The Call of Abram

September 4, 2022 Background Scripture: Genesis 12:1 7; 15:1 - 7 Lesson Passage: Genesis 12:1 - 5, 7; 15:1 - 7 The Book of Genesis provides the foundation for everything in the Bible. The creation of mankind and his eventual need for saving grace quickly become the focus of Genesis. Man's sin and his eternal separation from God as a result, disrupted the harmony of God's creation. As a result of sin, mankind needs to be rescued from eternal damnation. Salvation is God's response to man's need; it is based on faith in God. Essential to this saving faith is the call of Abram to become a servant of God. It is Abram's calling that is the subject of this lesson. It is worth noting that the first scriptures of our lesson record what God had previously said to Abram ("the Lord had said to Abram"). There is no information provided as to how much time elapsed between God's statement to Abram and Abram's departure from Haran. However, our second scripture notes that God told Abram that He had brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans. Within Abram's movement from Ur to Canaan, we can observe a very human response to a Divine calling. Abram's calling required four things of him: 1. to leave his native land, Ur, 2. to leave his extended family, or clan, 3. to leave his immediate family, his father's house, and 4. to follow God to a new Land. Abram exhibited partial obedience in his movements. Abram left Ur of the Chaldeans, but his immediate family went with him. They stopped in Haran where Abram's father died. Abram left Haran with his nephew, Lot, and they arrived in Canaan. Abram built an altar to God and publicly called on His name in Canaan, After a brief stay in Egypt, God blessed Abam and his nephew with large flocks. The overflow of blessings caused Abram and Lot to separate. After their separation, Abram was drawn into a battle when Lot was captured during a raid by a group of kings. Abram prevailed in battle and took the spoils of war. Negotiating with another person over those spoils of war was one of many temptations Abram faced. Abram refused to be put in a position where another person could claim to be the reason for his prosperity. Again, God required four things of Abram, and Abram eventually complied with all four. The second part of the calling of Abram listed the things God would do for him. The list staffed with the promise that God would make a great nation from Abram. Abram questioned that part of the promise because of the barrenness of his wife, Sarai. If Abram's wife could not have one child, it seemed unlikely that he would be the progenitor of a nation, as promised. Abram reminded God that he was still childless. Based on his situation, what assurance could Abram have that he would inherit Canaan with no family to occupy it? Then God expanded on that aspect of His promise to Abram. God was going to give Abram an heir. And from that one heir, Abram would have more descendants than he would be able to count. Abram' s response to that is the most basic tenant of our faith today. "Abram believed in the Lord." Abram's belief in God was accepted as righteousness by God. By simply believing what God said, Abram was brought into the right relationship with God. Many of Abram's actions were not in total compliance with God's instructions. Abram's actions were insufficient to give him a perfect relationship with God. Despite Abram's actions, his belief in what God said was sufficient to give him the right relationship with God. It is for this reason that Abram is known as the father of all who come into the right relationship with God through faith. Righteousness before God is not achieved by actions or inactions. It is only through faith in God that we are accounted as having righteousness by God. Eternal salvation only comes through faith in God. Abram's calling and response demonstrate this saving faith. Robert C Hudson August 18, 2022

A Welcoming Invitation

August 28, 2022 Background Scripture: Revelation 22:8 - 21 Lesson Passage: Revelation 22:10 - 21 Today's lesson takes us literally to the end of the Bible. The Book of Revelation is the only book of prophecy in the New Testament. There are no "missing books of the Bible". There are not previously undiscovered "revelations from God". The reason I can state this emphatically is because of today's lesson. The scriptures in today's lesson warns against adding or taking away from what is written in the Book of Revelation. There are reasons to believe that the other books of the Bible were written prior to the writing of this one. One reason is no other book of the Bible references this one with its groundswell of revelations about Jesus Christ and eternity. It would have been difficult to write to a first century Christian leader or congregation and not mention any of the doctrinal writing in the Book of Revelation. It would have been impossible to be neutral about what John wrote here—either one would agree with it or refute it. John describes the two eternal destinations of souls that depart this world. One destination is the Lake of Fire and the other is the blissful presence of God. People are given the option in this life to choose their eternal destination. This is the importance of clarity in presenting the Gospel message. The Gospel message is the most important invitation a person will ever receive. The message declares the truth of God's love for us and His desire for us to spend eternity in His presence. God gave the Gospel message to the world through the testimonies of many witnesses. Truth is established by the mouth of two or three witnesses. We are also assured of the truth of the book of Revelation. Our lesson today includes two personal statements that are identified by "I, John" and "I, Jesus". John, again, declared that he was an eyewitness to the vision, and he saw and heard the things written in this book. Jesus declared that He sent His messenger, an angel, to give this testimony to the churches. Jesus declared Himself to be both David's Creator and David's descendant. No one else can make such a claim. This is the historic Jesus that is presented by the writers of the Gospel. For thousands of years, the church has endured a lot in this world. The church is strengthened by the knowledge of who she is and what her purpose is in this world. Today, we are sometimes so caught up in sensationalism that we forget the primary purpose of the church in the world. The primary responsibility of the church is to evangelize the loss for Christ. There are many in this world who are lost and on their way to an eternal Hell. The church, indwelt and empowered by the Spirit of Christ, is the only lifeline in the world to redirect them. Salvation is the ultimate goal, but celebration and life as God intended for it to be follows. In essence, the church, as the unified body of Christ, invites sinners to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. This is the union of Christ with his bride, the Church. The "bride-to-be" is tasked with inviting guests/participants to her wedding. By the way, since we only get to experience one side of eternity, we do have to RSVP once we receive the invitation. Today, we refer to that as accepting, or rejecting, Jesus as one's personal Savior. Here is the last blessing printed in the Bible: "the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you". When a book such as Revelation is written, how should the closing be worded? Heeding the warning of not adding to or taking away from what is written, a simple one-word sentence is sufficient: Amen. Robert C. Hudson August 11, 2022

The River of Life

August 21, 2022 Background Scripture: Revelation 22:1 - 7 Lesson Passage: Revelation 22:1 - 7 Water is an essential element for sustaining life. Water has been in every place where life has been found. I still recall the large headlines in the local paper the day after a space rover detected some water crystals on Mars. Part of the article boldly stated that we who live on Earth have neighbors. Of course, since that time, no life has been discovered on Mars—or any other planet than Earth. So why was that article written? Because of the discovery of water crystals. Water is essential for life, and therefore the conclusion was that life exists wherever water is found. This is a fundamental teaching of the biological sciences that has been around for thousands of years. We believe the Bible teaches that human life began in a single location on Earth and spread across the globe. People migrated but did not settle down at a location unless water was found there. Every major population site today is located by a major water source. As we turn our attention to today's Background Scripture, John wrote about various aspects of the vision he was given of the new creation. The focus of today's lesson is the River of Life. I believe it is fair to ask: Is water essential for the glorified body we will receive in the resurrection? John's vision needed to be relatable for him to be able to describe it for others. In other words, John needed to relate to the vision himself before he could share it with others. Sometimes it is difficult to describe something new without a point of reference for comparison. When we hear about something new, we expect to be told how it compares to the old. John was shown some things that were familiar to him to help him accept those things which were unfamiliar. This made the vision relatable. In the first century a source of water would make sense for a location supporting a population of people. But it can't just be a common water source in anew creation. It was different. John described its clarity, origin, and benefit. John described the river as pure and clear as crystal. For anyone who has seen a river, the water may appear clearer on one day versus another, but crystal clear would not be a description of it. Rivers typically flow, and in doing so, they pick up mud and other debris. Water from rivers is filtered and purified prior to being used. The river John saw and described would not need to be purified prior to being used or consumed. It was naturally pure. The river did not flow from some melting ice cap on a mountain as is the case for many rivers today. John saw a river flowing from the throne of God. Certainly, its origin would be the reason for its purity. As it flowed out from the throne, the tree of life was on each bank. The tree benefited from the water's presence and produced fruit and leaves. The fruit was always in season and the leaves had medicinal qualities. Again, one could question why medicine would be needed in the new creation. There will be no more sickness and death. (Remember the vision needed to be relatable.) It was not for John to interpret or understand the vision. God charged John with writing the vision for others to receive. God assured John that His words were faithful and true. God also gave the assurance that the new creation would happen, and it will appear to happen suddenly. As with all unfulfilled prophecy, there are many things which are not very clear to us today. Despite that, we can be grateful for a prophecy of a glorious future for the children of God. Because John saw things he could relate to, we can also relate to what John wrote about the vision. Robert C. Hudson August 5, 2022

A New City

August 14, 2022 Background Scripture: Revelation 21:10 - 27 Lesson Passage: Revelation 21 :10 - 21 God showed John something splendid. John could only describe it relative to his previous experiences. John was shown a city that he knew was holy. The only holy city John was familiar with was Jerusalem. Therefore, John called the city that he was shown New Jerusalem. The Jerusalem that John was familiar with had been through many sieges and battles. She was protected by a wall that had been breached and burned on some occasions. Even in the new earth, John could only imagine a city having a wall around it—even though the gates always remained open! The materials that were used to build the city were the most precious metals and stones known during John's lifetime. Not only did the gates remain open, but John also noted that there was no temple inside the city. John's conclusion was that God's presence was available to all rather than a select few who could enter the Most Holy Place once a year. Although the twelve gates of the city were named after the twelve tribes of Israel, John also saw that non-Jewish people were allowed access into the city as well. The twelve foundations the walls rested on were named after the twelve apostles. We know that it was the work of the apostles of Jesus that delivered the message of the gospel to the nations, Those who were entering the New Jerusalem were those who had responded positively to the gospel message and accepted Jesus as their personal Savior. John wrote about the nations bringing tributes into the city to God. All this should be viewed in the context of life in Jerusalem during the first century while John was alive. It is likely that John was shown something he could relate to so that he could share his vision with others. That is important if John were to share his vision with others. If the vision was only given for John's sake, then it might have been indescribable for him because he would have nothing to compare it to. So, what are we to make of John's vision today? First, God has promised that He will destroy this present world as we know it, and He will make all things new. John's vision confirms that. Every aspect of the city John is shown is new including its name. John described the splendor of the city in terms of the most precious material known to mankind during John's lifetime. Secondly, there will be more than just Jews living in God's new creation. The city's construction gives the obvious connection between the Jews and non-Jews. That connection is the Jewish apostles of Jesus who were commissioned to evangelize all nations. Everyone in the new creation has access to the presence of God. But there is no indication that anyone is living in the city other than the Father and the Lamb of God. John was careful to not offer any description of God's presence other than the brightness of His glory. Because of God's glory, no other light will be needed to illuminate the city. God's presence will be there, therefore there will never be night, or darkness. Thirdly, John wrote about kings of the earth being present in the new creation. There is no explanation given for the presence of human government. Finally, John wrote that there would be nothing there that is unclean or defiles. Only people who are saved will be in the new creation. Their names will be found in the Lamb's Book of Life. Since the days of the apostles, people have been warned to make sure their names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. As it turns out, that is the criteria for access into the new city. If your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life, you will one day see the New City. Robert C. Hudson July 30, 2022

A New Home

August 7, 2022 Background Scripture: Revelation 21:1 - 9 Lesson Passage: Revelation 21 - 9 Relocation has always led me to a better situation. My life since the age of eighteen has been punctuated with many major relocations. With each relocation came a severe bout with anxiety. Prior to a relocation, I was comf01table with my existing situation because it was familiar to me. Despite all the issues, problems, workarounds, warts, and disappointments, I knew how to maneuver and deal with my existing situation. The prospect of relocating to a better situation brought anxiety. Will the new situation be as good as I believe it will? What about unforeseen issues that I am unfamiliar with? Will it be too much for me and lead me to retreat for the first time in my life? It is fair to say that I had mixed emotions about each situation that necessitated a relocation. As we turn our attention to today's Lesson Passage, John writes about a new heaven and a new earth. Both were new because the previous heaven and the previous earth had been destroyed. Everyone in the old heaven and the old earth was displaced after the Great White Throne judgment. Some were ushered into eternal life and the rest were cast into the lake of fire. All this was a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. God decreed that He would do away with the old and make all things new. Death entered the world through Adam's sin and passed to all mankind. The old earth was ravaged by the presence of sin and death, Sin and death bring constant heartache and sorrows. Even when it seems that things are about to get better, the good times are always disrupted by either sin, death, or both. Humans are quite adaptable to our environment. People live in some of the most extreme climates in this world. We even invented machines to cany us out of this world into even more extreme environments. Our desire for something better provokes us to attempt everything imaginable. In the end, we still find ourselves confronted with the presence of sin and death. We respond to it emotionally through our tears. We promise ourselves that the time will come when we won't have to cry anymore. We work hard to improve our situation. And it is that effort that often leads us to relocate; Sometimes it's for a better job, a better community, a better house, or just the prospects of a better tomorrow. Whatever the reason, or motivation, we relocate, and we adapt to the new situation. For those who are truly blessed of God, somewhere along the way we hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ and respond by accepting Jesus as our personal Savior. With salvation comes God's promise of a future that is free of the presence of sin and death. Often, we wish that would happen in our current situation. We pray to God for that to happen where we are. We want everything God has promised. To the best of our limited ability, we attempt to even change ourselves to hurry along the process. Life in this world doesn't change much. Whether one is saved or not, sin and death are still present in this world, and they both cause tears to flow. God's promise has not changed and neither has His method of bringing it about. In our lesson, John was given a peek at the fulfillment of God's promise. What John saw was a new heaven and a new earth after the old had passed away. And John saw the absence of tears because sin and death had been judged and destroyed in the lake of fire. All of us have at least one more relocation. For those who do not accept Jesus as their personal Savior, the lake of fire is their final destination. For those of us who have accepted Jesus as our personal Savior, there is a new heaven and a new earth that awaits us. We have a new home on the other side of this life. We will either get there through death or we will be changed and caught up in the clouds to meet Jesus, and he will carry us there. I still get a little anxious about relocations, but having a new home built by God gives me great anticipation about that last one! Robert C. Hudson July 21, 2022