Be Confident Series

Posted on June 7, 2012 by shannonrainwater

Be Confident, An Expository study on the book of Hebrews.

6/6/12

Agenda:

I. Welcome

a. Introduction

i. Send around a sign in with email and phone number

b. Purpose for this Bible study

i. What it is

1. Be Confident book

a. Just a guide

2. Notes from Seminary and TTU

a. Just a guide

3. Examine the book for tidbits and

4. 12 weeks divided into each chapter from the Wiersby book

5. Prayer Group/Accountability… etc.

6. Talk Theology and Glorify God by looking at who Jesus is through Jewish eyes

ii. What it is not

1. NOT going to determine the author

2. NOT a seminary course

a. Although some seminary aspects will be there

3. NOT to replace personal quiet time

a. Use it as a supplement

c. Schedule of reading

Date Chapter from Be Confident Scripture Reading

6/6	Is Anybody Listening?	Hebrews 1:1-3
6/13	Greater Than Angels	1:4-2:18
6/20	Greater Than Moses	3:1-4:13
6/27*	Greater Than the High Priest	4:14-5:10
7/4*	Independence Day
7/11	Pilgrims Should make Progress	5:11-6:20
7/18	Mysterious Melchizedek	7
7/25	The Better Covenant	8
8/1	The Superior Sanctuary	9
8/9	The Superior Sacrifice	10
8/15	Faith- the Greatest Power in the World	11
8/22	Stay in the Running!	12
8/29	Pardon me, Your Faith is Showing	13

6/27 I will be absent, 7/4 there will not be any study for obvious reasons.

I. Introduction by Ken Baugh

a. Hope- “It surprises me that hope helped survive the concentration camps. One would think it would be something more tangible like good health, food, warm clothing, and shelter; but, as Dr. Frankl discovered, it was the power of hope.

b. 3 principles of great faith

1. I must remember that God is with me.

2. I must remember the honor and rewards that await me in heaven

3. I must remember that God will guide me when I am confused.

II. Word from the Author

a. The book of Hebrews was written at a time when the Stability of the “Old System of religion was passing away, and their faith was wavering.

i. * The book of Hebrews was written to a community Jewish (Hebrew) people, as is evident by the emphasis on the Levitical priesthood and on sacrifices, as well as the absence of any reference to Gentiles.

ii. *The recipients are referred to as believers (Hebrews 3:1, 12) and as “beloved Hebrews 6:9

1. Possible that there were unbelievers in their midst- people who were attracted to the message of Jesus Christ but not yet personally trusted in Him.

iii. The believers were immature, however; some of them need spiritual milk and not solid food (Hebrews 5:11-14

iv. The believers were facing persecution and were wavering in their faith as a result.

v. They were tempted to put aside any identification with Christ because of the persecution and because of their attachment to the Old Testament.

vi. They were tempted to revert back to Judaism or to try to combine elements of Christianity with elements of Judaism.

III. Is Anyone Listening?

a. It is a book of Evaluation

i. Better is used 13 times

1. Used to show the superiority of Jesus

ii. Perfect is used 14 times

a. Greek means “ a perfect standing Teleion

iii. Eternal

iv. The writer asked the readers to evaluate their current standing in Jesus.

b. It is a book of Exhortation

i. Writer called this epistle “the word of exhortation”

1. Related to the word comforter

ii. 5 Problem Passages

1. Drifting from the word (neglect) 2:1-4

2. Doubting the Word (hard heart) 3:7- 4:13

3. Dullness toward the Word (Sluggishness) 5:11- 6:20

4. Despising the Word (willfulness) 10:26 -39

5. Defying the Word (refusing to hear) 12:14- 29

c. It is a book of Examination

Rectangular Callout: What is meant by the scaffolding?

“What am I really trusting in? Word of God –Or- in the things of this world that are shaking and ready to fall away

1. The book of Hebrews seems to indicate that the Temple in Jerusalem was still standing, and that sacrifices were still being offered there by the Levitical priests (see the use of present tense in Hebrews 5:1-4, 7:21, 23, 27-28; 8:3-5, 13; 9:4-9; 10:1, 3-4, 8, 11; 13:10-11

2. Temple was destroyed in 70 AD gives evidence that the book was written around 65-69 AD

a. Statements that persecution was becoming more severe (10:32-39, 12:4, 13:3, 23

3. God wants us to be “established with grace” 13:9

4. Key message of Hebrews “You can be secure while everything around you is falling apart” 12:28

d. It is a book of Expectation

i. The focus in the book is on the future

ii. The world to come 2:5

iii. God wants us to turn loose of the things of this world and stop depending on them

iv. We are to “hang loose” and start living for the eternal values of the world to come.

v. Jim Elliot- “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

vi. This message is not for new converts but rather spiritual mature Christians

1. But it can be used to motivate Christian babies

2. Emphasis is not on what Christ did on earth (milk) but rather on what he is doing in heaven (meat)

e. It is a book of Exaltation

i. The book of Hebrews exalts the person of Christ

1. 1^st3 verses sets the theme (hence the ones we are discussing tonight)

ii. In His person – superior to the prophets

iii. In His work

Questions for discussion and reflection

1. What is the difference between hearing and really listening?

2. In what ways do you agree or disagree with this statement: “In the Christian life, if you do not go forward, you go backward; there is no permanent standing still”?

3. Wiersbe says, “God does not allow His children to become ‘spoiled brats.” What are some traits of a “spoiled brat” Christian?

4. Name some things that we tend to trust in today rather than in God.

5. Wiersby says that the book of Hebrews is a book of examination. It helps us discover where our faith is. What sometimes keeps us from examining our lives?

6. Abraham understood a sense of values and delayed gratification. Lot on the other hand lived for the immediate. List examples of Abrahams and Lots on today’s world.

7. Hebrews sets out to prove Christ is not merely a man. What difference would it make in your life if you discovered that Christ was indeed merely a good man or a prophet?

8. Read Genesis 1:26, John 1:1-14, and Colossians 1:13-17. Then explain Christ’s role before the Incarnation.

9. Tozer is quoted as saying, “Every man must choose his world.” What makes it difficult at times to choose the kingdom of heaven over the kingdom of earth?

Christ the Prophets

God the Son Men called by God

One Son Many prophets

A final and complete message A fragmentary and incomplete

Christ, Better than the Angels

Hebrews 1-2

Over view: God spoke in times past through the prophets, but He has reserved the greatest declaration of His glory for His Son. The Son of God is greater than any prophet. He is even greater than the Angels, through whom Moses’ law was communicated (2:2, Acts 7:53). In order to bring salvation He willingly became a little lower than the angels. And by His suffering and death He made it possible to lift mankind above the angels into the family of God. Because of His perfect humanity, Jesus is uniquely qualified to serve as High priest for Sinful mankind.

Daily Walk: The book of Hebrews opens with a penetrating statement: “God … hath… spoken unto us by His Son” (1:1-2). The heart and core of Christianity – and the reason for its superiority over the old Judaic system – can be summarized in a single word: Christ. The old system was built around precepts; the new centers around a person. The old was merely a shadow; the new supplies the substance.

On what foundation are you building your life? It is easy to substitute man-made traditions and performance standards for a growing relationship with the Son of God. Evaluate the “religious rituals” in your own life. Are they advancing your relationship with God, or keeping you from getting to know Him and His word better?

John summarizes this crucial issue as well: “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son hath not life” 1 John 5:12. Are you a have… or a have not? If the answer disturbs you, let John 1:12 point the way to a foundation that is unshakable!

Insight: Jesus Is Greater Than Angels, Isn’t He?

Jesus’ superiority over the angels (Hebrews 1:4) may seem rather obvious, but to the Jews angels were highly exalted beings. They were present at the giving of the Law, God’s supreme revelation, to Moses at Sinai (Hebrews 1:4; Deuteronomy 33:2). Moreover, we now know from the Dead Sea Scrolls that some expected the archangel Michael to be the supreme figure in the messianic kingdom.

Tidbits:

“Religion is man searching for God; Christianity is God reaching down to mankind.

The Lord’s Locust Lesson Joel 1-3

Posted on April 5, 2012 by shannonrainwater

A plague of locusts hits Judah with the fury of an invading army, destroying vegetation and turning the usually verdant countryside into a lifeless desert. Fields of grain disappear, grapevines are stripped bare, fruit trees and gardens are wiped clean. The prophet Joel seizes the occasion to preach God’s message to Judah: The present calamity is only a warning. An even greater devastation awaits those who continue to live in sin and rebellion. The day of judgement is coming, and only those who sincerely repent and return to God will be sheltered from the terrible force of His righteous wrath.
Question: What do these three activities have in common: Skydiving without a parachute, walking blindfolded across the freeway, and disregarding God’s Laws?
Answer They are all activities that, while perhaps momentarily exhilarating, lead to inescapable and deadly consequences.
Though he knew nothing about skydiving or freeways, Joel knew well the danger of disregarding God’s commandments. The terrible scourge of locusts became the perfect illustration of wrathful judgement to come- and the perfect occasion for Joel to warn his countrymen. Although it was too late to escape the bite of the locusts, there was still time to escape the “bite” of God’s chastening hand.
Learn a lesson from the locusts! Do your days pass without prayerful contact with God? Have your “little sins” ceased to bother you? Have you slipped away from teh daily study and regular weekly worship? (Can you hear the buzzing sound of the locusts?) The danger is real, but the shelter is as near as your Father’s “everlasting arms” (Deut. 33:27). Wouldn’t that be a good place to rest… right now?

Conviction

Posted on April 5, 2012 by shannonrainwater

If the title of this post doesn’t get you then the post on BWG will. Check it out. The passage comes from Joel and I think America needs to hears its message.

Upcoming news:
-This blog is changing/moving
I’m doing this so that we can reach a larger audience and have the ability to do more with the site. I really want to sell items and have the ability to give to certain organizations.
It’s also so that the team will be able to update better almost in real time.
– Online Evangelism classes are going to be available
– Online Accountability and Discipleship
– and more to come

Sour Milk and Sticky Fingers

Posted on February 23, 2012 by shannonrainwater

Deuteronomy 5-7
The description of the Promise Land as “the land that floweth with milk and honey” pictures it as a land of prosperity and abundance. Milk was part of the Hebrews’ staple diet and honey was considered a delicacy.
The Israelites were hoping to have “instant” results when they were told about the Promised land. Instead God wanted them to savor the moments that He had with them.
Where are you hoping for instant results in your Christian life; victory over a habit… knowledge of God’s word… spiritual maturity? God’s way is not rush, rush , rush but little by little. Look for a small but significant step of growth you can take today: a verse to memorize, a command to obey, a promise to treasure.

Wonderful Things

Posted on August 30, 2011 by shannonrainwater

Wonderful things about starting a new school year; everyone’s busy!

Check out the new post in BWG! (Breakfast With God) and look into the Prayer Group. Just look up and click on the page links at the top.

I am excited and look forward to seeing what God is going to do with this blog. If you want to submit an article please do so. Myself and my team of editors will be glad to review it for posting!

TTFN!

The Prophet’s Prayer Life

Posted on August 30, 2011 by shannonrainwater

Daniel is one of the few individuals in Scripture about whom nothing negative is ever written. How did he live a life of such conviction and courage? What was the secret that enabled him to please and glorify God so consistantly?
A number of answers could be given, but consider this. Time and again, Daniel is revealed to be a man who prayed faithfully. You’l find his key prayers in 2:17-23; 6:10-11; and 9:1-3.
No matter what circumstances he faced- and he faced some very treacherous ones- no matter how busy his schedule was, he found time to commune with God through prayer. As a matter of fact, the awesome revelations of chapters 10-12 were given to Daniel by God as a direct answer to his prayers (10:10-12)
We can gain much insight into the lives of the prophets of God. Certainly, they were uniquely chosen by God for a unique task. And yet their lives were set apart for that purpose through their heartfelt devotion to God- a devotion that was fueled by fervent prayer.
While the page is not quite fully set up, you may view the Prayer Group page. As this blog grows in readers, my hope is that people will pray for each other by using this page as a guide to pray for specific needs.

Fuzzy Glasses 1 Corinthians 13:12

Posted on August 17, 2011 by shannonrainwater

“For now we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, as I am fully known.” (1 Corinthinans 13:12)
In the imperfect polished metal mirrors of Paul’s day, one could see only a fuzzy reflection. The apostle notes that, in contrast to seeing God clearly in heaven, we can see Him only indirectly while we are on earth.
But the promise remains that someday, we will know the Lord as fully as a finite human can know an infinite Being. As you talk with Him in prayer today, thank Him for this glorious promise.

Written On Their Hearts

Posted on August 10, 2011 by shannonrainwater

In your reading yesterday you caught a glimpse of the new covenant in Jeremiah 31:31-34- the high point of Jeremiah’s prophecies. In those verses God reveals His heart for His people Israel. And there He makes three primary declarations about His new covenant with them:
1. He will put His law in His people’s minds. His law will be internal rather than external. Rather than on stones, He will write His law on their hearts so that it impacts their very lives from within. God’s new covenant would give His people the inner ability to obey His standards of righteousness and thereby enjoy His blessings. The prophet Ezekiel explains that this would result from God’s gift of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the believers (Ezekiel 36:24-32). So, under the new covenant, God the Holy Spirit would actually dwell within each believer (see Joel 2:28-32).
2. He said, I “will be their God, and they shall be my people.” That simply continues the relationship with them that He had already established. In other words, the new covenant wasn’t meant to replace the old, but to fulfill it.
3. He will forgive His people’s sins. Because Israel had sinned, they received God’s curse. But as a part of the new covenant, God will “forgive and forget.” How can a holy God ignore sin? He can’t. But it’s not that the sin is overlooked, it’s that it is paid for by a Substitute… whom we know to be Jesus Christ.

As He shared a final meal with His disciples, Jesus took the cup and invited them to drink from it, saying, “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” The cup represents the blood of Jesus, which in turn represents His atoning gift, His poured-out life, His substitutionary death.
As you read Matthew 26:17-30, thank God in prayer for His commitment to you through the new covenant, and for the atoning death of Christ which made it all possible for you to enjoy eternal life with Him.

God has made an unshakable, unbreakable covenant with his people. What commitments have you made with Him?
Compose a list of life goals you want to accomplish in God’s power- goals for spiritual disciplines, witnessing, Bible study, teaching, whatever they may be.
Remember, God deserves no less than your best. After all, that’s what He gave you.

Consolation From Jeremiah (Jeremiah 30-33)

Posted on August 9, 2011 by shannonrainwater

God’s promise of restoration begins a section describing both the worst of horrors (the time of Jacob’s trouble) and the best of blessings (God’s new covenant with Israel). God Pledges to reestablish the nation after it has been purified by the discipline of exile. As a sign of His promise, He orders Jeremiah to purchase a field that would soon belong to the conquering Babylonians. As surely as day follows night, that land would one day become part of the restored nation to be ruled by the Righteous Branch, David’s messianic descendant.

Imagine this: your five year old has just popped the question “Daddy, Mommy, what is God like?” Write down the first ten words that come to your mind. (Even if you don’t have a five year old, the exercise will do you good!)

If you had trouble describing God in simple terms even a child could understand, today’s passage might help you. Few passages of Scripture present such a complete picture of God. Here you can find the God who hates sin and judges it (30:12-15), yet loves and forgives the sinner (30:18-22). You see the God of wrath(30:23-24) and the God of love (31:1-9). Above all you find portrayed the saving God who regathers His scattered flock (31:10-22) and establishes with them a new covenant (31:23-34)- a promise that rests on the sure guarantee of His sovereign power (31:35-37; 33:19-22).

Now go back and change your initial answer to the question, “What is God like?” Using Jeremiah’s thoughts to help, can you express your answer in terms both simple and scriptural? Better still, find a five year old to try your answer on!