The 2nd Half of Marriage Class

Our Prayer

Our Prayer

Heavenly Father, I know that I have sinned against You and that my sins separate me from You. I am truly sorry. I now want to turn away from my sinful past and turn to You for forgiveness. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that Your Son, Jesus Christ, died for my sins, that He was raised from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become my Savior and the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send Your Holy Spirit to help me obey You and to convict me when I sin. I pledge to grow in grace and knowledge of You. My greatest purpose in life is to follow Your example and do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Wednesday, September 19, 2018

Class Lesson September 23, 2018

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE

What do the following have in common?

Alexander Fleming found mold in a petri dish had killed all the bacteria around itself. We now have penicillin.1
Percy Spencer walked in front of a magnetron and the peanut butter candy bar in his pocket melted. This led him to create the microwave oven.2
On a hike, Georges de Mestral noticed burrs clinging to his pants. This gave him the idea for Velcro®.3

All these discoveries were made by accident; they stumbled onto a discovery that would shape part of history going forward.

These may have been happy accidents, but we can’t approach the Christian life that way. Following Jesus does not mean stumbling around in the dark hoping for a good result; following Jesus is an intentional act of obedience. If we desire to be a welcoming people, we won’t get there by accident. We will only get there through intentional acts of love. It’s a standard of love that goes the extra mile.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Luke 10:25-28

25 Then an expert in the law stood up to test him, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 “What is written in the law?” he asked him. “How do you read it?” 27 He answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind;” and “your neighbor as yourself.” 28 “You’ve answered correctly,” he told him. “Do this and you will live.”

Jesus used a powerful story to teach us what it looks like to intentionally love others. But to fully understand the meaning of the story, we must understand the occasion when Jesus told it. The story of the good Samaritan was prompted by a question from an expert in the law.

Some questions are pure in their intent. A person typically desires to know a certain piece of information. That information may even be vital to their health or future. In those cases, just asking the question is an act of humility, for in asking we are admitting our shortcoming in not knowing the answer ourselves.

But that’s not the attitude that prompted this question. This expert of the law asked a critically important question, but his question was not born of a humble search. This was instead a prideful examination. He had no desire to hear truth from Jesus; instead, he “stood up to test him.” His question was meant to demean and discredit Jesus.

Jesus answered the question by asking one of His own, and knowing the man was an expert in the law, He asked the question in terms of the law. This gave the man what he really wanted: an opportunity to showcase his knowledge. In this man’s mind, he already knew the answer to his own question. To inherit eternal life, he must love God with his entire being, and love his neighbor as himself. Indeed, this was the right answer, though the young expert failed to understand the true implications of those commands.

One such implication is that these two great loves which summarize all the commands of Scripture are linked together. Our love for God comes first from the fact that He loved us (see 1 John 4:19), and that love drives and shapes our love for others. That means our love for others should have these qualities:

We love others unreservedly. God is no respecter of persons. Nationality, ethnicity, education level, and social standing do not limit or regulate His love. We should not withhold our love for someone based on external appearance, familiarity, or any other reason.

We love others sacrificially. How much did God’s love for us cost Him? It cost Him the life of His One and only Son. This is the highest price He could have paid; yet God was willing to back up His love with action.

We love others proactively. God’s love is not an ivory tower kind of love. Rather, He got down in the muck and mire of a sinful world in the person of Jesus Christ. He did not wait for humanity to cry out to Him, but instead He took the initiative to come to us. We also must be the first movers.

Luke 10:29-32

29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus took up the question and said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him up, and fled, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down that road. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 In the same way, a Levite, when he arrived at the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

Although Jesus answered the man’s question, he was not satisfied. He wanted a further qualification from Jesus. If this man were to love his neighbor, then he wanted to know specifically who that was.

The spirit behind his second question: “Who is my neighbor?” is one of minimalism. The man wanted to know how little he could do with this “love your neighbor” stuff and still be OK. Jesus calls us to love in a much different way. Jesus wants to move us from asking, “What’s the least I have to do?” to “What else can I do?”

Jesus doesn’t give us a glimpse into the thoughts behind the actions of the priest and the Levite, but we surely can imagine all the ways they might have justified their indifference and apathy.

The point is that both men found excuses not to help, and it probably wasn’t that difficult to do so. Indifference was the easier way—and it still is. Every day, we encounter people who are spiritually injured and bleeding on the proverbial roadside. We can always find an excuse for passing them by.

It’s none of my business.

I wouldn’t know what to say.

I’ve got enough problems of my own.

Someone else is better equipped.

At the bottom of any excuse we offer is a simple failure to love. This is the dirty truth of indifference—it is not an attitude of neutrality; it is an outright denial of the call to love others as God loves them.

We would do well to recognize our tendency to find excuses. Once we recognize our own internal pull toward indifference, then we will be more prepared to actively fight against such indifference. And we fight indifference through intentional—and many times uncomfortable—acts of tangible love.

Luke 10:33-37

33 But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion. 34 He went over to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on olive oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him. When I come back I’ll reimburse you for whatever extra you spend.’ 36 “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 37 “The one who showed mercy to him,” he said. Then Jesus told him, “Go and do the same.”

The lawyer whose questions led to this story had sought to justify himself by doing as little as possible for his neighbors. Jesus gave the Jews a hero they hated because of his race, and yet this Samaritan went above and beyond any reasonable expectation in order to help someone in need. As we look at the intentional acts of love and mercy the Samaritan showed, we are to do the same.

Be people of awareness. We must make it our business to be people of awareness. We must educate ourselves on the lives and issues facing the individuals we encounter each day. Until we do so, we will always simply be passing on the other side of the road.

Be people of compassion. The Samaritan in the story wasn’t motivated because a crowd was watching him. He was internally motivated by compassion. We should be asking God to fill us with the same love and compassion that motivated Jesus to be the friend of the friendless.

Be people of margin. The reason the Samaritan was able to give of his resources is because he had built in some margin. This is a good lesson for us because most of us have zero margins in our lives. We should assume God will bring needs into our path every day that will cost us and arrange our schedules, finances, and other resources to have room to meet those needs.

LIVE IT OUT

We might accidentally stumble upon a situation that requires our help, but none of us are going to accidentally love and serve someone else. We only do this with intention. Choose one of the following applications.

Get to know someone. How intentional are you when you come to worship? This week, intentionally seek someone out you aren’t familiar with and ask that person a few questions to get to know him or her.

Trim your schedule. How much margin is in your life? Evaluate your finances and schedule, and cut back so that you have room to meet the needs of others God brings your way.

Encourage someone. Who is one person you know that is struggling, but to whom you have been indifferent? Schedule a time to sit down with that person this week.

Let’s gear our lives so that we are ready to intentionally take advantage of opportunities God brings our way to express His love to others.

Hope to see you on Sunday!

In His Love,

David & Susan

Teacher's Notes:

Click Here to Watch

Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood first aired in 1968. 50 years later, 2018 has seen a resurgence of interest about the show and its host, Fred Rogers, who passed away in 2003. This year saw Mister Rogers on a USPS forever stamp, the release of a successful biographical documentary, Won’t You Be My Neighbor? which will be released on DVD this month, and the scheduled filming of a new movie, You Are My Friend, starring Tom Hanks as Mister Rogers. An ordained Presbyterian minister, Fred Rogers worked to teach children the importance of love. He invited people from diverse backgrounds to be his neighbor while modeling what it looked like to be a good neighbor to others.

Following Jesus does not mean stumbling around in the dark hoping for a good result; following Jesus is an intentional act of obedience. If we desire to be a welcoming people, we won’t get there by accident. We will only get there through intentional acts of love.

Luke 10:25-28

Why do you think Jesus connected love for God to love for others?

What does it actually look like to love God in the ways described in these verses?

Lesson: Our love for God comes first from the fact that He loved us (see 1 John 4:19), and that love drives and shapes our love for others. That means our love for others should have these qualities:

We love others unreservedly. God is no respecter of persons. Nationality, ethnicity, education level, and social standing do not limit or regulate His love. We should not withhold our love for someone based on external appearance, familiarity, or any other reason.

We love others sacrificially. How much did God’s love for us cost Him? It cost Him the life of His One and only Son. This is the highest price He could have paid; yet God was willing to back up His love with action.

We love others proactively. God’s love is not an ivory tower kind of love. Rather, He got down in the muck and mire of a sinful world in the person of Jesus Christ. He did not wait for humanity to cry out to Him, but instead He took the initiative to come to us. We also must be the first movers.

Point: Loving God completely leads to loving others compassionately.

Luke 10:29-32

How can our treatment of church visitors be similar to the actions of the priest and Levite?

Lesson: The spirit behind his second question: “Who is my neighbor?” is one of minimalism.

The man wanted to know how little he could do with this “love your neighbor” stuff and still be OK. Jesus calls us to love in a much different way.
Jesus wants to move us from asking, “What’s the least I have to do?” to “What else can I do?”
Indifference was the easier way—and it still is. Every day, we encounter people who are spiritually injured and bleeding on the proverbial roadside. We can always find an excuse for passing them by.
It’s none of my business.
I wouldn’t know what to say.
I’ve got enough problems of my own.
Someone else is better equipped.

Point: We fail to show love when we fail to take action on behalf of others.

Luke 10:33-37

What are we in danger of losing when we make an intentional choice to love others?

Time, resources, and effort

Lesson: The lawyer whose questions led to this story had sought to justify himself by doing as little as possible for his neighbors.

Be people of awareness. We must make it our business to be people of awareness. We must educate ourselves on the lives and issues facing the individuals we encounter each day. Until we do so, we will always simply be passing on the other side of the road.
Be people of compassion. The Samaritan in the story wasn’t motivated because a crowd was watching him. He was internally motivated by compassion. We should be asking God to fill us with the same love and compassion that motivated Jesus to be the friend of the friendless.
Be people of margin. The reason the Samaritan was able to give of his resources is because he had built in some margin. This is a good lesson for us because most of us have zero margins in our lives. We should assume God will bring needs into our path every day that will cost us and arrange our schedules, finances, and other resources to have room to meet those needs.

Point: Acting with love can be costly and inconvenient, but neither is justification for not loving or taking loving action.

Because the good man was a Samaritan, Jesus is drawing a strong contrast between those who knew the law and those who actually followed the law in their lifestyle and conduct.

1. By ending the encounter in this manner, Jesus is telling us to follow the Samaritan’s example in our own conduct; i.e., we are to show compassion and love for those we encounter in our everyday activities.

2. We are to love others (vs. 27) regardless of their race or religion; the reason is need. If they have a need and we have the supply, then we are to give generously and freely, without expectation of return.

What an example of loving others this Samaritan is. Loving others is more than a feeling, a word, a good thought, or even an organized church program. It is seeing an opportunity and being so moved by love that one will go out of his way to take action to bring relief to someone in distress and need. The priest and the Levite saw the injured man, but they did not see an opportunity. Even if they felt sorry for him, apparently it was not enough to move them to action.

The Samaritan had no more reason to stop than the priest or the Levite. All the excuses the other two might have made, he might have made as well. But he didn't. The Bible says that when he saw the man, he pitied him. The nameless Samaritan did something. The others passed on by, but he stopped and helped the man. Love means nothing unless it moves us to action.

Here is the kicker: The two religious men who should have shown compassion—didn’t! And the one who wouldn’t have been expected to—did!

Conclusion: A man was standing at a construction site. A large hole had been dug as part of the excavation. Many workers were in the hole removing dirt when the walls collapsed around them. Rescuers began running from everywhere, but the man stood by and watched the scene with detachment. Suddenly a woman called out from the construction office trailer: “Jim, your brother is in the hole!” Instantly the man stripped off his coat and began digging for dear life. Why? His brother was in mortal danger, and he must get him out.

Who is my neighbor? He is my brother. My brother is anyone in danger, anyone in need, anyone in pain, anyone in trouble. Look! Your brother is sick; your brother is dying; your brother has lost his job; your brother is homeless; your brother is lost; your brother is discouraged? When will you help? Tomorrow may be too late. Today is the day. Now is the time. Why is now the best time to express love? Because you don’t know how long you will have the opportunity. Circumstances change. People die. Children grow up. You have no guarantee of tomorrow. If you want to fulfill Jesus command to love your neighbor as yourself, you had better do it now.

Let’s gear our lives so that we are ready to intentionally take advantage of opportunities God brings our way to express His love to others.

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Class Lesson September 16, 2018

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE

The world’s largest hotel chain owns exactly zero square feet in hotel room space.

Airbnb® was launched in 2007 when two roommates could not afford to pay their rent in San Francisco. In order to make a little extra money to cover their expenses, they had the idea of putting an air mattress in their living room and charging people to stay there. For many, the idea was laughable. Who would pay to sleep in the home of a perfect stranger?

But a decade or so later, Airbnb has three million lodging listings in 65,000 cities and 191 countries. These are real people opening up their homes to strangers and inviting them in. Clearly, the thought of staying in a real home resonates with a lot of folks in a lot of cultures.

Gracious hospitality is nothing new. Being hospitable is, in fact, a very spiritual characteristic. Hospitality is a command and one Christians must embrace if we want to live in a welcoming posture to those coming into the faith. Our graciousness and hospitality to individuals outside our circle of friends attracts people to the gospel we profess.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

1 Peter 4:7

7 The end of all things is near; therefore, be alert and sober-minded for prayer.

Hospitality. This was an important quality that characterized the New Testament church; the biblical writers knew it was of great importance.

Hospitality played a key role in the spread of the gospel in the days when the church was just beginning to flourish. When traveling to a new area, people were at the mercy of those who lived in that city. Therefore, Christians took hospitality seriously, and fellow believers who had been displaced were welcomed into the homes and lives of others. This graciousness helped the gospel to spread and take root in these communities.

Times have changed. Despite the fact that we live much of our lives in a “public” way online, most people value privacy more than they did in the past. Though we might put forth a version of ourselves through social media, we still really like our personal space and private time. The nature of hospitality runs counter to this, since hospitality is sharing what we consider to be “personal” with each other in a sacrificial way.

True enough, some gravitate more naturally towards this kind of sharing with others and are bent towards a more “public” approach to life than others. But if we take the words of Scripture seriously, hospitality is more than a character trait that is easier for some to practice than others; it’s a command.

To live lives of hospitality, we must begin with prayer. When we pray, we recognize that we are incapable of doing, providing, or manufacturing something on our own. In prayer, we express our reliance on God as our Provider. In prayer, we acknowledge our selfishness and commitment to our own desires are what keep us from sacrificially serving and loving others in the most practical of ways.

So what should we pray for in order to foster an attitude of hospitality?

Pray that God would help us see ourselves as stewards. One of the reasons we struggle with hospitality is we see ourselves as owners. We own a house. We own our time. We see these things are ours. But we are not owners; we are merely stewards. Everything we have has been given to us by God to use for the sake of His kingdom. Everything.

Pray that God would help us confront our greed. Another reason we struggle with hospitality is that we are just plain greedy. We hoard our resources for our own personal use and comfort, and our greed makes us reluctant to share them with anyone else. Hospitality is one of the ways God actually breaks us of this mindset.

Pray that God would bring us opportunities. If we really want to be obedient to the command of hospitality, then we should be praying for the opportunity to put action to our faith. We should ask God to open our eyes to the needs around us. When we start praying for opportunities to show hospitality, we’ll soon be surprised at how many we’ll find.

Peter began verse 7 with the reminder that “the end of all things is near.” We pray, act in love, and practice hospitality because time is of the essence. The end is near so let’s pray, and let’s welcome people into our lives. In so doing, we also welcome them into God’s kingdom.

1 Peter 4:8-9

8 Above all, maintain constant love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaining.

Love is not a feeling; it’s a deeply held commitment for the good of another that is always worked out in tangible, practical ways. That’s why hospitality is one of the most concrete signs of love. It’s a physical, practical way we serve someone else which also costs us something personal.

For the Christian, hospitality is not just an act to be performed; it is a lifestyle to be assumed. To understand why that is so, we first need to understand what hospitality is. While certain acts, like making a casserole or opening your home, are indicative of hospitality, the characteristic itself has a deeper meaning and implication than these actions that demonstrate it. The word for hospitality used in this passage comes from the combination of two words: “love” and “stranger.” Literally, then, hospitality is the love of strangers.

In the ultimate act of hospitality, God provided a way to welcome us through the death of Jesus Christ. Therefore, hospitality is a characteristic built into the spiritual DNA of all those who have experienced God’s divine hospitality. Hospitality, then, compels us to put aside our own interests, lay down our own desires, and welcome the needs of others ahead of our own. Jesus did that for us, and we’re to do likewise.

During His earthly life, Jesus practiced the essence of hospitality, which is sacrificing something of your own to welcome others. Hospitality is not merely a set of actions; it’s a posture of living that grows out of “constant love for one another.” Let’s love like Jesus, assuming a posture of sacrifice to welcome others into our lives.

1 Peter 4:10-11

10 Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let it be as one who speaks God’s words; if anyone serves, let it be from the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

God gives His children spiritual gifts—not for our own sake, but for the sake of building others up. He gives us gifts to be used in service. When we exercise our gifts for the sake of the body of Christ, we can do so with confidence, knowing God will give us what we need to do so.

The power and provision is God’s responsibility; He does all the enabling we will need. But we have a responsibility as well. Rather than being passive bystanders to God’s enabling power, we must act in faith to make the most of what God is providing.

Think of this divine/human partnership like a sailboat. The only way a sailboat is going to be propelled through the water is by the force of the wind. But the diligent sailor does not simply wait for the wind to blow. Rather, the sailor positions the sail so it can make the most of the wind when it does start to blow.

So it is with us and the enabling power of God. For our hospitality and other spiritual gifts to make a difference, we need the empowerment of God. But we have the responsibility to position our lives in such a way that we are ready to make the most of what God is going to do in and through us.

When God works through us using our spiritual gifts, many things happen. The most obvious one is that other people benefit. They might benefit from an encouraging word, from an act of service, or from the gracious welcome of hospitality. But that’s not all that happens. Our willingness to be used by God to serve other people implicitly communicates important things we believe to be true:

We are speaking about our provision. Exercising hospitality will cost us in time, energy, resources, and even privacy. When we willingly allow God to use us to demonstrate hospitality, we are testifying that we believe God to be our great Provider.

We are speaking about our contentment. Hospitality requires us to share with others, which often means we will have to make do with less for ourselves. But when we choose this posture of hospitality, we are testifying about our personal contentment.

We are speaking about our future. God is not merely redeeming individuals; He is building a people for His own glory. These people will live together with Him for all eternity. Heaven will not be lived in isolation, but in community. When we welcome others in, we are living out a small foretaste of what’s to come in the future.

LIVE IT OUT

Hospitality might be easier for some than others but we are all commanded to be hospitable. Choose one of the following applications.

Greet. Arrive at church a few minutes early this week. Spend extra time in the area outside the worship room to make sure you say hello and meet people you don’t know.

Host a group. Look for an opportunity to host a small group in your home or to be a greeter in your Bible study group.

Share a meal. Dedicate one Sunday each month to be a day when you will invite someone into your home for lunch. Make this a regular rhythm in your life.

Regardless of whether our natural personality is welcoming or not, we are compelled by how God has welcomed us to extend the same welcome to others.

Hope to see you on Sunday!

In His Love,

David & Susan

Teacher Notes:

Hospitality??

Video: Right Media: Loving Others - Logan said that it is important to invite people into the reality of what life is and in the reality of our messes. Do you agree with her? How do you invite people into your life?

Hospitality Video

Click Here to Watch

Sometimes we get so busy that we forget what it looks like to engage, love well the person that is right in front of you.

We all believe that it important that Right doctrine in the church is taught. But church doctrine is not only to be learned, it is to be lived.

People inside and outside the church evaluate us by the way we live more than by how much we know. The best way to communicate what we believe is to live what we believe. Jesus said, “By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).

Our third lesson is called Gracious Hospitality for good reason. Hospitality is a Biblical command. It is not about providing hotels and restaurants to visitors. It doesn’t even mean allowing strangers to rent rooms in your house. Gracious hospitality is a sacrificial extension of brotherly love that begins with prayer.

I. Prayer lays the groundwork for our love and hospitality.

1 Peter 4:7

The end of all things is near; therefore, be alert and sober-minded for prayer.

Hospitality. This was an important quality that characterized the New Testament church; the biblical writers knew it was of great importance. Hospitality played a key role in the spread of the gospel in the days when the church was just beginning to flourish. When traveling to a new area, people were at the mercy of those who lived in that city. Therefore, Christians took hospitality seriously, and fellow believers who had been displaced were welcomed into the homes and lives of others. Times have changed. Despite the fact that we live much of our lives in a “public” way online, most people value privacy more than they did in the past. Though we might put forth a version of ourselves through social media, we still really like our personal space and private time. The nature of hospitality runs counter to this, since hospitality is sharing what we consider to be “personal” with each other in a sacrificial way.

Why is prayer so important to hospitality?

To live lives of hospitality, we must begin with prayer. When we pray, we recognize that we are incapable of doing, providing, or manufacturing something on our own. In prayer, we express our reliance on God as our Provider. In prayer, we acknowledge our selfishness and commitment to our own desires are what keep us from sacrificially serving and loving others in the most practical of ways.

Prayer an essential ingredient in the way we reflect God’s understanding of hospitality.

Prayer represents our interaction with God, time spent in His presence and a reflection of our attitude toward the Lord. Our attitude toward the Lord will shape our disposition toward others.

What should we pray for in order to foster an attitude of hospitality?

Pray that God would help us see ourselves as stewards. One of the reasons we struggle with hospitality is we see ourselves as owners. We own a house. We own our time. We see these things are ours. But we are not owners; we are merely stewards. Everything we have has been given to us by God to use for the sake of His kingdom. Everything.

Pray that God would help us confront our greed. Another reason we struggle with hospitality is that we are just plain greedy. We hoard our resources for our own personal use and comfort, and our greed makes us reluctant to share them with anyone else. Hospitality is one of the ways God actually breaks us of this mindset.

Pray that God would bring us opportunities. If we really want to be obedient to the command of hospitality, then we should be praying for the opportunity to put action to our faith. We should ask God to open our eyes to the needs around us. When we start praying for opportunities to show hospitality, we’ll soon be surprised at how many we’ll find.

II. Constant love leads to a lifestyle of hospitality.

1 Peter 4:8-9

Above all, maintain constant love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaining.

For the Christian, hospitality is not just an act to be performed; it is a lifestyle to be assumed.

To understand why that is so, we first need to understand what hospitality is. While certain acts, like making a casserole or opening your home, are indicative of hospitality, the characteristic itself has a deeper meaning and implication than these actions that demonstrate it.

The word for hospitality used in this passage comes from the combination of two words: “love” and “stranger.” Literally, then, hospitality is the love of strangers.

In the ultimate act of hospitality, God provided a way to welcome us through the death of Jesus Christ. Therefore, hospitality is a characteristic built into the spiritual DNA of all those who have experienced God’s divine hospitality. Hospitality, then, compels us to put aside our own interests, lay down our own desires, and welcome the needs of others ahead of our own. Jesus did that for us, and we’re to do likewise. During His earthly life, Jesus practiced the essence of hospitality, which is sacrificing something of your own to welcome others.

How would you explain what a constant love looks like?

Love is not a feeling; it’s a deeply held commitment for the good of another that is always worked out in tangible, practical ways. That’s why hospitality is one of the most concrete signs of love. It’s a physical, practical way we serve someone else which also costs us something personal.
The greatest attribute of true believers is love for God, which enables them to love others.
The love believers have toward one another is to be deep, earnest, and constant.

Why did Peter say in verse 9 to show hospitality without grudging?

Believers are to rejoice over opportunities to demonstrate kindness to others without complaining or grumbling because of the cost or inconvenience.

III. God enables us to love and serve others.

1 Peter 4:10-11

Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God. If anyone speaks, let it be as one who speaks God’s words; if anyone serves, let it be from the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

How does God enable us to love and serve one another?

We are to support others who have given themselves to ministry with the resources and abilities given to us. We are to be good stewards of the grace gifts given to us. When we speak, we are to serve in His strength and not try to do things on our own. All that we say and do ought to glorify God both now and forever.
God gives His children spiritual gifts—not for our own sake, but for the sake of building others up. He gives us gifts to be used in service.

What are your gifts and talents? How do you use them to serve and love others well? What can you do to actively invite people into your life?

Logan said, "And I just really think, if people can learn how to love each other in the need, meet the need and you can serve, and open your front door, and let your mess be exposed to somebody else and they expose their mess to you, there’s this authenticity of relationship and community and love that makes a transaction there."

Hospitality points to the great Provider. It will cost us in time, energy, resources, and even privacy. When we willingly allow God to use us to demonstrate hospitality, we are testifying that we believe God to be our great Provider.
Hospitality points to contentment. It requires us to share with others, which often means we will have to make do with less for ourselves. But when we choose this posture of hospitality, we are testifying about our personal contentment.
Hospitality points to heaven. God is not merely redeeming individuals; He is building a people for His own glory. These people will live together with Him for all eternity. Heaven will not be lived in isolation, but in community. When we welcome others in, we are living out a small foretaste of what’s to come in the future.

We should live expectantly because Christ is coming. Getting ready to meet Christ involves continually growing in love for God and for others. It’s important to pray regularly, and it’s important to reach out to needy people. Your possessions, status, and power will mean nothing in God’s kingdom, but you will spend eternity with other people. Invest your time and talents where they will make an eternal difference.

LIVE IT OUT

Jesus told His disciples that He came not to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many (Mat. 20:28). May this be our vision of hospitality—seeking not to be served, but to sacrificially serve our families, friends, neighbors, church, community, travelers, and strangers all with Jesus and for Jesus.

Tuesday, September 4, 2018

Class Lesson September 9, 2018

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE

Moving is hard. In addition to packing your belongings and boxing up your memories, you also have to acclimate to new surroundings. A new grocery store. A new traffic pattern. Even a new local news team on TV. Everything is new and nothing is familiar.

That won’t last forever. What is new will eventually become familiar. Things will become comfortable as you adjust to your new normal. We all love familiarity because what is familiar is comfortable.

That kind of familiarity and comfort can be good when we are adjusting to a new home, but it’s dangerous in the life of a Christian.

We naturally gravitate to the people we know best and who are like us. It’s easier to interact with people with whom we share a common interest or background. But a problem arises when those friendships drive us to overlook or ignore others, or worse, to show preferential treatment. Jesus, on the other hand, loves all people the same—and we’re called to do likewise. We must learn to embrace everyone with open arms.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

James 2:1-4

1 My brothers and sisters, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. 2 For if someone comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor person dressed in filthy clothes also comes in, 3 if you look with favor on the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here in a good place,” and yet you say to the poor person, “Stand over there,” or “Sit here on the floor by my footstool,” 4 haven’t you made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

The Book of James was written to Christians who were undergoing persecution. James wrote this letter not only to encourage them to remain strong during those difficult times, but also to remind them that faith and obedience is linked together.

It’s in this context that James addressed the issue of partiality. These Christians claimed to believe the gospel and follow Jesus, but apparently they were not treating people equally in their congregations, especially regarding wealth. According to James, this was an evil thing to do. This is true for at least three reasons:

1. Partiality neglects the image of God in fellow humans. When we show favoritism to one person or group of people over another, we are—whether we realize it or not—subtly neglecting the truth that all human beings have been created in the image of God. Because all of us have been created in God’s image, every one of us is worthy of honor and dignity. When we remove some of that honor and dignity, even if it seems like a small thing, we are doing more than exercising our preference for one group or another. We are denying the image of God in the neglected party.

2. Partiality sees others as objects to be used. Why might we show favoritism? In James’ illustration of the rich man and the poor man in the fellowship, the reason is simple: we can get something from the rich man. By showing favoritism, we might receive: some of his money, a greater reputation because we are associated with a person of prominence, or his approval which would increase our self-esteem. Whatever the case, we are hoping to gain something from him, which means we are using that person rather than serving and loving him.

3. Partiality sets us up as judge. Favoritism is a big deal because it puts us in the place of God. We are determining someone’s worthiness based on some preconceived notion because of the person’s clothes, money, reputation, or whatever. But we are not equipped to make this judgment. Indeed, only God can look at the heart. When we show partiality, we are putting ourselves in the place of God. We are judging the worth of another.

James 2:5-7

5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6 Yet you have dishonored the poor. Don’t the rich oppress you and drag you into court? 7 Don’t they blaspheme the good name that was invoked over you?

We might be tempted to think partiality is not that big a deal, but we only think that when we fail to see the heart behind such actions. James has already helped us see that “evil” is not too strong a word to use when describing favoritism. In addition to the evil of treating other people as objects rather than as fellow image-bearers, partiality is also wrong because it runs contrary to the heart of God.

When you begin to consider God’s posture toward humanity, an important word comes to mind: grace. Because of His great love for us, God has assumed a posture of grace toward human beings. When we adopt an attitude of favoritism, we are neglecting God’s heart of grace in at least two ways:

1. Favoritism makes assumptions based on external appearance. God’s grace is not based on how much money we have, how educated we are, or how polished our appearance is. When we show favoritism based on these external qualities, we are implying that someone is either closer to or further away from God’s favor. Such an attitude runs contrary to the very definition of grace.

2. Favoritism focuses on what we receive rather than what we can give. Perhaps in James’ day, the thinking was that by showing favoritism to these seemingly important people, the congregation might receive financial benefit. In either case, the focus is on what the church might receive. This, too, runs contrary to what grace is: a gift freely given with nothing expected in return.

If we want to adopt the heart of God, then no place remains for partiality and favoritism. We must recognize that it is only by grace that we have been welcomed into His family—and we are to extend that same grace to others.

James 2:8-10

8 Indeed, if you fulfill the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. 9 If, however, you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the entire law, and yet stumbles at one point, is guilty of breaking it all.

Perhaps the most obvious reason why partiality and favoritism are wrong is because attitudes like these are inconsistent with love. And love is the language the Christian should speak above anything else.

Love God. Love people. That’s it. If we do this, then we are doing everything. James called love “the royal law prescribed in Scripture.” But as James also pointed out, the opposite is also true—if we fail at love, then we fail at everything else. To show favoritism is to be guilty of all.

Many times we don’t understand how strong our vertical relationship with God is related to our horizontal relationships with others. We know we’re supposed to love each other, but a lot of the time doing so seems to be a sheer act of will. Such an attitude entirely misses the connection between our relationship with God and our relationships with others.

We love others not because we force ourselves to do so, but because we are truly in touch with the measure of God’s love for us. Since that’s true, the opposite is also true: we fail to love others because we fail to believe or understand the fullness or completeness with which we have been loved by God.

When the temptation to show favoritism rises inside us—when we know our tendency is to always favor one group over another—we would do well to remind ourselves that we are all on level ground at the foot of the cross. “There is no one righteous, not even one” (Rom. 3:10). Not even that person or group we tend to favor, and certainly not us. God Himself does not show favoritism; instead, He is building His kingdom from unlikely places and sources. And that should be our attitude.

LIVE IT OUT

We must break out of the huddles of familiarity we have created for ourselves and reach out to any and all God brings our way. Choose one or more of the following applications.

Pray. Pray specifically that God would bring you in contact with someone who looks, talks, or thinks differently than you.

Change seats. When you gather this week to worship or in your group, intentionally sit somewhere different. Sit next to someone new and engage him or her in conversation.

Go someplace new. Don’t just wait for someone different to come your way; be proactive and go out of your way to meet someone new. Go to a different area in your community for some everyday task like buying groceries. While you’re there, engage someone new in conversation.

It’s always easier to surround ourselves with people who are familiar, but we must remember that God loves everyone the same, so we must learn to embrace them all with open arms.

Hope to see you on Sunday!

In His Love,

David & Susan

Teacher Notes:

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ― Maya Angelou

Our second lesson is called Open Arms for good reason. Welcoming others goes beyond a friendly handshake.

For there is no partiality with God.

Romans 2:11

A dirty and poor woman walked into a church. Everyone looked at her with shame including the pastor. She approached the pastor and asked him a simple question; what must I do to become a member of this Church. The pastor looked at her with un wanting eyes. Trying to get rid of her he said you must go home and read the whole Bible in one week. Thinking she won’t fulfill the challenge; but the woman returned in a week and said to the pastor. I have done what you asked me. The pastors face look aggravated and annoyed by her. You have one last task he said. You must go home and pray 6 hours a day until God gives you an answer. So, she left but this time she didn’t return. A couple months later the pastor was walking through town and ran into this women. The moment was awkward. The pastor looked at her and asked with hesitation. So did God give you an answer? She smiled and said yes. He told me don’t worry about getting into this church. I have been trying for 20 years.

James 2:1-4

My brothers and sisters, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. For if someone comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor person dressed in filthy clothes also comes in, if you look with favor on the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here in a good place,” and yet you say to the poor person, “Stand over there,” or “Sit here on the floor by my footstool,” haven’t you made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

Why do people so quickly make value judgments based on external appearances?

Treat all people the same.

Showing favoritism is incompatible and inconsistent with the claim that we follow Jesus Christ.
We are to avoid making judgments about people only on the basis of appearance.
When we show favoritism for one person over another we are making ourselves judges over them.

What emotions do you experience when someone accepts you with open arms?

Accept all equally. (vv. 1-4) James instructed believers not to show favoritism or unfair partiality toward others. The church should be the one place where distinctions don’t exist, whether it is status, ethnicity, gender, age, appearance, affluence, or popularity. James warned that favoritism is sin (v. 9). We think favoritism is a small sin, but James reminded us that if we break one of God’s laws we have broken them all (James 2:10). Instead of favoritism, we are to treat all people in the same manner. We need to look at everyone through the eyes of Christ. If we want to be like Christ, we can’t play favorites.

According to James, this was an evil thing to do. Three reasons:

Partiality to one person or group of people over another, we are—whether we realize it or not—subtly neglecting the truth that all human beings have been created in the image of God. Because all of us have been created in God’s image, every one of us is worthy of honor and dignity. When we remove some of that honor and dignity, even if it seems like a small thing, we are doing more than exercising our preference for one group or another. We are denying the image of God in the neglected party.
Partiality sees others as objects to be used. Why might we show favoritism? In James’ illustration of the rich man and the poor man in the fellowship, the reason is simple: we can get something from the rich man. By showing favoritism, we might receive: some of his money, a greater reputation because we are associated with a person of prominence, or his approval which would increase our self-esteem. Whatever the case, we are hoping to gain something from him, which means we are using that person rather than serving and loving him.
Partiality sets us up as judge. Favoritism is a big deal because it puts us in the place of God. We are determining someone’s worthiness based on some preconceived notion because of the person’s clothes, money, reputation, or whatever. But we are not equipped to make this judgment. Indeed, only God can look at the heart. When we show partiality, we are putting ourselves in the place of God. We are judging the worth of another.

James 2:5-7

Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? Yet you have dishonored the poor. Don’t the rich oppress you and drag you into court? Don’t they blaspheme the good name that was invoked over you?

Why is partiality inconsistent with the heart of God?

Partiality is inconsistent with God’s Heart.

We are to avoid acting in ways that become divisive to the congregation.
In Christ, even the poorest can be rich in faith.
We become heirs of God’s kingdom by His choosing and giving us faith, not by our standing before others.

Respond to all gracefully. (vv. 5-7) In James’ day, a two-class societal system was present—rich upper class and poor lower class. Christians generally were of the lower, poorer class. James contrasted the rich and the poor, making a theological point. The rich will be made poor because their wealth will not save them. The spiritually poor will be made rich because they will inherit the riches of Christ’s grace. By the way, God has always had a special place for the poor. Christianity offered much to the poor and demanded much from the rich. The poor are often forgotten and marginalized. But those that mattered to no one else mattered intensely to God. Maybe that is one reason why so many poor people flooded the early church. As it relates to treating people, we need to address people with grace. We need to treat them the way God has treated us. He looked past our flaws and mistakes and loved us with unmerited favor.

James 2:8-10

Indeed, if you fulfill the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. If, however, you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the entire law, and yet stumbles at one point, is guilty of breaking it all.

What does it really mean to love your neighbor?

Love is consistent with God’s Heart.

Attitudes among Christians are to be shaped by the royal law revealed in Christ and founded on love.
Partiality that leads to rejection of an individual or a people is sin in the sight of God.
A sinner is the person who disregards the law of the Lord, even just one.

Love all reciprocally. (vv. 8-10) James referred to the royal law: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Jesus affirmed this statement as a part of the Great Commandment.) It’s a royal law because if we obeyed this law, we wouldn’t need all the rest. We are to treat others as we want others to treat us. I read about a junior varsity cheerleader, Hannah, who wanted to be on the varsity squad. Her best friend, Melissa, a varsity cheerleader, practiced with Hannah every day to help her make the varsity squad. After the tryouts, Hannah discovered that she did make varsity, but Melissa didn’t make it. Melissa had gone the extra mile to help Hannah make the varsity team so they could cheer together. Hannah wanted to swap places with Melissa. Hannah drove to Melissa’s house. She wanted to comfort Melissa that night, so she slept on the floor next to her bed. Hannah knew the best thing she could do was to be near her friend during this difficult time. When you swap places with others to feel how they hurt, you’ve taken the first step toward loving your neighbor as yourself.

Many times, we don’t understand how strong our vertical relationship with God is related to our horizontal relationships with others. We know we’re supposed to love each other, but a lot of the time doing so seems to be a sheer act of will. Such an attitude entirely misses the connection between our relationship with God and our relationships with others.

LIVE IT OUT

This lesson is one that gets close to us – or is it just me? Most of us are guilty of showing favoritism toward certain people at the cost of rejecting others. Those of us who would not commit the “great” sins can easily succumb to this one. We don’t like the way a person smells. We dislike a person because of the color of his skin. We refuse help to a person whose clothes are dirty and whose hair is long and unkept. On the other hand, we may avoid the person who appears snobbish, dresses fashionably, and flaunts her money. Whomever, how sad it would be if we denied them our witness for Christ only on the basis of their appearance and outward conditions.

When we open our arms to all people, equally, gracefully, reciprocally, and mercifully, we will treat people as God intended.

We need to be aware of how we treat each other in God’s house because it is an extremely serious matter. To harbor a snobbish attitude towards our brothers and our sisters has no place in the house of God. It is a SIN! Sins committed without awareness are a problem for many people today. We just move forward without thinking about what we are doing or we have done it for so long it just does not seem like a sin anymore but it still is. Christian believers should never show partiality towards one another, there should not one snob in the sanctuary at any given time. And if there is, he or she should go on bending knees pleading with the Lord for forgiveness and then repent. Amen.

"What does the Bible say about favoritism?"

Favoritism is partiality or bias. To show favoritism is to give preference to one person over others with equal claims. It is similar to discrimination and may be based on conditions such as social class, wealth, clothing, actions, etc.

The Bible is clear that favoritism is not God’s will for our lives.

1. Favoritism is incongruent with God’s character: “God does not show favoritism” (Romans 2:11). All are equal before Him. Ephesians 6:9 says, “There is no favoritism with him.” Colossians 3:25 teaches God’s fairness in judgment: “Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.”

2. The Bible teaches Christians are not to show favoritism: “My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism” (James 2:1). The context concerns the treatment of rich and poor in the church. James points out that treating someone differently based on his financial status or how he is dressed is wrong. The Old Testament provides similar instruction regarding favoritism. Leviticus 19:15 teaches, “Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.” Exodus 23:3 likewise commands, “Do not show favoritism to a poor man in his lawsuit.” Justice should be blind, and both rich and poor should be treated equally before the law.

3. The Bible calls favoritism sin: “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers” (James 2:8-9). Favoritism is a serious offense against God’s call to love one’s neighbor as oneself.

4. Church leaders are especially charged not to show favoritism. Paul commanded Timothy, a young church leader, “I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism” (1 Timothy 5:21).

5. It is difficult to avoid showing favoritism. Even Christ’s closest followers struggled with bias against people different from them. When the apostle Peter was first called to minister to non-Jewish people, he was reluctant. He later admitted, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right” (Acts 10:34). The fact that James specifically addresses the sin of favoritism implies that this was a common problem within the early church.

Favoritism is a problem we still deal with. Favoritism and partiality are not from God, and Christians are called to love. As humans, we tend to form judgments based on selfish, personal criteria rather than seeing others as God sees them. May we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and follow His example of treating every person with God’s love (John 3:16).

When we think of the attributes of God, when we think of what God is like, His characteristics, the elements of His nature, what makes up His person, we think of holiness and we think of justice and we think of wisdom and omnipotence and omniscience and omnipresence. We might think of immutability that is that God does not change. We might think of eternality. We might say sovereignty. We might list His love, His grace, His mercy, His faithfulness, His goodness. And you could probably think of more than just those.

But there is another attribute of God that we don't very often talk about and yet is very often spoken of in Scripture and that is God's impartiality. God is absolutely and totally impartial in dealing with people. And in that way, He is utterly unlike us. We are very partial.

We tend to put everyone in some kind of stratified category, higher or lower than other people. It has to do with their looks. It has to do with their wardrobe. It has to do with the kind of car they drive, the kind of house they live in; sometimes it has to do with their race, sometimes with their social status, sometimes outward characteristics of personality.

All of those things with God are non-issues. They are of no significance at all. They mean absolutely nothing to Him.

A person's education, a person's economic status, a person's looks, a person's wardrobe, a person's social relationships, a person's job, a person's fame, prestige, a person's earthly honor, all of those collectively and individually mean absolutely nothing to God. They are non-issues.

In 2 Chronicles 19:7 it says, "There is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons."

To put it simply in Old Testament terminology, man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart. God is not interested in your bank account, your wardrobe, your jewelry as any kind of commendation of your character.

So, how we react to people is a test. And if we are like God we will not be favoring certain people because of their status, education, money, fame, prestige, looks or whatever. There's no place for favoritism in the heart of God and there's no place for favoritism in the heart of His people and therefore there's no place for favoritism in the church.

Favoritism

Favoritism is ultimately about self. It’s about what – or who – we prefer: what’s nice for us, what makes us look good. And all this is at the expense of someone else. It’s about being self-centered – and self at the center means Jesus isn’t.

Favoritism, however, isn’t always as obvious as in the description in today’s passage (vs 1–4). It could be a subtle maneuvering to avoid someone; or being ‘busy’ clearing up so as to avoid conversation; or claiming we’re needed for one ministry so as not to have to be involved in a less preferred one.

What does God call this? Sin (v 9).

The Old Testament commandment to love your neighbor as yourself resonates strongly in much of Jesus’ teaching, especially in the story of the good Samaritan (see Luke 10:25–37). He put the needs of the unfortunate traveler way ahead of his own convenience – putting himself out for someone who, in different circumstances, might have treated him (a Samaritan) just like a poor man (v 3).

The way to overcome the self-centered behavior of favoritism is to remember the mercy we have been shown by Christ, and to seek to demonstrate it in all our dealings with others. Not always easy – but definitely a triumph (v 13).