Focal Passage: Isaiah 8:20-9:7 

I was in high school the first time I heard a live performance of Handel’s Messiah. The climax was The Hallelujah Chorus; everyone stood. But I’d been even more impressed earlier as the tympani drummer in the orchestra pounded the rhythm and the exuberant choir sang: “And His name shall be called, WONDERFUL! COUNSELOR! THE MIGHTY GOD! THE EVERLASTING  FATHER! THE PRINCE OF PEACE!” 

Those words are from Isaiah 9, the prophetic passage in today’s lesson from our current series, Looking Forward to CHRISTmas. But first let’s deal with some “gloom, despair, and agony on me,” as the cast of HeeHaw mournfully sang years ago. It’s found in Isaiah 8:20-22. [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11 

This is the first of six Bible Studies for Life entitled: Looking Forward to CHRISTmas.

(I always spell it “CHRISTmas,” by the way. For years I have put CHRIST in all caps. It’s a reminder to me and everyone that we are not the reason for the season, He is. After all, it’s not “ChristmUS!” ) 

Looking Forward is a good choice of words; we all remember from childhood that a huge part of any CHRISTmas morning was the anticipation of it. So it was — to an immeasurably greater degree — that very first CHRISTmas: centuries of anticipating the wondrous day of Christ’s birth on earth had millions of saints and angels ‘on tip-toe’ with excitement!  [Read more…]

Focal Passages: Psalm 30 

We turn our attention this last lesson of the fall quarter to Thanksgiving, a favorite holiday for many believers.  Psalm 30 highlights many reasons for God’s children to be grateful.  Entitled “A Dedication Song for the House,” this Psalm of David focuses on the individual’s thanksgiving to God for deliverance and healing.   

Rescued from destruction. We may not have armies encompassing us, threatening our safety as in David’s life.  However, we can all relate to being surrounded by trouble, worry and impending defeat. And, when it comes to our need for salvation, our despondent and desperate depravity binds us in a hopeless state of sin and death. As Psalm 3 declares, the “foes increase” mocking, “There is no help for him in God … But Thou, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head!”   [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Genesis 42:3-5, 21-24a, 45:1-5 

The story of Joseph and his brothers teaches us that it is better to work toward restoration and reconciliation than to seek revenge. While Hollywood can earn millions with a movie plot centered on a protagonist seeking to claim vengeance, God demonstrates through the gospel that reconciliation and forgiveness leads to the greatest story ever told. 

God often uses crisis to bring about reconciliation. Joseph had risen from slavery and prison to second in command in all of Egypt. He was tasked by Pharoah to oversee the storage of seven years of plentiful grain harvest.  [Read more…]

Focal Passages: Genesis 37:1-4, 18-24, 31-34 

The greatest family dynamic in the Book of Genesis must be Joseph and his brothers. God demonstrates His faithfulness even through betrayal, setbacks and suffering. This story also illustrates that family reconciliation is possible, even in the most extreme cases, when the love and grace of the Lord God comes into play. That happy ending for Joseph and his brothers is for next week’s lesson. This week we see what caused Joseph’s brothers to go from jealousy to hatred, leading them to violently seek Joseph’s downfall and deceive their father to intense grief. 

Parental favoritism leads to fraternal discord. Jacob had 12 sons. Most of the sons were blessings of God through Leah, or the handmaids Bilhah and Zilpah. Israel had only two sons with his beloved Rachel — Joseph and Benjamin. He loved Joseph more than any other as the oldest of Rachel’s sons.  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Genesis 27:35-41; 33:1-4, 8-11 

Isaac and Rebekah’s favoritism spawned a family rivalry between their sons Esau and Jacob. Jacob and Rebekah’s deception threatened to destroy the family forever. Yet, Jacob desired to return to the land promised to his grandfather Abraham. That would require restoration of family ties long severed. The reconciliation between Jacob and Esau provides hope for families broken asunder by hatred and deception. 

Hatred should never be an option. Esau had every right to be furious over the stolen blessing. He complained to his father that Jacob had cheated him twice. However, his anger for his brother turned into bitterness, envy and violent hatred. This provides a glimpse into the heart of Esau.  [Read more…]

The patriarchal blessing founded by God through the family of Abraham carried with it the very promise of salvation for humanity, ultimately fulfilled in God’s only Son, Jesus the Messiah. However, this “first family” was not without its problems. In their favoritism Isaac and Rebekah infused in their children a rivalry that had disastrous consequences for their descendants. 

Never let family differences breed favoritism. From the very birth of Esau and Jacob we see personality traits in their names and their parents’ relationship with them Esau’s name means “hairy or rough,” pointing to how he appeared from the womb. This translated to a life in the outdoors, becoming a huntsman. Jacob’s name means “to follow or supplant.” He came into the world holding Esau’s heel, seemingly destined to yearn for his older brother’s birthright. Their father Isaac loved to eat the food Esau killed during his hunts. Therefore, Esau naturally became Isaac’s favorite son.  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Genesis 13:5-11, 14-18 

Families often face difficult crossroads of conflict. Problems can arise when we only look after our own interests. Abram and Lot responded to a family squabble by wisely deciding to part ways. However, Lot’s decision, out of greed and self-conceit, would result in life-altering consequences. 

Identify the source of conflict. News flash: families fight! It is a reality of life today as it was in Genesis 13. God had so blessed Abram’s family in Canaan that Abram and his nephew Lot’s possessions became too much for them to coexist in the same region. This caused quarreling between the herdsmen of the two patriarchs over available grazing land.  [Read more…]

Focal Passages: Genesis 4:1-12 

We begin a new six-week study on family relationships and how they are to pattern our connection with the community at large. We start with the tragedy of Cain and Abel. This story provides deep insights into the human condition and the importance of taking the responsibility to look after our family members and our neighbors in the community and the world. 

God has created each individual with unique gifts and traits. When Cain was born, Eve declared that she had obtained a male child with the Lord’s help. This statement harkens back to Genesis 3:15 when God provided the first ray hope for mankind after the Fall to sin and death. God promised that one of Eve’s descendants would crush the head of the serpent. Eve hoped this deliverance would come immediately through her first-born son. 

Cain, however, literally means, “acquired,” and the sinful seeds of possession and self-reliance shone forth in this name. Even when we obtain something from the Lord’s blessing, we are easily tempted to claim ownership. I John 2:16 identifies the “pride in one’s possessions” to be one of the sinful desires of the flesh. Cain’s life was marked by the fleshly desire to obtain significance apart from God and humble faith.  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Philippians 1:1-11 

The final study on God’s purpose for His people focuses on the importance of ministry partnerships and glorifying God through consistent and lifelong service to the kingdom of God.  

Give thanks for ministry partnership. The book of Philippians is often called the Letter of Joy, but Paul wrote it while a prisoner. Philippi was a city in Macedonia (northern Greece) that had a thriving church despite poverty and persecution. Paul spoke highly of the Philippians and other Macedonian churches saying, “their abundant joy and their extreme poverty overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.” (II Corinthians 8:2)  

Paul had served and suffered with this congregation and he expressed his deep gratitude to them in this letter.  He witnessed how God used them for great acts of generosity and ministry despite their difficult circumstances.  In these initial comments of this letter, Paul illustrates the great joy found in the fellowship of service in Christian ministry. God’s purpose for believers is exemplified through intentional, incarnational ministry. We live in a hyper-individualized society where many believe they can demonstrate their Christian faith simply by watching sermons, listening to Christian music, maintaining private devotion or viewing Christian based videos. [Read more…]