An Eternal Kingdom

March 2, 2014 Background Scripture: 2 Samuel 7 Lesson Passage: 2 Samuel 7:4 – 16 “Like anybody, I would like to live a long life; longevity has its place.” Those immortal words were spoken by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during his “I’ve been to the Mountain Top” speech. The statement is succinct yet profound. In this declaration, Dr. King acknowledges the brevity of physical life on earth and embraces his belief in and expectation of an eternal kingdom. There are many things or situations in life to remind us that our physical life in this world is finite and fleeting. Our joints begin to ache or refuse to work altogether. We can recall details from last year but last week is a little fuzzy. On one hand, we have many reminders of the brevity of life. On the other hand, we don’t have very many situations or things to remind us of an eternal kingdom. Some may dare to say that living life as a Christian is so great that even if there is no afterlife, Christianity still makes life worth while. I tend to lend more towards the opinion expressed by the Apostle Paul on this matter. Paul said that if we have hope in this life only, then Christian leaders are the most pitiable. Life as a Christian is not a cake walk. The walk is even more difficult for Christian leaders. Our hope in an eternal kingdom provides a stark contrast against the backdrop of a limited lifespan on earth—no matter what this life holds for an individual. In today’s lesson, King David was reminded that the excellence of the eternal kingdom exceeds the plans we make in this physical life. While King David and Nathan the Prophet were busy planning a magnificent building program for the first temple of Israel, God reminded the prophet that His eternal priorities exceed King David’s physical plans. God was not going to permit King David to build an earthly temple to be dedicated in God’s name. God would not allow the blood of warfare on David’s hands to be mingled with the work of a craftsman that would lead such a distinguished project as erecting the first temple dedicated to Jehovah. However, because it was in David’s heart to do so, God would acknowledge it by erecting an eternal kingdom to be ruled eternally by David’s descendent. Our lesson today reminds us of the eternal kingdom that has been promised and we anxiously await it. This kingdom is a partial fulfillment of the covenant God made with Abraham. God promised Abraham that through his seed all nations of the earth would be blessed. The seed of Abraham became the seed or offspring of David. David’s offspring would reign on his throne forever. We therefore await an eternal kingdom with one ruler who will never be replaced or abdicate his responsibilities to rule over God’s people. Of course, today we know this offspring of King David as Jesus Christ. When Jesus ministered during the years after his baptism, he constantly spoke of the eternal kingdom. He talked about the principles and laws of this eternal kingdom. He also encouraged those who had faith to press into this kingdom. Jesus is the only access whereby one can enter this eternal kingdom. David was given the promise of the eternal kingdom and he was assured by God that his descendent would be the eternal ruler of it. Robert C. Hudson February 21, 2013

Control Your Speech

February 23, 2014 Background Scripture: James 3:1 – 12 Lesson Passage: James 3:1 – 12 Sticks and stones may break my bones but words—well, quite frankly, words can hurt too. In fact, words can hurt a whole lot. Words can hurt in very different ways. Words can leave emotional scars that never seem to heal. Knowing this should make us more sensitive concerning the words we speak. As we mature spiritually, we realize that our maturity is demonstrated through the control of our speech. There is always something that can be said but maturity would properly assess the situation by asking if it should be said. When words are released into the winds of conversation, rumors, and gossip, it is impossible to gather them again and erase the effect they have had on hearers. Words have a longer lasting effect when one is in the position of being a teacher of others. People come into teaching situations expecting to be taught. Teachers must choose their words carefully knowing that they will likely be quoted by others for years to come. Teachers will be judged more severely because of the long-term effect their teaching can have on their students as well as others the students will interact with later. In his epistle, James admonishes Christians to accept that we are not all called to be teachers. This can save a lot of heartburn in the future. Controlling our words can also help us limit our actions. We often act after we have put our foot in our mouths and we try to correct or support our speech by our actions. These actions will more than likely lead to a worsening of the situation. James provides a simple solution to the dilemma; control the tongue and that will control the body. James gives examples of small things that have major impact or effect. A bit put in a horse’s mouth is used to control the movement of the horse’s entire body. A small rudder controls a large ship. A small spark can ignite a flame that becomes an out-of-control forest fire. Likewise, the tongue is small but it can cause a lot of damage. The tongue may be a small member of the body but it can create big problems. James also contrasted the control of one’s tongue to the taming of wild animals. He concluded that controlling the tongue is a greater challenge. The tongue can be a source of all manner of evil. The evil words it can spread will act like a poison. Notably, the tongue can be used for both good and evil. The tongue can praise God and it can curse people who are created in God’s image. This inconsistency of use shows the great danger of an out-of-control tongue. The tongue should be the source of either good or evil. It should not be used for both! There are many expressions that have been used over time to convey the same message that James wrote about. Sometimes we are told “You talk too much.” Or it may come to us as “You should learn to keep your big mouth closed.” Or if we reach way back, we will recall hearing “You are always running off at the mouth.” All of those expressions conveyed the same message: Control your speech. Robert C. Hudson February 10, 2013