Faith in Jesus

December 3, 2017 Background Scripture: Acts 3 Lesson Passage: Acts 3:11 – 21 There is power in the name of Jesus. Today, that statement has been used so casually that hearers may well assume that it hardly has real meaning any more. I believe it is a good thing that the Jews reverence God so highly that they dare not mention His name. Christians should be so careful. Instead of being careful, we throw around the name of Jesus haphazardly as a general expression or a sigh of frustration. When the first century apostles used the name of Jesus, they saw miraculous results ensue. They were witnesses of the bodily resurrection of Jesus from among the dead. Because of this, they did not doubt that every word Jesus spoke to them prior to his death were words of God. Jesus’ resurrection from among the dead gave them assurance that every other promise he made to them would be fulfilled. It was with this living faith that Peter and John went about their accustomed ritual of going into the temple at the hour of prayer. At the gate where they were about to enter sat a man who had been a paraplegic from birth. He was brought to the gate of the temple daily to beg for handouts. It could be that the three times the Jews went up to the temple to pray that this was the gate Peter and John would have normally entered. Whether this was the gate they normally entered or not, things were about to change for this man on this occasion. Peter—no doubt prompted by the Holy Spirit—offered this man something superior to a handout. Peter offered this man healing in the name of Jesus. Through faith, this man accepted the offer and immediately began to walk, leap, and praise God. Toddlers stumble around for months before they learn how to walk steadily and then progress to jumping or leaping. God healed this man so thoroughly that he began to walk and leap immediately although he had never walked in his life. Praising God was a natural response to the supernatural healing. This man’s actions, and perhaps praises, inside the temple drew the attention of many. They recognized that he was the paralyzed beggar they had seen daily begging outside the temple. The crowd quickly grew seeking to understand what had taken place that would have caused this. Peter, recognizing the crowd’s response, provided the much needed and desired explanation. This man was not standing there because of Peter’s ability or power. Neither was it the result of Peter’s holiness. Faith in the name of Jesus to give healing power led to the healing. This was the same Jesus who had been ill-treated just a few days earlier by a Jewish crowd and their leaders. Peter acknowledged that the crowd had mistreated Jesus out of ignorance but God was willing to forgive them if they would repent and turn to Him and accept Jesus as their savior. Faith in the name of Jesus had brought healing to the paraplegic. Faith in the saving power of Jesus brings salvation. Robert C. Hudson November 3, 2017

Remembering the Covenant

November 26, 2017 Background Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11; Jude 3 Lesson Passage: 1 Corinthians 11:23 – 34 The Lord’s Supper observance is a time of remembrance to reflect on and celebrate the New Covenant that was put into effect and secured by Jesus’ death. Great care should be taken to ensure that all who participate in this observance do so with biblical understanding so as to not offend God. This sacred ritual should never be taken lightly. The New Covenant is a one-sided arrangement that is of great value to its beneficiaries. All of the provisions for the covenant have been provided by God. The beneficiaries have only to receive the benefits as a gift from God. Christians are the beneficiaries of the New Covenant. Some of the members of the church at Corinth were guilty of abuse and misuse of the celebration of the covenant. The Lord established this ritual using the simple elements of unleavened bread and wine—which he also referred to as the fruit of the vine. Rather than accept the simple elements described by the Lord for celebrating, some of them were bringing what in essence were potluck meals to the assembly. To this was added the transgression of eating in the presence of the poor who had nothing. People who have been welcomed into the New Covenant are undergoing a change of heart and should exhibit benevolence towards those who are lacking. They also went beyond the observance as a solemn assembly and made it a party for satisfying the desires of their flesh. Many of them drank wine to the point of inebriation. This was not a celebration of the New Covenant as they advertised but was rather a flesh-gratifying behavior that showed no respect or regard for the New Covenant. Their behavior prompted the Apostle Paul’s rebuke of them. It should be noted that some churches reportedly engaged in fellowship meals that came to be known as “Love Feasts” without intending for those meals to represent the Lord’s Supper observance as the Corinthians were apparently attempting to do. But apparently some “Love Feasts” had moved beyond a sincere fellowship where all shared everything to a selfish display of piety. This feast started in the Jerusalem church where all members shared everything in common and no one owned anything individually. This made sense for a group that was expecting Jesus to return for them within their lifetime. As local churches began to develop outside of Jerusalem, Judea, and Palestine, those local churches struggled to define themselves as a body of believers. All were expected to observe the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Autonomous congregations made it tempting for the groups to not adhere to the apostles’ doctrine. False teachers became prevalent and the local churches began to stray from the apostolic teachings that established them. Even today, local churches have many practices that are preferences of those congregations. However, as Paul instructed the church at Corinth, how we observe the Lord’s Supper is not left up to local preferences. Jesus gave the instructions for that observance and those instructions have been preserved and passed on by the apostles so that local churches need not error concerning this ordinance. Jesus taught that baptism is a ritual that the church should continue to practice and he also instructed his followers to observe the Lord’s Supper until he returns for his church. We should reverently remember the covenant. Robert C. Hudson October 26, 2017

Mediator of the New Covenant

November 19, 2017 Background Scripture: Hebrews 12:14, 15, 18 – 29; Psalm 66 Lesson Passage: Hebrews 12:14, 15, 18 – 29 Last week’s lesson presented the New Covenant that God will make with the descendants of Israel. The New Covenant would not be an external covenant written on stone tablets or scrolls as the others were. This covenant would be an internal one written in their hearts. Today’s lesson provides additional details about some arrangements involving the New Covenant. The New Covenant has a mediator assigned as executor. This mediator is completely unbiased and faithful in the administration of the New Covenant. This should be welcomed news for the descendants of Israel. Their ancestors experienced what it was like to be in covenant with a holy God and have no mediator to stand between God and the people. It was not a pleasant experience for them. When God established the covenant with them at Mt. Sinai, His presence descended upon the mountain in view of all Israel. The mountain quaked and billowed smoke and they heard what sounded like the loud continuous blast of a trumpet. The sound of God speaking was unbearable to them. The people of Israel trembled and begged Moses to be a mediator for them because they feared the presence of God on Mt. Sinai. They recognized that they were not able to stand before a holy God and receive the covenant at Mt. Sinai. Further, God gave a warning that if any, man or beast, were to touch the mountain while His presence was upon it, then they were to be stoned to death. Although the covenant was between God and them, they begged for a mediator to stand between God and them. They would not have to beg for a mediator for the New Covenant. God has already assigned a mediator for the New Covenant. This mediator is thoroughly familiar with the details of the covenant because he is the author of the New Covenant. It should be noted that the New Covenant is also the last will and testament of Jesus Christ. As a last will and testament, it could only go into effect upon the death of the benefactor or testator. The covenant was considered to be in effect as soon as the testator died. When Jesus died on Calvary’s cross, the New Covenant went into effect because the testator had died. His shed blood ratified the terms of the agreement. However, when Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, he did so as the mediator of the New Covenant that had been put into effect by his death. Through his eternal life as mediator of the covenant, he upholds and oversees all provisions of the covenant. Since the covenant promises eternal life, Jesus lives forever to ensure its fulfillment. No one who is a part of this eternal covenant should ever fear losing any provision of the covenant because the mediator is not just the executor of the will but he is also the guarantor of it. Israel met God at Mt. Sinai to receive and ratify the Old Covenant. Believers in Christ are brought to the spiritual city of God on Mt. Zion to receive the provisions of the New Covenant which has already been ratified by the blood of the Mediator. Robert C. Hudson October 26, 2017

Promise of a New Covenant

November 12, 2017 Background Scripture: Jeremiah 31 Lesson Passage: Jeremiah 31:27 – 34 Today’s lesson text would be considered great news by those who are living in bondage in foreign lands. However, this is a very different message when received by a group that is currently living free in their homeland. This message was delivered to the children of the southern kingdom of Judah prior to them being taken into captivity by the Babylonians. Yes, they were still in their homeland but were under siege (or military lockdown) by the Babylonian army. A message of this type is similar to being told that the prognosis suggests that the patient’s conditions will get better—after surgery! This is a classic “good news – bad news” scenario. The northern kingdom of Israel had already fallen at the hands of the Assyrians over one hundred years earlier. For over one hundred years, the northern ten tribes of Israel (Ephraim) had been taken into captivity and enslavement and scattered geographically. Now, the southern kingdom of Judah was being besieged by the Babylonian army and the end of their sovereignty as a nation was at hand. In the midst of this gloom and doom situation, God sent some good news. Israel will be restored in Palestine. This is God’s promise and it is as sure as the cycles of nature where one can witness the sun, moon, and stars in a fixed cycle with the earth’s rotation and orbit. In spite of the transgressions of the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah, God will still faithfully uphold His covenant that was established and confirmed in Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Both kingdoms were punished by God and suffered emotional and public embarrassment. The people were scattered away from Palestine into multiple nations as slaves. God promised to regather them in Palestine and forgive their transgressions. Furthermore, God would give them a new covenant that will be truly unique. The new covenant will not be written on stones or scrolls but God was going to write it on the hearts of His people. Because of this inward covenant, each person would know God for themselves and not rely on others to teach them about Him. They will have spontaneous praise and worship for God. They will dance and sing before Him with the tambourine. God would again bless the fruit of their labor. They will tend flocks and plant vineyards and enjoy the increase thereof. Individual responsibility will become the order of the day. Each person will bear the reproach and burden of their own sins. The children will not suffer because of the spiritual negligence or transgressions of their parents. Each person will be held accountable for his own actions. The kingdom will no longer be divided and they will all worship upon Zion together. As sure as God had caused punishment to come upon them, He would in turn restore them to Palestine and bless them. Their sins will be completely forgiven and the Lord will not bring their sins to remembrance anymore. This is the promise of the New Covenant. Robert C. Hudson October 26, 2017