Righteousness – Sunday School Preacher

Sunday School Lesson (July 21, 2019) Jesus Teaches About Transforming Love / Transforming Love Matthew 5:38-48

July 16, 2019 Sunday School Preacher

Transforming Love Matthew 5:38-48

Hello Sunday school teachers, preachers, and students! Welcome to SundaySchoolPreacher.com. This week I review how Jesus teaches about transforming love in Matthew 5:38-48. In this chapter Jesus continues to outline what righteousness looks like for his Kingdom. A changed heart brings about a changed life. The righteousness Jesus is teaching turns lives upside down. It is transformative. It is a new way of thinking, a new way of living. Just as the birth of a first born child changes everything, the radical love Jesus teaches changes everything about how we think, act, live, and love. As Jesus contrasts his righteousness with the righteousness of The Law we see our own inadequacy and the complete sufficiency of Jesus as the fulfillment of The Law. Jesus continues to be more concerned about our relationships with one another than he is with us following the rules and regulations of The Law. As Jesus continues to reinterpret The Law we should understand that righteousness is based in a love that does right by God and God’s created. This lesson is about transforming love; A love that reorders our life. Some of the ideas surrounding this week’s text include the terms:

Pacifist

Reparations

Radical Love

Background:

Matthew is the first of the four Gospels with the other three being Mark, Luke, and John. Even though scholars note that Mark is written first, Matthew is listed first in the Protestant Bible. Matthew holds this place as the first Gospel because according to the New Interpreters Study Bible One Volume Commentary “it is concerned to link the old revelation with the new, to show the new as the culmination rather that the abrogation of what went before”. In other words, part of Matthew’s purpose is to show how the New Testament is linked to what we call the Old Testament. Additionally, “Matthew’s evident concern is to tell the story of Jesus, who is center stage in nearly every episode in the Gospel. When this text is written “Israel desires the rule of God even though that rule remained as an ideal, or a future hope. That hope is removed from the everyday reality of human frailty, faithlessness, and the brutal reality of suffering and oppression they were subjected to under Roman rule”.

Keep in mind, when this text is written the Jewish Temple has already been destroyed. That’s significant because the Israelites are now confused, distressed, and distraught because The Temple was central to their religious existence. It was the place they went to meet the requirements of God. With its destruction they question whether God has abandoned them. Matthew is written as a response to this situation, it gives the Israelites the option to choose Jesus.

Just as in last week, our text this week continues to deal with the contrast of Jesus’ righteousness against the righteousness of The Law. Notice how Jesus says “you have heard that it was said” and then he follows with “but I say unto you”. He’s telling them the Law says XYZ, but I say unto you 1, 2, 3. Jesus is more concerned about the spirit of the Law, the treatment of God’s creation, than he is with a set of rules and regulations. For Jesus, righteousness is built largely upon how all people, not just Israelites, and God’s created are treated. As Jesus continues to outline what righteousness looks like, he is showing us that righteousness is a spiritual matter that comes from a changed heart; A heart of love. This continues to be about the spirit of the Law, not the letter of the Law. How we handle and care for our relationships with others speaks volumes about who we are and what we value. Some important words to consider from this text include:

Pacifist

Reparations

Radical Love

Perfection

Review of Last Week and How it Connects to This Week:

Last week verse twenty-one began with “You have heard that is was said”. Here, Jesus was reminding the disciples and listeners of what the Law said long ago. As Jesus explained each of the three examples he used he was making a point. The point he was making for his disciples and the listening crowd was that He was calling them to a higher righteousness. Jesus was calling them to a spiritual righteousness based in love; not a righteousness based on strict adherence of The Law. His first example dealt with murder. Murder is a shocking and atrocious sin but Jesus says that even if you are angry with your brother or sister without cause it is essentially the same thing as murder. Jesus takes the “Old Testament”, the Hebrew Bible or The Law and he reinterprets it to take it to a whole new standard. One point we can take away from this exchange is that anger can destroy relationships.

Verses twenty-three and twenty-four reinforced this point and make it clearer that Jesus is more concerned with our human relationships, how we treat each other, than he is with whatever gift we might bring to God.

Verses twenty-five and twenty-six dealt with contentious relationships. The point here was that we should work out our differences quickly. Don’t let your differences fester. Don’t let differences linger.

Verses twenty-seven and twenty-eight dealt with adultery. But more so it dealt with how husbands ought to treat their wives who in a patriarchal society had little to no rights. Again, Jesus takes it to the next level when he said “whoever looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart”. Jesus was teaching the disciples and listeners the spirit of the law is what was important, not the letter of the Law. We need a changed heart. A heart of love.

Verses twenty-nine and thirty dealt with the relationship we have with our selves. Self-care is important. In fact, when we fail to take care of ourselves I argue that we are more likely to have “offending members” or causes of stumbling in our faith walk. Plucking out offending eyes or cutting off offending hands is not to be taken literally. Again, Jesus was making a point. He is showing us that the righteousness of his kingdom goes beyond following rules.

In verses thirty-one and thirty-two Jesus again uses the “you have heard it was said, but I say unto you” formula. This time Jesus dealt with another matter of the heart; spousal relationships. Keep in mind that through much of history, in patriarchal societies, women were treated as property. Jesus was telling us that the spousal relationship should not be abused. The righteousness of Jesus’ kingdom is in large part based on doing right by others. As Jesus reinterprets The Law of Moses he takes it to the next level to make guilty the male who divorces his wife and the man who marries a divorced wife. Again, Jesus is driving home his point and I argue that this too should not be taken literally. Women are not the property of their husband. Jesus recognized that abuse and teaches his disciples and the crowd that spousal relationships are important.

As we continue to focus on the idea of a heartfelt covenant, this week’s lesson helps us understand the transforming love of Jesus. As Jesus continues to outline some of the rules of his kingdom, in this lesson Jesus teaches about a transforming love that is radical. It is a new way of thinking and a new way of living. It is transformative. Townsend and Boyd’s Commentary title the lesson Jesus Teaches About Transforming Love. Standard Lesson Commentary titles it Transforming Love. The scripture text comes from Matthew 5:38-48.

What Takes Place in This Passage:

Verse thirty-eight continues Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount with “You have heard that is was said”. Jesus is reminding the disciples and listeners of what the Law said long ago. In this verse he reminds them of Leviticus 24:19-20 – “19 Anyone who maims another shall suffer the same injury in return: 20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; the injury inflicted is the injury to be suffered”. Jesus reinterprets this command turning it upside down. In verse thirty-nine he literally says to do the opposite. The righteousness of Jesus goes beyond The Law. His righteousness takes it to the next level. A level that in some cases may be unattainable for humans not controlled by the Holy Spirit. Verse thirty-nine requires us to “turn the other cheek”. With this pacifism Jesus is making the point that his righteousness is a radical, complete, and transformative way to love who God has created. Even if the people God created are the very ones who wronged you. Jesus is telling us that our relationships should be founded upon and intertwined with a love that is all-encompassing. It is a radical way to love.

This verse also causes us to evaluate the idea of retributive justice against the idea of restorative justice. Retributive justice is “the view that God’s justice intends to give sinners that which their sins deserve (Jer. 5:29, 20:12)”. Restorative justice “emphasizes an equal concern for crime victims and offenders, while deemphasizing the importance of coercion. It also seeks to focus on the harm done to persons and relationships rather than on the violation of a law” (The Free Dictionary). In other words, retributive justice would not turn the other cheek whereas restorative justice would require the one who slaps a person to repair or somehow pay reparation to the one slapped. In this way, relationships can be made whole and community restored because both the victim and the offender are involved in restoring community.

Verse forty deals with our relationship with the legal system or as Townsend Commentary puts it “legal revenge”. The point for us to know is that even in a legal matter, love is the overriding dominate principle. This kind of love is indeed radical. Jesus is making his point. He is telling us when we are sued to willingly give more than the law requires, even to our own detriment.

Verse forty-one tells us to “go the extra mile”. Standard Commentary notes that “By law, a Roman soldier could compel a person to carry his gear, but only for one mile”. Roman soldiers were despised by the Israelites. The Romans had occupied the land of Israel, destroyed The Temple, and oppressed the Israelites. To go the extra mile for your oppressor is indeed a radical love.

Verse forty-two speaks to our relationship with money. Our economic system and our societal values today are vastly different from this time in ancient history. The point here is for us to be generous when and where we are able. Again, it is the relationship that matters. When and where we can we ought to always seek to build, restore, and make relationships whole even, if not especially, when involving money in our society today.

Verse forty-three and forty-four return to the “You have heard that it was said” “but I say unto you formula”. In verse forty-three Jesus reminds us the law says to love your neighbor (Leviticus 19:18). Standard Commentary notes that “it was a popular misapplication of the command where the logically opposite has been added: hate thine enemy”. “Nowhere does the biblical law command one to hate an enemy”. The point Jesus is making is that his righteousness requires a radical, life changing, transformative love. This love can only spring from a changed heart. A heart transformed by love. A heart that returns good for evil.

Verse 45 helps us understand that what happens to someone else could just as easily happen to you. God makes the sun to rise on the evil and the good and God sends rain on the just and the unjust. Good things can happen to bad people and bad things can happen to good people. In as much as we are the recipients of good and the victims of bad we are all “in this boat together”. God loves all of God’s creation and so should we. Again, this is a radical, countercultural love that we ought to always strive for.

In verses forty-six and forty-seven Jesus is making his point clear. If you only love those who love you how are you different from the despised tax collectors who often abused and cheated the Israelites.

In verse forty-eight Jesus tells us to be perfect even as God in heaven is perfect. This indeed is a tall order. I should note that Townsend Commentary describes this perfection as meaning “mature and full grown”. We are not and cannot be perfect. Yet, we can be mature and complete in our love toward God’s creation and especially God’s people. Our goal is perfect love, that is what we are striving for.

Context:

Our text this week is a strong call to nonviolence based in restorative love. The US criminal justice system is based on retribution and in some cases rehabilitation. Another model which I believe is more closely related to the teachings of Jesus is restorative justice. Restorative justice acknowledges the victim of crime and includes the victim in determining how the offense is to be resolved. It holds space for reconciliation. It holds space for renewal of relationship between victims of crime and perpetrators of crime. It’s not easy, but the radical love Jesus calls us to is not easy either. God is concerned with our relationship with others. It’s easy to love those who love you, it’s not so easy to love the “unlovable”. If we are to be true disciples of Jesus Christ, he calls us to a radical love. A transforming love based on our relationships with others.

Key Characters in the text:

Jesus Christ – Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah and according to the Christian church the incarnate second Person of the Trinity. He was crucified on a cross and was raised from the dead by the power of God.

Matthew – Each of the four Gospels lists Matthew as one of the twelve Apostles. Most scholars believe Matthew and Levi is the same person. As a tax collector Matthew would have been associated with the Roman government. This would have also made him despised by his Jewish countrymen and women.

Key Words:

Disciples – One who follows and learns from another as a pupil. Old Testament prophets had disciples, as did John the Baptist and the Pharisees. It is used specifically for those who follow Jesus Christ.

Agape – The self-giving love seen supremely in God’s love for the world (John 3:16) and as a mark of the Christian life (I Cor. 13).

Themes, Topics, Discussion, or Sermon Preparation Ideas:

1. What radical love looks like.

2. Being perfect in an imperfect world.

Questions:

1. Discuss ways you have been transformed by love.

2. Discuss why relationships are so important in Jesus’ Kingdom.

Concluding thought:

This week’s lesson teaches us about transforming love. A changed heart brings about a changed life. The righteousness Jesus is teaching turns lives upside down. It is transformative. It is a new way of thinking, a new way of living. As Jesus contrasts his righteousness with the righteousness of The Law we see our own inadequacy and the complete sufficiency of Jesus as the fulfillment of The Law.

Preview of Next Week’s Lesson: Next week Jesus continues his Sermon on the Mount teaching about spiritual discernment. This lesson will help us contrast judging others against discerning spiritual matters involving others. As Jesus continues to show us what righteousness in his kingdom looks like, I will highlight our response to being judged and discerning true prophets and disciples. Next week the text continues at Matthew 7:1-6, and 15-23.

Sunday School Lesson (July 14, 2019) Jesus Teaches Us To Love One Another Matthew 5:21-32

July 10, 2019 Sunday School Preacher

Love One Another Matthew 5:21-32

Hello Sunday school teachers, preachers, and students! Welcome to SundaySchoolPreacher.com. This week I review what Jesus said about anger, adultery, and divorce in Matthew 5. In this chapter Jesus continues to outline what righteousness looks like for his Kingdom. We can learn at least two things in this week’s lesson. First, Jesus is more concerned about our relationships with one another than he is with us following the rules and regulations of The Law. And secondly, Jesus is asking us to truly live a righteous life. As Jesus reinterprets The Law using literary devices to make his point we should understand that righteousness is based in a love that does right by God and God’s created. This lesson is about relationships and the spirit of The Law, not the letter of The Law. Some of the ideas surrounding this week’s text include the terms:

The Law

Divorce

Patriarchy

Background:

When this text is written the Jewish Temple has already been destroyed and these Jewish Christians are a distinct people of God separate from the Israelites with a completely separate mission. Their mission is to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). Some of them have Jewish heritage. Some of them are Gentile. Some still have Jewish practices. But they aren’t entirely Jewish. They are becoming something entirely different from what they used to be. Matthew is written to give them that guidance and direction as they move from where they were to where God wants them to be.

Our text this week deals with relationships as Jesus talks about the Law. Notice how Jesus says “you have heard that it was said” and then he follows with “but I say unto you”. He’s telling them the Law says XYZ, but I say unto you 1, 2, 3. I think what we see in this text is that Jesus cares more about relationships than rules; even the rules of The Law. As Jesus continues to outline what righteousness looks like, he is showing us that righteousness is not a strict adherence to The Law; but more so a deeper spiritual righteousness that comes from a changed heart; A heart of love. This is about the spirit of the Law, not the letter of the Law. How we handle and care for our relationships with others speaks volumes about who we are and what we value. Some important words to consider from this text include:

The Law

Hell

Divorce

Patriarchy

Review of Last Week How it Connects to This Week:

Last week I reviewed the second lesson of this five week series in Matthew. I explained how Jesus continued to outline what righteousness looks like for his Kingdom. I also noted how Matthew gives us an honest account of the tension between what I keep calling the “old school” Jewish hierarchy and these new Jewish Christians who aren’t worshipping in the same way or following the same practices as the “traditional” Jews are. In verses thirteen and fourteen of last week’s text Jesus described his disciples and by extension all of us who follow him as salt and then light. These two metaphors are descriptors that should help us understand how we should be and how we should be seen in the world. Salt is both a seasoning and a preserver. It seasons our food and makes it taste better. Likewise we should strive to make life “taste” better for those around us. Salt also preserves. We ought to preserve the good in our lives and encourage others to do the same. In preserving what is good we can become lights in a dark world. I also noted that Saint Francis of Assisi is credited with saying “preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary use words”. That’s a great explanation of what it means to be salt and light in this world.

I noted in verses 15 and 16 how we are encouraged to put our light on a candlestick so others may see our good works. In other words, our lights should shine bright. Don’t dim your bright light because others are intimidated, jealous, envious, or any other reason. Your good works, your example, your ministry, your life’s example should be to God’s glory

Verse 18 told us that nothing would be taken away from the Law; not one word, not one letter, not even a stroke of one letter will be taken away until all has been fulfilled. I noted how Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law and the prophets. Also noted was Standard Lesson Commentary saying “God did not give the law intending that it would last forever. Ultimately it points to Christ, who makes perfect what the law could not perfect (Rom 3:20-31; Hebrews 7:16-19).

Verse 19 reminded us how Jesus declares those who break one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. No one can keep all of the commandments of the Old Testament. Jesus offers a better testament, a better covenant.

Verse 20 told us that our righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees or we will not enter the kingdom of heaven. I noted how the Gospel According to Matthew is not kind to the scribes and Pharisees. There is tension between these Jewish Christians who are teaching a new way, a new covenant based in Jesus Christ and the “old school” Jewish hierarchy. Matthew is written to a community who “with much bitterness and conflict have withdrawn from the synagogue. It assists a now separate community in defining its identity and shaping its faithful way of life within the diversity of late 1st-century Judaism” (NISB). The point for us today is to recognize and acknowledge Jesus as our Savior.

As we continue to focus on the idea of a heartfelt covenant, this week’s lesson helps us understand how Jesus teaches us to love one another. This is the third lesson from the Gospel According to Matthew. As Jesus continues to outline some of the rules of his kingdom, in this lesson Jesus deals with some matters of the heart. He teaches about anger, adultery, and divorce. Townsend and Boyd’s Commentary title the lesson Jesus Teaches Us To Love One Another. Standard Lesson Commentary titles it Love One Another. The scripture text comes from Matthew 5:21-32.

What Takes Place in This Passage:

Verse twenty-one begins with “You have heard that is was said”. In this way, Jesus is reminding the disciples and listeners of what the Law said long ago. In our text this week Jesus does this three times. As he walks through each of these three examples he is making a point. He is essentially calling the disciples to a higher righteousness. A spiritual righteousness not based on strict adherence of The Law but on a deeper spiritual level based in love. His first example deals with murder. To commit murder is a shocking and atrocious sin. But notice how Jesus takes it to the next level. He says even if you are angry with your brother or sister without cause you are in danger of judgement. He’s making the point that relationship is important and anger against your brother or sister is dangerous. Anger can destroy relationships.

Verses twenty-three and twenty-four reinforces the point and makes it even more clear that Jesus is more concerned with our human relationships, how we treat each other, than he is with whatever gift we might bring to God. He is essentially saying stop what you are doing; first be reconciled to your brother or sister and then bring your gift. Relationships are important!

Verses twenty-five and twenty-six deal with contentious relationships. The point here is that we should work out our differences quickly. Don’t let your differences fester. Don’t let your differences linger. Bad news doesn’t get better with time. So whatever needs working out, go ahead and work it out.

Verses twenty-seven and twenty-eight deal with adultery. Again, Jesus takes it to the next level when he says “whoever looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart”. This is not about the letter of the Law. Jesus is teaching us about the spirit of the Law. We need a changed heart. A heart of love.

Verses twenty-nine and thirty deal with the relationship we have with our selves. Self-care is important. In fact, when we fail to take care of ourselves I argue that we are more likely to have “offending members” or causes of stumbling in our faith walk. It should be noted that plucking out offending eyes or cutting off offending hands is not to be taken literally. Again, Jesus is making a point. He is showing us that the righteousness of his kingdom goes beyond following rules. It goes beyond “gaming the system” to get or do what you want. The righteousness of Jesus is a matter of the heart; a changed heart. Also, Townsend Commentary notes that ““hell” comes from the Greek word gehenna. Gehenna appears often in Matthew to refer to the eternal destination of the wicked. Hell is not to be confused with Hades (Luke 16:32), which was the underworld for the dead known as Sheol in the Old Testament”.

In verses thirty-one and thirty-two Jesus returns again to this “you have heard it was said, but I say unto you” formula. This time Jesus deals with another matter of the heart; spousal relationships. Keep in mind that through much of history, in patriarchal societies, women were treated as property. Townsend Commentary notes that “Some of the rabbis allowed divorce on the grounds that the wife was displeasing to her husband or that the husband was attracted to a more beautiful woman”. Jesus is telling us that the spousal relationship should not be abused. The righteousness of Jesus’ kingdom is in large part based on doing right by others. As Jesus reinterprets The Law of Moses he takes it to the next level to make guilty the male who divorces his wife and the man who marries a divorced wife. Again, Jesus is driving home his point and I argue that this too should not be taken literally. Women are not the property of their husband. Jesus recognized that abuse and teaches his disciples and the crowd that spousal relationships are important.

Context:

Poetry, figurative language, literary and rhetorical devices, narrative, prose, proverbs, analogies, and other techniques are used in Scripture to instruct and ultimately draw us closer to God. Our text this week contains examples of literary devices used to make a point. When Jesus tells us to pluck out the offending eye or cut off the offending hand it is not literal. He is making a point. Notice how Jesus used metaphors of salt and light in last week’s lesson. Jesus’ use of literary devices helps us appreciate, interpret, and analyze his teachings. I especially like how Rev. Wil Gafney PH.D. explains a portion of this text, writing “Sometimes Jesus says something entirely contradictory to the text. Mostly he seems to be making it harder to do the right thing and some of what he says just seems flat out impossible. In the passages he reinterprets in our gospel today, Jesus accepts the basic meaning but recrafts them to say surprisingly more than they previously said. Jesus takes biblical interpretation to a whole other level”. Yes, that’s the point! As Jesus reinterprets parts of the The Law, we should see beyond the mere words on the page and hear the call to true righteousness. Righteousness rooted in relationship and love. Jesus doesn’t do away with the old covenant, he makes it better.

Key Characters in the text:

Key Words (not necessarily in the text, but good for discussion):

Beatitudes – Teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount regarding the lives and dispositions of his followers.

Patriarchy – A male authority system that oppresses and subordinates women through social, political, and economic institutions and practices.

Themes, Topics, Discussion, or Sermon Preparation Ideas:

1. What righteousness looks like.

2. What did I say?

Questions:

1. Discuss how anger can destroy relationships.

2. Discuss why relationships are so important in Jesus’ Kingdom.

Concluding thought:

This week’s lesson teaches us at least two things. First, Jesus is more concerned about our relationships with one another than he is with us following the rules and regulations of The Law. Secondly, Jesus is asking us to truly live a righteous life. This is about the spirit of The Law, not the letter of The Law. Righteousness based in an ethic of love ought to be our guiding light. I can think of no example when doing right by God and doing right by God’s created will lead us away from righteousness. That’s our task, that’s our goal; to do right in love.

Preview of Next Week’s Lesson: Next week Jesus continues his Sermon on the Mount using the same “you have heard that is was said, but I say unto you” formula. Jesus continues to make his point to the disciples and listeners about what true righteousness look like. As he makes his point Jesus teaches about transforming love. Next week the text continues at Matthew 5:38-48. As we keep in mind the idea of a heartfelt covenant I will outline some of what transformative love looks like.

Christianity, Sunday School, Sunday School Lesson

Sunday School Lesson (May 5, 2019) Called To Righteousness Romans 3:21-31

April 30, 2019 Sunday School Preacher

Hello Sunday school teachers, preachers, and learners! Welcome to SundaySchoolPreacher.com. This week we take a deep dive on ideas surrounding righteousness. Significant themes include:

Atonement of Sin

Justification Through Grace

Redemption

Paul is writing to the church at Rome. A church he has never visited. At the time he writes this letter these Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians are likely experiencing some tension with customs and cultures. This letter will eventually end up playing a significant part of the doctrinal foundation of Christian faith

Background:

This is the first week of a four week study in the book of Romans. The author is Paul. You may remember Paul was once a great persecutor of Christians. And now this work is perhaps one of the most significant Christian texts in terms of explaining foundational Christian doctrine. The New Interpreter’s Study Bible explains that Paul writes Romans “near the conclusion of the third missionary journey to Asia Minor and Greece”. While Paul is the author of Romans, he “dictated it to Tertius (16:22) while he was in Corinth, probably in the spring of 57 CE”.

Townsend’s Commentary highlights some interesting history about the Roman Christians. Townsend states “Christianity in Rome began among the Jews, yet because of the ongoing conflicts within the Jewish community, Emperor Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome. In their absence, Christianity in Rome became predominantly Gentile”. That’s interesting because it is yet another example of governmental persecution endured by our Jewish siblings. The expulsion occurred in 49 CE. “When Claudius died in 54 CE and the edict lapsed, Jews began returning to Rome. These Jewish Christians returned to churches that had become increasingly Gentile which likely created considerable tension between them and Gentile Christians (NISB)”.

Chapter three introduces a number of significant doctrinal terms. Those include the ideas of:

Sin

Justification

Grace

Redemption

Salvation

The central focus of verses 21 through 31 is the idea of righteousness through the grace of faith in Jesus Christ.

Review of Last Week and How it Connects to This Week:

In last week’s lesson the resurrection of Jesus had just occurred and the eleven disciples were in Galilee. After Jesus appearing to the eleven disciples some doubted. After all they had heard, seen, and experienced some of the disciples still doubted. When Jesus spoke to them saying “all power (or all authority) in heaven and on earth has been given to me” he was saying he had all the right, all the privilege, all the freedom and all the license to stand as God has given him victory over death. Jesus then gave them instructions, telling them to go. Not just to go, but to go and teach. The Savior, who was once called teacher, sent his disciples to teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. This is the commission that Jesus gave the disciples and that commission applies to all who call the name of Jesus as their Savior.

The text then moved to Acts chapter one verse six. In this scene the disciples are gathered together and they ask Jesus “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel”. The disciples were envisioning Jesus on the throne in the same way King David reined on the throne about one thousand years earlier.

Jesus tells them “it is not for you to know the times or the dates the Father has set by his own authority”. So in plain words, Jesus tells them you don’t need to know. There are some things that we simply can’t know and some things we just don’t need to know. There are some things that God is going to handle in God’s own good time.

This week we begin a four week study in the book of Romans. Over the next four weeks we will explore the spread of the Gospel. We will consider the ideas of righteousness, life in the Spirit, the call of gentiles, and called to new life in Christ. Townsend, Boyd’s, and Standard Commentary title this week’s lesson Called To Righteousness. The Scripture text comes from Romans 3:21-31.

What Takes Place in This Passage:

In the New Revised Standard Version, verse 21 begins “But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets,”. I like how this verse begins with “but now”. But now, is placed against what was. In other words, the righteousness of God is now not just through the law. Now, there is another way to righteousness. That’s important because righteousness deals with right relationships. And it is our relationship with God that secures righteousness for the Christian. We need a right relationship with God.

Verses 22 and 23 says “the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ[d] for all who believe. For there is no distinction, 23 since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;”. In other words, this righteousness we so desperately need is available to anyone and can be received through faith in Jesus Christ. Verse 23 stands as a perpetual reminder that no one is perfect (except Jesus Christ). We all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

Paul is writing this letter to gentiles and Jewish Christians who likely still practice the tenets of the Torah. He reminds both groups that neither is perfect, that all have sinned, and that God’s righteousness is received through faith in Jesus Christ. Paul is essentially answering the question before it gets asked. Why is this righteousness necessary? The answer is because all have sinned. Both Jews and gentiles have sinned and cannot receive God’s righteousness in their own efforts or by keeping the law.

Verse 24 says they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. So, there are three significant theological terms in this one verse.

Justified (justification)

Grace

Redemption

See below for the definitions for each of these terms but I want to highlight that our justification is freely given. Paul is emphasizing this for the Jewish Christians. They need to know there is no need for the sacrifices of the past. God’s grace through the atonement of Jesus Christ is enough.

In the King James Version Verse 25 introduces the term propitiation. The NIV and NRSV use “sacrifice of atonement” for the same concept. Here Paul is telling us the shed blood of Jesus Christ is the only acceptable sacrifice to be received by faith. And again, Paul answers the question of why before it is asked. Why is the shedding of Jesus’ blood necessary? Verse 25b says “He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished”.

Verse 26 explains “he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at this present time”. Paul is telling us here that God had and has a plan. That plan includes those who will be justified by faith in Jesus Christ.

Verse 27 reminds the Jewish Christians that they cannot boast of their heritage, or their works, because even the law requires faith. And he takes it a step further in verse 28 when Paul says “a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law”.

The lesson closes with 29-31 reminding us that God is God of both the Jews and Gentiles. There is only one God who justifies the circumcision by faith and the uncircumcised through the same faith. And finally, he essentially says it is by faith that we uphold the law.

Context:

A good theological dictionary will list several definitions relating to the term righteousness. There is civil righteousness, human righteousness, righteous indignation, original righteousness, righteousness of faith, and righteousness of God to name a few. It is a term that encompasses many aspects of both Godly and human virtue. But given all these terms, I’m inclined to simply define it as doing right by God and doing right by God’s people. If the saints are doing what’s right, they’ll be alright. I can think of no circumstance where God would be displeased with a saint doing what’s right. We are called to righteousness. We are called to do right.

Key Characters in the text:

Paul – Originally known as Saul of Tarsus before his conversion to Christianity. He was the most influential leader in the early days of the Christian church. Paul was a primary instrument in the expansion of the gospel to the Gentiles. Moreover, his letters to various churches and individuals contain the most thorough and deliberate theological formulations of the New Testament (Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible).

Key Words (not necessarily in the text, but good for discussion):

Righteousness – Biblically the term embraces a number of dimensions relating to God’s actions in establishing and maintaining right relationships. Ethically it is a state of moral purity or doing that which is right.

Glory of God – The divine essence of God as absolutely resplendent and ultimately great (Rev 21:23). The praise and honoring of God as the supreme Lord of all (I Cor. 10:31; Phil. 2:11)

Justification – “A reckoning or counting as righteous”. God’s declaring a sinful person to be “just” on the basis of the righteousness of Jesus Christ (Rom 3:24-26; 4:25; 5:16-21). The result is God’s peace (Rom. 5:1), God’s Spirit (8:4), and thus “salvation”.

Grace – Unmerited favor, God’s grace is extended to sinful humanity in providing salvation and forgiveness through Jesus Christ that is not deserved, and withholding the judgement that is deserved (Rom 3:24; Eph. 1:7; Titus 2:11).

Redemption – A financial metaphor that literally means “buying back”. Used theologically to indicate atonement, reconciliation, or salvation wherein liberation from forms of bondage such as sin, death, law, or evil takes place through Christ.

Atonement – The death of Jesus Christ on the cross, which effects salvation as the reestablishment of the relationship between God and sinners.

Propitiation – A theological term for making atonement for sin by making an acceptable sacrifice. Some English translations us the term to describe the death of Christ. Some theories of the atonement relate this to God’s wrath.

Sin – Various Hebrew and Greek words are translated “sin” with many shades of meaning. Theologically, sin is the human condition of separation from God that arises from opposition to God’s purposes. It may be breaking God’s law, failing to do what God wills, or rebellion. It needs forgiveness by God. (The Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms lists over 30 definitions related to sin.)

Themes, Topics, Discussion, or Sermon Preparation Ideas:

Do The Right Thing (film by Spike Lee)
Sin versus Grace

Questions:

1) What is a right relationship with God?

2) All have fallen short of the glory of God. How do we bring glory to God?

Concluding thought:

There are a number of definitions related to the word righteousness. Likewise there are at least 30 definitions related to the word sin. Both words carry nuanced meaning and both can be explained in several ways. What is most important with either is to remember the love of God. It is that love that provides righteousness for a sinful people and again that love that forgives sinful people. Choose love, do right, and you’ll be alright.

So how do you show love when someone has sinned against you?

Preview of Next Week’s Lesson:

Next week is our second week in Romans. We will look at the idea of being called to life in the Spirit. Just as we covered sin this week we look at the burden of sin in the life of the saint and how that burden is lifted through the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit plays a significant role in the life of every believer.

Religion, Genesis, Sunday School, Uncategorized

Sunday School Lesson Overview for October 14, 2018 – The Call of Abraham and God is Always Working

October 10, 2018October 11, 2018 Sunday School Preacher

Review from Last Week and how it connects to this week

Last week Noah was the central character of the text. Genesis Chapter 5 listed the genealogy from Adam all the way up to Noah and chapter 5 ended by telling us that Noah was five hundred years old when he had Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Chapter 6 described the situation before the flood after men and women had multiplied greatly upon the earth. We talked about the Nephilim or the giants who were the product of the sons of God and the daughters of men. And also, how the wickedness of humans was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of their heart was only evil continually. This grieved God’s heart and the text indicates THAT’S WHY THE EARTH WAS DESTROYED.

We also discussed how one man in particular could make a difference. The REASON Noah could restore what was right and the reason God did not completely wipe all of humanity off the face of the earth is because Noah was righteous.

All of that ties into this week’s lesson as we now consider the genealogies of the people of Israel leading up to another man that God chose to make a difference for the world. God gave Abram a promise. Perhaps there are ways, we can make a difference and perhaps there are promises for us also.

This lesson is taken from Genesis 10:1, 11:10, 27, 31, 32; 12:1-4. Standard Commentary Titles the lesson “The Call of Abram” Boyd’s and Townsend title it God is Always Working”.

Background:

These books of Genesis help explain the relationships between the nations that came to exist after the descendants of Noah repopulated the earth. The genealogies in chapter 10 and 11 describe who the people were and from whom they came. But the point is – at this time in history, all of the various nations – the Canaanites, the Moabites, the Ishmaelite’s, the Philistines; (If the great flood happened like it says it did) they all descended from Noah and Noah’s children. So the question is – HOW DO THEY END UP FIGHTING! The simple answer is because they are human – just like you and me. Sometimes, even brothers and sisters have a hard enough time getting along. And the farther we grow apart the easier it is for disagreements, misunderstandings, mistakes, and problems to occur. The New Interpreters Study Bible tells us “the Ishmaelites, Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, and Aramaeans were all descendants of Abraham or his father, Terah. Through chapters ten and eleven, seventy nations are listed. Townsend commentary tells us “this is typological, that is, it can be used for rhetorical effect to evoke the idea of totality”. In other words the number seven represents completion and 70 nations represents God’s completion of restoring the population.

Chapter 11 begins with the Tower of Babel. “The whole earth had one language and the same words”. Then chapter 11 concludes with the descendants of Shem – one of Noah’s three sons. Abram is descended from Shem. And then chapter 12 begins with the call of Abram. God selects, chooses, picks, Abram one of the sons of Terah and gives Abram some life changing instructions.

Context:

Now, let’s put these three chapters in context. One of the central points of today’s lesson is who these people are, and from whom they came. These genealogies are drawing a line all the way down to Abraham. The New Interpreters Study Bible (NISB) says “the ancestral stories in Genesis, together with the theme of promise that unites them, were actually put into the form in which they now exist during the later monarchic period”. In other words, what we are reading today was formed during the time of Saul, David and Solomon – that’s the Monarchic period. They were formed this way and told this way to help the people who were living right then, to understand how they got to where they were. So the writer is telling the nation of Israel – The REASON we are so blessed is BECAUSE God promised this to Abraham, God promised this to Isaac, and God promised this to Jacob. So in other words, this text “must be read as being directed to a particular HISTORICAL context.

Now listen, The NISB says, “We have to be cautious about removing these promises from the historical setting for which they were intended and relating them to the contemporary (or modern day) political context in the Middle East”. So let me say this as plainly as I can. I have a problem with Christians who worship Israel. Genesis 12:3 says And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. This is what is quoted so often in Christian circles. People who believe that anything modern day Israel does is blessed by God. Now listen, I read the Bible from a Christological perspective. Everything I read, I’m trying to see Christ in it. But this verse wasn’t written with Jesus Christ in mind. It is compiled for the Hebrew people to help them understand where they came from, and how they got to where they are. So I have a problem with people who bow down and worship Israel. People who accept anything and everything this current Israeli government does without question. And since this quarter is focused on God creating and re-creating – let me just say, I’ll be glad when God re-creates peace and justice in the Holy Land.

What takes place in the passages:

After listing the genealogies of Noah and his sons down to Terah who is the father of Abram, the text tells us how Terah took Abram and Lot his grandson and Sari his daughter-in-law to Haran and dwelt there. When Terah was two hundred five years old, he died in Haran. Then Genesis 12 shows us how God spoke to Abram. God gave Abram specific instructions to leave his country, leave his kindred and to go to a land that God would show him.

God promises Abram – if you do what I tell you to do, if you leave everybody I tell you to leave, all of your culture, everything that you’re familiar with, all of your kinfolk, friends and neighbors, all of your cookouts, all of your family reunions, all of your favorite places to hang out and favorite people to hang out with. Everything that’s familiar to you and go where I tell you to go – I’ll make you a great nation and I’ll bless you and make your name great in the earth. In fact Abram, if you do what I tell you to do – I’ll bless them that bless you and curse them that curse you and in YOU all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

So at 75 years old, Abram packs his bags, and he does what God tells him to do.

Key Characters in the text:

God –

Abram – He is the first great patriarch. Christians, Muslims, and Jews regard him as the epitome of human faith in the will of God. His name means father of a multitude.

Key Words (not necessarily in the text, but good for discussion):

Call: When God summons someone to salvation or to a particular work of service, implying Devine selection.
Legacy: something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past.

Themes in this Lesson:

Just as God called Abram with a specific task, God can call each of us with specific tasks.
Noah left a legacy of righteousness, Abram left a legacy of faith, what will your legacy be. Keep in mind, only what you do for Christ, will last.

Thoughts:

Promise – Some Biblical promises are for those to whom they were written. Others are for all of us.

Questions:

Genesis 10 and 11 tell the Hebrew people from whom they came. If it is important for the Hebrew people, is it also important for African Americans. (In the last few months, I’ve noticed a movement to classify African Americans as “American – Descendants of Slaves”).
Abraham’s blessing was conditional. What has God promised us that is conditional / unconditional?

Concluding thought:

God called Abram and Abram responded with complete trust and faith in God. Pray that we may do the same when God calls us.

Preview of Next Week’s Lesson:

In next week’s lesson we see 3 visitors who appear to Abram. Abram demonstrates genuine hospitality by preparing a feast and you get the idea that he treats them with the very best he has to offer. And then one of them tells him “I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son”. 90 year old Sarah gives birth to Isaac and eight days later Abraham circumcises him.