Monday, September 28, 2009

Looking for Jesus

October 4, 2009

Background Scripture: Mark 1:21 – 45
Lesson Passage: Mark 1:32 – 45

When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.” (Mark 1:37 (NLT)) This can be a powerful statement when made in the right context. Unfortunately, then as it is now, the context makes all of the difference. It is indeed desirable for everyone to seek Jesus. But the simple question must be asked concerning their seeking, “Why?” In our lesson today, people from throughout Galilee was hearing about the teachings and miracles of Jesus and searching diligently for him. Their searching, however, was based on their desires that they fully believed that Jesus could fulfill. They sought him for healing, cleansing, and restoration. Perhaps, others did not seek him for personal gain other than to be observers. Some people just like to say, I was there when. They just like to be observers so they can tell others about what they have seen. Jesus was not hiding from them although it could be said he was avoiding them. He needed some time away from the crowd for prayer. Personal devotion was important to Jesus as is made clear in the gospel accounts. So he got up when many were yet sleeping and went out to a solitary place for prayer. His disciples seem to question why he would separate himself from the people that were now coming in droves. Maybe they saw this as an opportunity for Jesus to enjoy the fame and notoriety as others would have. Jesus’ response was a reminder of his mission. He was now ready to move on to other towns in the area and preach to them. He saw the word of God as more important than miracles. He saw the word of God as more important than deliverance from physical bondage or disease. Jesus was intent on proclaiming the good news to those who had not received it. All of this is stated after he got off to himself for a while and prayed. If Jesus wanted a crowd, he already had one and was leaving it to go to those who had not met him or heard the gospel preached. He was leaving those that were looking for him and going to those who were not out physically looking. But as he went, they still came seeking deliverance, healing, and to be taught the word of God. Not only was his teaching different than the scribes, but his interaction with those that came showed that he was different. He didn’t just heal the leper; before he healed him he first touched him with his hand. How long had it been since this man had felt the warmth and caring touch from another human being? How long had it been since he was allowed to approach another person and have a civil conversation about his personal need? Jesus didn’t just dole out healings like one would medicine. He showed a sincere interest in the person who had the need. He showed interest in them as a person and fellow human being. And this was done to the worst of the social outcasts. If he would be kind, loving, and respectful to a leper, then who would not seek him? Jesus prescribed the protocol that was established long ago in the Law for admitting the leper back into Jewish society. He also admonished him to not tell anyone except the priest about what had happened. This leper was not the person to share a secret with. The bible says that this leper went out and published and blazed the news everywhere so that Jesus’ reputation preceded him and he could not go to the places he had intentions to teach in. After the leper’s testimony, even more came looking for Jesus.

Robert C. Hudson
September 21, 2009

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Nehemiah: Motivator for the People

September 27, 2009

Background Scripture: Nehemiah 2
Lesson Passage: Nehemiah 2:5, 11 – 20

What is it that makes one a motivator? What does it take to be persuasive? There are lecturers and seminar leaders that claim that they can transform anyone into a persuasive person with the power to motivate others. Is this true or what about what others have said that some are born with the gift? I believe we have an opportunity to address these questions by examining the actions of Nehemiah in today’s lesson.

Nehemiah was burdened with what he believed to be a disgraceful situation for the Jewish people. He had heard that the wall that surrounded Jerusalem was destroyed and the gates torn down. This left the Jewish citizens there exposed to criminal mischief by outsiders—especially during the night. Nehemiah, on the other hand, was an exile in a foreign land. He served in the capacity of being the king’s cup bearer. His closeness to the king, however, didn’t qualify him for any favors from the king since he was there as a servant. Yet, the king still had the authority and the resources to help remedy the problem of Nehemiah’s ancestors. The weight of his burden apparently showed on his face for the king noticed that Nehemiah was somewhat out of character. Nehemiah prayed before he spoke to the king concerning the matter and God moved the king’s heart in Nehemiah’s favor. Now that Nehemiah had favor with the king, he could avail himself of the king’s authority and resources. Nehemiah requested everything he needed that the king could provide to make his work successful. This was the beginning of Nehemiah working from under his burden. The king granted him leave from his duties and letters of passage and authority to retrieve materials to aid in the construction work required. After arriving in Jerusalem, Nehemiah did a personal inspection of the wall and the gates so that he could make his own assessment of the situation rather than proceed based on what he had previously heard. Now Nehemiah was prepared to engage the Jewish people concerning the task of restoring the wall and gates of the city. This problem had persisted for a while yet some Jews lived there and accepted the conditions in which they lived. Nehemiah would need to stir them up to want to make improvement and not settle for the present condition. Nehemiah pointed out that the situation was an issue of national shame for Israel. This placed the burden of action on the shoulders of all Jews and not just a few who showed more concern than others. Nehemiah provided encouragement to his Jewish brethren by testifying of God’s help to him thus far. This appeared to be enough for the people to be inspired to follow Nehemiah’s leadership. This was the beginning of the process of restoration of the wall but it would take continuous encouragement in the face of opposition and ridicule. Success would require that Nehemiah do more than provide a spark to get the fire going. Nehemiah had to be a motivator for the people.

Robert C. Hudson
September 10, 2009

Monday, September 14, 2009

Ezra: Priest for the People

September 20, 2009

Background Scripture: Ezra 9:5 – 11, 15
Lesson Passage: Ezra 9:5 – 11, 15

Perhaps the most under-appreciated need we have in this life is the need for someone to stand between God and us. Without a barrier, light would quickly consume darkness until darkness existed no more. So it is with holiness and sin. The holiness of God would totally destroy the presence of sin and its source and bearers if it were not for God’s self-imposed restraint. When God provided the Law to Moses, in it he also established a sense of his own holiness by way of the commandments. The Law without a mediator would only be a death sentence to humanity. God prescribed the office of the priest as a mediatory office. The priest stood before God on behalf of the people. The priest acknowledged the sins of the people, made sacrifices unto God as a show of penance and petitioned God for mercy. God allowed these actions to provide a covering for the sins of the people or a barrier between them and him. The complementary office was that of prophet. The prophet spoke the word of God to the people so that they might know the will of God at that time for them. Whenever the Law pointed out fault or sin, it also pointed out the appropriate action that should follow. After the Law was delivered to Israel, the people were in a constant cycle of breaking the Law and being punished for it. When God finally allowed Israel to go into captivity to the Babylonians it seemed as though the relationship was over. But God never forgets his promises. He had made promises to the forefathers of Israel that he would not cast their offspring away from him forever. If he allowed them to be punished for their sins, he would also allow them to be restored when they repented and returned to him. At times, those returning had compounded the problem by doing more wickedly in the meantime than their initial trespass. This was the case in our lesson today. Ezra learned that after the exile of Israel, Israel’s leaders, rulers, priests, and Levites, had intermingled with the original nations of Canaan. The nation of Israel had been repeatedly warned against doing that for hundreds of years. They were told that those nations were being expelled from the land because their actions were an abomination to God. If they intermingled, Israel would participate in the same abominations. Not only did many of Israel mingle with the nations socially but they also intermarried. This mixing of the blood of Israel with that of the Canaanites was too much for Ezra to bear. He tore his clothes, plucked out his hair, and sat on the ground disgusted. When the evening sacrifice time came, Ezra prayed an intercessory prayer on behalf of Israel. It was a priestly prayer. Ezra acknowledged God’s faithfulness and laid out Israel’s sins before God. He thanked God for preserving a remnant that continued to trembled at his voice or show him proper reverence. He further acknowledged that what Israel had received was the grace of God in spite of the failures of the nation. Whether Israel understood Ezra’s actions or not, he was providing for them what was most needed at the time. Ezra interceded as a priest for the people.

Robert C. Hudson
September 8, 2009

Monday, September 7, 2009

Gideon: Deliverer for the People

September 13, 2009

Background Scripture: Judges 6 – 8
Lesson Passage: Judges 6:1 – 3, 7 – 16

The book of Judges chronicles the ongoing cycle of apostasy and deliverance in the history of Israel in the land of Canaan. After the elders who knew the Lord had died, the generations that followed them were spiritually immature and unstable. They had not experienced the Lord’s dealings with Israel. Those generations constantly went against the will of God as given to them in the Law. The Lord allowed their enemies to come up against them and rule over them as chastisement. Whenever the children of Israel cried out to the Lord for deliverance, he would raise up a deliverer from among them. After this deliverance, the nation would again rest from war. In today’s lesson Israel is being harassed by the Midianites. The Midianites would routinely take the produce that Israel generated and leave Israel lacking. When Israel managed to harvest some of the grain before the Midianites could take it, they would have to hide to thresh it out. It was in this setting of hiding while threshing the grain that the Lord appeared unto Gideon. Gideon was greeted by a title that suggested that he was a brave man. He was also told that the Lord was with him. Gideon wanted to know why the Lord had not delivered Israel from the oppression of the Midianites. The answer to his question must have come as quite a surprise. Israel was going to be delivered but the Lord was not the reason for the delay. The Lord was going to use Gideon to bring deliverance to Israel. Sometimes we look for God to do something for us without realizing that God will sometimes use us to do for others as well as ourselves. Gideon, like many of us, complained about his condition and the condition of his fellow Hebrews and blamed God for the situation persisting. After the truth was made known, the situation lasted longer than necessary because Gideon was not willing to act immediately. God would work with him step by step until he was prepared and ready to become Israel’s deliverer. His first step was to overcome issues within his own family. His father was an idol worshiper. Gideon was directed by the Lord to destroy the altar of Baal that belonged to his father, build an altar unto the Lord, and use his father’s bullocks to make an offering to the Lord. God was not going to accept compromise. If it was deliverance that he wanted then it would be total deliverance; first spiritually and then physically. After the spiritual revival, then Gideon would be prepared for the physical victory. Again, his task would not be easy as viewed through human eyes. When his enemy came, they spread across the landscape like grasshoppers in number. Gideon had an army of 32,000. In spite of being grossly outnumbered, Gideon’s army was too large for God to get the glory for the victory. God gave him a two step process to reduce his army to an anemic number of 300 men. There was no humanly way this group could successfully fight against Israel’s enemy. But God had a way to destroy the enemy with this seemingly insignificant group. Gideon learned what his generation had not known and that is that God still worked miracles for Israel’s sake. God was going to deliver Israel but Gideon would not be a spectator to the event. Gideon would be a deliverer for the people.

Robert C. Hudson
September 2, 2009

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Joshua: Leader for the People

September 6, 2009

Background Scripture: Joshua 1
Lesson Passage: Joshua 1:1 – 11, 16, 17

The first chapter of the book of Joshua is short but yet powerful in its presentation of the qualities of successful leadership. It clearly presents those aspects of successful leadership that are essential. None of those things mentioned in this chapter are optional if a leader is to be successful. What is optional is what we sometimes consider the qualifications of a leader that we desire to see successful. Neither Joshua’s education background nor his prior experience as a leader is mentioned. Then what are those qualities of successful leadership? Our lesson today presents five qualities for our consideration.

First, there is a clear break and reconciliation with the past. The previous leader was no longer in the picture. The previous leader had completed his mission so that there was nothing left to be done to continue his work. The statement in the text is very clear, Moses is dead. Whatever Moses did, had been done and he would no longer lead this group. At this point, Joshua was Israel’s only leader and he was not competing with Moses for the job. Secondly, the present vision and mission was clearly presented as to what Joshua had to do as leader of Israel. Joshua did not have to figure out his mission. God gave it to him. Joshua had to lead the people into Canaan to possess it. Then he had to divide the inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel. He was not told the details of how this would be accomplished but he knew exactly what had to be done under his leadership. Moses’ mission was to bring Israel out of Egypt unto Canaan (Exodus 3:7 – 10). Joshua’s mission was to bring Israel into Canaan and divide it among the tribes. Thirdly, the leader was given the assurance of success in carrying out the mission. God told Joshua that he had given Israel every place that his foot shall tread upon within the stated boundaries. Joshua was assured that he would divide the inheritance among the people. You cannot divide what you have not first possessed. The God-given responsibility to divide the inheritance is also the assurance that they will possess it. Also, a clearly stated mission that is supported by one who has all the necessary resources available to aid the leader gives assurance. Fourthly, the successful leader needs the proper role model. Joshua had one of the greatest leaders in Israel’s history for a mentor. Joshua could reflect on Moses’ success and know that it was Moses’ faith in the unfailing mercies and power of God that sustained him and made him successful. Finally, the successful leader needs loyalty from those that he will lead. Joshua received this without question. In fact, Israel’s two statements said it all. What you command us we will do. Where you send us we will go. And they also commended Joshua to the Lord’s care. All Joshua needed was to continue to have faith in God. History shows that he did and as a result, he was a successful leader of what I believe to be the greatest group of faith walkers presented in the bible. This group did and went as God directed them to through Joshua. As a result, flooded rivers moved out of their way, walls fell down when they shouted, and their enemies were driven out by hornets.

Robert C. Hudson
August 28, 2009