The Adult Sunday School

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

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:

Discuss if you disagree
Discuss how we tend to blame others for our situation
Discuss how we in part set a course for our children
Discuss how some can though pay for the sin of others
How can a pattern of sin in a family or group be broken
Discuss verses 7-8
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

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

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.