Family life in Jesus' service

PLEASE HAVE YOUR BIBLE OPEN AND TRY TO  FIND ALL OF THE REFERENCES
This lesson is for those followers of Jesus who have completed the Bible Correspondence course and are either still living in a family with parents or have married and now have their own family.

The object of this lesson is to look carefully at the family unit and identify those things that are good about it. We will also think about some of the disadvantages of living in a group. It is important to be aware that although society is very different from one part of the world to another, all men and women came from one common beginning. They all have the same creator and it was God who formed the first family.
 
In earlier lessons we have looked at that first family of Adam and Eve with their two sons Cain and Abel and probably come to the conclusion that Adam was not a very good father. He did not teach his boys the difference between right and wrong. He did not see the evil in the jealousy of Cain for his brother Abel and it was God not Adam who discovered the murder and punished Cain. If you think about Adam, you will remember that he had not been very good at resisting evil himself. This raises our first important point, the responsibility and importance of the Father and the Mother in guiding the family. In the early days of the Bible that responsibility belonged to the man as patriarch or leader.  
 
The best example is Abraham and the devotion of his family and all of his servants can be seen from the book of Genesis and from Peter’s first letter chapter 3 verses  
1 to 6. The Apostle’s wise instruction was not only to wives but also to husbands and he says in verse 7 that the husband and wife are heirs together of the grace of life.  
 
One of the most important things in that early human family was love and we see references to it in these early Biblical families. Genesis chapter 22 verse 2 “thine only son whom thou lovest” and also Genesis chapter 24 verse 67, the love of Isaac for his bride Rebekah. Thus the family is a divinely designed unit and if the parents bring up their children to know God and respect his word in the Bible they will have provided a good foundation for the future lives of their children. Love between family members is essential if the family is to be a happy one. The wisdom and authority of the parents is also important. Paul wrote to Timothy about the break-up of families that would occur in the future. Look at his second letter chapter 3 verse 2.
 
In the first letter to Timothy Paul gives good instruction to both men and women disciples of Jesus. There are details of daily life and of that special element of worship that  
is not just what is said in prayer by an individual but rather the way of life that is in itself the most honest and sincere form of worship.  
 
The third chapter includes a list of those characteristics that Timothy must look for in selecting men who would be the elders and administrators of the new churches. For the purpose of this lesson look now at verses 4 and 5.  
 
This Bible advice on discipline in the family may have been written for Timothy but it is also a clear guide on family life for disciples of all ages. This code of conduct has been almost completely rejected by modern society in many countries. The decline in public order and in the strength of the family group has been alarming in recent years.  
 
Many Governments have realised the errors in the laws they have invented permitting easy divorce, promoting and encouraging the idea of single parent families. The problem now is that it is difficult and perhaps impossible to reverse this dangerous trend. The use of drugs by young people and the alarming growth of AIDS are just examples of disasters that start from a lack of personal discipline. That personal discipline begins in the family and is demonstrated to young children by their parents.  
 
It is important now to explain carefully the divine principle of discipline in the family for this can so easily be misused. Turn now to Hebrews chapter 12 and look at verses 1  
to 11. Fathers faced with disobedient and unruly children can be either too severe or not severe enough. Wisdom and a sense of justice have to be used and the source of guidance is in the laws of Jesus for his disciples.
 
Some western countries now have laws which forbid parents to chastise their children. In this chapter the relationship between God and his son Jesus Christ is given as an example. God was prepared that his only son should suffer for the sins of mankind. Jesus as a loving and dutiful son was prepared to accept that suffering. We may never achieve in our families that level of control and devoted obedience but the words of Paul have to be thought about carefully. Look at verse 7 first and compare that with verses 9 and 10. The teaching of the Bible is that parents should discipline their children, not to work out their own anger and frustration but in love for the ultimate good of the child. We have looked at the subject of suffering in a separate lesson but for now the advice in verse 11 says clearly that the child will benefit from being part of a family where there are rules. Furthermore, those rules should be the rules given in the Bible.  
 
This has perhaps been a painful section of the lesson but it is important. We are now able to look at family life to see where the guidance and strength can come from. Reading the Bible has to be the starting point for, if we do not know God’s instructions and those of Jesus and his apostles, how can we put them into practice? There is safety also in staying close to God’s word, and reading the Bible together can be both an education and a source of great pleasure. It is important that children are encouraged to join in and helped when they come to difficult words. Parents can make this time spent reading the Bible together very effective if the lessons that they  
uncover are explained and, more importantly, discussed so that all are given an opportunity to say what they think.
 
The letters of Paul were not written for one small group of believers only but intended for other churches also; look at Colossians chapter 4 verse 16. The great task of  
bringing the Jewish Old Testament and the Gospels together with the writings of the apostles and the book of Revelation was done so that disciples through the ages could also benefit from this ‘Word of God’. The apostle Peter, writing at a time when disciples of Jesus had just the Old Testament as their guide, made this powerful recommendation. You can find it in chapter 1 of the first letter verses 19 to 21. This is the inspired Word of God he says, and it is reliable because God intended us to have it. It may have been written by mortal men but they wrote what God intended them to write. Paul makes the same important statement in his second letter to Timothy chapter 3 verses 14 to 17. He even tells us the reasons for using this word of God. They are  Correction and instruction’ and the beneficial results in verse 17. Note that Timothy had been reading and learning his Bible from childhood.
 
Despite all this good guidance, human parents do get things wrong, they make mistakes which are so serious that they cannot be forgotten. They do allow anger and frustration to show and be used against their children. This is where the wise words of Paul to the Ephesians guide us; look at verses 1 to 4. Bitter words and deeds have split so many families. The law of love for our neighbour must start in the home with love among families and it must continue through good times and bad times, through success and terrible failure.  
 
If the disciples find it hard to use love and forgiveness in their homes and among their own families, how will they work happily together in the larger family of the ecclesia and the brotherhood of Christadelphians world-wide? The same rules of self-discipline, the same spirit of Jesus that is in the ecclesia needs to start in the home in the experience and in the hearts of the individual brothers and sisters.

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       Addiction to Sin
There is an addictive power in the lives of each one of us that none can resist. It is much stronger than addiction to alcohol, gambling or drugs; it is addiction to sin. The problem of sin is that it takes a terrible hold of us. Once we sin, it is difficult to stop, yet many people deny that they are addicted to it. Just as an alcoholic might deny his addiction to alcohol and refuse to face up to his problem, so people refuse to face up to their addiction to sin. This has serious consequences for the Bible tells us that the result of addiction to sin is death - it is a killer for 'the wages of sin is death'. In the Letter to the Romans, the apostle Paul tells us of this problem in his own life.

"I am of the flesh, sold under sin. I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if i do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good.
So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out… O Wretched man that I am!"    Romans 7:14-24

This is one of the most heart-searching passages in the New Testament. Paul tells us that in his mind he wants to obey God's laws but his actions are sinful. It is as if he is two different people; one is a man with a mind that understands that he must obey God, and indeed wants to do so, the other is a man who continually disobeys Him! This is one of the great problems of discipleship. Often we know what is right but we do not do it in our lives. Why are we like this? Part of the answer is that it can be a pleasurable thing to do! No one forces us to sin - we sin because we get pleasure from it even though we know it can only lead to the grave.

"By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin." Hebrews 11:24-25

In Romans 6, Paul wrote of people being 'slaves to sin'. It is a 'master'. It reigns over people, it is a cruel tyrant and its effect in their lives leads only to death! On many occasions the Bible portrays sin like this, as a power that rules over us. We cannot escape from it by our own strength.

Another part of the answer is that we find it hard to obey God. Even when we know what is right and try to obey we frequently fail to do so. The desire to be a true disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ has to be in our hearts, if we try to follow him out of a sense of duty we shall fail. If we want to follow him because our hearts are full of love for him and his Father and for the salvation that God offers us, then we shall start our discipleship with the right motives.

"And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the most important of all?"

Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."- Mark 12:28-30

           What is Sin?
Sin is disobedience to God's laws and the penalty for sin is death.

"Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned… For 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."     - Romans 5:12, 19

We need to go back to the Garden of Eden to see the origin of sin. In the beginning, when God had created Adam, He gave him just one law to obey. Adam was forbidden to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17). God told him that if he ate of it he would certainly die. Why was this law given? Adam and Eve were created to give glory to God by obeying His Word. They were created with free will; they could choose for themselves whether or not to obey God. The law tested their commitment to God, would they give faithful obedience to Him or would they disobey Him? Not only was God the Great Creator who had made the earth, He was also the Supreme Being whose word must be obeyed. When Adam obeyed God, he acknowledged and accepted this; when he disobeyed God, he denied God's power and authority over him.
In Romans 1 Paul describes the problems of sinful behaviour in his day. People had denied the power of the one true God and had turned to idols. This denial of God was followed by behaviour which was totally unacceptable to Him.

"For his (God's) invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honour him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonouring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen." -Romans 1:20-25

Although these words were not written directly about Adam and Eve, many of the points made are applicable to their lives also and help us to see the way in which sin entered the world,

    1. The power of God was shown to people in creation (Psalm 19). This was ignored by Adam and Eve.
    2. Sin began in the mind of Eve as she decided that what she wanted was more important than obeying God's law. This temptation to sin touched her heart as well as her mind. She lusted after the fruit of the tree; she really wanted to eat it (Genesis 3:6).
    3. Eve thought she could become wise through her own actions, by eating the fruit. In this she
denied the power of God's Word to make her 'wise unto salvation' (2Timothy 3:15).
    4.  She decided that God's law was not really true but a lie, if she ate the fruit she would not really die. So she ate and gave the fruit to her husband who ate also.
    5. By their actions they put themselves and what they wanted before the commandments of God. They should have worshipped God, the Creator, by being obedient to Him.

This last statement tells us a great truth. Worship of God is by being obedient to Him in our lives every day, not just by coming together to praise Him on a Sunday.

So sin is not just disobedience of God's laws; it is a denial of His existence as the Creator of us all. Once we realise this and accept it, it should change our whole attitude to life.
               Blaming Someone Else!
Adam knew what would happen even before he sinned for:

"...through the law comes knowledge of sin." - Romans 3:20.

When God gave Adam that first law, He told him of the nature of sin and its consequence - death! Adam and Eve found it difficult to take responsibility for their own actions - and so do all of us. We all want to blame someone else for our problems. So Adam said:

"The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate."

And Eve said:

"The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

False teaching about the devil or satan comes from this desire to blame someone else for our sins. When we do something wrong, it is much easier to blame a 'Devil' than to admit the problem lies within ourselves. We deceive ourselves that we are not really to blame and say that it is the 'Devil who is responsible! No wonder Jeremiah exclaimed that the heart is deceitful above all things' (Jeremiah 17:9).

But the Bible will not allow us to deceive ourselves in this way. Look at these two passages:

"And he said, "What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder,   adultery,   coveting,   wickedness,   deceit,   sensuality,   envy,   slander,   pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person." -  Mark 7:20-23

"Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers." - James 1:13-16

The serpent first put the idea of eating the forbidden fruit into the mind of Eve. Throughout the rest of the Bible the serpent then becomes a symbol of the power of sin and its effect on our lives. This desire to please ourselves rather than God drives us on to disobey Him, to sin. Look at these three passages which tell us similar things about people who disobey God.

"Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God
comes upon the sons of disobedience." - Ephesians 5:6

"No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother." -  John 3:9-10

"But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood (offspring) of vipers (serpents)! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" - Matthew 3:7

In the Parable of the Sower in Luke 8 Jesus tells us that 'the seed is the Word of God'. Therefore those who take the Word of God into their lives and hearts can be described as taking 'God's seed' into their being. It is the influence of this Word which helps them to be 'born of God' and to start a new life committed to God rather than remaining slaves to sin.

However, each of these passages tells us about another class of people. They are those who ignore the truth of God's Word and go their own way in life. They are described as "sons of disobedience",
"children of the devil" and "offspring of serpents", They are like Adam who turned away from God and deliberately disobeyed Him.

We have seen that death is the punishment for sin. Every day as we get older and our bodies begin to wear out we show the truthfulness of God's word, we are dying! We might deny Him by our words and deeds, we might pretend that He does not exist, but we can do nothing by ourselves to overcome death, the sentence of God upon us for sin.
Sin separates us from God
However, there is another consequence of sin. ft takes us away from God. The prophet Isaiah wrote:

"Your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have
hidden his face from you so that he does not hear." - Isaiah 59:2

When Adam and Eve sinned, they were sentenced to death. They were also sent away from God out of the Garden of Eden. This is the real tragedy of sin. When Adam left the Garden he left the daily fellowship he had enjoyed with God. The influence of God, and His Word, on Adam's life grew less day by day. His mind became more easily filled with his own desires and so it became easier to sin. This is why James talks about being 'dragged away by evil desires' - he means that sin drags us away from God.

When we come to realise this true teaching about sin in the Bible it will have a great impact on our lives. We can summarise it like this.

    1. Firstly we will realise that, whatever terrible things we do to each other, ultimately sin is
       committed against God. ft is His Word we disobey. David understood this after he had
       committed adultery with Bathsheba and had Uriah, her husband, murdered. He acknowledged his sin to God with these words:
       "Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may
       be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment." - Psalm 51:4
       This should have a very great effect on our lives. When we behave badly to other people, if we realise that we are really sinning against God, then perhaps we might stop and think about our behaviour more carefully.
    2. Everything that is disobedience to God's laws is unacceptable to Him and all of it is 'sin'. A
       word that the Bible often uses for 'sin' means 'miss the mark'.   The 'mark' is the perfect
       example of Jesus, which we should aim for all the time.  Whenever we miss that mark (whether we miss by a little or by a lot), it is a sin.
    3. If we have committed our lives to God through His Son, Jesus Christ, we cannot 'continue in
       sin'. This does not mean that we will become perfect, sinless people once we are baptized; only Jesus Christ was like this. However, God will not accept people who say they are disciples of Christ but who make no attempt to follow Christ in the way they live once they are baptized. Our lives must be changed by our knowledge of Christ."t everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." - Matthew 7:21
Finding the Way back to God
At the very beginning of his ministry Jesus went into a mountain and sat down to teach his disciples. He began with the lovely words that we know as the Beatitudes (the word means 'blessings'). In the New English Bible, the first of these blessings is translated:

"Blessed are those who know their need of God; the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs." - Matthew 5:3

This is how our relationship with God must start. Once we understand our own hearts and how sin comes from within us and separates us from God, then we shall understand our need of Him in our lives. We shall be ready to begin the journey back to Him and to approach Him in prayer and seek His grace and forgiveness. If we approach Him like this then we know that He will accept us as His children through the Lord Jesus Christ. Sin will no longer be the master of our lives. At the end of that painful examination of his own conscience in Romans 7, the apostle Paul concluded with these words:

"Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" - Romans 7:24

The wonderful message of the Bible is of salvation from sin and its consequences through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. God will totally forgive the sins of those people who come to Him through His Son so that Paul went on to write:

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death." - Romans 8:1-2

From our hearts we should thank God for this and rejoice! This is the Good News, the Gospel message of the Bible summed up in just one verse.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him
should not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16

When we commit ourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ as his disciples we begin a new life. Our sins are freely forgiven by a gracious and generous God who does not want anyone to perish but for all men and women to accept His Son and travel to His Kingdom.

The rest of this course explores Bible teaching about this :New Life in Christ' and what it means for each one of us.

"The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure,
making wise the simple; The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward." -  Psalm 19:7-11
Questions
    1. Why do we sin?
    2. What is sin? (there are two parts to the answer)
    3. Where does the desire to sin come from?
    4. What does the serpent represent in the Bible after the sin of Adam and Eve?
    5. What are the consequences of sin?

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Some facts about judgment and the Kingdom

PLEASE HAVE YOUR BIBLE OPEN AND TRY TO FIND ALL OF THE REFERENCES

One of the arguments used in the past to persuade people that they should become Christians was the threat of the Judgment seat of Christ. The intention of these lessons is to explain to you the advantages and the need for you to be baptised in Jesus’ name. Therefore, it is important that we look at this subject of judgment and explore the references to it in the Bible.

 

The subject of judgment is very serious but has to be seen against the promises made by God of forgiveness and mercy for those who seek him.

 

Because we will be looking at the future, most references will be taken from prophecies. You might expect these to be in the Old Testament; many however are from the words of Jesus and his apostles and others are to be found in the book of Revelation.

 

Those who unfortunately find themselves having to face a judge in a court of law will always want to know who the judge at their trial will be. The reason for this is that, however well-trained and knowledgeable a judge may be, he or she is human and therefore subject to personal views on what is right or wrong according to the law.

 

When we prepare to look at the subject of judgment as shown in the Bible we will also want to know something about the judge, so open your Bible at Psalm 72 and look at verses 2 to 7. “He shall judge the people with righteousness and the poor with justice and in his days shall the righteous flourish and abundance of peace as long as the moon endures”. Remember that these are God’s words and speak of true righteousness and justice as God intended for mankind from the beginning in Eden. Further description of this wonderful judge is given in the prophecy of Isaiah chapter 11 verses 1 to 5. The introduction to these words, “The rod out of the stem of Jesse” and the reference to the Branch when compared with other similar references show that this perfect judge will be Jesus the Son of God. Paul removed any doubt about this when he wrote with the power of the Holy Spirit these words to Romans chapter 14 verses 7 to 13 and showed plainly that it is Jesus who will be the future King over all of the earth. In his closing words to Timothy Paul wrote of his own personal hope and confidence before this very special judge. Look at the second letter to Timothy chapter 4 verses 6 to 8. Note that there is no fear in these words only eagerness that that day would come soon. This can be the same for us if we live our lives by Jesus’ rules and follow his example.

 

Peter in explaining the details of the gospel to the Roman Centurion Cornelius also showed that Jesus would be the judge. You will see this in Acts chapter 10 verses 38 to 43.

 

There is more information about the judgment here for Peter says that Jesus will judge the

“living and the dead”.

 

James in his letter chapter 5 verses 8 and 9 writes with the hope that the return of Jesus would be in his lifetime. This was not so, but because our lives are so brief and at the time of death the next moment of thought will be at our resurrection we are never far away from this time of judgment no matter how many centuries have passed. More information on this is in the book of Revelation and we will look first at chapter 11 verse 18. Look at the words carefully and see that the purpose of God is first to give reward to those who have served and shown faith and reverence for his name. The punishment of those who have rejected Jesus is something I do not want to consider in this study.

 

Now turn to chapter 20 and look at verses 11 to 13. The image is impressive and should be; for compared with the small details of our lives, all of mankind’s cleverness and all of his works this is the real reason for our existence.

 

The reason for the creation of man on the face of the earth was ultimately to bring about a state of tranquillity, justice and love that will be eternally pleasing to God. Note that many details of resurrection are shown here.

 

How God will recreate those who have died from the dust and ashes of the earth is not revealed; but for the great intelligent power that was responsible for the whole of creation this will surely be very simple. It is also important to see the words in verse 12 “The dead were judged - according to their works”. This confirmation of all we have studied in earlier lessons is important. The connection between faith in God and putting that faith to work in our lives is observed each day by Jesus as our mediator and future judge. Nothing escapes his notice.

 

I want to turn now from this picture of the judgement to that of the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (Christ means “the anointed one”). We have already read details of the style of the future Kingdom for it will come from the righteous Judge who will become the great King. The early days of the new age will however be filled with blood and retribution upon the nations of the earth that reach out to destroy the new King. The language of the prophets is not easy to understand and there are many examples to chose from. Start with Isaiah chapter 24 verses 21 to 23 where this picture of punishment is depicted. Now turn to Zechariah chapter 14 and read the whole chapter.

 

The references to war and destruction are inescapable but we have to expect this for the return of Jesus will be to an earth filled with wickedness.

 

What is very interesting in these prophecies is the constant reference to Jerusalem and to the Jewish people. They clearly have an important part to play in God’s purpose and the constant political crises in the State of Israel should be an indication to us of the nearness of Jesus’ return. There is a picture of the blessings that God promises to all who are accepted into the Kingdom in Isaiah chapter 25 verses 8 and 9 which also has a reference to “His people”. The followers of Jesus are

those spoken of in Revelation chapter 20 as being in the “Book of life”, so these special people have to be the Jewish people out of all nations gathered to their own land and blessed by God.

 

The very lovely image of God wiping away the tears of mankind in this future Kingdom is repeated in Revelation chapter 21 verses 3 to 5.

 

The blessings of the kingdom are many and are mentioned in many parts of the Bible as we have already seen. In many cases these details are in parts of prophecies that talk of war and destruction, the punishments to be brought upon those who are called the enemies of God and the enemies of his people the Jews. An example of this is in Isaiah chapter 35 where some of the advantages to mortal people in the kingdom are shown.

 

There will be mortal (dying) people in the kingdom of Jesus as well as those who have been given immortality. Verse 5 speaks of the blind and deaf, verse 6 of the lame and the dumb. These are ailments of mortal people not the immortal saints of God. Some help on the length of time the Kingdom will continue is shown in Revelation chapter 20 verses 4 to 6 where the time of this Kingdom is given as 1000 years. Other references such as that to the Devil and Satan in verse 2 and the “Rest of the dead” in verse 5 will be for future study and will not be dealt with here.

 

Although information about the Kingdom is scattered throughout the Bible, you will by now have some idea of the nature of it. Paul in his first letter to Corinthians chapter 15 provides valuable information about the process of resurrection but also has things to say about the work of Jesus as King. It is good to read the whole chapter but for now, concentrate on verses 20 to 28.

 

From this we can see that the Kingdom is a time of preparation in which the earth and all its peoples, aided by those who have received immortality, will be brought to a state of peace and tranquillity. It will then be presented by Jesus as King to his Father, ready for the next stage of his purpose.

 

We do not know what this is, there is no information other that that there will be another resurrection and another judgment and the final removal of death from the earth. This means that mankind will no longer die, verse 26 “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death”.

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Lesson 19 The Word of God in our Everyday Lives

Israel in the Wilderness

The Old Testament tells us the wonderful account of how God rescued His people, Israel, out of the land of Egypt. They had been slaves there for over two hundred years; they were cruelly treated by the king (called Pharaoh) who tried to kill all the baby sons born to the Jews. Israel cried to God to tell Him of their troubles; He heard their cry and sent them a saviour, Moses, to rescue them from Egypt. Their salvation depended on them obeying exactly God's words through Moses. Failure to obey would lead to death. They were commanded to keep the Passover feast together on one night. They were told to stay in their houses until God called them then, on that same night, they had to leave Egypt together. God told them that Moses would lead them to the land of Israel, the land He had promised to Abraham many years before.

 

When they left, they were pursued by Pharaoh's armies to the bank of the Red Sea. One of the great miracles in the Bible is that of God parting the water of the Red Sea so that Israel could cross to the other side - and then God drowned the Egyptian army as it tried to follow. The Apostle Paul tells us that this was a type of baptism:

 

"Our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea." - 1 Corinthians 10:2

 

Within months Israel had travelled to Sinai to receive God's laws. They eagerly promised Moses that they would obey this God who had just saved them.

 

"The LORD called to Moses out of the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel… Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine;

and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel. So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the LORD had commanded him. All the people answered together and said, All that the LORD has spoken we will do." - Exodus 19:3-8

 

It was in their everyday lives that God now tested them to see if they really meant what they said. When they were hungry and thirsty, would they remember God's words and trust Him or would they forget what He had told them? One of the saddest events in the Bible is the record of how all the adults (except two) who made this promise to God failed Him and died in the wilderness because of their sins. They never reached the Promised Land.

 

Just before he died, Moses taught the children of those who perished a great lesson for their own lives so that they too would not fail.

 

"Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the rules that the LORD your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, that you may fear the LORD your God, you and your son and your son's son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey. Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." - Deuteronomy 6:1-9

This message is unmistakable, God's words must be part of their everyday lives. They were to talk about them continually and to teach their children about them. It was only by making the Scriptures part of everything they did that they would be able to remember the importance of God's words and to obey them.

 

Look at this comparison between the Children of Israel and ourselves. Our lives are like theirs!

 

The Children of Israel	Disciples of Jesus Today
They were slaves in Egypt.	Before baptism we are slaves to sin.
The Passover lamb was provided by God as a sacrifice to save them.	The Lord Jesus Christ was provided by God. He died on the cross to save us.
Israel left a life of slavery in Egypt.	We must leave our old life of slavery to sin.
Israel crossed the Red Sea.	We must be baptized.
The people were given God's Laws.	We are given God's Word to guide our new lives.
They were told that these Laws must be part of their everyday lives.	We must read the Bible everyday and let it influence and guide everything we do.
Israel disobeyed God and died in the wilderness. They did not reach the Promised Land.	If the Bible is not part of our everyday lives we shall not reach the Kingdom of God.

 

 

What Does the Bible Mean to You?

It is sometimes surprising to meet disciples who are not really interested in reading and learning from the Bible in their everyday lives but who expect to be part of the Kingdom of God when Jesus returns. If we do not find God's Word exciting and inspiring now, if we do not want to learn from it every day, why should we expect a place in a future Kingdom in which the Bible will be the at the centre of life for evermore?

 

Please think about the following questions and try to answer them honestly for yourself.

1. Why is the Bible important to you? Does it just make you feel 'important' to own one or is it a precious part of your life?

2. How often do you open it and read it? Every day? Every week? Just sometimes? Do you read all of it or just your favourite passages?

3. Can you find your way around it? Do you know where the book of Psalms is? Where Jude is? Where Micah is?

4. Can you find Bible passages to tell other people what you believe?

5. Can you quote from memory Bible passages to support what you believe?

6. Does the Bible thrill and excite you as the Word of God?

7. Does reading the Bible help you to change the way you live and behave in your life? If so how?

Why is it Difficult to Understand?

Parts of the Bible are difficult to understand. God has not written it in a way that tells us all the answers as soon as we turn to it. Look at these words:

 

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD." - Isaiah 55:8

 

in our last lesson we saw that repentance must lead to a complete change in our lives. We must leave our old life behind and begin a new life which is 'God centred' rather than 'self centred'. This is especially hard at the beginning. We find that we cannot easily understand God's words. His ideas and His thoughts are pure and lovely. Our thoughts and minds are sinful. We have to develop a new way of thinking - making God's thoughts and God's ways our own. Where do we learn of these - from the Bible, but we have to search them out. If we are to be kings - that is to share the Kingdom of God with Jesus Christ when he returns, then we need to search out from the Scriptures everything that God teaches us about Himself and His purpose. The more we do this, the more our faith in Him will grow.

 

"It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out." - Proverbs 25:2

The Inspired Word of God

The Bible makes a unique claim for itself; it is 'inspired' which simply means 'God breathed'. Just as we use the breath in our lungs to power our voice and make ourselves heard, so the Bible gives us a picture of God speaking words to us.

 

The Apostle Paul wrote about this in his letter to Timothy:

 

"But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

 

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work." - 2Timothy 3:14-17

 

There are a number of very important points made in these verses.

 

1. All of the Bible is inspired; we find as much encouragement and help in Old Testament books as we do in the Gospel message. Without every word our spiritual development as disciples of Jesus will be incomplete.

2. How can we learn about the 'good works' that we should do in our lives unless we read about them in the Bible?

3. Timothy has learned about God from the Bible. His study has made him firmly believe the

   truthfulness of these things - his faith has been increased. (Note that he had been taught about the Bible from being a child. When we look at 2Timothy 1:5 it is probable that he was taught by his mother and grandmother. This is a very powerful lesson about how we should teach our children and grandchildren).

4. Now he must continue in the things he has learned. This is an important point. He cannot just say that he now knows enough and need not read and study the Bible anymore. Bible reading is an essential ongoing part of his everyday life.

 

No wonder Jesus taught that:

 

"Man shall not live on bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." - Matthew 4:4

Why it is Important to Read the Bible

We know that if we do not eat regularly we will starve to death; physical food is essential for life. Spiritual food from the Bible is just as essential. Without daily spiritual food from the Bible we will die spiritually and God's Kingdom will be lost to us. If we feed on the Word of God every day then we will grow spiritually.

 

• It is a living and active word which helps us to examine our hearts honestly to see what really motivates us (Hebrews 4; 12).

• It strengthens us to resist the desire to sin which is there in each one of us (Psalm 119:9-11).

• It is able to build us up and make us spiritually strong (Acts 20:32, IPeter 2:1-2)

• It rebukes us when we are wrong (2Timothy 3:16)

• It helps us to keep ourselves separate from a wicked world (John 17:14-17)

• It increases our faith (Romans 10:17)

• It gives us examples of how we should live our lives as Godly men and women (Colossians 3:1-17)

• It reveals to us God's purpose for the earth and for the men and women who will live on it in His Kingdom (Psalm 72)

• Above everything else, it tells us about the love of God in providing the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation - and about how we must show this love to others. (1 John 4:7-21)

The Word made Flesh

The most important reason for reading the Bible is that it teaches us about Jesus Christ. He is described as the 'Word made flesh3. By this we understand that he lived according to God's Word every moment of every day. For him indeed it was 'a lamp to my feet and a light for my path' (Psalm 119:105). It was his Bible which showed him how to live every part of every day in a way which pleased his Father. Just before he died on the cross, Jesus prayed to his Father for his disciples (we find this prayer in John 17). He said that he had completed the work God gave him to do. He had taught his followers about God; he had given them both God's message and the exact words God had spoken to him.

 

"For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment- what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.” - John 12:49-50

 

These things were vital for them because he was about to leave them and to ascend to heaven. What did they need if they were to be strong in his absence? - The Word of God! 'Sanctify them (make them holy) by the truth; your word is truth,' he prayed.

 

This prayer is for us today as well. It is through the Word of God in our lives every day that we will grow spiritually to be like Jesus. It will help us to keep ourselves separate from an evil world and will help us to be ready to meet the Lord Jesus Christ at his return.

Checklist for Spiritual Growth

1. Read part of the Bible every day. Use the Bible Reading Planner or the Bible Companion

   provided by your

2. Before you read, pray that God will help you to understand what you read.

3. If you have a family encourage them to read with you.

4. Keep a list of questions in a notebook about what you read and do not understand. You

   can then ask your tutor or any Christadelphians for help with the answers to these

   questions.

5. Meditate on (think about) what you read. Tf you can find a quiet time to do this, then this

   is the best way. Also, in your everyday life think about what you have read from the Bible

   and try to apply the lessons you have learned.

__________________

 

Lesson 60 The Ecclesia of God

The Ecclesia of God

When men and women are baptized into Christ they belong to God as part of His family. God has commanded that His children should be organised into a community of believers and He tells us clearly how this should happen - there should be one body or world wide community of disciples.

 

"For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free…" - 1 Corinthians 12:12-13

 

In our English Bible, this organisation is called the church or assembly or congregation. However, in the Greek language, which was used to write the New Testament, a special word was used, the word 'ecclesia'. An ecclesia is a group of people who are brought together for a special purpose and there is a use of the word in the New Testament which illustrates this. Acts 19 tells us of the time Paul spent in Ephesus and of the problems he had with some of the people of the city.

 

"For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, ‘Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth...’ Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together." - Acts 19:24-25&32

 

These people were gathered together by an evil man to oppose the Apostle Paul. God has gathered together men and women into His ecclesia to worship Him and to belong in His family.

 

The first use of the word 'ecclesia' in the Greek version of the Old Testament is in the book of Deuteronomy. It describes the way in which the Children of Israel were separate from all the other nations surrounding them. They had been brought out of Egypt by God and He wanted to lead them to the Promised Land; they were called for this purpose and so they were His ecclesia. So it is with God's church today. It is made up of people who are special and who have been called out of the world so that God can lead them to His Kingdom.

 

This privilege of belonging to the ecclesia of God is only for those who have been baptized into 'the things concerning the name of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God' (Acts 8:12). True disciples separate themselves from the world and also recognise that they cannot truly worship God with other men and women who call themselves Christians but who do not understand and accept the true Gospel message. The call to belong to the ecclesia of God is a call to be separate. The apostle Paul wrote about this to the Corinthian ecclesia and said:

 

"For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord

Almighty." - 2Corinthians 6:16-18

 

It is a great honour to belong to the ecclesia of God and when baptized members meet to worship they should always remember this fact. God has called them to these things and they should not neglect them.

 

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." - Hebrews 10:23-25

In his Letter to the Ephesians Paul described the ecclesia as a place in which disciples grow spiritually; he used a word which means 'to be built up.' He wrote that, within an ecclesial organisation, brothers and sisters would be able to:

 

• Grow in knowledge and understanding (4:13-15)

• Grow in love and so strengthen and build the ecclesia (4:15-16)

 

However, he tells us that this will only happen if every member of the ecclesia is involved and contributes to it (4:16).

 

Paul used a special phrase to describe the ecclesia. He wrote that the people in it are 'one body' and he used this phrase in this way ten times in his letters, for example:

 

"For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function,

so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another." -

Romans 12:4-5

 

This phrase 'one body' describes the very close way brothers and sisters live and worship together as part of God's family and Paul writes the following things about it.

 

1. Just as we have different parts of our own, human bodies e.g. eyes and hands, so there are

   different parts to the spiritual body - not every brother and sister is the same and is able to do the same tasks in the ecclesia. However everyone is essential and valued by God and has an important part to play in the body of Christ. We all need each other just as we need all the different parts of our own physical bodies in order to function properly. (Romans 12:4-5; Corinthians 12:12,20)

2. The head of this body is Christ (Ephesians 4:15-16). He is in charge of it and there is no human authority on earth which is in charge of the ecclesia.

3. Racial or tribal background or gender is unimportant, God values all His children equally

   (Galatians 3:26-29).

4. Although there is one body, one ecclesia, of which Christ is the head (Ephesians 5:23), it is described as having many branches. So Paul wrote to 'the church (ccclesia) of God which is at Corinth (2Corinthians 1:1). Wherever the true disciples of Jesus meet in worship, it is the ecclesia of God.

 

We need then to look at all the different roles within an ecclesia and to consider what the Bible tells us about them.

 

Ecclesial Business Meetings

After the ascension of the Lord Jesus, the ecclesia in Jerusalem grew rapidly and it soon became clear that it needed extra people to organise and look after it. The account of this is found in Acts 6:1-7 and it sets the pattern for our ecclesial organisation today. We can list the main points mentioned like this.

 

1. The responsibility of the senior leaders of the ecclesia (the apostles) was to preach, pray and teach the Word of God, nothing should get in the way of this.

2. However, they needed help, particularly in pastoral matters, to look after the brothers and sisters in the ecclesia.

3. They did not make the decisions themselves but called all the brothers and sisters together for a business meeting to discuss it.

4. The apostles gave guidance on what they thought should be done but it was the whole ecclesia that made the decision and chose the men whom they wanted to do these jobs for them.