Wisdom and Love

The Lord’s Table: Bible Study/Prayer meeting

(Every Wednesday 6-7 pm in the Chapel)

St Paul’s Church

The Anglican Church of Canada

16 November 2011

Opening Prayer

Theme: Wisdom and Love                  Topic: Investing in the Lord’s vineyard

Reading: Matthew 25:14-30

¹⁴ ‘For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; ¹⁵to one he gave five talents,^* to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. ¹⁶The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. ¹⁷In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. ¹⁸But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. ¹⁹After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, “Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.” ²¹His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” ²²And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, “Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.” ²³His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” ²⁴Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, “Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; ²⁵so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.” ²⁶But his master replied, “You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? ²⁷Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. ²⁸So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. ²⁹For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. ³⁰As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Introduction

There are three distinct periods in today’s text (Matthew 25:14-30): a) before the Master’s journey, b) during the Master’s time away and c) after the Master’s return. Although these periods can be viewed in different ramifications, our discussion will be focused on the application of the story to us as followers of Christ. “Master” in the story represents Christ, the “slaves” represent Christ’s followers while “talents” mean God’s gift to each of us. The period prior to the journey implies when we have not known Christ and do not have Him as our personal Lord and Saviour; Master’s time away means the present time after we have come to believe in Him; this is then followed by the day of reckoning after His return. As we are presently living during the Master’s time away, the focus for today’s study is on how we should utilize God’s gifts (talents) to us in service to Him. Investing our talents (time, money, intellect etc) in the Lord’s vineyard (declaring the gospel to all mankind) is the ultimate demonstration of our love for Him and calls for divine wisdom.

Questions/Discussion

1. What do you understand by God’s gifts?

Matthew 25:14-15;

¹⁴ ‘For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; ¹⁵to one he gave five talents,^* to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.

Luke 19:11-13;

¹¹ As they were listening to this, he went on to tell a parable, because he was near Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. ¹²So he said, ‘A nobleman went to a distant country to get royal power for himself and then return. ¹³He summoned ten of his slaves, and gave them ten pounds,^* and said to them, “Do business with these until I come back.”

John 3:16;

¹⁶ ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

Romans 5:8;

⁸But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.

1 John 4:9-10;

⁹God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. ¹⁰In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

John 15:13;

¹³No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

1 Peter 3:18;

¹⁸For Christ also suffered^* for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you^* to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit,

Acts 2:38;

³⁸Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:4-11

⁴ Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; ⁵and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; ⁶and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. ⁷To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. ⁸To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, ⁹to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ¹⁰to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.

Give examples.

2. Are the gifts of God exclusive to Christians? If yes, why? If no, why not?

Matthew 5:45; 7:7-11;

⁴⁵so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.

⁷ ‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. ⁸For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. ⁹Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? ¹⁰Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? ¹¹If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

John 4:10, 3:27;

¹⁰Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, “Give me a drink”, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.’ ²⁷John answered, ‘No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven.

James 1:17

¹⁷ Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.^*

3. How do we identify the gifts of God in our lives?

Matthew 7:15-18

¹⁵ ‘Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

4. How do we use or abuse God’s gifts to us?

Matthew 25:16-18;

¹⁶The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. ¹⁷In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. ¹⁸But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

1 John 3:16-18;

¹⁶We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. ¹⁷How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister^* in need and yet refuses help? ¹⁸ Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.

James 2:14-17

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters,^* if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? ¹⁵If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, ¹⁶and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill’, and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? ¹⁷So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

5. What are the challenges to investing in the service of the Lord?

Matthew 6:19-24;

¹⁹ ‘Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust^* consume and where thieves break in and steal; ²⁰but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust^* consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

²² ‘The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light; ²³but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

²⁴ ‘No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.^*

Luke 16:10-13

¹⁰ ‘Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. ¹¹If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth,^* who will entrust to you the true riches? ¹²And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? ¹³No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.’^*

6. There are numerous rewards in serving God. List as many as you can.

Matthew 7:19-27;

¹⁹Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰Thus you will know them by their fruits.

²¹ ‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord”, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only one who does the will of my Father in heaven. ²²On that day many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?” ²³Then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.”

²⁴ ‘Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. ²⁵The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. ²⁶And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!’

Matthew 25:19-23

¹⁹After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, “Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.” ²¹His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” ²²And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, “Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.” ²³His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.”

Intercession

Conclusion

God has given each of us gift(s) to serve Him and our fellow mankind. Let us utilize every opportunity and means available to us to serve God. As we do that, we serve mankind, glorify God and are blessed.

Closing Prayer

Lord we cannot do your work without the help of the Holy Spirit. Fill us with your grace, strength and wisdom through the indwelling of your Holy Spirit that we may love and serve you with all that you have given us. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Preparedness

The Lord’s Table: Bible Study/Prayer meeting

(Every Wednesday 6-7 pm in the Chapel)

St Paul’s Church

The Anglican Church of Canada

9 November 2011

Opening Prayer

Theme: Wisdom and Love                                              Topic: Preparedness

Reading: Matthew 25:1-13

²⁵‘Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids^* took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.^{* 2}Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. ³When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; ⁴but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. ⁵As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. ⁶But at midnight there was a shout, “Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.” ⁷Then all those bridesmaids^* got up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸The foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” ⁹But the wise replied, “No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.” ¹⁰And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. ¹¹Later the other bridesmaids^* came also, saying, “Lord, lord, open to us.” ¹²But he replied, “Truly I tell you, I do not know you.” ¹³Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

^*

Introduction

Preparedness implies readiness for both the expected and unexpected. As Christians, we face circumstances everyday that remind us of the need to be vigilant and alert. But one will ask, what exactly are we to be prepared for? We await the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Although there are several views as to the nature of Christ’s second coming, a crucial point is this: He is coming back and there are expectations of all who await His second coming. Discouraging circumstances abound around us but as it is written in I Peter 5:8, we should be sober and vigilant. In the parable from today’s text, the ten bridesmaids awaited the coming of the bridegroom. One of the main lessons from the story is that preparedness calls for wisdom. For us today, the extra oil the five wise bridesmaids could mean praying without ceasing and regular attendance to worship/Church services and events. As we discuss this topic, I pray that the Holy Spirit will illumine our hearts as to what to do as we await Christ’s second coming.

Questions/Discussion

1. What is your view on the second coming of Christ?

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18;

Matthew 16:27, 24:27, 30;

Mark 13:26-27;

Luke 17:28-30;

Acts 1:11;

Hebrews 9:28;

Revelation 1:7, 3:11, 22:12, 20

2. Based on your view, what is the timeline for the return of Christ?

1 Thessalonians 5:1-4

Matthew 24:42;

Mark 13:35-37;

Luke 21:25-28;

2 Thessalonians 2:1-3;

2 Peter 3:8-10

3. What is expected of us as we await Christ’s return?

1 Corinthians 4:5, 11:26;

Philippians 1:10;

1 Thessalonians

3:13, 5:23;

James 5:7-9;

1 John 2:28, 3:2,

Jude 21

4. How do we apply wisdom in waiting for the second coming of Christ?

John14:1-4;

Acts 3:19-21;

1 Corinthians 1:7;

1 Timothy 4:1-2;

Hebrews 10:25;

1 Peter 1:13

Intercession

Conclusion

Despite differing opinions on the second coming of Christ, we are called to live as His ambassador- loving God with our whole heart and loving our neighbours as ourselves. As we look forward to His coming in glory, let us live wisely. Let us live for Christ and be the light and salt of the world as God has called us to be.

Closing Prayer

Thank you Lord for the promise of your second coming. May your Holy Spirit continue to comfort, encourage and make us wise as we await your return through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Loving God through Worship

The Lord’s Table: Bible Study/Prayer meeting

(Every Wednesday 6-7 pm in the Chapel)

St Paul’s Church

The Anglican Church of Canada
2 November 2011

Opening Prayer

Theme: Wisdom and Love

Topic: Loving God through Worship

Reading: Revelation 7:9-17

⁹After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands.¹⁰They cried out in a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!’ ¹¹And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God,¹²singing, ‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be to our God for ever and ever! Amen.’ ¹³ Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, ‘Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?’¹⁴I said to him, ‘Sir, you are the one that knows.’ Then he said to me, ‘These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. ¹⁵ For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. ¹⁶ They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; ¹⁷ for the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’

Introduction

To worship God is to love, adore and honor Him usually in Church services, group meetings as well as during personal or family prayer times. Synonyms for worship also include adoration, reverence, respect, devotion, adulation and veneration. But worshiping God does not necessarily have to happen only when we pray either as a group or individually. To worship God implies loving Him such that our thoughts, actions and words are guided by His word and Spirit. That is to say that what we do are pleasing unto Him. It also involves surrendering our time, wealth and talents to Him and for His Glory. We worship God when we put Him first in our lives. God has called us to love Him with our whole heart, mind and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. In this bible study, we will explore several ways to love God through worship - individually and as a Church. Christ told the Samaritan woman that the day comes and now is when the true worshipers of God shall worship Him in truth and in spirit (John 4:23). In the flesh we cannot worship God but if we allow Him to fill us with His Holy Spirit, then we can love Him through a worshipful life. 

Questions/Discussion

1. What is your understanding of worshiping God?

Revelation 7:9-12

⁹ After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands.¹⁰They cried out in a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!’ ¹¹And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God,¹²singing, ‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be to our God for ever and ever! Amen.’

Psalm 95:6

O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!

2. How do we worship God in our everyday life?

John 4:20-24

²⁰Our ancestors worshipped on this mountain, but you^* say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.’²¹Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.²²You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.²³But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him.²⁴God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.’

3. Certain factors can make it difficult for us to love and worship God. List as many as you can.

Matthew13:19-23

¹⁹When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path.²⁰As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;²¹yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away.^*22As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing.²³But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.’

Matthew 4:8-10

⁸ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour;⁹and he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’¹⁰Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! for it is written, “Worship the Lord your God,and serve only him.” ’

Psalm 95:7-8.  

⁷ For he is our God,

and we are the people of his pasture,

and the sheep of his hand.

O that today you would listen to his voice!

⁸ Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,

as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,

4. What are the costs (if any) of worshiping and serving the Lord?

2 Samuel 6:13-16, 20-22

¹³and when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling.¹⁴David danced before the Lord with all his might; David was girded with a linen ephod.¹⁵So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. ¹⁶ As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal daughter of Saul looked out of the window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.

²⁰ David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, ‘How the king of Israel honoured himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants’ maids, as any vulgar fellow might shamelessly uncover himself!’²¹David said to Michal, ‘It was before the Lord, who chose me in place of your father and all his household, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord, that I have danced before the Lord.²²I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in my own eyes; but by the maids of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honour.’

5. How does the worship of God benefit us?

Revelation 7:9, 13-17

⁹ After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands.

¹³ Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, ‘Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?’¹⁴I said to him, ‘Sir, you are the one that knows.’ Then he said to me, ‘These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. ¹⁵ For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. ¹⁶ They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; ¹⁷ for the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’

Psalm 34:1-10

¹ I will bless the Lord at all times;

his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

² My soul makes its boast in the Lord;

let the humble hear and be glad.

³ O magnify the Lord with me,

and let us exalt his name together.

⁴ I sought the Lord, and he answered me,

and delivered me from all my fears.

⁵ Look to him, and be radiant;

so your^* faces shall never be ashamed.

⁶ This poor soul cried, and was heard by the Lord,

and was saved from every trouble.

⁷ The angel of the Lord encamps

around those who fear him, and delivers them.

⁸ O taste and see that the Lord is good;

happy are those who take refuge in him.

⁹ O fear the Lord, you his holy ones,

for those who fear him have no want.

¹⁰ The young lions suffer want and hunger,

but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

Intercession

Conclusion

God has called us to love and worship Him in our daily lives with all our heart, mind and strength. He alone can grant us what it takes to love Him relentlessly. And He has promised that as we open ourselves to Him, He will fill us with His Holy Spirit to overflowing, to His own Praise and Glory.

Closing Prayer

Lord as You have called us to live for You and to worship You all our days, grant us Your Holy Spirit to accomplish that which You desire from us, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.