Today we began our new series I'm calling D-NOW. Why not? It only seems appropriate that we use the same annual theme as our youth group: "Discipleship Now". This will be a 5-6 week study of the importance of discipleship and where to begin. We either need to be discipled, or we need to be discipling others--or both.
Disciple: A disciple is a person who is becoming more and more like Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Our chief end goal is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. How do we glorify God? Jesus our Lord said in John 15:8, "My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be My disciples." God's ultimate plan for your life is to bring glory to His name as a disciple of Jesus Christ.
As a new believer in Christ, the first thing I wanted to do was read the Bible. I wanted to know all about Jesus. I wanted to read the Bible stories that were vaguely familiar to me from my childhood. Reading the Bible seemed to connect me with an alternative view of life that was so refreshing. More than ever before the Bible became a living book. So this is where I though we should start this series; take a look at the shape of the Bible and how it is composed.
As a new believer begins his/her journey to become more and more like Jesus, the three pillars of our walk are the Bible, the Holy Spirit, and prayer. During the next two weeks, I will teach a similar review, as I did today on the Bible, on the Holy Spirit and on prayer. Then we will cover a three-week summary of discipleship.
Below is an excellent animated summary of the Bible produced by the Bible Project.
This past Sunday, we completed Song of Songs (Solomon) and the Wisdom Book Series. During these past few weeks we have all seen that the wisdom literature books are replete with valuable principles, truths, and instruction aimed at helping us live our lives with God's blessings. We will forfeit much loss if we let apathy and disinterest keep us from further pursuit of the riches found in these five books.
In our last lesson in SOS we looked at LOVE. We looked at the physical love that is emphasized in SOS; the spiritual love that is reserved for the believers who are walking in God's will; and the eternal love that the regenerated believers will enjoy once "...the marriage of the Lamb has come..."
Next week we will begin a new and exciting study. Here are a few questions to prime the pump.
1. Can you be a Christian forever and never become a disciple of Christ?
2. Why are the number of Christians and cultural strength of Christianity both declining in the United States, even in the Bible Belt?
3. Why do only 35%, on average, of Southern Baptist's show up for their church's primary worship meeting (usually on Sunday morning)?
Pictures from the "prayer walk" on Sunday afternoon. We had a good group to walk through the school and pray for teachers, students, staff, and every need.
In our introduction to the short little book, Song of Songs (SOS), we learned that of King Solomon's 1,000+ songs (poems), this is considered to be the finest of them all!
The Song of Songs is one of the most beautiful books of the Bible. The beauty of this theatrical song is greater than that of the words of Shakespeare.
There are four main perceptions of this book. Two are literal interpretations that look at the young woman who is at the center of this theatrical song. The most common understanding is that this is a courtship and marriage of Solomon and the Shulamite woman. The name Solomon and Shulamite are similar and have a common meaning of "peace." The other interpretation pictures a love triangle between the beloved woman, her beloved shepherd, and the king appealing to her. The other figurative interpretations of the book include either the relationship between Israel and God and, or the Church and Christ.
The video created by The Bible Project is the best, and fastest way to summarize this book.
Surprisingly, Song of Songs has a very strong messages for both those that are married and for those that are not married. Firstly, sex is good, not bad, but ONLY when it pleases God. Therefore, we must guard the beauty of sexual love. We must guard each other in any way that might lead another to sin. We are cautioned three times in the book (2:7; 3:5; 8:4) that sexual love is only for the time which God has set: "...that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases [God]."
When released, love and it's passions hold powers stronger than any man or woman can resist.This is why we are cautioned NOT to stir it or awaken it until such time that it pleases God. The Message Bible states this in a clear way: "Love is invincible facing danger and death. Passion laughs at the terrors of hell. The fire of love stops at nothing--it sweeps everything before it. Flood waters can't drown love, torrents of rain can't put it out." (8:6-7)
Secondly, for those that are not married, SOS is about true love and choosing the right mate; about waiting for love; and teaching our young women and men what is most important about marriage.
Next week, by popular request, we will hear Helders Part II. Nolan and Kasey will complete their introduction... and more. The following week we will complete Song of Songs and the Wisdom Books Series.
In our last lesson on SOS, we will unpack more specifics in this amazing little book that will point us to the wisdom God wants to show us.
I'll leave you with the short clip I showed in class from the Disney/Pixar 2009 animated film, "Up". In this scene not a word is said for almost five full minutes. Only a haunting musical theme plays as we watch two people (Carl & Ellie) build a life together. As short as it is, these five minutes are some of the most emotionally powerful ever committed to film, certainly in any Disney picture.
Entering my 60's and having been married for 40 years, I found this short little scene to be most effective in capturing the journey we call "life". It is never predictable and not always easy. As we learned in Ecclesiastes, without God, life is nothing but a vapor/smoke. Everyday is a gift and an opportunity to get to know our Savior better as we prepare for our eternal home.
"When Jesus saw her [Mary] weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, 'Where have you laid him [Lazarus]?' They said to him, 'Lord, come and see.' Jesus wept." (John 11:33-35)
During the past few weeks we have seen tragedy [from our perspective] disrupt the lives of two of our dear families in our class: Justin & Jacqueline Smith and Malcolm & Tilly Brooks.
On Friday, January 20th, Justin and Jacqueline Smith were given the heart-breaking news of the sudden death of Justin's step-brother, Jonathan Murray. After graduating from Northview High School in 2002, Jonathan attended Huntington College before joining the U.S. Army. By the age of only 32 years old, Jonathan had sacrificed a part of his short life defending our freedoms as a soldier twice-deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. We owe all of the veterans and those who are currently serving in our military our sincere gratitude for their bravery and sacrifice.
In the early hours of Saturday morning on January 28th, God unexpectedly took Jurnee Makayla Brooks from Malcolm and Tilly Brooks. Less than three months old, precious Jurnee returned to be with Jesus.
Today [February 4th] we stood by the Brooks family as they mourned the loss of baby Jurnee in one of the most moving, Spirit-filled services I have attended in some time. My heart was blessed by being there.
It is times like these that we often ask "Why, Lord?" We must remember that God's sovereign plan is much bigger than we can see. He is always in control. Psalms reminds us, "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." (Psalms 34:18)
As these two families grieve the loss of their loved ones, let us all "...weep with those who weep." (Romans 12:15b) and be in prayer that God might comfort them. God has placed them in our fellowship for a purpose. Ask God what He would have you do to show love to these families. Jesus commanded us that it is our responsibility to "...love your neighbor as yourself..." (Mark 12:31). In doing so, you will be blessed through your obedience.
The key to understanding the wisdom found in the Book of Ecclesiastes is hidden in three words: "Under the Sun".
At a time when Israel was a peace, King Solomon, with all his wisdom
and wealth, decided to dedicate his life to find the answer to the
question: "What is the purpose of life?" To do this, he attempted to experience all that life had
to offer--good and bad.
"And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit." (Ecclesiastes 1:17)
The Teacher in Ecclesiastes makes it clear that life "Under the Sun", without God, is a paradox--in pursuit of what is believed to be the answer when it is not (Proverbs 14:12). It is vanity. It is vexation (a grasping for the wind). It is meaningless. It is hevel!
This brilliantly written book takes the many ways man attempts to find meaning and purpose apart from God (wealth, pleasure, status, career, etc.) and shows how they are all like chasing the wind. A hamster spinning mindlessly on a wheel within a cage going nowhere. Hevel!
In the end Solomon summarized his findings in one simple, yet powerful verse:
"Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of every human being." (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
Regardless of our particular trials and struggles we are to "fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of every human being."
There are two voices in the book of Ecclesiastes--the author (son of David) and the teacher (Qohelet: Hebrew word for one who gathers people, or a teacher/preacher).
Another Hebrew word, HEVEL, is used 38 times in the Book. It means
smoke or vapor (sometimes misinterpreted as "meaningless"). Life is hevel, not meaningless, but
confusing, disorienting, and uncontrollable.
As you read the 12 chapters in Ecclesiastes, the voice of the "teacher" draws you towards three very disturbing, hopeless conclusions--each an apparent attempt to support his thesis: "You think using Wisdom will bring you success...you'd better think again because life under the sun is meaningless (hevel)."
1. TIME: Generations come and go and in the end you, and everything you have done, will be forgotten. The march of time will eventually erase you and me and everything we care about.
2. CHANCE: Life is random and nothing can be controlled. Since you can't control your life you should stop trying.
3. DEATH: Death is the great equalizer and it renders meaningless most of our daily activities. It devours the wise and the fool; the rich and the poor, no matter who you are, what you've done--good or bad--we're all gonna die and it is inescapable.
The teacher seeks to answer one main question in this book: "What profit has a man from all his labor in which he toils under the sun?" (1:3)
Even with his hopeless outlook, the teacher knows that learning wisdom and living in the fear of the Lord is the right thing to do. The author collects the teacher's words and at the end of the Book summarizes everything.
The two main messages found in this book are:
1. The vanity of life under the sun (life purely from an earthly perspective);
2. The importance of fearing God and keeping His commandments.
Ecclesiastes is a very effective book designed to show us that we need to stop worrying and choose to enjoy the simple things of life--both good and bad--which are gifts from God. Learn to hold things with an open hand. Your attitude toward the present moment is really the only thing you have control over.
