God Calls Moses

September 5, 2010

Background Scripture: Exodus 3
Lesson Passage: Exodus 3:1 – 6, 13 – 15

Today’s lesson is an excellent example of God calling a person into service or ministry. It seems to all start with a yearning. Moses had experienced a yearning to be among his brethren, the Jewish people. Although Moses was living an affluent life in Pharaoh’s palace, he longed to be among the Jews who were slaves in Egypt. Moses envisioned himself as a protector of the Jews and a peacemaker in their midst. Moses soon learned one of the realities of being a leader of people. The Jews readily accepted his physical protection but utterly rejected the notion of him being their judge and counselor. Moses attempted to use his own strength and wisdom to gain leadership over the Jews that he might provide care for them. This failed and eventually led to him living in exile in the desert for forty years as a result of his efforts.

Our lesson opens today with Moses living the desert life and caring for his father-in-law’s flock. This would turn out to be no ordinary day in the desert for Moses. This day, Moses would have an encounter with God that changed him for the remainder of his life. In this passage of scripture God formally introduces himself to Moses. Moreover, God informs Moses that he is now ready to prepare Moses to go and lead Israel out of Egyptian bondage. What Moses had yearned for forty years earlier, God was now about to bring to pass. What Moses learned he could not accomplish in his own strength, God would bring about with absolute power.

What can we learn from Moses’ call by God? First, a yearning is not “necessarily” a call of God. It may truly be what God has placed in our hearts but it may also be that we have not yet been prepared to be formally called. A calling of God does not depend on the strength or abilities of the one who is called. Neither talent nor desire is a match for the forces of evil one will encounter as one goes about his God-assigned ministry. The yearning is at best an indicator of the need to seek God’s face for directions. Secondly, although we may have failed miserably in trying to undertake a mission for God without God’s help, it does not mean that God is not willing to use us for his purpose. However, God will use us as he sees fit and not as we so desire. We must learn to love God and his ways and not hope that God will come around and eventually listen to us and give us the power to do what we want to do the way we want to do it. Even after forty years, God had not forgotten what was in Moses’ heart in the beginning. It was Moses who needed to come around to do things God’s way and in the power of God. Paul said that the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Moses is a good example of that fact. After Moses left the security of the palace and became a nomadic shepherd caring for another man’s flock, then he was prepared and God called Moses.

Robert C. Hudson
August 20, 2010

Upheld by God

August 29, 2010

Background Scripture: Acts 28; Philippians 4:15 – 23
Lesson Passage: Acts 28:16 – 25a, 28 – 31

What is the source of your strength? When the chips are down and you really need a breakthrough, what is your first option—rather than your last resort? Those are value seeking questions. The “true” answers speak to the values that we hold dear to us. I say “true” answers as opposed to the “expected” answers or the answers that we are comfortable giving even if they don’t truly reflect our thinking or behavior. In our lesson today, Paul offers his “true” answer to those questions. The answer he gives was not derived out of a profound theological thesis that Paul developed while contemplating scriptures but rather it is a testimony of the trials and tests that God put Paul through until he had no other place to turn first. All of Paul’s options were gradually taken away or surrendered as a result of the hardships Paul suffered in his ministry for Jesus Christ. This was a true fulfillment of the words Jesus spoke to Paul (then Saul) on the road to Damascus. Jesus told Paul that it was hard for him to kick against the pricks. This warning did not prevent Paul, just as it does not prevent us, from kicking anyway until he finally surrendered to the will of God. It is this surrendered state we find the apostle in as we follow his journey in the account recorded towards the close of the book of Acts. This is not a state of being beaten down as much as it is a state of contentment to trust in the word of Christ in spite of circumstances that seem to be to the contrary.

The historic account in Acts detail the treacherous journey Paul and the Roman soldiers traveled to escort Paul from Jerusalem to Rome. This journey included a wintry weather shipwreck in which the ship and all of its cargo, except the people, were destroyed and loss at sea. Wintry weather made for unbearable conditions for the sea-soaked group as they clung to pieces of debris in the troubled waters while they made their way to shore. Kindling a fire should have brought relief but even that led to yet another hardship for Paul. He was bitten by a poisonous snake while placing some sticks on the fire. So why is Paul content? Before all of this transpired, Paul had been told one night by Jesus that he had to appear in Rome to bear witness of him. So in spite of the calamities he endured, he had the assurance of Jesus’ word that he would arrive safely in Rome to bear witness of Christ. Jesus had assured Paul of the destination, Rome. He did not tell him what all would transpire between Jerusalem and Rome. But it was Paul’s assurance of the destination that he could base his faith on. Come what may, Paul was assured that he would arrive in Rome and therefore he would be able to shake his problems off along the way. With that, Paul simply shook the snake off of his hand into the fire. Those that saw it were frightened that Paul did not die of the snakebite but Paul had faith that nothing was going to prevent him from accomplishing God’s work for him. Whatever circumstances arose, Paul knew he would be upheld by God. As Paul prepared the final salutation in his letter to the Philippians, he could say with confidence “My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” because Paul had experienced God’s benevolence for himself.

Robert C. Hudson
August 16, 2010

Growing in Joy and Peace

August 22, 2010

Background Scripture: Philippians 4
Lesson Passage: Philippians 4:1 – 14

Paul closes this letter by reflecting on the Christian’s need to think of his heavenly citizenship and anticipation of Christ’s return. This frame of mind will aid the believer in standing firm in times of difficulty. The first step is to get believers to live in the moment and not get lost in nostalgia. Looking back tends to hold one back. Allow “now” to be fully accepted, fully appreciated, and fully experienced. That will free us from the tyranny of the past. The next step is to live in anticipation of the future; not just any future but the future that God promises the believer. When the believer embraces the promises of God, then the anticipation of the future will be of greater value than present circumstances. When believers embrace the future that Christ promises, then the realization of heavenly citizenship will cause us to wait with anticipation for Christ’s return. With this attitude why complain about situations and circumstances today? If we are living for the future, it should be easier to handle today’s problems. With this in mind, Paul encouraged peace between two Philippian women who he named without necessarily offering them a solution to whatever problem they might have had between them. The nature of the problem is not the issue but the absence of peace. Harmony is achieved when Jesus becomes the center of thinking for all parties. Paul went on to request an unnamed fellow laborer of his to help to establish peace among them considering that they had been supporters in the cause of the gospel along with Paul. In other words, those who have been a part of the building process will sometimes more readily seek to fix problems than those who have not labored in establishing the ministry. This observation of them as fellow laborers is of note because of the circumstances that led Paul to Philippi in the beginning. God gave Paul a vision of a man in Macedonia requesting him to come and help them. However, when Paul arrived he only found a group of women praying by the river. He labored with them and through his ministry, Lydia and her household were saved. Lydia represents the type of person that very well could be considered a fellow laborer with Paul in Macedonia. She was part of the original prayer group by the river. She knew that God had brought the Philippian believers a long way from that prayer band to a functional church with bishops and deacons. Sometimes those who are not likeminded need help from other mature Christians to assist in bringing about reconciliation.

Again Paul could rejoice as he reflected on the generosity of the Philippians in providing for his needs. Believers should rejoice in God’s provision not as a sign of approval but as an act of true thanksgiving. Contentment should not be dependent on having material goods but it should be independent of them as one learns to depend on Jesus for all things in every situation. Christ gives us the strength to handle all situations and to do all things.

Robert C. Hudson
August 14, 2010

Living into the Future

August 15, 2010

Background Scripture: Philippians 3:1 – 4:1
Lesson Passage: Philippians 3:4b – 16

Paul, as is characteristic of him in this letter, again admonishes the Philippians to rejoice in the Lord. The reason this time is the future that God has in store for Christians. There are some steps we should take in preparing our hearts to fully embrace a coming future with sincere joy. One of the most important steps is letting go of the past in preparation for the future. Sometimes nostalgia gets the best of us. We spend so much time reminiscing about the past that we become distracted in the present and totally detached mentally and emotionally from the future. It is difficult if not impossible to rejoice about the future while we spend an inordinate amount of time stuck in the past. The present, in a sense, liberates us from the past. The present is the gift of opportunity to start afresh. The best way to break free of the past is to live in the present moment with anticipation of a coming future.

Why, some may ask, should we want to break free of our past if it is filled with happiness and fond memories? The answer is simple. Our past may be filled with glorious achievements of which we could boast but it will not help us in eternity. I am a proponent of education but I will readily admit that education cannot help us in eternity. I enjoy the richness that life offers—especially those things that are well within our budget. None of those things will prosper us in eternity. Peter even warned a would-be disciple that his riches would perish with him. Perhaps the heart of the issue here is that our past keeps us connected to this world. This world is destined to be destroyed and replaced with a new world. Why stay connected with and long for condemned property? Our rejoicing should not be in yesterday but in the eternal future. Our past may keep us connected to this world but Christ connects us to the eternal future. Jesus did nothing during his brief ministry to suggest that he was trying in anyway to stay in this world forever. He was always clear that this world was not his home. He did not seek to possess physical treasures here. He instead called out a few that he trained and commissioned to go forth and call out the masses from the world into God’s own kingdom. This agenda brought him many enemies. Christians are to beware of the enemies of Christ for they have also become our enemies. Those that oppose Christ and his teachings also oppose his followers. They cannot and do not attack the future inheritance of the saints. They are more a distraction than a hindrance of the ministry of Jesus. Christians are to remain steadfast in their faith in Christ as we declare ourselves to be pilgrims in this world and anticipate living in the future.


Robert C. Hudson
July 29, 2010

Sharing God’s Grace

August 1, 2010

Background Scripture: Philippians 1
Lesson Passage: Philippians 1:15 – 29

Philippians is one of Paul’s prison epistles. It is written to a church that Paul established in the region of Macedonia known as Philippi. The local church had developed quite a lot since its founding as can be seen by the manner in which they were addressed. The letter was addressed to the saints along with the bishops and deacons that were at Philippi. The fact that this local church had spiritual officers (bishops and deacons) in place shows its advanced state. Throughout this letter Paul admonishes them to rejoice in the Lord. It is truly a love letter that was written to encourage the saints in their Christian walk and to thank them for the gifts they had sent to him. He even acknowledged the gifts they sent to him previously after he departed from Philippi and was in Thessalonica.

Paul recognized that the Philippians’ faith in Christ was evidence that they were partakers of the same grace; or in other words, Paul’s teaching had led them to have faith in Christ and to follow after him and as a result, they were being blessed even as Paul.

Paul then turned his attention to the work of equipping the saints in Philippi for the work of ministry. As long as he lived, he could be of benefit to them in their spiritual growth. On the other hand, if Paul were to lay down his life, he could then be with Christ and reap the reward of his labors which was even better for him. However, Paul was confident that God was going to deliver him from imprisonment and his deliverance would bring the Philippians great joy. He would indeed be reunited with them. Many other Christian workers were being emboldened by Paul’s imprisonment. Because Paul could have joy in his situation, the Philippians could also rejoice in theirs.

A call to rejoice while suffering for Christ’s sake is a redundant theme in this epistle. Suffering for Christ is a higher calling for a saint. To suffer for Christ is to truly follow in his footsteps. When Jesus called disciples, he called them to forsake their plans and situations and take up their cross and follow him. The cross was clearly understood as a symbol of suffering. Paul saw his situation as an example of suffering so that the saints in Philippi might not be intimidated when they faced adversity because of their faith in Christ. Paul continued to labor that the Philippian saints might know that chains did not hinder the gospel. The gospel continued to be shared through Paul and because of him—some in support and others in contention. Even in this, Paul could rejoice. Paul’s objective was the advancement of the gospel message. It did not matter if individuals wanted to work with him or against him in the process as long as the gospel was advancing.


Robert C. Hudson
July 26, 2010

God’s Own Faithfulness

July 25, 2010

Background Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 3
Lesson Passage: 2 Thessalonians 3:1 – 15

How do you close out a letter that was written to encourage its recipients to endure suffering, work to support their needs, and be aware that the end has not yet come? Paul simply reminded them of God’s faithfulness. In spite of situations, basic necessities of life, and relentless hopelessness, God is still faithful in the midst of it all. God knows where we are and what we are going through. He also knows how much of it we can bear. He is faithful to his promises to never ever leave us and to always provide the strength we need in times of testing.

Because of these assurances, Paul then requested the Thessalonians to pray for his success in preaching and teaching the word of God. His ministry of teaching and preaching is what the apostle had to offer anyone that would endure like persecution. Paul knew all too well that everyone is not saved and therefore some are predisposed towards evil. He requested prayer that God would not allow them to hinder his work. On the other hand, he reminded the Thessalonians that God can be counted on to establish them and to protect them from committing or falling prey to evil. This is part of God’s faithfulness. Paul trusted God to keep them even as he kept him and his companions in the ministry. We are not to depend on our abilities but instead we should look to God to do the keeping. We play a role by not keeping company with those that do not intend to do right.

Paul and his companions in the ministry tried to set the right example for the Thessalonians to follow. He encouraged them to be imitators of them. When we are spiritually immature, it is beneficial to have more matured Christians we can pattern ourselves after. Likewise, we are to strive towards spiritual maturity so that we too can be Christian role models for others to follow. One example we should set is that of physical labor. Able bodied people should work; they should be rewarded for their labor that they might attend to their needs and not have to depend on others. This is a good example to set. The able bodied that are unemployed become busy bodies and stir up trouble. They should be noted and avoided. Don’t “buddy up” with those who walk contrary to the word of God. They are not your enemy but you should pray for them as your brother or sister in the Lord because they can lead you astray through their carnality or worldly living.

Finally, God is the Lord of peace and he is the one who is able to give us continuous peace.


Robert C. Hudson
July 14, 2010

Giving of Oneself

August 8, 2010

Background Scripture: Philippians 2:1 – 3:1a
Lesson Passage: Philippians 2:1 – 18

This week we continue our study of Paul’s letter to the Philippians. In today’s lesson he addresses humility as the disposition of a mature Christian. Paul’s message to the Philippians was that church harmony is possible when everyone has the same agenda and attitude. That agenda and attitude should be the same as that demonstrated by Jesus. Jesus is always the supreme example for all Christians. His example of humility is the ultimate example. Jesus is and was fully God. He did not give up his divinity to be born into this world as a baby. He was born fully man by the will of God. Jesus did not exploit his divinity in order to endure the trials and tribulations that all mankind suffer. This was one of the temptations that Satan offered him when he was hungry. He tempted Jesus to use his divine power to turn stones into bread so that he would not have to continue to suffer the physical affliction of fasting. Jesus steadfastly resisted the temptation to be selfish and self-serving and instead used his power to feed thousands of other hungry souls during the next three years of his ministry. Again, Paul implored the Philippians to have the same mind as that of Christ. This would imply the willingness to give of themselves for the sake of others. In this letter he acknowledged that indeed the church had done so by meeting his needs two or three times. But this appeal is more on a personal level that would suggest that the individuals needed to have the same mind about such things and not just recognition of what was done collectively by the congregation. Each of them was admonished by Paul to be concerned about the welfare of others. Christ’s example was that of self-emptying or self-imposed humility that led to extreme obedience not just obedience that was tolerable. Christ’s obedience led him all the way to Calvary and the grave but God vindicated him by raising him from the dead and giving him a position that is above every creature whether in earth or in heaven. It is this extreme example and demonstration of God’s faithfulness that should serve as the Christian’s motivation to live a life of obedience to God. Paul refers to this type of living as the outworking of one’s salvation. This is not to suggest that salvation can be attained as a result of a person’s efforts or works but that the salvation they have already received should be the motivation for their actions. When a Christian acts out of love it is not to become someone different but it is an acknowledgement that they have already been made different by God. If anyone is in Christ he is a new creature. Righteous living is more than a made up mind. Many people make up their minds and fail to follow through with actions. But for the Christian, God puts in us the will to do righteously and then he gives us the power to do it. So we should follow through without complaining but rather set an example that is worthy for others to follow. As disciples of Paul, the Philippian Christians’ obedience to his teaching would provide the fulfillment of Paul’s joy. Their example would not be in receiving but in the manner in which they learn to give of themselves.

Robert C. Hudson
July 28, 2010