Class Lesson February 14, 2021

 

Question 1:

When has being part of a group really helped

you succeed?

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE

In April 1970, Apollo 13 was headed to the moon when disaster struck. An oxygen tank exploded, forcing NASA to abort the mission. To save power they would need later for re-entry, the astronauts moved from the Service Module to the Lunar Module.

This created a new problem. The Lunar Module was designed for two people, and there was not enough air for three men to last the trip home. The buildup of carbon dioxide threatened their lives. They would need to replace the CO2 scrubbers to clean the air, but the only spare ones were built for the Service Module and didn’t fit the Lunar Module.

On the ground, NASA put together an improvised scrubber using random parts they knew the astronauts had. The instructions were transmitted and the astronauts assembled the makeshift scrubber. It worked and three lives were saved. But no one person can take credit for this. It took a collection of engineers and technicians working together to come up with the solution.1

Our spiritual growth is the same. We need the support and input from others—and they need ours.

THE POINT

Spiritual growth calls for

regular interaction with and ministry to other believers.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

1 Corinthians 12:12-13

12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 

Paul’s emphasis in this passage is clear and he didn’t want us to miss it. The human body is a unified body even though it has many parts. He repeated the thought in slightly different words and structure, arranging his argument to make it pop off the page for his audience.

The church, like the human body, has many parts or members. The individual members are unique in their personalities, backgrounds, and spiritual giftedness, but they are all one body. The diversity does not work against unity; in fact, that diversity is functionally necessary. 

Paul reminded the church they were all baptized into a single body. While believers come from different races, cultures, and socio-economic levels, our differences do not threaten the church’s wholeness. We are one. Coming from all our diverse backgrounds, we do not become uniform and exactly alike—but we do enter into a single body, Christ’s body.

In the New Testament, baptism often refers to a person’s physical immersion in water. In this passage, though, Paul was not referring to literal water baptism; instead, he was using the term metaphorically to indicate that the church has been immersed into the Spirit. We have been covered by the Holy Spirit.

But Paul didn’t stop with that word picture. It isn’t just that the Spirit covers the church, but the Holy Spirit also is inside the individual members of the church; believers are “all given the one Spirit to drink.” God’s Holy Spirit makes us one, and He fills us and empowers us to function as one. We are each filled with the Holy Spirit and are united together. 

Question 2:

What are the benefits of unity

in the church?

1 Corinthians 12:14-18

14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 

Unity of the body doesn’t imply uniformity among the members. The human body has many members and all of them are important to its function as a whole. The foot doesn’t resent that it’s not a hand; instead, it serves the whole body by being a foot. The ear is not jealous of the eye because the eye sees and it hears; neither does it question its own significance. Without the ear, the body would only have four senses to operate. Paul made an obvious argument to clarify this point. The whole body is not an eye, and the eye is only valuable in relation to all of the other body parts if it functions as an eye. It contributes to the health and function of the body just as other members of the body carry out their specific roles for the sake of the body. 

Just as each individual body part has its own unique role and function, each member of the congregation serves a role and has individual responsibilities. For the church as a whole to function well, each individual member of the congregation needs to fulfill his or her role and responsibility in a way that is consistent with the spiritual gift(s) God has bestowed. (Paul included a partial listing of spiritual gifts in verses 4-10.)

While serving in a specific role does carry with it unique responsibilities, and everyone ministers according to his or her spiritual gift(s), we do share some responsibilities. For example, every member of the body is to pray for other members (Jas. 5:16) and to give and support the ministry of the church (1 Cor. 16:2), and we are all called to share our faith and disciple others (Matt. 28:10-20).

Not all of the body’s members are visible to the naked eye, and not every member in the church has an “out front and highly public” role. If we extend Paul’s analogy, the results are staggering. For instance, the human body has eleven major organ systems containing at least seventy-eight different organs. (Doctors differ on how organs are classified.) We have 206 bones, and our tongues may have as many as 10,000 taste buds.2

Those taste buds have a number of flavor receptors spread on the surface of the tongue that are designed to detect bitter, sweet, sour, salty, and savory. All these components work together to alert us whether or not what we are eating is healthy to eat. For example, because many toxins taste bitter, the taste buds send a warning signal for us to reject bitter tasting food. Salty foods contain necessary sodium, and sweet tasting foods provide instant energy. In each case, the taste buds are gatekeepers to keep needed substances in and harmful substances out. However, those 10,000 taste buds don’t function alone. The taste receptors in our mouths need to work in concert with the nose to enable us to experience the myriad flavors we enjoy.3 

The church, like the human body, is made up of many members that function in different roles and have unique responsibilities, but no one member could function effectively without the rest of the body. Our taste buds can’t do the full job they were made to do without the nose to help them! Even those serving in prominent or visible roles like pastors and church leaders cannot be effective apart from the ministry of the whole church. An effective church has everyone working together for the cause of Christ. 

Question 3:

What are the dangers of comparing ourselves

and our gifting to others in the church?

1 Corinthians 12:19-24

19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it. 

Paul’s teaching about unity in diversity was not a hypothetical exercise. The church in Corinth was not healthy; it was rife with divisions. This church desperately needed unity. Carnality and division were tearing the Corinthian church apart. In that context, Paul emphasized that every member of the church is necessary, and must be treated as an important part of the body.

Diversity in the body is necessary, but diversity should not lead to division. Paul underscored this when he said the eye cannot reject the hand because it viewed the hand as useless and unnecessary. Neither can the head reject the feet. Every member, according to Paul, is necessary.

Question 4:

What does a healthy church body

look like?

In a healthy body, systems all work together, supporting one another. Unhealthy churches have the equivalent of an autoimmune disease, however, because one group attacks another. Open division was occurring in the Corinthian church, but in some churches, the disunity can be less obvious. 

In a healthy church, members not only work together, but they value, appreciate, and depend on others who have different roles. Every part of the body is valuable and necessary. The members of the church work hard to practice true Christian fellowship. Such fellowship includes celebrating other people’s joys, crying with them in their sorrow, and walking beside them in their pain—and we need that interaction for the sake of our own individual spiritual growth. Such fellowship sometimes takes effort, but it’s worth it. They need your involvement in their lives, and you need theirs.

Question 5:

How can our group help one another

recognize and utilize our gifts?

UNITY VS. UNIFORMITY

Uniformity requires that everyone be alike. Unity allows diversity as people work together in harmony. 

Answer the following questions about your own church.

What are some ways you are uniquely different from other people in your church?

What are some ways your differences complement others in your church?

Pray that you might appreciate other people’s differences just as you want them

to accept yours.

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were

called to one hope when you were called.”

EPHESIANS 4:4

LIVE IT OUT

How will you deepen your involvement with other believers and serve them? Choose one of the following applications: 

• Talk to someone new. Get to know someone in your church you do not know or do not know well. Make an intentional effort to build a relationship with the person.                                                                                                                                              
• Restore a relationship. If you are at odds with someone in your church, get together with the person and seek to work out the problem. If you need to confess a wrong attitude or wrong behavior, then do it, and seek to restore that relationship.                                                                                                                                  
• Step out and serve. Use some of your vacation time to immerse yourself in a new culture and serve a people group that is unfamiliar to you. Be part of a mission work that serves the body of Christ in another culture or setting. 

Hopefully it won’t take a life-or-death situation to realize we need support and input from others, and that they need ours. But whether in times of struggle or joy, the church works together to bring good to one another and glory to God.

Teacher's Notes:

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Connecting to Christ’s Body

Did you know that your spiritual family is more important than your physical family – why do I say this?

• Because they will last forever. Our physical families on earth are wonderful gifts from God, but they are temporary and fragile, often broken by divorce, distance, growing old, and inevitably death. On the other hand, our spiritual family – our relationship to other believers – will continue throughout eternity. It is a much stronger union, a more permanent bond, than blood relationships.
• The moment you were spiritually born into God’s family, you were given some astounding birthday gifts: the family name, the family likeness, family privileges, family intimate access, and the family inheritance. The Bible says, “Since you are His child, everything He has belongs to you. Galatians 4:7

Our lesson’s main point this morning is that Spiritual growth in the family calls for regular interaction with and ministry to other believers or members of the family. We need three things to grow: The Word of God, the Spirit of God, and the people of God. We must saturate ourselves with the Word of God, and we must submit ourselves to the Spirit of God, and we must also surround ourselves with the people of God. We cannot grow alone.

The Passage: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 & 12-24

The apostle Paul wrote to the saints in Corinth to help them grow in their faith in Christ because they were contentious, carnal, and overly charismatic. They were contentious because they were fighting and divisive. They were carnal because they were sensual and sensational. They were overly charismatic because they focused more on the spiritual gifts than on the Giver of the spiritual gifts. The cure for this is growing in the likeness of Christ by being in community with other believers.

 

1 Corinthians 12:1-11 (The Diversity of Spiritual Gifts)

Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. 4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

How would you define a Spiritual Gift?

• Special abilities, ways of serving that are to be used to minister to the needs of the body of believers. Your abilities are the natural talents you were born with. (words, physical, mathematics, music, art, leading people, etc.) All of our abilities come from God.
• Every ability can be used for God’s glory. Your abilities were not given just to make a living; God gave them to you for your ministry of service.

Are there any gifts we should value more than others? Are there any gifts God values more than others? (no)

What is the purpose of these Spiritual Gifts? (to build up Christ’s body the church.)

How can we misuse these gifts?

The world gravitates to people who are talented, highly skilled, or have unique abilities. The more talented a person, the more popular that person often is. But a multi-talented person does not necessarily make the world a better place. God has a different focus. His desire is for us to connect with each other by serving and supporting one another. And He equips us with gifts of grace for that very purpose.

 

1 Corinthians 12:12-24 (The unity we ought to have in our diversity.)

12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it.

 

 

How would you describe what the church is supposed to be?

1.    God has designed the church as one unified body.

• The church is the body of Christ made up of believers who have differing but compatible functions.
• Though diverse in composition, the church is made one in the Spirit.
• Beginning at conversion, the Holy Spirit works in the lives of believers to bring unity in fellowship and service.
• Every gift had value because it was from the Spirit and could benefit others.
• The gifts God gives us are for the common good of the body.

 

2.    God has given believers roles and responsibilities within the body.

• The church as a body is not made up of one part but many.
• Each member of the body is important to the functioning of the whole.
• God in His sovereign wisdom and grace equips members for a specific function.
• More than anyone, the Lord knows the best way for a church to function efficiently.
• Paul’s emphasis in this passage is clear and he didn’t want us to miss it. The human body is a unified body even though it has many parts.

3.    God has made each Christian a necessary part of the body.

• It takes all members connecting with each other and carrying out their purpose to enable a church to function well.
• Members of the body of Christ need each other.
• Believers who appear to have lesser gifts are vital to the church.
• We need to find ways to affirm the importance of those individuals who serve in less obvious capacities
• The church, like the human body, has many parts or members. The individual members are unique in their personalities, backgrounds, and spiritual giftedness, but they are all one body. The diversity does not work against unity; in fact, that diversity is functionally necessary.
• Paul makes it clear that we need other believers to grow. Paul says that the eye can’t say to the hand I don’t need you, nor can the head say to the foot I don’t need you. The fact is, every part of the human body needs every other part of the human body. This is true in the body of Christ as well. No one member of the body of Christ is insignificant.

The Point: Spiritual growth calls for regular interaction with and ministry to other believers.

 

LIVE IT OUT

Although we all have different gifts, graces, ministries and functions, there is no hierarchy of believers. God is no respecter of persons and in His eyes we all are equally important to the smooth functioning of the Body and we are all to work in obedience to Christ - the Head. There is no difference in status between believers. God does not differentiate between race or color, gender or age, nationality or education, Jews or Greeks, slave or free for by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

 

One of the ways we grow is by connecting to a meaningful context of encouragement, accountability, and worship. 

 

Added Thoughts:

When Christ entered our world, He took on a physical body “prepared” for Him (Hebrews 10:5; Philippians 2:7). Through His physical body, Jesus demonstrated the love of God clearly, tangibly, and boldly — especially through His sacrificial death on the cross (Romans 5:8). After His bodily ascension, Christ continues His work in the world through those He has redeemed — the Church now demonstrates the love of God clearly, tangibly, and boldly. In this way, the Church functions as “the Body of Christ.”

The Church may be called the Body of Christ because of these facts:

• Members of the Body of Christ are joined to Christ in salvation (Ephesians 4:15-16).
• Members of the Body of Christ follow Christ as their Head (Ephesians 1:22-23).
• Members of the Body of Christ are the physical representation of Christ in this world. The Church is the organism through which Christ manifests His life to the world today.
• Members of the Body of Christ are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9).
• Members of the Body of Christ possess a diversity of gifts suited to particular functions (1 Corinthians 12:4-31). “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ” (verse 12).
• Members of the Body of Christ share a common bond with all other Christians, regardless of background, race, or ministry. “There should be no division in the body, but . . . its parts should have equal concern for each other” (1 Corinthians 12:25).
• Members of the Body of Christ are secure in their salvation (John 10:28-30). For a Christian to lose his salvation, God would have to perform an “amputation” on the Body of Christ!
• Members of the Body of Christ partake of Christ’s death and resurrection (Colossians 2:12).
• Members of the Body of Christ share Christ’s inheritance (Romans 8:17).
• Members of the Body of Christ receive the gift of Christ’s righteousness (Romans 5:17).

Class Lesson February 7, 2021

 

Question 1:

How do you tune out distractions when you really

need to focus?

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE

Productivity expert Merlin Mann coined the phrase “inbox zero” to describe the concept of retaking control of your life from your computer. Mann’s theory is that if you can clear out your email inbox and keep it empty, you will experience higher productivity, a sense of stability, and lower stress levels. An overflowing inbox does more than curb productivity; it can cast a “sink full of dirty dishes” fog over your life.

Achieving “inbox zero” doesn’t mean you will have to constantly check your email; actually, the opposite is true. Proponents recommend disabling notifications and having your email app closed most of the day in order to focus your attention on your day’s priorities. You’ve achieved zero status when you reclaim attention and retake control of your life.1

While it’s not possible to achieve sinless perfection this side of heaven, it is possible to achieve “confession zero.” Sin buildup is far worse than any accumulation of emails, but through the disciplines of fasting and confession, we can maintain a strong relationship with God. 

THE POINT

Fasting and confession keep

us rightly focused on Christ.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Daniel 9:1-4

1 In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom—2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. 4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments.” 

The community of Old Testament believers observed days of fasting as a part of their religion to help them keep their minds focused on God (Jer. 36:6). They also fasted when individuals faced difficult circumstances. For instance, King David fasted when he mourned over the deaths of Saul and his son Jonathan (2 Sam. 1:12). 

Question 2:

What are some good reasons

for fasting?

Fasting is more than just abstaining from food. Simply abstaining from food is not necessarily a positive spiritual activity. For example, Jonathan fasted out of anger against his father (1 Sam. 20:34), and Ahab fasted and sulked as part of a pity party (1 Kings 21:4). However, most of the time the Old Testament writers cast fasting in a favorable light as a way to keep believers focused on greater things than their immediate physical needs.

Daniel fasted and prayed because of extreme circumstances. As he prayed and fasted, Daniel wore sackcloth and sat in ashes, as was customary during that time. For Daniel, this was not a routine observance of his faith. He was deeply burdened.

Daniel was no longer the teenage boy who had been brought to Babylon as a captive during Nebuchadnezzar’s reign (Dan. 1). King Nebuchadnezzar and King Belshazzar had died, and now Darius was king in Babylon. Likely Daniel was around eighty years old, which is significant because Jeremiah had prophesied that Israel’s exile and captivity would last around seventy years (Jer. 29:10). That captivity now was almost over.

Instead of celebrating the inevitability of freedom, however, Daniel put on sackcloth, sat in ashes, abstained from eating, and prayed. His burden for Jerusalem shifted his focus away from food and comfort to what was really important. The burden of his sin and the sin of God’s people drove him to pray a prayer of confession to the Lord. 

Daniel was deeply burdened, but that doesn’t mean he was depressed or pessimistic. Nor did his concern grow out of some stress induced anxiety. It had grown out of spending time in God’s Word. Daniel’s biblical literacy contributed to his time of prayer and fasting. Because Daniel had faithfully studied the Word, he knew Jeremiah had predicted the captivity would last seventy years. Daniel also knew God is faithful to keep His word and covenant. Since the exile would soon be over, Daniel turned to God in prayer. 

Even with the weight of sin burdening him, Daniel still was able to see the glory of God. His prayer began with praise and adoration of “the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments” (v. 4) and who loves and cares for his people. Fasting doesn’t appear to be as common today as it was in biblical times. However, the discipline of fasting is still an appropriate observation. 

Daniel 9:5-7

5 “We have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. 6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land. 7 “Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you.” 

When Solomon dedicated the temple, he prayed and asked God to forgive the sins of His people, even if those sins resulted in exile and captivity (2 Chron. 6:36-39). God heard and answered Solomon’s prayer, saying that if “my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (7:14).

FOCUS THROUGH FASTING

Using the acrostic below, describe something you could do

with each item to help maintain a focus on Jesus.

Food _______________________________________

Activities ____________________________________

Spending money _____________________________

Time _______________________________________

Instead of eating a meal or snack this week, spend that time

in focused prayer as you commune with Christ.

“Fasting confirms our utter dependence upon God by

finding in Him a source of sustenance beyond food.”

DALLAS WILLARD

Now, more than 400 years later, Daniel and his fellow Jews were experiencing the very exile and captivity in Solomon’s prayer. Perhaps thinking of God’s promise in 2

Chronicles 7 and knowing God would hear him, Daniel prayed a prayer confessing both his personal sin and the sins of all Israel.

It’s often easier to see the sins of others rather than our own sin. When we forget about our own sinfulness, it’s human nature to gossip and talk about other people’s sins. However, when we remember our own sinfulness, we move away from gossip about the sins of others and go straight to confession.

Daniel didn’t question God’s love for them, in fact, he did the opposite; he affirmed the special love God had for His people (v. 4). Daniel also didn’t question why they were in captivity.

He confessed the sins of the Jewish community, even while they were in exile. He included himself in his confession of corporate sins. He was thorough in his confession.

No excuses. No mitigating circumstances. God’s people were absolutely, unequivocally wrong. As Daniel confessed their sins, he also declared God’s righteousness. Daniel was able to bear his soul and confess with outright transparency because he knew what God would do when he confessed his sin and the sins of the people. As God had promised: “I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chron. 7:14b). 

Question 3:

Why is confession an important

part of our spiritual lives?

Daniel 9:17-19

17 “Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. 18 Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. 19 Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.” 

As Daniel concluded his prayer, he included a phrase from a blessing given in the law: “The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you” (Num. 6:24-26). However, instead of asking for God’s face to shine on his people, Daniel prayed for God to “look with favor on your desolate sanctuary” (v. 17).

Daniel’s petition was not based on the worthiness of God’s people, but on God’s great compassion. He wanted God’s name to be lifted up by raising Jerusalem again. That’s not to say he prayed just for buildings and walls to be rebuilt. Yes, Jerusalem bears God’s name, the temple was built for His glory, and rebuilding the city and temple would glorify God, but the people also bore His name. Daniel pleaded with God to hear, to forgive, and to act, for the Lord’s sake. 

Question 4:

What obstacles might hinder us

from praying, confessing, and fasting in our lives?

Daniel’s attention wasn’t on getting something from God; his focus was on God himself. Burdened with a heavy heart, Daniel shifted his focus from food and comfort. We’ve already seen that his prayer included confessing his sins and the sins of the people without making excuses or allowances. Now with his attention focused exclusively on God, he prayed for God’s name to be lifted up as He restored His people from captivity.

Confession and repentance are always the right things to do; these humbling actions make it possible to restore our relationships. However, if we don’t confess our sins, we can’t see clearly; our minds remain on our sin. Because we carry guilt about our sins, we can’t pay attention to God. But when we confess our sins, God forgives, the fog lifts, and we are able to focus on Him. 

Question 5:

What are the benefits of praying,

confessing, and fasting as a community?

LIVE IT OUT

What will you do this week to keep your focus on Christ? Choose one of the following applications: 

• Confess. Spend time confessing any sin you haven’t previously brought to God. Confession is “agreeing with God” that your actions were sinful. Don’t make excuses. Confess—and thank Him for His forgiveness. 

• Fast from technology. Choose something that you do daily, such as watching television or connecting on social media, and commit to a fast from that activity for the next week. Use that time for uninterrupted prayer and to focus on Christ.

• Fast from food. If your health allows, spend next weekend in an extended fast. Join others who are doing this Bible study in praying for a spiritual awakening in our nation.

“Confession Zero” is our goal. We must leave no sin unaddressed in our hearts. Rather, we should diligently search our hearts for hidden sin, confess it to the Lord, receive forgiveness, and experience the stability and peace that comes from fellowship with God.

Teacher's Notes:

Maintaining Focus on God

Fasting and confession keep us rightly focused on Christ.

The Passage: Daniel 9:1-7,17-19

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What kinds of things pull your focus off of God?

 

The Setting: The Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar II (ruled 605–562 BC) invaded Judah in 605 BC, the first of three invasions (in 605, 598, 586 BC). It was during this first invasion that the Judean nobility, including Daniel, were taken as hostages to Babylon – Daniel was 15 years old. Despite being a hostage, Daniel would minister as a prophet of God for about seventy years.

605 Judah invaded Daniel taken at 15

538 First year of Darius’ reign

67   Years Israel had been exiled to Babylon – prophesy was 70

15   Daniels’ age when taken hostage

82   Daniels’ age at the time of this lesson

 

Daniel 9:1-4

1 In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom—2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. 4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments.”

Fasting: The community of Old Testament believers observed days of fasting as a part of their religion to help them keep their minds focused on God (Jer. 36:6). They also fasted when individuals faced difficult circumstances. For instance, King David fasted when he mourned over the deaths of Saul and his son Jonathan (2 Sam. 1:12).

What are some good reasons for fasting?

• Fasting helps us focus on greater things than just our physical needs.
• Fasting is an act of devotion by which a person demonstrates his need for God by refraining from eating. The normal fast involved total abstinence from food but not water.

 

What life events might cause us to seek the Lord through prayer and fasting?

• End times - Country in turmoil / Times of great distress and need for God / Sin

 

What prompted Daniel to pray and fast?

• The reading of God’s Word. God reveals Himself, His promises, and His will through His Word – we would do well to spend time studying and obeying it to.
• In times of despair, we need to seek the Lord through prayer, demonstrating our humility and rendering our praise to Him as the awesome God that He is.
• God is faithful to His promises to us; we ought to be faithful to our promises to Him.

 

 

Daniel 9:5-7

5 “We have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. 6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land. 7 “Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you.”

What can we learn about genuine confession from Daniel’s prayer?

• Confession draws our focus to God – why – because He forgives
• Daniel’s confession of the greatness of God led to confession and repentance of sin. Any time we are in the presence of the righteous, holy Lord we become aware of our own unrighteousness and sinfulness.

 

Why is confession an important part of our spiritual lives?

• Sin – tartar build-up / getting your teeth clean
• Now it’s not possible to achieve a sinless perfection this side of heaven, it is possible to get your teeth clean. It’s called Confession. Sin build-up is far worse than tartar build-up on your teeth. Daniel tells us this morning that the discipline of fasting and confession will cleanse our relationship with God and help us maintain a strong relationship and focus of Him.

When Solomon dedicated the temple, he prayed and asked God to forgive the sins of His people, even if those sins resulted in exile and captivity (2 Chron. 6:36-39). God heard and answered Solomon’s prayer, saying that if “my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (7:14).

 

Daniel 9:17-19

17 “Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. 18 Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. 19 Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.”

How does confession of sin affect our relationship with Christ and with others?

• It gets God’s attention – prayer and fasting draw our focus to God – why – because He answers.
• Daniel’s petition was not based on the worthiness of God’s people, but on God’s great compassion. He wanted God’s name to be lifted up by raising Jerusalem again. Daniel pleaded with God to hear, to forgive, and to act, for the Lord’s sake.

 

What do you see as the greatest hinderance to praying, confessing, and fasting in our lives?

• Sin itself - If we don’t confess our sins, we can’t see clearly; our minds remain on our sin. Because we carry guilt about our sins, we can’t pay attention to God.

 

What are the benefits of praying, confessing, and fasting as a community?

• But when we confess our sins, God forgives, the fog lifts, and we are able to focus on Him.

The Point: Fasting and confession keep us rightly focused on Christ.

 

Close:

Prayer: How do you evaluate the consistency of your prayer life?

Fasting: Even if you do not fast in the sense of refraining from eating, how do you exemplify the concept in your own life by setting aside something to give attention to the Lord?

Humility: How do you maintain a spirit of humility before the Lord?

Marriage.com suggests that a lack of communication is the third leading cause to the breakdown in marriages. Communication is key to any relationship. Furthermore, communication is of utmost importance in our relationship with Christ. Our spiritual growth will be in direct proportion to our communication with God. Remember: when we pray, we are talking to God. And, when we read the Bible, God is talking to us. The more we talk to God and the more we allow God to talk to us, the more we become more like Jesus Christ.

Class Lesson January 31, 2021

 

Question 1:

What are some of the biggest ways electronic media

has affected your life?

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE

I have begun to wonder if we own our smartphones, or if they own us. We have come to depend on them for apps for purchases, maps to help us find our way, and endless games to play—not to mention making the occasional phone call. One of the most popular uses of smartphones is to access all the social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and text messaging. How big a part does social media play in our lives? On average, some 3.2 billion users spend two hours and twenty-two minutes per person on social media. Every day.1

It can be difficult to resist the urge to check social media. Research shows that when people give in to that compulsion, their anxiety level rises. Being connected to social networks or answering texts endlessly makes it hard for them to log off. They felt obligated to keep checking in—just in case.2

Social media may build bridges, but it also puts up walls. Too often we are consumed with our social media profiles and we end up missing the most important relationships we have. We miss the great joy of spending uninterrupted face-to-face time with friends and family, and we squander the opportunity to really know God. 

THE POINT

Prayer draws us closer to Jesus

as our hearts align with His.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

John 17:1-5

1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.”

Knowing God requires spending time with Him—both time in His Word and time in heartfelt prayer. Heartfelt praying is deep praying. It is going beyond the surface of merely “saying our prayers” or crying out for help during a crisis or tragedy. To really know God—to have an intimate relationship with the Lord—we must move beyond the rote and our request lists and really connect with our heavenly Father. We need to go deep.

When we take the time and make the effort to do this, not only will we get to know Him better, but we also will feel the calming touch of His unseen hand throughout our day. In both the anxious and the routine moments of life, we are able to experience Him more clearly. When we go deep, we encounter His glory. Those who have eternal life can know God intimately. Eternal life not only ensures that we will behold His glory face-to-face throughout eternity, but it makes an intimate relationship with God possible now.

In John 17, Jesus’ “hour” had come. In the midst of the “hour,” He prayed that even as God was glorifying Him, He would glorify the Father. God’s shikinah [shuh KIGH nuh] glory that once resided in the temple, now rested in the incarnate Jesus who was dwelling among God’s people (1:14). Jesus prayed that those who had been given eternal life would see that glory.

Question 2:

What does it look like to glorify God

in our culture?

Following Jesus’ example, we also are to pray for people to see God’s revealed glory. It’s important to note that the first thing Jesus prayed was for God to be glorified. Our desire to see God’s glory is to surpass all other desires, and our first request is to be for His glory. The Model Prayer Jesus gave us to pray begins with the request: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name” (Matt. 6:9). We seek God’s glory over all else.

When we follow Jesus’ example, we pray for the things He prayed for—and in the way He prayed for them. We must break free from only approaching God when we need something from Him; we must learn to pray because we need Him. We are to seek Him and not just seek things from Him.

Even as we pray for His glory, we will encounter Him in His glory. As we deepen our prayer life, praying as Jesus prayed, we experience His glory—His holiness, His authority, and His reputation. Heartfelt prayer increases intimacy with God. As we come to know God intimately, He will reveal His glory. 

John 17:21-23

21 “That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have  given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

Jesus also prayed for unity. The believers needed unity then, and we desperately need it now. Is unity possible? Can people with different agendas, backgrounds, beliefs, and points of view really be unified? Division and discord are everywhere. We encounter it in politics, in families, or at work.

While everyone wants unity, few are willing to make the necessary sacrifices to become and remain unified. Unity doesn’t mean that others will agree with us, behave like we want them to act, adapt to our preferences, and give in to us. An insistence on conformity works against unity. 

Jesus prayed for unity, not conformity. What does that unity look like? It looks like the Triune God: the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus prayed, “That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you” (v. 21). While the Father is not the Son or the Spirit, and the Son is not the Father or the Spirit, and the Spirit is not the Father or the Son, the Father, Son, and Spirit are God. God is three Persons, but one Essence. Jesus prayed that His followers would be unified in like manner. Our personalities are not to be absorbed and lost by our unity, but our self-interests will. They will have a unified purpose.

We can only achieve this unity when we are in God and He is in us. Jesus prayed, “May they also be in us.” When believers are connected to God—we are dwelling in Christ and He is dwelling in us—unity happens. We are in Him, and He is in us. We move beyond a surface relationship with God, into a deeper relationship in which we know Him intimately. There is no other path to unity. 

Question 3:

What does unity look like in the church?

The spiritual discipline of heartfelt prayer is not limited to a private quiet time. While Scripture certainly tells of many people praying in “prayer closets,” we also find numerous accounts describing believers who gathered together for prayer. With one mind, one heart, and one purpose, God’s people lifted their prayers up to God.

Jesus shares His glory with His people—“I have given them the glory that you gave me” (v. 22)—but this was not simply so that we would possess His glory. His glory is to lead to our unity: “That they may be one as we are one.” We are to join Him in praying for that unity. One of the key things that points others to God and brings Him glory is when we, His children, live together in unity. This is unity the world needs to see. 

John 17:24-26

24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see  my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

As we grow in our relationship with God, we will have an intimate relationship with Him. Our hearts will become one with His, and as we’ve seen, our prayers will focus on His glory and seek unity among believers. As we see in verses 24-26, when we pray like Jesus, those prayers will also include a desire to make His love known to others, so that they can experience it as well.

An eternal love exists between the Father and the Son, and Jesus’ prayer was that “the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” His love in us spills out! We will care about what He cares about. We will care for the people He cares for. When we grow in knowing Him, the force that drives us will be the desire to make Him known.

Question 4:

What’s the relationship between

our unity and our witness?

Knowing God and experiencing His love motivates us to pray for those who have not yet come to know Him. When God’s love runs through us, we will pray for people who need Him, but we will also tell them what He has done for us—we will let them see His glory. We will pray for the salvation of people who don’t know Jesus, but we will also make His name known to them. Because God loved the world, not just people in “our world,” we pray for the nations, but we will also go where we are called and help others who are called to go to the nations.

While Christians fail to agree on many things, we all can agree that people need the Lord. They need to know and experience the love of God in their lives. To carry out our role in “the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18), we must be unified in our purpose. We can and should use every means possible to share the love of Christ. And when we do, we receive the joy, but God gets all the glory! 

Question 5:

How has our group helped you

experience the love of God?

FELLOWSHIP WITH JESUS

Circle the ways you will undertake this week to develop a more intimate communion with Jesus.

Then list some other ways you could fellowship with Him.

Bible Study        Prayer        Witness          Giving

Helping someone       Singing        Other: ____________

Spend some time right now in prayer, not asking for what God can do for you,

but just having a conversation with Him.

“Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having

the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.”

PHILIPPIANS 2:2

LIVE IT OUT

How will you utilize the spiritual discipline of prayer to draw you closer to Jesus? Choose one of the following applications: 

• Pray for God’s glory. Replace at least five minutes of social media time [or TV watching] with additional time spent in prayer for God’s glory.                                                                                    
• Pray for unity. Gather with others to spend time in concentrated prayer for unity among believers in your church and around the world.                                                                                                             
• Pray for God’s love to be known. Set an alarm on your smartphone for 3:16 every afternoon and pray John 3:16 over at least three people who need to know the Lord. Pray for the spread of the gospel around the world. Pray for opportunities to share Christ through your social media outlets. 

Social media and other modern distractions can consume our attention if we’re not careful. But if we are prayerful and align our hearts with His, God can use even these as tools for reaching others for Christ.