Sunday, August 30, 2015

On 9-6-15, Acts 4:23-31 will be our Adult Sunday School/ Uniform Series/ International Sunday School Lesson, herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as Praying for Boldness or Praying for One Another

Praying for Boldness 
or 
Praying for One Another

Acts 4:23-31
September 6, 2015



Commentary 
by
Jed Greenough




I hope that you pray outside the box!  Yes, I said pray not think outside the box.

First it is very important that you pray for your own work for the kingdom and then to pray for your own Christian associations and the people that make them up.  Many times that though is where we stop.

Sometimes it is hard to think outside our sphere and I believe that it will be harder yet for the generations coming up.  Even though their world is seemingly shrinking due to technology in many ways they are turning in to a “me world”.

Like anything, examples teach us how we should be and praying for all the kingdom will teach listeners to include this in their prayers.

In today’s scripture you see Peter and John having just been released from jail and under questioning by the Sanhedrin.  We hold Peter and John in such high esteem that we might not think they needed the peoples’ prayers.  We know they were being successful in their kingdom work because of we read in the not included verse 4 of this chapter, for the incident of healing about which we read and because the authorities released them.  But pray for them is what the people did glorifying God in the process.

The results we will continue to see as Acts progresses but it is important that as a result of the prayer all “spoke the word of God boldly.”  I am not saying that this is why we should pray for others work for God so that we can benefit.  But it is rather like tithing, though not required, try it and watch the floodgates of God open up.

Think about all that we can pray for: High schoolers trying to have a Bible study, college Christian programs, ministries in third world countries and ministries on reservations right here in America which are like third world countries.  Christians who are in danger in parts of the world, pastors giving sermons everywhere, the committee who comes together to choose our scripture for six years and teachers and Sunday school class members.

Of course the list as always is limited by our imagination only but look at what the early church accomplished and imagine what we can!


For Discussion:

  1. Discuss who needs your prayers.
  2. Discuss having your class pray weekly for those doing this work.
  3. Peter and John of course shared what had happened (verse 23).  Discuss the importance of hearing about work being done for the kingdom.
  4. Discuss the immediacy of the prayer as shown by verse 24.
  5. Discuss the different parts of this prayer from verse 24-30.
  6. Read and discuss the not included verses 8-12 and the included 31.



Upcoming Lessons


9-13-15     Sharing with Sincerity or Sharing All Things     Acts 4:34-5:10









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


Sunday, August 23, 2015

On 8-30-15, Malachi 3:1-10 will be our Adult Sunday School/ Uniform Series/ International Sunday School Lesson, herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as Return to a Just God or A Plea to Return to God

Return to a Just God 
or 
A Plea to Return to God
Malachi 3:1-10
August 30, 2015



Commentary 
by
Jed Greenough



God does not change.  I wonder how many of you pay enough attention to what I write to see how many times I have said that over the last several weeks.

Despite Israel’s stubbornness and failure to hold up their end God follows through.

In today’s first verse He says, “See I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me.”  Soon to be fulfilled by John the Baptist.  

This is followed by “Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come…”  Soon to be fulfilled by the Messiah.

Both things He eluded to in the past or clearly said He would do and now He will.  Easy for us to see now but like most prophecy at the time, not so much.

What else have we been seeing week after week now?  The consistency of God’s message in how He wants us to act ourselves and treat others.  

This week we read, “So I will come near to you for judgment.”  That makes it personal doesn’t it?  Don't just think of it in general terms such as a group like Israel but for us all as individuals.

He will “be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me.”

Lest we think that is an all encompassing list and tick them off and say, “whew!” we should instead consider it as the nature of God and how He wants us to act and treat others.  By the same measure He will treat us.

He shows, again consistently, that when we don’t have a walk like this He doesn’t walk with us.  But there is hope, at least for now.

As we read in verse 7, “Return to me, and I will return to you.”

For Discussion:

  1. Look up what Malachi means.
  2. Read Isaiah 40:3-5
  3. Discuss verses foretelling Christ.
  4. Discuss a refiner’s fire.
  5. Discuss how we are to live.
  6. Discuss changes in our church that are changes to what God said.
  7. Discuss how one returns to God.




Upcoming Lessons


9-6-15     Praying for One Another or Praying for Boldness    Acts 4:23-31









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

Sunday, August 16, 2015

On 8-23-15, Zechariah 7:8-14 will be our Adult Sunday School/ Uniform Series/ International Sunday School Lesson, herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as God Demands Justice or A Demand for Justice

God Demands Justice
 or 
A Demand for Justice
Zechariah 7:8-14
August 23, 2015



Commentary 
by
Jed Greenough


Stubbornness.  Some people tend to admire the trait in people, I can’t remember God doing so.

Remember from Exodus what God thought of Pharaoh’s stubbornness?  God talked of breaking down stubborn pride in Leviticus.  

Remember Moses laying prostrate for 40 days and nights praying for his stubborn people?  Isaiah used these words, “For I knew how stubborn you were; your neck muscles were iron, your forehead bronze.”

Jeremiah in particular was given a message about his people’s stubbornness using the word stubborn in his message 9 times.
    
Zechariah our prophet for today said, “But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and stopped up their ears.  they made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by His Spirit…”

What do you think when you read those words from today’s scripture?  I think of a stubborn child, a brat, maybe a spoiled one.

Next I think about myself when I think about when I might shut down and not give an inch.  

Today we read about these people not administering true justice, or showing mercy, compassion for each other, caring for widows and orphans, aliens and the poor and harboring evil thoughts against each other.

Go back and read the scripture from week after week and you will see this basic consistent theme.  This is what God asks of us, again if you will recall, to walk the walk and not just talk the talk.

We should probably consider our stubbornness and go through that list above to see where we are refusing to walk in the way He would have us.  He has not changed His opinion about stubbornness or how important He holds the way we treat others but we need to.


For Discussion:

  1. Find and discuss scriptures that cover the subjects addressed in verses 9 and 10 to show the consistency of God’s word.
  2. Discuss how we are stubborn.
  3. Discuss how are prejudices affect us in these matters.
  4. Discuss how your group might address those mentioned in verses 9 and 10.
  5. Discuss other areas were we may turn our back stubbornly to God’s word.
  6. Discuss God not listening if we don’t.



Upcoming Lessons


August 30     Return to a Just God or A Plea to Return to God     Malachi 3:1-10







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

Sunday, August 9, 2015

On 8-16-15, Ezekiel 18:1-13, 31-32 or 30-32 will be our Adult Sunday School/ Uniform Series/ International Sunday School Lesson, herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as A Call for Repentance

A Call for Repentance
Ezekiel 18:1-13, 31-32 or 30-32
August 16, 2015



Commentary 
by
Jed Greenough




Last week I mentioned our tendency to think of ourselves as important.  That is until we are expected to do something difficult.

Whether we like it or not we are each responsible for ourselves.  

That shouldn’t even need to be said but far to often people tend to put responsibility for things anywhere but were it truly belongs.

They take out a loan and don’t do what they need to do and improve their credit so they can refinance at a better rate, they can't make the payment and lose their home.  It is the banks fault in their mind and not their own—wrong.

They have a gun, they keep it loaded and unlocked.  They don’t educate their child about guns and when that child accidentally shoots a neighbor child as they play it is not their fault as the parent—wrong.

We can’t blame the bank or the gun manufacturer or whatever the case may be when things befall us that are our responsibility.

Back in the time of Ezekiel things were no different.  They liked to say things like the sins of the father were passed down to the children because of scripture such as Deuteronomy 5:8-10 or as in we read in today’s scripture, “The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.”

The latter is a bit more difficult to understand when you aren’t from that culture from back then but if you’ve ever bitten into any very unripe fruit and think about what you read it makes sense.

The scripture from Deuteronomy I mentioned when talking of idolatry says, “You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.”

Now we know that God is consistent, does not lie nor change His mind and today’s scripture as do others such as Deuteronomy 24:16, 2 Kings 14:6, and Jeremiah 31:30 clearly give us clarity that it is the responsibility of the individual.

When we do not raise up a generation or generations in the way that they should go they repeat the sins of the fathers.  They in effect hate God as their fathers did and that is why their sin is also punished.

No one else can ask for forgiveness of our own sins but ourselves as much as we might like to do for others.  We must teach responsibility for our individual behavior.


For Discussion:

  1. Discuss if you disagree
  2. Discuss how we tend to blame others for our situation
  3. Discuss how we in part set a course for our children
  4. Discuss how some can though pay for the sin of others
  5. How can a pattern of sin in a family or group be broken
  6. Discuss verses 7-8
  7. Discuss 1 Timothy 3 with regard to the qualifications of elders and deacons with regard to their families in light of today’s scripture






Upcoming Lessons

August 23    God Demands Justice or A Demand for Justice     Zechariah 7:8-14
August 30     Return to a Just God or A Plea to Return to God     Malachi 3:1-10






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


Tuesday, August 4, 2015

On 8-9-15, Jeremiah 7:1-15 will be our Adult Sunday School/ Uniform Series/ International Sunday School Lesson, herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as A Choice to be Just

A Choice to be Just
Jeremiah 7:1-15
August 9, 2015



Commentary 
by
Jed Greenough






How important are you?  Are you the center of the universe?

I remember when I was little and it seems I thought of myself that way.  It seems like it took a really long time for me to wrap my mind around the idea that people were living out their lives at the very same time away from me.  They had their fun and their pets and their families and so on.

I think for many of us we rather maintain that feeling of our own importance in some respects and we put ourselves in front of others as if we can do no harm.

What made me think about all this was today’s scripture.  It made me think of how we often are in the church today.

In today’s scripture we read about all the people who came through the gates to worship.  They were told to reform their ways and their actions.  They were told, “Do not trust in deceptive words and say, This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!”

They were given a chance or as most of us have this week for a title, A Choice to be Just.

So how about us, we, who you will remember, still think of ourselves as being rather important.  Important that is until a call such as the one the people of Judah were given.  But I say we are each as Christians important and should make ourselves count.

Just as they were told “reform your ways and your actions” and to “not trust in deceptive words” so should we.  They said, “This is the temple of the Lord” and we say “this is the church of God”.  
But not everything that is happening inside is right just because it is taking place there.

There might not be some of the atrocities as mentioned in Jeremiah from today but wickedness comes in many forms.

We are important enough to make a difference and return the house of God to the place it should be.  The choice is ours.


For Discussion:

  1. Discuss how this call Jeremiah was given to proclaim uniquely went to the individual by saying, “all you people who come through these gates to worship.”
  2. Discuss how we are all important in the matters of the church.
  3. Discuss how we rely on “those in charge” to take care of matters.
  4. Discuss how we rely on “those in charge” to always do the right thing.
  5. Discuss our responsibilities as individuals.
  6. Discuss the fear of taking a stand.
  7. Discuss what God thinks of those who deny Him in a sense when they fail to stand for Him.



Upcoming Lessons

August 16    A Call for Repentance     Ezekiel 18:1-13, 31-32 or 30-32






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