Sin, serpent and the Son

21 March 2012

Opening Prayer/Worship

Theme: Connecting with God

Topic: Sin, serpent and the Son

Reading: John 3:14-21

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.^{* 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. ¹⁷ ‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. ¹⁸Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. ¹⁹And this is the judgement, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. ²¹But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.’^*

Introduction

It was sin that originally disconnected man from God i.e. when Adam and Eve ate the fruit God commanded them not to eat. From then on, humanity became estranged to God. Then God executed the plan that will completely restore man to his former glory by sacrificing His only Son, Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary - an atonement for the sin of the world. Following this great sacrifice our sins were forgiven and we enter into a new life in Christ to the glory of God. A life of freedom and perfect love; the life that God originally wanted everyone to live; a life of unbroken relationship with Him. The invitation to partake in this new life in Christ is still open to as many as will answer yes. It is only through Christ that we connect to God.

Questions/Discussion

1. What is the connection amongst sin, serpent and the Son?

Numbers 21:6-9

Then the Lord sent poisonous^* serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. ⁷The people came to Moses and said, ‘We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us.’ So Moses prayed for the people. ⁸And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a poisonous^* serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.’ ⁹So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.

John 3:14-15

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.^*

Romans 5:12-19

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned— ¹³sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. ¹⁴Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come. ¹⁵ But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. ¹⁶And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man’s sin. For the judgement following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. ¹⁷If, because of the one man’s trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. ¹⁹For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

Colossians 2:13-15

And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God^* made you^* alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses, ¹⁴erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵He disarmed^* the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it.

2. It is evident from the Scripture that God strongly desires that we turn away from our sinful nature and be connected to Him through Christ. Why?

Isaiah 59:1-3

See, the Lord’s hand is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. ² Rather, your iniquities have been barriers between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear. ³ For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue mutters wickedness.

John 3:16

‘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.

Ephesians 2:1-10

You were dead through the trespasses and sins ²in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. ³All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. ⁴But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us ⁵even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ^*—by grace you have been saved— ⁶and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. ⁸For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— ⁹not the result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

3. What should be our response to God’s grace, mercy and love?

2 Chronicles 7:14

if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

John 3:17-21

 ‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. ¹⁸Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. ¹⁹And this is the judgement, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. ²¹But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.’^*

Ephesians 2:11-22

So then, remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth,^* called ‘the uncircumcision’ by those who are called ‘the circumcision’—a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands— ¹²remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. ¹⁵He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, so that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶and might reconcile both groups to God in one body^* through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it.^{* 17}So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; ¹⁸for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. ¹⁹So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, ²⁰built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.^{* 21}In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; ²²in whom you also are built together spiritually^* into a dwelling-place for God.

Intercession/Worship

Conclusion

To connect with God is to live in Christ, serving Him and loving others as He loves us.

Closing Prayer

Lord, on the cross of Calvary you made provisions for us to reconnect with You. Grant us a heart that will humbly receive Your priceless gift of Christ to the world; that we may live for You forever and ever through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The other ‘gods’

14 March 2012

Opening Prayer/Worship

Theme: Connecting with God

Topic: The other ‘gods’

Reading: Exodus 20:1-17

Then God spoke all these words: ² I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery;³you shall have no other gods before^* me. ⁴ You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.⁵You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me,⁶but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation^* of those who love me and keep my commandments. ⁷ You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. ⁸ Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy.⁹For six days you shall labour and do all your work.¹⁰But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns.¹¹For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it. ¹² Honour your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. ¹³ You shall not murder.^{* 14} You shall not commit adultery. ¹⁵ You shall not steal. ¹⁶ You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour. ¹⁷ You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.

Introduction

In today’s Bible study we will consider the things around us that have the potential to disconnect us from God. We shall also consider the place of God’s Law in our journey of faith in Christ. It is clear from the Scripture that if we are to be connected with God, all our focus has to be on Him. We have to trust Him absolutely and have complete faith in Him. But then it’s easier said than done because in the present world, things that keep us from connecting with God are ever increasing. I call these distractions: the other ‘gods’. They are those things that if allowed, will take the place of God in our lives. The God we serve is a jealous God and desires that we connect with Him completely without trusting any other thing or being.

Questions/Discussion

1. Why did God give the Ten Commandments?

Is it law, love or both?

Exodus 20:5-6

You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me,⁶but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation^* of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Psalm 19:7-13

⁷ The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the decrees of the Lord are sure,
making wise the simple;
⁸ the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear,
enlightening the eyes;
⁹ the fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring for ever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true
and righteous altogether.
¹⁰ More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey,
and drippings of the honeycomb.

Galatians 3:1-6, 10-14, 19-25

You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly exhibited as crucified! ²The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard?³Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh?⁴Did you experience so much for nothing?—if it really was for nothing.⁵Well then, does God^* supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? ⁶ Just as Abraham ‘believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness’,

¹⁰ For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the things written in the book of the law.’¹¹Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law; for ‘The one who is righteous will live by faith.’^*12But the law does not rest on faith; on the contrary, ‘Whoever does the works of the law^* will live by them.’¹³Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’—¹⁴in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

¹⁹ Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring^* would come to whom the promise had been made; and it was ordained through angels by a mediator.²⁰Now a mediator involves more than one party; but God is one. ²¹ Is the law then opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could make alive, then righteousness would indeed come through the law.²²But the scripture has imprisoned all things under the power of sin, so that what was promised through faith in Jesus Christ^* might be given to those who believe. ²³ Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed.²⁴Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith.²⁵But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian,

1 John 2:3-6

Now by this we may be sure that we know him, if we obey his commandments.⁴Whoever says, ‘I have come to know him’, but does not obey his commandments, is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist;⁵but whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection. By this we may be sure that we are in him: ⁶whoever says, ‘I abide in him’, ought to walk just as he walked.

2. God desires that our allegiance shall be to Him alone.

List some of the things that take the place of God in our lives.

Exodus 20:1-4

Then God spoke all these words: ² I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery;³you shall have no other gods before^* me. ⁴ You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

Matthew 6:19-21, 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. 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 10:38-42

Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.³⁹She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying.⁴⁰But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’⁴¹But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; ⁴²there is need of only one thing.^* Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’

1 Timothy 6:10

¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.

3. How do we deal with the other ‘gods’ around us today?

Exodus 20:5

You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me,

Deuteronomy 4:23-24, 39-40, 11:1

So be careful not to forget the covenant that the Lord your God made with you, and not to make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything that the Lord your God has forbidden you.²⁴For the Lord your God is a devouring fire, a jealous God.³⁹So acknowledge today and take to heart that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.⁴⁰Keep his statutes and his commandments, which I am commanding you today for your own well-being and that of your descendants after you, so that you may long remain in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for all time.

11:1 You shall love the Lord your God, therefore, and keep his charge, his decrees, his ordinances, and his commandments always.

Hebrews 12:1-3

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely,^* and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,²looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of^* the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners,^* so that you may not grow weary or lose heart.

1 John 2:15-17

Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world;¹⁶for all that is in the world—the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches—comes not from the Father but from the world.¹⁷And the world and its desire^* are passing away, but those who do the will of God live for ever.

Intercession/Worship

Conclusion

Though all around us distractions abound, let us continue to make God the center of our lives; loving and serving Him as well as people around us with all our heart always.

Closing Prayer

We thank You Lord for You first loved us and sent Your only Son, Jesus Christ to redeem us from the power of sin, sickness, death and Satan. Grant us a heart that will love and trust You completely all the days of our lives. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

The Divine invitation

7 March 2012

Opening Prayer/Worship

Theme: Connecting with God

Topic: The Divine invitation

Reading: Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty;^* walk before me, and be blameless.²And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.’³Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him,⁴‘As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations.⁵No longer shall your name be Abram,^* but your name shall be Abraham;^* for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations.⁶I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.⁷I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring^* after you. ¹⁵ God said to Abraham, ‘As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.¹⁶I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.’

Introduction

Connecting with God in most occasions arise from answering an already made call from God. A call to be His, live for Him alone and a call to love Him and be loved by Him. It is very clear from the Scripture that God chooses His people. But then one may say that God is not fair; well all I know is that He is good and just and knows what is best for His creation. He knows us more than we know ourselves and has sent out His invitation to all mankind that all who answer the call will enter into fellowship with Him. The call to connect with God is backed with blessings too numerous to list here. He is a faithful God and is worthy of all our praise and worship. He called us before we came into existence and still calls us daily to walk with Him and be blessed.

Questions/Discussion

1. Why did God call Abraham to walk with Him and what are the lessons for us today?

Genesis 12:1, 17:1

12:1 Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.

17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty;^* walk before me, and be blameless.

John 15:15-16

I do not call you servants^* any longer, because the servant^* does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.¹⁶You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.

Ephesians 1:3-4, 11-14

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,⁴just as he chose us in Christ^* before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love.¹¹In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance,^* having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will,¹²so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory.¹³In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit;¹⁴this^* is the pledge of our inheritance towards redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.

1 Peter 2:9-10

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people,^* in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. ¹⁰ Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

2. God pledged to bless Abraham with numerous blessings; list as many as possible and relate them to God’s promise to us today.

Genesis 12:2-3, 17:2-7

I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.³I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’^*2And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.’³Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him,⁴‘As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations.⁵No longer shall your name be Abram,^* but your name shall be Abraham;^* for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations.⁶I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.⁷I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring^* after you.

Ephesians 1:5-10

He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will,⁶to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.⁷In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace⁸that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight⁹he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ,¹⁰as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

3. What should be our response to the invitation to walk with God?

Genesis 12:4-5, 17:3-4

So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.⁵Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother’s son Lot, and all the possessions that they had gathered, and the persons whom they had acquired in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of Canaan,³Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him,⁴‘As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations.

Romans 4:13-14

For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith.¹⁴If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.

4. List some of the factors that hinder us from answering the divine invitation. How do we deal with them?

Mark 8:34-38

He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.³⁵For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel,^* will save it.³⁶For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?³⁷Indeed, what can they give in return for their life?³⁸Those who are ashamed of me and of my words^* in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’

Luke 9:57-62

As they were going along the road, someone said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’⁵⁸And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’⁵⁹To another he said, ‘Follow me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’⁶⁰But Jesus^* said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’⁶¹Another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.’⁶²Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’

Romans 4:16, 18-25

For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us,¹⁸Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become ‘the father of many nations’, according to what was said, ‘So numerous shall your descendants be.’¹⁹He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already^* as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb.²⁰No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God,²¹being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.²²Therefore his faith^* ‘was reckoned to him as righteousness.’²³Now the words, ‘it was reckoned to him’, were written not for his sake alone,²⁴but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,²⁵who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.

Intercession/Worship

Conclusion

The invitation God has made to all mankind to connect with Him is through Christ alone. Let us answer the call daily that His blessings will continually be upon us.

Closing Prayer

Lord give us your grace to pick up our cross and follow you everyday of our lives. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.