunday School Lesson
November 24, 2013



Commentary
By
Jed Greenough

Moses did a really great job!  He “did everything just as the Lord commanded him.” Exodus 40:16 
I have many different favorite sayings, but one of those is, “words mean things.”  Specific things, you can’t just change the meaning of words or we couldn’t communicate if the meanings were constantly changing and God was very specific.
If we go back in Exodus to chapter 25 we can see the specifics for the ark, the table and the lampstand.  In chapter 26 the entire chapter shows the specifics for the tabernacle itself.  In 27 the altar of burnt offering, the courtyard and even the oil for the lampstand are described.  Chapter 28 shows the attire for the priests.  The book continues on and the details aren’t spared but just imagine the stress of missing just one of these tiny details as he replayed in his mind these words from God, “See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” Exodus 25:40 But Moses, as I said, did a really great job and got it right.
Go back and look at all these details and then close your eyes and visualize what it would have looked like for it is according to Hebrews 7: a copy or shadow of what is actually in heaven.  I think that is really cool.
When you read that after this was accomplished the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle I think that we should be impressed with the grace of God to do so, His desire to do so.  I don’t know why but I think it especially so when I consider what the real deal is like. 
This version was done with the best efforts and the best material and the best intentions but it was all done by men.  As great as it was I don’t believe a model can measure up to God on His throne, to cherubim and seraphs.  To the sounds and sights that we get an insight into when we read the visions given to those such as Isaiah and John.  Read Isaiah 6 and Revelation 4.
But this tabernacle and the temples that followed were all just temporary structures and the priests and sacrifices that fulfilled their duties just temporary as well with all pointing to the necessity for Christ. 
That statement in and of itself is an oversimplification but in this format and probably in your class it is what will have to suffice for those who will only scratch the surface by reading the few verses for today. 
For the rest, the experienced and the passionate, they will go back and read all those details for the tabernacle.  They will go forward and read of thousands of sacrifices such as 1 Chronicles 29 and of temples that replaced this structure.  They will read Hebrews chapters 1-10 that best ties the tabernacle, temples, sacrifices and Christ together.
This history is important to help us see how the Bible is the word of God, how all along God had a plan and how patient He has been to bring it all together.  It might help the skeptical willing to put in the time to see this big picture and it certainly is thrilling for those who are growing in their faith.  For the ones we want to turn and take Jesus as their Lord maybe not so much yet.
For them I think that it is sufficient to know at first that God wants them to have a means of conquering death that God did that by sending His son and how important the lessons in December are despite the business of the season as we begin our studies in Luke.  Encourage them to keep coming.
Hopefully they will see that this God who was so graceful in today’s lesson as to grace a man-made structure with His glory will show the penultimate measure of grace by providing us a means of salvation through His son.  Join me next week in Luke.

For Discussion:
1.       Go back and read the scriptures in bold.
2.       Discuss why you think it was important to God that Moses do everything just so.
3.       Discuss the materials used versus what we read about in the visions of the throne room found in the Bible.
4.       Discuss the events of Moses life up to and including now in a general sense.
5.       Discuss the glory of the Lord.
6.       Discuss upcoming lessons and encourage attendance all through December
7.       Invite someone to Sunday school!

Upcoming Lessons

12-1-13     The Angel Foretells Jesus’ Birth Luke 1:26-40
12-8-13     Mary Sings Her Praise or Mary’s Song of Praise Luke 1:46-56
12-15-13    Zacharias Prophesies About His Son, John Luke 1:57, 58, 67-79
12-22-13    Jesus is Born Luke 2:1-17


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

Sunday, November 10, 2013

On 11-17-13, Exodus 14:13, 14, 21-30 or 14:21-30 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as Beginning of Freedom

Beginning of Freedom
Exodus 14:13, 14, 21-30 or 14:21-30
International Sunday School Lesson
November 17, 2013



Commentary
By
Jed Greenough

Some have entitled this week’s lesson as Beginning of Freedom.  I would ask the question, “does freedom come cheap?”  And I am sure you would answer that freedom generally comes at a great price.
In a sense it was a perceived freedom that Adam and Eve were trying to attain that resulted in their fall.  They thought they could make the right decision on their own and look at the price.
Consider wars for freedom.  Between the two world wars, 130 million people were thought to have died from the associated causes.  That number is so high that the price that was paid for freedom was clearly staggering.
In that case what freedom was achieved?  Freedom from persecution, freedom from oppression freedom from evil?  Certainly the answer is yes to all those but what all was good and what all was bad and what in the end was God’s will is fuzzy to us right now.
Again as we consider today’s scripture we see some are calling this lesson “The Beginning of Freedom” and yes with this freedom would come cost.  Why couldn’t the Israelites just march out of Egypt and be free?  Why did Pharaoh’s army have to pay the price?
God says in the non-included verse 4, “And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them.  But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.”
Once the Israelites saw that they were being pursued they cried out in the non-included verses 11-12, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die?  What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?  Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’?  It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”
For some of us Moses reply is included as he explained that the Lord would deliver and as you know He did. The army of Pharaoh paid the price for the Israelites’ freedom.  It is another one of those fuzzy things we can’t quite grasp when we consider the loss of life and when we consider the episodes that followed.
When water became scarce the people grumbled (15:22-24 and 17:1-3).  When food became scarce they grumbled (16:1-3).  In fact, according to Deuteronomy 8:7b Moses said the following to the Israelites, “From the day you left Egypt until you arrived here, you have been rebellious against the Lord.”  But they received their freedom anyway.  Thus is the nature of God.
The Israelites were certainly a perfect example for us doing little but still receiving their freedom and with it came great cost.  I know most of us have and some still shake their head in wonder at the behavior of the Israelites but let’s consider another people and another freedom achieved at great cost.  Those people are Christians.  I’m sure you already knew where I was going but the parallels are there.
Christ paid the ultimate sacrifice for our ultimate freedom from death.  What did we pay for that freedom?  Nothing.  Despite our unworthiness and “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” Romans 5:8.  What’s more we still grumble and rebel.
I hope that we consider that the next time we shake our head at the Israelites.

For Discussion:
1.       Find and discuss other scripture where God mentions the use of Pharaoh.
2.       Discuss verse 31.
3.       Read 15:1-21.
4.       Discuss what the experience must have been like for the Israelites.
5.       Discuss freedom.
6.       Discuss the costs of freedom.
7.       Discuss our being freed from death’s hold on us.

Upcoming Lessons

11-17-13    Beginning of Freedom Exodus 14:13, 14, 21-30 or 14:21-30
11-24-13    Beginning of the Tabernacle Exodus 40:16-30, 34, 38
12-1-13     The Angel Foretells Jesus’ Birth Luke 1:26-40
12-8-13     Mary Sings Her Praise or Mary’s Song of Praise Luke 1:46-56


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

Monday, November 4, 2013

On 11-10-13, Exodus 12:1-14 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as Beginning of Passover

Beginning of Passover
Exodus 12:1-14
International Sunday School Lesson
November 10, 2013



Commentary
By
Jed Greenough

For each of you I would imagine every week you have a routine for preparing for the coming Sunday School lesson.  I hope that you begin in prayer and then read that week’s scripture taking the time first to listen to God.
That is rather how I do it as I try and feel the inspiration from God on what I should concentrate on each week.  It determines what it is it that He would have me emphasize so that I can be the most benefit to you or to that other person or for the most people.
I bet like me, you have been in attendance when a particular sermon spoke only to you or to your family and maybe missed most everyone else.  I know I have also been in attendance where it spoke to everyone in a different way.  I feel confident that this is one of the ways that we can know we are reading and considering the true word of God.
Sometimes when we sit through a sermon and we first consider that perhaps the pastor didn’t knock it out of the park today it might be that it wasn’t for you but a brother or a sister.
This week as I read about this first Passover I just automatically thought about Communion which is natural since Christ is our Passover Lamb.  So when I considered the parallels with this first Passover and our Communion I thought about how they were instructed to eat this first Passover, “with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand.  Eat it in haste; it is the Lord’s Passover.”
When you read those words you go into this knowing what is going to happen as you proceed through Genesis and you see that the Israelites will soon quickly be leaving Egypt.  You can read those words in verse 11 and see that they were to be at the ready.  They were to be prepared.
I partake of communion weekly, some partake monthly and others quarterly or some other schedule.  I never trivialize it, minimalize it or take it for granted as it is the most important part of my week.  But I know that many, no matter how frequent or infrequent, do partake in a less than worthy matter. 
What came to me as I read today’s scripture is that many in the church are not ready or prepared for what is coming.  They need to partake of Communion with their cloak tucked in their belt, their sandals on their feet and their staff in their hand.
Read the words of Christ concerning His return.  When you have done so, does it sound like you should be going through the motions, like there will be time to go back and get that cloak?  I urge you to be prepared and to prepare as many as possible so that when He comes your neighbor will not be among those who mourn but among the gathered.

For Discussion:
1.       Discuss why God instituted this new calendar and began it with Passover.
2.       Discuss the similarities to Christ as our sacrificial lamb.
3.       Discuss why bitter herbs were eaten.
4.       Discuss the similarities overall to Christ’s sacrifice.
5.       Discuss modern Passover for today’s Jews as compared to what is described.
6.       Discuss Communion.
7.       Discuss being prepared.

Upcoming Lessons

11-10-13    Beginning of Passover Exodus 12:1-14
11-17-13    Beginning of Freedom Exodus 14:13, 14, 21-30 or 14:21-30
11-24-13    Beginning of the Tabernacle Exodus 40:16-30, 34, 38
12-1-13     The Angel Foretells Jesus’ Birth Luke 1:26-40


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