A Faithful Community

May 2, 2010

Background Scripture: Colossians 1
Lesson Passage: Colossians 1:1 – 14

The Sunday School lessons this quarter have been focused on the community of faith. We have examined lessons from the Old Testament as well as from the gospel accounts. In this unit of study we will look more specifically at the New Testament church as a community of faith. Today’s lesson is from one of Paul’s prison epistles. It was written during Paul’s first imprisonment. This letter is addressed to the saints and faithful brethren who comprise the church at Colosse. In this letter, Paul writes a statement that seems to indicate that he had heard about this local church but he had not visited them. So when he refers to them as faithful it is based on the testimony of others who were familiar with them. This letter, like several others written in the first century A.D., addresses—or more appropriately, refutes the false doctrine of Gnosticism or salvation through knowledge. Here, Paul also warns the church concerning the practice of worshiping angels. Paul reminded them of the hope that all Christians share. This hope is of future reward that is a part of the gospel message that believers have accepted. Our hope is part of our life transformation or sanctification. For we yield ourselves to the work of the Holy Ghost in us in obeying the scriptures in love because of this hope. Obedience to God’s word brings forth much fruit in the life of Christians who receive the word by faith and walk in it. It was this walking example of love that evidenced the faith that was in the Colossians. Paul credits Epaphras as their faithful teacher for the fruit they were bringing forth in their lives. (God has so designed the interdependence of Christians such that no one matures spiritually without help from other Christians.) It was Epaphras who told Paul of the faith of the Colossians. Just hearing of their faith and their knowledge of God’s grace was enough to cause Paul to celebrate and intercede in prayer for them. Paul gives us an example to follow. When we find those who faithfully walk in obedience according to faith, we should be prayerful for them knowing that the adversary prowls around seeking to devour.

Christians should also thank God because he is changing us into the image of his son Jesus that we might be partakers in the inheritance of the kingdom with Jesus. Jesus is the central and singular focus of the New Testament church. He is the one who unites us together as one in his body. We are called to walk worthy of Jesus and to seek to please him through our living. If for no other reason, in Jesus’ atoning death, we have the forgiveness of sin.


Robert C. Hudson
April 26, 2010

Inclusion in Community

April 25, 2010

Background Scripture: Luke 14:1 – 24
Lesson Passage: Luke 14:15 – 24

Today’s lesson concludes this unit’s study of Jesus’ teachings on the community of faith. The background scripture provides much needed context for the parable that is included in the lesson passage. As Jesus entered the house of a Pharisee to share in a Sabbath day meal, he found himself faced with a man who had a medical condition. Jesus was also being watched by the others that were in the house. Rather than immediately heal the man, Jesus posed a question to the religious leaders that placed them in his position. Is healing on the Sabbath day lawful or not? They wisely kept silent and Jesus went on to heal the man. Jesus then asked them how they would handle the situation on the Sabbath day if it were one of their beasts of burden which had fallen into a pit. Again, they were silent. He then reversed the situation around. They were watching him but now he began to watch them. He noted how some of them sought the best seats in the house. From this observation, he taught two lessons. First, to the invited guests, he taught the proper behavior for guests to prevent embarrassment and to position them for the possibility of being honored in front of others. Next, to the host, he taught him the proper way to make a guest list. Jesus recommended that hosts should not invite those who could return the favor. This would be of no benefit to them to exchange niceties one with another. Instead, he recommended that the guest list be composed of those who could not host their own affair and subsequently return the favor. The host would receive an eternal reward for such a gesture. Things were going well until one of the other guests decided to say something that perhaps he thought might be inspiring to Jesus. The guest spoke concerning a supper in the kingdom of God. Since Jesus is an expert on his own kingdom—that is the kingdom of God that he was announcing and inviting them into he took this opportunity to explain the guest list and responses for the supper the man made reference to without necessarily understanding what he was talking about. Jesus talked about the supper, the initial invitations that were extended and apparently accepted, the final invitation once the supper was prepared and the various responses from the original invitees. He talked about the host angrily inviting others who did not have an excuse so that his supper would be successful and he would have a full house. Some of those that heard Jesus speak were undoubtedly on the original guest list but they did not recognize Jesus as the servant going forth to bid them to come because all had been made ready. Because of their various excuses, the guest list has been greatly expanded to include the “whosoever will” crowd. The current guest list truly exhibits inclusion in the community of faith. All those that Jesus said a host should include are on his list. The invitation was first extended by Jesus about two thousand years ago and the invitations continue to be extended by the Holy Ghost as he convicts, convinces, and judges the world of sin. Do you know that you are also included on that list? Have you received your invitation? Did you RSVP?

Robert C. Hudson
April 15, 2010

Connecting in Community

April 18, 2010

Background Scripture: Matthew 5:17 – 20; 22:34 – 40
Lesson Passage: Matthew 5:17 – 20; 22:34 – 40

God is a loving and gracious father. One only need to look to the law and the prophecies that God has given over millennia to see that this is the case. The law of God was given to benefit those that put their trust in God and it is to be heeded. The word of prophecy from God was given by God to provide both precious promises as well as stern warnings to his followers. Prophecy is to be respected for it can spare those who receive it much pain and anguish in the future and it can also provide continuous hope to those who are in the midst of difficult times. Love is the fulfillment of the law of God and the basis for prophetic utterance. Early in his ministry, Jesus proclaimed his mission. Jesus did not come to destroy what God had given because it was good. Indeed, Jesus came to fulfill what God had promised. Jesus demonstrated the law of love and fulfilled the prophecy of God. Much of the word of God had been misinterpreted, misapplied, and in some cases replaced by man’s own traditions. Jesus set many things straight by demonstrating the proper interpretation and application of the word of God. It is not surprising that his greatest critics were the religious leaders who benefited personally from the abuse or ignorance of scriptures. Their supposedly superior knowledge of scripture and oral tradition had caused many of the religious leaders to become aloof and disconnected from the very people they were charged with leading. They indeed led them but they led them in the wrong direction. Jesus referred to them as blind leaders who were going in the wrong direction and leading their followers to destruction. The general population was under such condemnation by their leaders that they saw their leaders as clearly being separated from them. The title Pharisee meant separated one. They seemed to major in public display of righteous acts. Jesus demonstrated something very different. Jesus connected with the most despised of the outcasts of religious society—publicans and sinners. Jesus spent time with them in meals and conversation. He did not see them as wretched but as lost sheep. The religious leaders even accused Jesus of being unrighteous because of this. Jesus exposed the religious leaders as hypocrites because of their false righteousness. Jesus taught that righteousness does not come through shallow or empty deeds but only through faith in him. Faith in Jesus Christ is the tie that binds the community of faith together. We all come to Jesus in some sense of despair or hopelessness. We were all spiritual outcasts in one way or another. For some, even religion had become the main problem itself. But we all found the same connection—faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus demonstrated through his deeds and words that what God had provided was what the world truly needed. It is only within the community of faith that we have this connection.


Robert C. Hudson
April 7, 2010

Love Within the Community

April 11, 2010

Background Scripture: 1 John 2:7 – 17
Lesson Passage: 1 John 2:7 – 17

The one defining characteristic of Christian disciples is love among its members. This is not a conclusive statement based on observation but it is indeed from the teachings of Jesus Christ. It was Jesus who said, By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another. Note that Jesus said that ALL men shall know because of this—not just other Christians would know but ALL men shall know. This behavior and general attitude then must be universal across the community of Christian disciples. Jesus’ statement defines the relationship among his disciples. In other words, disciples are those who commit to being followers of Christ and not just accepters of his sacrifice and grace. Disciples are indeed the community of the faithful. Our lesson today takes a passage from the first epistle or letter of John to Christian believers. This letter was sent during a time of false teaching among Christian groups. The type of false teaching that was prevalent then is known today as Gnosticism. Gnosticism is based on the false principle of evil only existing in the flesh. The teachings suggested that the spirit is entirely good and flesh or matter is entirely evil. Salvation, according to the teaching was a matter of the escape of the spirit from the body through attaining knowledge. Of course, this line of thought leads to all manner of evil. This line of thinking gives liberal license to sin because sin is only viewed as a condition of the flesh and it is not viewed as a spiritual issue of the heart. Love, on the other hand, as a characteristic of the Christian community, embodies all that is necessary to help Christians avoid sinful actions. Love is first extended wholeheartedly to God and then love is extended to one’s neighbor. It is the love within the community that causes believers to live out the perfect law of God. Jesus taught that all of the commandments are summed up in the two laws of love—the first towards God and the second towards one’s neighbor. John reminds the recipients of his letter that this is really not a new commandment but an old one. He also reminds them that this is the assurance of who they profess to be in Christ. John goes on to write that being a Christian means having love for Christians. A true believer cannot hate his brother and abide in the light or fellowship with Jesus Christ. It is love that causes us to abide in fellowship with Christ and thus with one another. Finally, John sums up the Christian’s responsibility to judge things correctly. The love of God in Christians causes us to have a different view of worldly things. What is in the world is of the world and not of God. Christians are to love the things of God and not those of the world for this world and all that pertains to it will pass away but only that and those who are of God will remain forever.


Robert C. Hudson
March 31, 2010