Faith to Unite

December 31, 2017 Background Scripture: Ephesians 4 Lesson Passage: Ephesians 4:1 – 16 As we close out another calendar year, we close it out on a note of unity. In the text of our lesson, Paul stresses the oneness of God that flows from Him. Believers in Christ are admonished to work hard to preserve this oneness in the body of Christ. Unity is not something that is forced upon Christians and neither is it something that happens all by itself with no human effort involved. Paul named five qualities that are necessary in Christians to aid in maintaining unity within the body of Christ. First, believers must develop an attitude of humility. Pride is very destructive to unity. This is not to suggest that we should not be proud of God’s accomplishments in us or the opportunities He allows us to participate as servants in ministry. However, we should take care to not forget that it is only because of the grace of God that these things are possible. In and of ourselves, we are not capable of doing anything that pleases God absent faith in Him. Secondly, Christians should have an approach of gentleness. Our sins offend God. We love the experience of God being gentle when He handles us even through times of discipline when we have gone astray. Others need that same approach from us at times when they have offended us. Handling conflict through gentleness tends to lead to a more acceptable resolution of the issues. Thirdly, Christians are to exhibit patience as we observe life situations unfold. Sometimes God is at work and we are unaware of it. Patience allows us to see God’s outcome rather than trying to force some half-developed plan of ours into the midst of circumstances we may not fully understand. The fourth quality is tolerance. Tolerance is needed when the outcome we were expecting or desired does not materialize. Sometimes we have to “put up with” some less than ideal situations or unruly people in order to allow God’s perfect plan to unfold. Everything that seems bad is not always as bad as we think it is. And even when it really is bad it is sometimes best just to tolerate it. Finally, love for one another is the defining quality of all disciples of Jesus Christ. Jesus described it as the unmistakable brand of who we are in the eyes of others. He declared that all men would know that we are his disciples by the love we have one for the other. All of these character qualities must have love as their basis. Humility, gentleness, patience, and tolerance are all truly shown in a spirit of love. Contrariwise, Paul also warned the church to avoid things that are detrimental to unity within the body. The foremost is strange doctrine. Even today we are amazed at how quickly some people give up on the teaching they received that led to their salvation. It was good enough to lead them from the road to eternal damnation but afterwards they feel that something is still missing. Deceitful people develop schemes that entrap these confused Christians in an ever-evolving religion of jargon and nonsense. Often this leads to the sale of millions of books and videos that enrich a few while the masses are led farther and farther from the simple truth of the gospel they first embraced. The body of Christ is built up from the inside by the individual members who have been gifted by the Holy Spirit to edify the body. Knowing that we each have been gifted by the Holy Spirit, let us in faith embrace the work of bringing about unity within the body. Robert C. Hudson November 16, 2017

Faithful Seekers of the King

December 24, 2017 Background Scripture: Matthew 2:1 – 12 Lesson Passage: Matthew 2:1 – 12 There is no better time to look back at the story of the magi seeking to find and worship the Christ child than Christmas Eve. The story of the magi is not about the birth event itself but rather worshipers from afar seeking the child who had “already” been born “King of the Jews”. They were not coming to acknowledge the birth event but to worship the child who had already been born. In other words, they did not come when Jesus was born but afterwards. Unfortunately, many commercial and dramatized nativity scenes that occur during the Christmas season today show the magi and the shepherds all gathered around the manger where the newborn baby lay. These two groups, the shepherds and the magi, came at very different times for different reasons. The shepherds came to acknowledge the birth of the baby Jesus whereas the magi came seeking the child who had already been born and was no longer in the manger. The shepherds were sent by the angel to the location of the newborn babe and the magi were guided by a star to the location of the child. The scriptures do not reveal to us where the magi got their knowledge of the child or how they came to recognize the star as their guide. But word of their arrival in Jerusalem (the capital city of Judea and the Jews) and their stated mission got around town and even to the insecure King Herod. Herod had been appointed to his political position of king and based on what is revealed about his character, it was probably through both “hook and crook”. The fact that a child could be born right under his nose and given the prerogative of kingship did not set well with him. With subtlety he called the magi to him and learned of the exact time the star had appeared so that he would know the age of the child in question. He then used the information he had obtained from the chief priests and scribes of the Jews concerning the prophecy of the birth and its location and gave it to the magi. King Herod was giving the magi the impression that he was acting in good faith. So he sent them to Bethlehem based on the information he received about the birthplace from the chief priests and the scribes. King Herod also made a request of the magi. Once they located the child, King Herod wanted the magi to inform him as to the child’s location—supposedly so he could go and worship the child as well. His plans were to find the child and kill it to end the threat of him losing his royal appointment to the child. When the magi left King Herod, the star reappeared and led them to the exact house in Bethlehem where the child and his mother were. When the magi came to the house and so the child, they fell down and worshiped him. Then they presented gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the child. Again, we should note that they did not find a baby in a manger but rather a child in a house. After that visit, God had warned them in a dream to not return to Herod so they returned to their country in the east by another route. After learning that he had been tricked, Herod had all young boys, two years old and under, who were in Bethlehem slain. Based on Herod’s actions, it can be assumed that the child was possibly two years old at the time of the magi’s visit. Meanwhile the Christ child had been located by the magi, worshiped and safely secured by God in Egypt. Robert C. Hudson November 15, 2017

Faith to Persevere

December 17, 2017 Background Scripture: Acts 14; Colossians 2:6, 7 Lesson Passage: Acts 14:8 – 11, 19 – 23 Perseverance is one of the Articles of Faith that define Baptist Doctrine. Today’s lesson takes a look at some of the tribulation that Paul endured in order to further the work of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to every creature. Because of the trials and tribulations he suffered, Paul demonstrated a life of perseverance. Someone once said that a person can define who they are by what it takes to stop them. Paul set the bar very high in this regard. In light of what he endured, it is difficult to think of very many cases of late where a person or group of professing Christians have truly suffered in this country because of their religious beliefs. In fact, one of the founding principles or rights that Americans hold dear is the right to religious freedom. Paul knew no such freedom in the area of the world where he ministered in the first century. He faced dangers from both his fellow countrymen as well as rulers of other nations. His fellow countrymen, the Jews, orchestrated the attack on him that is part of our lesson text. Paul was stoned and thought to be dead. Therefore, they dragged him outside the city and left him there for scavengers to devour his body. While his fellow Christian disciples stood around him, Paul got up. It is reasonable to assume that the disciples standing around Paul were praying but the text does not indicate that is what happened. What the text does indicate is proof positive of the topic of our lesson. The next day Paul left and went to another city and preached Jesus there and there were people in that city converted to the Christian faith. This was indeed perseverance. Paul could have gotten up and realized that he had survived a stoning and left to return to the Christian congregation in Antioch or perhaps he could have returned home to Tarsus. Instead, he continued to go into Gentile cities and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and win converts. He had experienced a near-death encounter with some angry Jews and a mob incited to violence by them and yet he would not allow that to keep him from the work of preaching the gospel. Paul demonstrated an unwavering faith in the face of bodily harm and even the possibility of death. Paul’s example must have had a profound effect on the other disciples who witnessed his courage in the face of danger. His actions went far beyond encouraging people to accept Jesus as their personal savior and get baptized. He was all about making disciples for Jesus and teaching them the truths of the scriptures so they could grow spiritually and, in turn, become part of the disciple-making process. Paul’s ministry was a demonstration of the Great Commission given by Jesus Christ to his disciples. Having once been a Pharisee, Paul was very knowledgeable about the word of God but that was not enough for the work he had been called to. Paul had an encounter with the risen Lord Jesus on the Damascus road that gave him a personal testimony unlike any other but that was not enough for the work he had been called to. Jesus had warned that Paul would have to suffer many things for him and this would require faith to persevere. Paul demonstrated that he had this type of faith and thanks be to God for it because through his perseverance, he managed to write about half of the New Testament as we know it. Robert C. Hudson November 15, 2017

Faith to Discern

December 10, 2017 Background Scripture: Acts 13:1 – 12 Lesson Passage: Acts 13:1 – 12 Spiritual discernment is both a gift and the presence of spiritual sensitivity. At the beginning of this text, there is a group of Christians praying together when the Holy Spirit spoke and instructed them to set apart Barnabas and Saul for the mission work they were being assigned to. It required spiritual sensitivity to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit and spiritual discernment to know whose voice it was. This group of praying Christians heard and obeyed the voice of the Lord. After prayer, the laying on of hands, and a proper farewell, Barnabas and Saul were sent forth by the Holy Spirit to do the bidding of the Lord. They visited numerous populated regions on and near the Mediterranean Sea and preached the gospel where they stopped. No doubt, their route was determined by the Holy Spirit who was continuing to lead them. On one stop, they encountered a false prophet who attempted to thwart their work. Under the Holy Spirit’s guidance, Saul addressed the man and pronounced a curse of blindness on him. Note that the scriptures clearly state that Saul was filled with the Holy Spirit prior to informing us as to what Saul did. This passage of scripture provides a great lesson concerning the gift of spiritual discernment. Too often, people will declare that they have a gift of discernment but it tends to be one-sided and only seems to apply to evil or demonic spirits. Spiritual discernment should be just what it says; the discernment of spirits—both good and bad. Our lesson text shows us both. These Christians were able to discern the voice of the Holy Spirit directing them and Saul was also able to discern the evil spirit that was controlling Elymas the magician. Again, it should be noted that the scripture says that Saul was filled with the Holy Spirit before he addressed Elymas. Spiritual gifts are given to Christians by the Holy Spirit according to Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church. He also emphasized that it is God who works in us to bring about the effects that He desires. We are given spiritual gifts for the common good of the body of Christ. We are also being led by the Holy Spirit to use those gifts as He sees fit and not according to our own motives or desires. When the Holy Spirit gives us the gift of discernment, it is for His purpose that this is done. We should use the gift as we are led by the Holy Spirit to do so. So where does faith come in to this discussion? Faith is needed to trust God in what He is doing around us, through us, and sometimes to us. When the Holy Spirit spoke to the group of praying Christians, it took faith for them to act on those instructions. It took faith for Barnabas and Saul to leave the group and go on the mission that sometimes took them through hostile places. After Saul was shown the evil spirit controlling Elymas, it took faith for him to speak the words given to him by the Holy Spirit. Their discernment was made manifest when they acted in faith according to what they had discerned. Robert C. Hudson November 15, 2017