Easter Lesson April 20, 2014

The Bible Meets Life

The pivotal moment in history was the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Regardless of what happens in the rest of history, our lives are forever changed by the offer of new life in Christ. Our lives may have been full of defeat, but now, because of the resurrection of Christ, we can stand victorious, Jesus changes everything.

The Setting

One of the many issues Paul addressed with the Corinthian church was a question about the reality of resurrection. The entirety of the Christian faith rests on the resurrection of Christ. Paul gave strong affirmation to the death and resurrection of Christ. Not only is Christ alive, but He is victorious and the Ruler over all things. Because Jesus is alive, His children will also experience resurrection and victory over death. 

Easter is Coming!

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Because of Jesus’ resurrection, nothing can defeat you – not even death.

When you hear the word victory, what event or person comes to mind?

The name “Super Bowl” implies something special and extraordinary, something worth celebrating. It continually sets records including the largest live audience and the highest-priced commercials. Easter is the Super Bowl of Sundays in the church. On this day we celebrate a monumental event, one that changed history forever. Also called Resurrection Sunday, Easter implies something different and extraordinary, something worth celebrating. The highest church attendance typically comes during Easter weekend. Churches tend to allocate more resources to this special weekend than to others.

What makes this day truly special is what leads us to celebrate each and every Sunday – the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Had it not been for His resurrection, we would still be in sin.

Jesus’ victory over death makes this day different from any other. His tomb is empty! If you go to the tomb of Confucius, Buddha, Mohammed, or any other religious leader you will find a body. Not so with Jesus. He is risen … He is risen, indeed!

I. BECAUSE OF __________ AND ___________ – 1 CORINTHIANS 15:20-23

20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; afterward, at His coming, those who belong to Christ.

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul addressed the essential connection of Jesus Christ’s resurrection to the gospel message. Paul wrote his letters to the Corinthian church during the early years of the establishment of the Christian church. The church in Corinth was surrounded by immorality as well as religious practices that had little to do with Jesus. In verses 3-4, Paul stated what he knew to be the most important message: Jesus died for our sin, was buried, and came back to life on the third day. That is the message of Easter; that is why we gather in churches around the world on this day.

The scene of Christ’s death on Calvary should be forever etched in the mind of every believer. Several movies in recent years have helped us visualize the brutal torture and physical agony associated with crucifixion. We have seen the images of the whips; the crown of thorns, the nails, and the spear. We have agonized at the image of the scenes of torture endured by our beloved Savior. At the time of Jesus’ death, the Roman Empire considered crucifixion to be the most painful and degrading form of capital punishment. It was so horrific that it was typically reserved for the worst of criminals. Why would Jesus have to suffer this horrible punishment? Jesus endured the agony of the cross for two reasons:

1. We are dead because of Adam’s sin. As a consequence of Adam’s choice to sin (Gen. 3:6, 16-24), we all inherit a sinful nature and die. Because of Adam, we are lost and doomed to both mortal and spiritual death. We are all affected. Paul stated in Romans 3 that there is no one who is righteous; all of us sin (Rom. 3:10, 23). Because of our sin, death is the required penalty.
2. We are alive because of Christ’s victory. Just as the act of one man doomed us to spiritual separation from God, the redeeming act of one Man – Jesus Christ – provided for our resurrection from the dead. All who are joined to Jesus Christ through faith are made alive with God. While this new life does not erase the mortality of our current physical condition, it does restore our spiritual relationship with God and remove the pain of spiritual death. This is our victory because of Jesus.

What evidence points to Jesus’ resurrection from the dead?

Dead or alive. That sounds like the heading to a Wild West wanted Poster. It’s actually the choice each person faces: do you want to remain dead or become alive? Many people don’t even realize they are dead. But that’s the human condition apart from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Because of the sin of Adam, all die. Not just some, but all – Dead.

You can’t pass the blame to someone else for your sinful nature. You can’t blame your mom and dad, the school system, the government. It is your problem. It started with Adam and his choice. The good news is that God, by His grace, has provided us a way out of our sinful condition.

We will be granted pardon for our sin if we choose to follow Jesus as Savior and Lord. Paul called Jesus’ resurrection “firstfruits,” a reference to Jesus being the first to rise from the dead. His resurrection is the basis for the resurrection of all believers. Paul identified those who had fallen asleep – believers who had died physically – as joining this parade of new life. Jesus’ death provides life. But this new life comes from a choice we must make.

The natural progression is to live … then die. The pattern Jesus offers is death to life. We have the opportunity to move from spiritual death to spiritual life. Everyone has the opportunity to enjoy this new life. As believers in personal relationship with Jesus Christ, we experience our own death-to-life changes. For some, this relates to social choices. For others this could be a release from the pull of pornography. For all it’s a choice to focus on Christ rather than self.

How can you benefit from someone else’s victory?

II. BECAUSE OF THE ___________________ – 1 CORINTHIANS 15:24-28

24 Then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when He abolishes all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign until He puts all His enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy to be abolished is death. 27 For God has put everything under His feet. But when it says “everything” is put under Him, it is obvious that He who puts everything under Him is the exception. 28 And when everything is subject to Christ, then the Son Himself will also be subject to the One who subjected everything to Him, so that God may be all in all.

Since Christ is victorious, why do we still struggle with facing death?

We are victorious because of the resurrection. Jesus is victorious over every power, ruler, and authority. He is victorious over death. As a result, all believers are victorious and share in His victory. There will be an end to the present state of things. In the end, Christ will be the final and ultimate victor.

The victory that is ours through Jesus Christ is referenced throughout the Bible. One of my favorite phrases for God is the “but now” God.

• It didn’t look good for Jesus when soldiers showed up in the Garden of Gethsemane, but now…
• It didn’t look good for Jesus as He stood before Pontius Pilate, but now…
• It didn’t look good for Jesus when the soldiers beat Him before He went to Calvary, but now…
• It didn’t look good for Jesus when they nailed Him to the cross, but now…

God, in His story, is all about the “but now.” The events that led to Jesus’ crucifixion initially seemed so awful and tragic, but now, they have become Christ’s eternal victory.

• We once were dead, but now we are given new life in Christ.
• Our sin carried the penalty of separation from God, but now we enjoy forgiveness because of the shed blood of Jesus.
• Our lives had no hope and no peace, but now Jesus gives us peace that passes understanding and the hope of an eternal home in heaven.
• We were destined for an eternity apart from God, but now, because of what Christ has done, we can enjoy new life in Christ and the guarantee of eternal life in heaven.

The last enemy to be defeated is death. This is not the physical death we all face but rather the punishment of death. The sting, the effect, the wages of our sin has been removed by the victorious Christ (Rom. 6:23).

How does the reality of Jesus’ resurrection bring victory in your daily life?

BUT NOW…JESUS

Which one of these names for Jesus Christ speaks to a time in your life when you felt defeated but in the end, Christ’s power was demonstrated? Why?

Advocate (1 John 2:1)

Source and Perfecter of our faith (Heb. 12:2)

Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:4)

The Door (John 10:7)

The Cornerstone (Eph. 2:20)

Faithful and True Witness (Rev. 3:14)

Great High Priest (Heb. 4:14)

Immanuel (God with us) (Matt. 1:23)

Living Bread (John 6:51)

My Friend (Jer. 3:4)

Our Peace (Eph. 2:14)

Righteous Judge (2 Tim. 4:8)

Security for You (Isa. 33:6)

The True Vine (John 15:1)

The Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6)

God-given Wisdom (1 Cor. 1:30)

Live It Out

It’s not your war, it’s His. It’s not your fight, it’s His. It’s not your battle, it’s His. You have the victory in Christ because of what God has done.

1. Step into victory. Accept the gift of life Jesus Christ made possible through His death and resurrection.

2. Memorize 1 John 5:4. Read it several times as well as posting it in a spot where you will see it frequently.

3. Increase the family. Invite friends, neighbors, and coworkers to attend your church’s worship service. They’ll hear the gospel, so follow up with them afterwards.

Super bowls come and go. Even Easter, the Super Bowl of Sundays will come and go. But your victory in Christ is forever. That’s something to celebrate every day.

Prayer of Commitment

On this day of celebration, I can only join with Paul in saying, “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Amen. 

Hope to see all of you this Easter Sunday!

In His Love,

David & Susan

 

New Series Begins April 13, 2014

I’ve blown it. Is there hope for me?

We all need hope.

• We’ve made mistakes.
• We feel shame or regret over something in our present or past.
• We’ve tried to fix things in our lives and we’ve failed.

Even those among us who seem to have it all together have areas of hurt in their lives. If we’re not careful, we can be blinded by an onslaught of mistakes, shame, and regret. Face enough of that and we can lose sight of hope.

Let Hope In is a six-week study that doesn’t let us off the hook – it acknowledges that we’ve blown it and we do need hope – but it also shows us that we are never beyond hope. We can have a sure hope regardless of our past. When we let hope in, we can move beyond the regrets and shame. A hope-filled life is not a problem-free life. But we are no longer bound or hindered by the past. 

For the next six weeks, we’ll consider how we can know and experience this kind of hope. We’ll also discover how this kind of hope can transform us on a daily basis.

Let Hope In

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Our first lesson in this series is entitled, "Hope Needed."

The main point of this first lesson is “You are never beyond hope.” It looks at the story of Mephibosheth, the sole surviving son of Jonathan and the grandson of King Saul, David’s predecessor. Mephibosheth would never have dreamed that King David would show grace and kindness to him. His grandfather had turned on David, and hunted him like a criminal. His family line was deposed from Israel’s kingship by the hand of God. But David was determined to show kindness to Mephibosheth for the sake of his father Jonathan. Do you remember the friendship of Jonathan and David? Mephibosheth went from being a destitute nobody to being part of the king’s family! His story reassures us that we are never beyond hope.

You are never beyond hope.



What did you want to be when you grew up?

Veterinarians, astronauts, doctors, presidents, and maybe even a superhero or two. These are the future occupations of third graders everywhere. Why? Children have their entire lives ahead of them. At their age the sky is the limit, there’s time to dream, and it’s always OK to hope for a better tomorrow.

We look forward to the life ahead of us when we’re children. Yet with each passing year, mistakes enter the picture, bad decisions, and sin – to a point that our past can overtake our future and we lose hope. Hope now, becomes a possibility for other people.

But what if, even as adults, tomorrow could be better than yesterday? What if your entire life we’re ahead of you, too? That’s what hope is about, being free from your past to create a new future.

We all need hope. That is universal. But there is an even greater universal truth: hope is possible and it’s a reality.


In this bible study we will consider the life of one man who saw himself beyond hope but found the opposite to be true.






I. HOPE EXTENDED – 2 SAMUEL 9:1-7

9 David asked, “Is there anyone remaining from Saul’s family I can show kindness to because of Jonathan?” 2 There was a servant of Saul’s family named Ziba. They summoned him to David, and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” “I am your servant,” he replied. 3 So the king asked, “Is there anyone left of Saul’s family that I can show the kindness of God to?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still Jonathan’s son who was injured in both feet.” 4 The king asked him, “Where is he?” Ziba answered the king, “You’ll find him in Lo-debar at the house of Machir son of Ammiel.” 5 So King David had him brought from the house of Machir son of Ammiel in Lo-debar. 6 Mephibosheth son of Jonathan son of Saul came to David, bowed down to the ground and paid homage. David said, “Mephibosheth!” “I am your servant,” he replied. 7 “Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “since I intend to show you kindness because of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all your grandfather Saul’s fields, and you will always eat meals at my table.”


If ever a person had a right to give up on hope, it was Mephibosheth. He was the grandson of the former King Saul, who had tried to kill David and thwart his ascent to the throne. Saul had been David’s most powerful enemy and Mephibosheth was his grandson. That’s the kind of family heritage you don’t want while David is king.


But it gets worse.

Mephibosheth couldn’t walk. When King Saul died, his family feared for their lives. They fled from what they thought would be David’s wrath – it was common in that culture for kings to kill off entire families of their enemies. During their escape, a nanny dropped the young Mephibosheth and his feet were crippled (2 Sam. 4:4). It was an accident, and accidents’ happen, but sometimes we still suffer for them.



Mephibosheth also suffered exile as a consequence of having King Saul as his grandfather. King Saul chose to be David’s enemy and Mephibosheth inherited suffering because of the choices of other people. Mephibosheth was living in Lo-debar, a place of little worth far away from Jerusalem. He chose to live there probably out of fear or shame. In our sinful state, we live too as enemies of God, often as far away from Him as we can.



We all, in our own way, are like Mephibosheth:

• We have experienced suffering that was no one’s fault, but was due to circumstances.
• We have experienced suffering that was directly due to the sinful actions of others.
• We have experienced suffering that was due to our own poor choices.

Looking Back

How has one of the following tempted you to feel hopeless?


1. Circumstances: ___________________________________________

2. Someone else’s choices: ____________________________________

3. My own choices: __________________________________________

David sent his men to bring Mephibosheth out from his faraway place to come before the king in Jerusalem.

God seeks us out and brings us from bondage to peace. Believers recognize their unworthiness, as Mephibosheth did. Because of Jesus, we will receive a place at the King’s table instead of the deserved death sentence, and we will enjoy an eternal inheritance.
 
Grace Extended

• David initiated the action regarding Mephibosheth. Knowing the prevailing customs concerning a deposed king’s family, Mephibosheth certainly wouldn’t have sought David out. In fact, Mephibosheth was in hiding in a desolate place called Lodebar (9:4) that literally meant “no pasture”. When we were in the barren wasteland of sin, God initiated the action to find and rescue us. Salvation is of the Lord. (Romans 5:8)
• David acted for Jonathan’s sake (9:1, 7). David had no use for Mephibosheth, and no particular reason to show him favor, except for the promise made to his father Jonathan (21 Samuel 20:14- 15 above). God acts in His grace toward us for the sake of His Son Jesus Christ, who was crucified for our sins. (1 John 2:12)

What was the issue David was confronted with?

• Keeping a promise made. David felt an obligation, a covenant to Jonathan even though he had been dead for probably 15 years. Promises are to be kept even though time has passed and others may not be aware a promise was ever made.

How do you know that David was earnest in his desire to act with kindness?

• He wanted to show the kindness of God to Mephibosheth. Those who have benefited from the kindness of God ought themselves to treat others with that same kindness.

How did David put Mephibosheth at ease?

• He told him not to be afraid; that he intended to show kindness to him because of his father.

What promises did David extend to Mephibosheth? Why were they significant?

• He promised to restore all his grandfather’s (Saul) fields (inheritance).
• He told Mephibosheth that he would always eat meals at the king’s table.
• He would be treated like part of the family.
• David had enjoyed the favor as a young man of being at Saul’s table. He saw this as an opportunity to return the favor, show kindness, honor his covenant to Jonathan, and demonstrate honor to Mephibosheth. We need to look for opportunities to extend encouragement and hope to those who need it.

Even when hope is offered we might keep hopelessness alive. Why?






II. HOPE QUESTIONED – 2 SAMUEL 9:8

8 Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant that you take an interest in a dead dog like me?”



David reached out to Mephibosheth, but the boy didn’t know the nature of David’s inquiry. For all he knew, David was coming to kill him. I wonder what Mephibosheth was thinking when he approached David. He bowed down and referred to himself as a “dead dog.” He saw himself as unworthy of any offering of grace. This pathetic phrase reveals so much about how Mephibosheth saw himself, how his identity had been shaped and solidified by tragedy and pain. Think about it: the years of being ostracized, the years of disability, and the years of wondering if God had cursed him or hated him.


In Mephibosheth’s journey, two things kept his hopelessness alive and well: shame and regret. Guilt says, “I did something wrong” while shame says, “I am wrong.” Shame deceptively leads me to believe that I deserve to be shackled to it the rest of my life. Regret is what I feel when I’ve done something I wish I hadn’t. When regret is not dealt with directly and redemptively, it leads to more regret.


Shame and regret both have the ability to keep me from seeing the hope right in front of me.




Grace Unexpected

Mephibosheth probably thought his end had come! Surely King David would put him to death.

• He was born into a rejected family. Because of his rebellion and disobedience to God, King Saul was rejected from being King over Israel, thereby removing his family from the kingly line (1 Samuel 15:23).
• Mephibosheth had experienced a fall and could not walk (2 Samuel 4:4). While fleeing in haste after receiving the news of the death of King Saul, Mepbibosheth’s nurse dropped him and his feet were damaged, causing him to become lame in both feet. Mankind has experienced a fall into sin through Adam, and our relationship with God was crippled (Romans 5:12).

Our view of ourselves and our many failures often prevent us from seeing any reason for why the God of heaven would offer us grace. We can echo with Mephibosheth, “Why should you be interested in a dead dog like me?”




How did Mephibosheth express honor and gratitude to David? How might we understand his referring to himself as a dead dog?

• Mephibosheth continued to show respect for David as king – he bowed down showing humility and gratitude as your servant.
• Referring to himself as a dead dog was like declaring his unworthiness as the recipient of generosity.
• We should respond to those who treat us kindly with an attitude of humility and graciousness.
• While some people’s kindness toward others may indeed be self-serving, we need to avoid becoming so skeptical that we question every person’s motives for doing good.

Why is it difficult for people to let go of the past and move forward?

• In Mephibosheth’s journey, two things kept his hopelessness alive and well: shame and regret. Guilt says, “I did something wrong” while shame says, “I am wrong.” Shame deceptively leads me to believe that I deserve to be shackled to it the rest of my life. Regret is what I feel when I’ve done something I wish I hadn’t. When regret is not dealt with directly and redemptively, it leads to more regret.
• Shame and regret both have the ability to keep me from seeing the hope right in front of me.

“Trust the past to the mercy of God, the present to His love, and the future to His providence.” – Augustine of Hippo

III. HOPE EMBRACED – 2 SAMUEL 9:9-13

9 Then the king summoned Saul’s attendant Ziba and said to him, “I have given to your master’s grandson all that belonged to Saul and his family. 10 You, your sons, and your servants are to work the ground for him, and you are to bring in the crops so your master’s grandson will have food to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, is always to eat at my table.” Now Ziba had 15 sons and 20 servants. 11 Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do all my lord the king commands.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table just like one of the king’s sons. 12 Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. All those living in Ziba’s house were Mephibosheth’s servants. 13 However, Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem because he always ate at the king’s table. His feet had been injured.





David made provision for Mephibosheth. He proclaimed that King Saul’s former servants now belonged to Mephibosheth and would work Saul’s land and provide an income for Mephibosheth and his family. God made provision for our sins on the cross of Jesus, and promises to care for our needs as we look to Him in faith.

David took Mephibosheth into his own family (9:11). Mephibosheth was made a child of the reigning King of Israel, an heir to all that he possessed. We are made heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ as children of God (1 John 3:2).

David protected Mephibosheth from judgment (2 Samuel 21:1-9). Later in David’s reign famine came as God’s judgment for Saul’s treatment of the Gibeonites. To end the famine seven descendants of Saul were to be executed. David deliberately spared Mephibosheth from this judgment, according to the promise he had made to Jonathan. God knows His own and will deliver them from judgment (Romans 8:1).

Mephibosheth was probably hoping his death would be quick and painless. Then he heard David speak these words: “Don’t be afraid.”

When has God blessed you in an unexpected way? How did you respond?

• Insecurity: Do I really deserve this?
• Skepticism: What’s the catch?
• Excitement: This is so great!
• Guilt: I shouldn’t accept this.

Mephibosheth initially may have questioned why David would offer him such hope. Even so, he wisely chose to embrace and live the hope. The king treated Mephibosheth and his son as if they were his own family. Mephibosheth lived out the rest of his days in Jerusalem, eating at the king’s table.

Mephibosheth experienced the fulfillment of hope in three different ways:

1. The choices of others no longer were held against him.

2. He was set free from his own poor choices.

3. The king restored him.

This is what God does in our lives. He doesn’t hold the choices of others against us. He forgives us for our past. He gives us good gifts we often never see coming.

What a wonderful picture of God’s grace! Much of what Mephibosheth had lost when Saul died, David restored. In a similar way, through Adam’s sin, we lost our heritage. As Mephibosheth could do nothing to restore his inheritance, we could never do anything to regain ours. As David for Jonathan’s sake restored to Mephibosheth the estate of his father, so God for Christ’s sake gives back to His people what they lost in Adam. David offered a glimpse of what might happen at the throne of Christ.

Embrace this hope: If we have received Jesus, God has given us the right to become His children (John 1:12). If we have become children of God, we no longer have to hide from Him. We can come without fear to God’s throne with our lame condition since God has accepted us because of Christ’s worth. Like Mephibosheth, we lived in a worthless place of bondage as far from God as we could get before God sought us out. We bring nothing to the table of our own merit. Grace brought Mephibosheth from his hiding place of fear and enmity, and gave him privileges of sonship without any preconditions.

How does embracing hope change you and others?

How did David’s kindness have the potential to give Mephibosheth a different perspective on life?

· Mephibosheth could have a different perspective on life because his past was, well, past!

Imagine it is time for the evening meal in the palace of King David. All of his handsome family are arrayed around a long, ornate table, with King David at its head. There is a pause as the family awaits one last member to arrive. A stumping noise drifts into the dining chamber as Mephibosheth slowly makes his way to the table. The stumping of Mephibosheth to the table every day was a constant reminder of David’s grace and compassion. Moreover, when Mephibosheth was seated at the table, the tablecloth covered his feet; no one on the outside looking in could tell that he was a cripple. The tablecloth of David’s grace covered his feet. He looked just like he belonged! And so do we! When we acknowledge our own inadequacies, and accept God’s gracious forgiveness and provision, we too can realize His goodness and everlasting love for us. We are never without hope!

What in your past may have you struggling with feelings of despair and hopelessness? 




Live it Out
Mephibosheth suffered due to circumstances, sinful actions of others, and his own poor choices. But still he chose to embrace hope.

1. Appreciate a kindness. Look around for how God is imparing hope to you through another person.

2. Forgive yourself. What hurtful actions have you chosen that have brought you guilt and shame? Repent and receive God’s forgiveness, and start living with His hope.

3. Be an agent of hope to someone trapped by his or her past. Offer friendship and encouragement – minus any judgment. Unsure of what to say or do? Share the gospel – imitate Christ’s unconditional love in your speech and behavior.

The past may offer shame and regret, but you can let God’s hope shape your future. Your entire life is ahead of you. 

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Prayer of Commitment

Lord, I am blessed! Guide me in knowing how to use my blessing to help someone find hope. Amen.

Wow, what a great start to this series on Let Hope In. I am really taken in by the thought of tomorrow being better than yesterday. Thinking about my entire life being ahead of me even now. This is a great hope, being free from your past to create a new tomorrow.

Can't wait to see you on Sunday!


In His Love,


David & Susan