Teaching Notes

What I Should Know About The Bible?

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (The Message)

7-10 Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn't get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan's angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me, My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.

Notes: This week we will end with the myth that bad things shouldn't happen to me.  In our world we believe that if we become a Christian that we somehow become exempt from any bad.  If we go through something, people begin to question if they are in the right religion.

Question: What does Paul say about his own afflictions?

Answer: He says that these afflictions he face are to keep him from getting the "big head" or from thinking to highly of himself.  He actually says that it is a gift.  Who would think that a difficulty is a gift?  He says it is because it keeps him humble.  He didn't accept it as first as a gift, but he said he was able to see it as such.  It was because he was able to see the strength of God at work in his life.  We must all learn to combat the myth that we will not have to go through things.  Sometimes you are told just the opposite even from well meaning Christians.  Yet, the truth is this, we do go through some difficulties in life.  The wonderful gift we have is the same one Paul had.  That gift is God's strength to get us through.

Prayer: Lord thank you for loving us enough to strengthen us through the difficulties we face in life.  We will all face some things in life, and we are thankful to you for loving us enough to keep us through them.

Teaching Notes

What I Should Know About The Bible?

1 Peter 3:13-18 (The Message)

13-18 If with heart and soul you're doing good, do you think you can be stopped? Even if you suffer for it, you're still better off. Don't give the opposition a second thought. Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you're living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy. Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They'll end up realizing that they're the ones who need a bath. It's better to suffer for doing good, if that's what God wants, than to be punished for doing bad. That's what Christ did definitively: suffered because of others' sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it all—was put to death and then made alive—to bring us to God.

Note: There is a belief that says you most be stupid if you believe in the Bible.  This is a religion for those that have checked their brains at the door.  Even though we accept our salvation by faith, it does not mean we do not learn or gain understanding of what it is we believe.

Question: What does the scripture tell us about our faith?

Answer: The instruction that is given to believers is just the opposite of don't learn.  Instead the instruction is study and learn so that you will be ready to tell others what you believe and why.  You cannot tell others what you believe if you are not taking the time to study to learn.  The instruction is for us to be ready to stand strong for our faith.  Who can do that if they really do not have anything to show for what they believe?  We are to study and seek God's direction so that we can gain understanding about the truth in God's word.  That is how we are able to address the questions and myths that arise in the world. That is how I am able to answer this question because I have taken the time to study so that someone will not discourage me in my faith.  Are you doing the same?

Prayer: Jesus prayed for his disciples that you would keep them safe from the lies of this world.  He didn't just ask you to protect those disciples that were with him, but that all that would come behind you would protect as well.  Help us to resist the lies of this world.

Teaching Notes

What I Should Know About the Bible?

John 14:6-7 (The Message)

6-7 Jesus said, "I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him. You've even seen him!"

Note: There is a belief that everyone is going to heaven.  This "universalist" myth wants to discount the truth of the word of God. Many believe that a loving God could not send anyone to hell, therefore all are going.

Question: What is the absolute truth in this scripture?

Answer: Jesus says that he is the way, the truth and no one is getting to the Father except through him.  In other words what Jesus is saying is I am the way of salvation that God has given for all men.  I am the truth of God's word made available to anyone that will accept it.  I am the door that opens so that you can be with the Father.  That means if you reject Jesus Christ as the savior, you also reject what goes along with the covenant of God. We do not get to re-write God's covenant (agreement).  He wrote it all we do is get to accept it or reject it.  If you refuse to accept it, you also refuse to receive from him. So if one is sent to hell, God didn't send them, they chose to go because they refused to go the way that God created for them to get there.

Prayer: Lord  help us to accept your ways.  We cannot get to you based on our own way and our own ideology.  Help us to accept the truth of your word.

Teaching Notes

It is the gift of Christ alone that saves.

What I Should Know About the Bible?

John 3:3 (The Message)

Jesus said, "You're absolutely right. Take it from me: Unless a person is born from above, it's not possible to see what I'm pointing to—to God's kingdom."

Note: There is another false belief some have and that is God will grade us based on others.  What I mean by that is, some think I am better than he is or she is so, things cannot be so bad and God will grade me better than that person so I'm going to heaven.  What does this scripture say about that?

Question: Does God base your salvation on others?

Answer: The scriputre tells us that unless a person is born from above (accept Jesus as savior) it is not possible for them to recieve the gift of the kingdom of God.  In other words it is not based on how good you are or are not.  It is based squarely on your relationship with Jesus.  There are those that some think because of who they have been they will not receive the gift of the Kingdom.  But that will not keep them out if they accept the gift of salvation through Christ. It is in Christ alone and not how good you think you are.

Prayer: Lord help us today to realize the lies that Satan wants us to believe that we can make it to heaven on our own ability.  Your word clearly says it is through the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.  Help us to accept it.

Teaching Notes

Storm clouds were gathering.  Do you think the storm was only going to shower down on those that accepted that the cloud were true or was it going to rain down on all that were in it's path?  The absolute truth is this, the rain is coming down on all that are in its path.

What I Should I Know About the Bible?

Judges 17:6 (The Message)

In those days there was no king in Israel. People did whatever they felt like doing.

There's a way of life that looks harmless enough; look again—it leads straight to hell. Sure, those people appear to be having a good time, but all that laughter will end in heartbreak. - Proverbs 14:12-13

Notes: Today, let us look at another false belief we have about the Bible. There are sayings such as "One Man's Ceiling is Another Man's Floor".  What this means is what works for you might not work for me.  This is called "relativity".  This means that truth is relative to how you feel or what you think.  Let us see what God says about that.

Question: What does God's word say about the thought of following your own thoughts?

Answer: Scripture says that there are those that believe their way is right.  They were doing what they felt like doing.  However God's word says man's way leads to hell.  This means that no matter how something "feels" to you there are still absolute standards.  When we believe in relativity we base everything on what we feel or what we experience.  However, we cannot be fooled simply by what we "feel".  The absolutes of the Bible must be followed.  God requires us to follow his guidelines.  This means that we cannot say, well the Bible teaches us to keep ourselves free from sexual sin, but that doesn't apply to me.  I am at peace with that.  You might be at peace, but you are still in sin because this is an absolute with God, let us follow his ways complete.

Prayer: Lord help us not to be caught up in the falsehoods about you and your word.  You do require us to follow you, your way.  Your word is absolute and it is the requirement for all people, not just those that decide to follow it.  It is what every one will be judge from.  Help me to walk in your way.

Teaching Notes

(unknown photographer) The tomb was empty!  Not because it was the wrong tomb but because Jesus rose!

What Should I Know About the Bible?

Matthew 27:57-28:15 (The Message)

57-61 Late in the afternoon a wealthy man from Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus, arrived. His name was Joseph. He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. Pilate granted his request. Joseph took the body and wrapped it in clean linens, put it in his own tomb, a new tomb only recently cut into the rock, and rolled a large stone across the entrance. Then he went off. But Mary Magdalene and the other Mary stayed, sitting in plain view of the tomb.

62-64 After sundown, the high priests and Pharisees arranged a meeting with Pilate. They said, "Sir, we just remembered that that liar announced while he was still alive, 'After three days I will be raised.' We've got to get that tomb sealed until the third day. There's a good chance his disciples will come and steal the corpse and then go around saying, 'He's risen from the dead.' Then we'll be worse off than before, the final deceit surpassing the first."

65-66 Pilate told them, "You will have a guard. Go ahead and secure it the best you can." So they went out and secured the tomb, sealing the stone and posting guards.

1-4 After the Sabbath, as the first light of the new week dawned, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to keep vigil at the tomb. Suddenly the earth reeled and rocked under their feet as God's angel came down from heaven, came right up to where they were standing. He rolled back the stone and then sat on it. Shafts of lightning blazed from him. His garments shimmered snow-white. The guards at the tomb were scared to death. They were so frightened, they couldn't move.

5-6 The angel spoke to the women: "There is nothing to fear here. I know you're looking for Jesus, the One they nailed to the cross. He is not here. He was raised, just as he said. Come and look at the place where he was placed.

7 "Now, get on your way quickly and tell his disciples, 'He is risen from the dead. He is going on ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there.' That's the message."

8-10 The women, deep in wonder and full of joy, lost no time in leaving the tomb. They ran to tell the disciples. Then Jesus met them, stopping them in their tracks. "Good morning!" he said. They fell to their knees, embraced his feet, and worshiped him. Jesus said, "You're holding on to me for dear life! Don't be frightened like that. Go tell my brothers that they are to go to Galilee, and that I'll meet them there."

11-15 Meanwhile, the guards had scattered, but a few of them went into the city and told the high priests everything that had happened. They called a meeting of the religious leaders and came up with a plan: They took a large sum of money and gave it to the soldiers, bribing them to say, "His disciples came in the night and stole the body while we were sleeping." They assured them, "If the governor hears about your sleeping on duty, we will make sure you don't get blamed." The soldiers took the bribe and did as they were told. That story, cooked up in the Jewish High Council, is still going around.

Note: I know this is a lot of scripture so I won't write as much.  The question about belief we examine today is that Jesus had not really risen but that individuals went to the wrong tomb.
 
Question: How many eyewitness do we have that this was the right tomb?
 
Answer: First we have Joseph the man that placed Jesus in the tomb.  We also have the two Mary's that stood and watched everything.  They would never forget where they saw their master laid.  The were sitting in plain view of the tomb. We now have the Pharisees because there were trying to prevent Jesus' resurrection.  So they asked for guards to be posted outside of the tomb.  Surely they had to know where he was to be able to seal the tomb.  I do not believe they would have just taken someones word.  When the two Mary's came back, the stone was rolled away and Jesus was no longer in the tomb.  Yet they met an angel that told them he was no longer in the tomb but he had risen.  Let us know forget that also met Jesus themselves along the way back to tell the others. What happened then is the guards become fearfully and went back and told the religious leaders Jesus was gone.  They paid the guards and said the story we are telling is the disciples took the body.  Today we still struggle with believing the truth about the resurrection.
 
Prayer: Help me to believe this truth because it is what may faith is founded on that Jesus died and rose again for my sins.  Help me not to be deceived with the foolishness of this world but to see and accept what your word tells me.  This I pray in Jesus' name.