Tag: Townsend Commentary

Sunday School, Sunday School Lesson

Sunday School Lesson (March 8, 2020) A Prayer for Justice Habakkuk 1:1-4, 12-14

Sunday School Preacher

Hello Sunday school teachers, preachers, and students! Welcome to SundaySchoolPreacher.com.  In this week’s lesson the prophet Habakkuk questions God on the way to a prayer for justice. Habakkuk doesn’t understand how God can justify using the evil and wicked Babylonians to punish Judah, God’s own people.  Habakkuk is hurt, he is probably disillusioned and discouraged. Then he comes to the realization that God did this! This is God’s work, this is God’s plan, and this is God ordained.  God is responsible for what Habakkuk believes is unjust suffering, violence, and pain.  Habakkuk had been praying, asking, and pleading with God for some time and still all he sees is this pain and violence.  Habakkuk sees iniquity, injustice, wrongdoing, wickedness, and immorality. And (at least at this point) as far as he can tell God is doing nothing about it.  Habakkuk is hurt. He is not happy with how God has allowed this to happen and he questions God.  When God graciously answers Habakkuk, he’s not satisfied and he questions God again.  In this unusual dialog with God Habakkuk lays this violence and injustice at the feet of God.  Habakkuk thinks God has been indifferent and silent to the violence and suffering in Judah. It is God who allows evil to go unpunished in Judah and it is God who will use the evil Babylonians to punish Judah.  This brings the notion of theodicy into view. How can God be good and just when evil exists the way it does. Some key ideas surrounding this week’s text includes the terms:  

Theodicy

Justification by Faith

Background:  

The book of Habakkuk is the eighth book of the twelve books we call the minor prophets.  As I explained last week these books are called minor only because they are shorter in length and they come behind the five major prophets in the Old Testament.  Nelson’s Bible handbook notes that “since the book speaks of the coming destruction of Judah, it had to be written some time before Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 B.C.”  You may recall that 587 B.C was when the first Jewish Temple was destroyed.  That was the temple King Solomon built for the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord.  So, King David was on the scene about 1,000 B.C.  King David’s United Monarchy (or the united kingdom) divided about sixty nine years later in 931 B.C. and the fall of Jerusalem occurred about  344 years later in 587 B.C. Nelson’s notes that the most likely time for Habakkuk’s composition is probably 600 B.C.  It also explains “Habakkuk’s first dialog with God takes place in 1:1-11.” Nelson’s continues, “In 1:1-4 the prophet asks God how long will God allow the wickedness of Judah to go unpunished.  The people of Judah sin with impunity, and justice is perverted”. So Nelson’s Bible Handbook notes verses 1-4 as referring to the wickedness of Judah. The New Interpreter’s Study Bible explains these verses refer to the Babylonians.  The NISB notes 

“Although many see the slackening of “law” or the failure of “justice” as an indication that those being referred to as “the wicked” are Judeans, subsequent passages clearly identify them as the Babylonians.”  

At any rate, verses one through four are Habakkuk’s complaint to God.  Whether the wickedness and violence refers to the Judeans themselves or the Babylonians, Habakkuk knows and understands the pain and hurt of violence and wickedness.  Habakkuk complains and questions God in verses one through four and God answers Habakkuk’s complaint and question in verses five through eleven. God’s answer obviously does not satisfy Habakkuk because he questions God again in verses 12-17.  

Habakkuk’s  job is to warn the nation of Judah that destruction is coming.  The New Interpreter’s Study Bible notes 

“although Babylon and Judah had been close allies for well over a century, Jehoiakim’s pro-Egyptian sentiments apparently prompted the Babylonians to treat Judah as a conquered enemy rather than an ally.  The result was a Judean revolt against Babylon in 598 BCE”.

In three chapters consisting of fifty-six verses Habakkuk sets forth his warning to Judah while also bringing forward the significant theological concept of theodicy and setting the precedent for the Apostle Paul’s doctrine of justification by faith. The New Interpreter’s Study Bible notes 

“Paul cites Hab. 2:4 as a major textual witness to support his doctrine of justification by faith.  In modern times, Habakkuk’s address to the LORD raises the question of divine absence in relation to the Shoah (Holocaust) and other atrocities”.

The NISB also notes “the book of Habakkuk addresses the question of unjust suffering and evil by presenting the prophet’s appeal to the LORD’s together with God’s answer to the Babylonian betrayal of Judah”.  So while Habakkuk may be small in size, it plays a large role in both Jewish and Christian theology.  

The Lexham Bible Dictionary notes that “Habakkuk is the fourth shortest book in the Old Testament.  Only Obadiah, Nahum and Haggai are shorter”. Lexham also notes that “the prophet grapples with two mysteries

  1. Why God allows evil to go unpunished in his homeland of Judah.
  2. How a righteous God could use Babylon – a wicked nation – to judge sin in Judah”.

Lexham also notes that “Habakkuk’s form, a dialog with God and a concluding hymn, is unique in Old Testament prophetic books”.  Habakkuk is also unique in that the prophet is in conversation with God for the people; whereas other prophets spoke to the people from God.  

The first chapter of Habakkuk deals with the prophets’ complaint, God’s answer, and is the beginning of his unusual dialog with God.  This chapter introduces the notion of theodicy as it “identifies the LORD as the party responsible for bringing evil upon Judah. (NISB)”  Judgement is coming and Habakkuk’s job is to warn Judah. Some important terms to consider about this text include:

Theodicy

Justification by faith

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

In last week’s lesson the prophet Amos spoke truth to power.  He issued a call to accountability to the kingdom of Israel. Amos was from the southern kingdom of Judah but went into the northern Kingdom of Israel to declare its utter destruction.  Israel had rejected justice and righteousness. They went to worship services and did religious things but their heart was far from God because of the way they treated people. I noted how God has always been more concerned with how people are treated than God is concerned with us following the rules and regulations of the Law.  Israel had utterly failed, they had rejected the ways of God, and God would reject them. Amos wanted Israel to know that they were facing disaster, calamity, and affliction. The day of the LORD would not be a day of victory. It would be harsh, stark, and painful. There would be darkness and gloom with no brightness, no reason to celebrate, no reason to look forward, and no reason for hope in the future.  God literally hated what Israel had become.  Instead of Israel hating evil they hated the advocates for righteousness.  As a result, God hated their presumptuous worship. God was not interested in the Israelites festivals, their worship, nor their fellowship. This week we continue in the theme of justice with the prophet Habakkuk.  In this week’s text, Habakkuk questions God’s justice. He seems to ask the question, if God is really just when there is so much injustice in his homeland of Judah.  Townsend, Boyd’s, and Standard Lesson Commentaries title this week’s lesson “A Prayer for Justice”  The scripture text comes from Habakkuk 1:1-4, 12-14. Verses five through eleven are God’s response to Habakkuk’s first complaint.  Habakkuk is evidently dissatisfied with God’s answer and questions God again beginning with verse twelve.  

Listen closely to how Habakkuk questions God.  He is not afraid to confront God about the evil and injustice that he sees in his world.  Habakkuk knows what injustice and suffering is and he wants God to do something about it.  

What Takes Place in This Passage:  

The lesson opens in verse one with the inscription “the oracle that the prophet Habakkuk saw.”  This inscription explains who we are dealing with.  In other words, this inscription explains that these are the words of God from the prophet Habakkuk.  The New Revised Standard Version uses the word oracle, the King James Version uses the word burden, and the New International Version uses prophecy.  “The oracle that the prophet Habakkuk saw.”  The idea is that this is a message from God.  This isn’t just something that Habakkuk feels passionate about.  This isn’t his idea.  This is from God.  Lexham Bible Dictionary defines oracle as “a divine message communicated through a human mediator to one or more human recipients.”  Habakkuk is the mediator but in this case he is speaking to God for the people.  The Pulpit Commentary notes that “the title prophet which is added in the inscriptions only to the names of Haggai, Zechariah, and curiously to Jerimiah implies that Habakkuk exercised the practical office of prophet and was well known.”  

Verse two begins the prophet’s complaint to God.  When Habakkuk asks the question “how long shall I cry for help?”  it indicates he didn’t just now, start crying out.  He has been crying out for some time.  The Pulpit Commentary notes “The Hebrew is taken to imply that the prophet had long been complaining of the moral depravity of Judah, and calling for help against it.”  It seems to me that Habakkuk is saying – I’ve been asking, I’ve been praying, I’ve been pleading God, and still this pain this violence continues. Habakkuk says “Violence! And you will not save.”  This is painful.  He sees, knows, and understands the hurt, the pain, the harm and the suffering of violence.  The violence is difficult to watch and probably triggering. Habakkuk is laying this at the feet of God.  

Verse three begins with another question, “why do you make me see wrongdoing and look at trouble?”  The NRSV uses the word wrongdoing, the KJV uses iniquity, and the NIV uses injustice.  Again, the meaning is the same regardless of which word is used. Iniquity, injustice, wrongdoing all have similar meanings.  Other words that make the same point could be wickedness, immorality, or abomination. The point is, this is painful for Habakkuk to see.  This also helps us understand that God can handle our questions.  Habakkuk is hurt. He is not pleased with how God has allowed this to happen and he questions God.  Listen, if your God is too small to be questioned; you serve a small God.  It’s not as if God doesn’t already know. God knows the end before our beginning.  When we run up on things we can’t understand, things that are painful, hurtful, and even in our view harmful, you aren’t going to hurt God’s feelings if you ask why.  You’re not going to make God angry by asking why. God knows our pain and is with us in our pain.  Despite what our circumstances may be.  God still loves us. Despite our pain, God still loves us.  Despite the hurt we may feel, God still loves us, cares for us, and is with us through it all.  God loves us even when it’s hard to see the love through our tears.  

Verse four begins “So the law becomes slack and justice never prevails.”  At this point Habakkuk has no confidence in the law. He has lost trust and confidence in what the law is supposed to do and what it’s supposed to stand for.  The Pulpit Commentary explains “the law is slacked” as meaning the law “is chilled, benumbed, no longer of any force or efficacy, or has become a dead letter.”  The law is supposed to be the guide for justice and righteousness. Habakkuk believes there is supposed to be justice but instead, he sees injustice, wrongdoing, and iniquity.  When the writer says “The wicked surround the righteous, therefore judgement comes forth perverted.” I’m reminded of 2 Corinthians 4:8-10 which reads 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies.  In both of these cases the pain is real. The suffering is real.  The big difference in Corinthians is that Paul has hope in Jesus Christ whereas Habakkuk, at least at this point, shows no hope.  All Habakkuk sees at this point is injustice and wrongdoing on every side. 

Our text now skips to verse twelve.  Verses one through four deal with Habakkuk’s first complaint to God.  Verses five through eleven is God’s response.  

Verse twelve begins with a rhetorical question.  Habakkuk asks, “Are you not from of old, O Lord my God, my Holy One?”  Habakkuk may have lost trust and confidence in the law in verse four, but in this verse he knows God is the God from everlasting to everlasting.  The law may have lost its power but he knows God is still the able God.  You may also notice that the KJV says “we shall not die” whereas the NIV and the NRSV says “you will never die”.  The Pulpit Commentary explains “the original text reads “thou” (or you) will not die” and that the KJV was altered for reverence’ sake.”  Verse twelve continues “O Lord, you have marked them for judgement; and you, O Rock, have established them for punishment.” Here, Habakkuk is saying God caused this.  God did this. God made, God created, God caused this pain and hurt. It was God who established or ordained the Babylonians for Judah’s punishment. I imagine that it’s hard for Habakkuk to believe that this is true.  That it was God’s doing to cause the Babylonian’s to inflict them like this. It’s true, God did do this and I just imagine that it’s crushing Habakkuk to come to this realization.

This raises the notion of theodicy.  Theodicy asks the question, how can God uphold God’s justice and goodness when we have all this suffering and evil.  The Lexham Bible Dictionary defines theodicy as “the attempt to defend God’s omnipotence and goodness in the face of the problem of evil in the world.”  I imagine that’s what Habakkuk is feeling. Habakkuk wants to know why bad things happen to good people. After all, these are God’s people that are suffering violence.  Lexham continues “theodicy is based on the belief in an orderly universe which is created by a beneficent God. It seeks to answer how a benevolent, omnipotent, omniscient God allows suffering and pain in God’s creation.”  I think many of us can identify with that question – why do bad things happen to good people.  It’s a genuine and honest question.  And if you’ve lived longer than a few days you’ve probably had to ask that question yourself.  

Verse thirteen begins “Your eyes are too pure to behold evil, and you cannot look on wrongdoing;”  In the first part of this verse Habakkuk knows God is still able to deliver. He has a confidence in who God is.  Habakkuk may have lost confidence in the law in verse four.  But at least in the first part of this verse he knows God is still a righteous God.  Habakkuk understands and knows the nature and character of God.  

In part b of this verse he still doesn’t understand.  He knows who God is but that doesn’t mean he knows what God is doing.  He is still hurt and confused about this pain, this violence, and suffering.  Habakkuk asks God a rhetorical question as if to urge God on to do something about this situation.  He asks “why do you look on the treacherous, and are silent when the wicked swallow those more righteous than they?  He is asking, why was God allowing these Chaldeans, these Babylonians to inflict this evil upon Judah?  

Verse fourteen closes the lesson with what the UBS Handbook on Habakkuk calls the “the beginning of a figurative description of how the Babylonians treat their enemies.”  The point in verse fourteen is that Judah is like the fish of the sea and crawling things that have no ruler, no king, or master to guide them.   

Context:

You may have heard someone say “the only dumb question is the one you don’t ask.”  I don’t think that’s completely true, but the idea is that you shouldn’t be afraid to ask a genuine question.  I think it also helps us to know that you have to ask the question if you want an answer.  Habakkuk wanted an answer from God and he questioned God not once but twice.  Genuine questions brought before God out of a sincere heart will never anger, disappoint, or frustrate God.  When we come before God just as we are, God receives us just as we are.  

Key Words:  

Theodicy – The justification of a diety’s justice and goodness in light of suffering and evil.  

Justification by Faith (Protestantism) – The theological principle, emphasized in Protestantism, that salvation comes to an individual by God’s grace through faith, so that to be “declared righteous,” or “justified,” or “saved” is on the (sole) basis of one’s faith in Jesus Christ apart from any works or merit (Rom. 1:17; 3:28; 5:1).   

Themes, Topics, Discussion, or Sermon Preparation Ideas:  

1. When bad things happen to good people.

2.  Seeing God’s love through our tears.

Question:  

Why is it okay to question God from a genuine and sincere heart? 

Preview of Next Week’s Lesson:

Next week’s lesson continues in the book of Habakkuk.  The lesson comes from the 2:6-14. The lesson for March 15, 2020 is titled “Consequences for Injustice.”     

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Sunday School, Sunday School Lesson

Sunday School Lesson (March 1, 2020) Called to Accountability / A Call to Accountability Amos 5:18-24

Sunday School Preacher
Called To Accountability / A Call To Accountability Amos 5:18-24

Hello Sunday school teachers, preachers, and students! Welcome to SundaySchoolPreacher.com.  In this week’s lesson the prophet Amos speaks truth to power. He issues a call to accountability to the kingdom of Israel.  Amos is from the southern kingdom of Judah but goes into the northern Kingdom of Israel to declare its utter destruction. Israel has rejected justice and righteousness.  They go to worship services and do religious things but their heart is far from God because of the way they treat people. God has always been more concerned with how people are treated than God is concerned with people following the rules and regulations of the Law.  Israel has utterly failed, they have rejected the ways of God, and now God would reject them. Amos wants Israel to know that they are facing disaster, calamity, and affliction. The day of the LORD will not be a day of victory. It will be harsh, stark, and painful. There will be darkness and gloom with no brightness, no reason to celebrate, no reason to look forward, and no reason for hope in the future.  God literally hates what Israel has become.  Instead of Israel hating evil they hated the advocates for righteousness.  As a result, God hated their presumptuous worship. God was not interested in the Israelites festivals, their worship, nor their fellowship.  Some key ideas surrounding this week’s text includes the terms:  

Justice 

The Day of the Lord

Background:  

The book of Amos is one of the twelve books we call the minor prophets.  These books are called minor only because they are shorter in length and they come behind the five major prophets in the Old Testament.  The major prophets include Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel.  The minor prophets are the twelve smaller books following these five larger books.  The minor prophets are just as significant and meaningful as any of the other books of the Bible.  

Nelson’s Bible Handbook explains that “the last seventeen books of the Old Testament are books of prophecy.  As a unit, these books make up about one-fourth of the total Bible, and were written across a period of about 450 years.”  So these seventeen books, whether large or small in size make up a significant portion of what we believe and hold as sacred.  That also indicates the 450 year period these books were written in was a significant point in time. Nelson’s notes this timeframe as from about “750 B.C. to around 450 B.C.”  Just a small portion of some of the events happening during that 450 year period includes:  

  • Jonah preached to Nineveh (725 B.C.).
  • Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego (605 BC).
  • The first Jewish Temple is destroyed (587 B.C.).
  •  Exiles return with Zerubbabel (538 BC).
  • The second Temple is built (520 – 515 B.C.).
  • Ezra leads a group of exiles to Jerusalem (458 B.C.).

So these seventeen books cover a lot of the story of the Hebrew people.  They are all prophetic books, meaning they contain prophecy.  Westminister’s Dictionary of Theological Terms Defines prophecy as “speaking on behalf of God to communicate God’s will for a situation.  In the New Testament it is a gift of the Spirit (Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor 12:10; 14:22).  It is also used for the prediction or declaration of what will come to pass in the future.”  So a prophet or prophetess (Miraim, Deborah, Hulda) speaks for God and they are trying to communicate the will of God so that people get the message loud and clear.  The Holman Treasury of Key Bible Words explains that “although the ability to foretell the future is an important role of a prophet, it is not the major function.  A prophet was first of all called to speak forth the word of God as delivered to him or her whether it referred to the past, present, future or to all these aspects of life at the same time.”  It also notes how Luke’s gospel “asserts that Jesus, because he is God, was a powerful prophet when he was on earth.”

The New Interpreter’s Study Bible (NISB) notes that “Amos was a prophet who worked during the reigns of Uzziah of Judah and Jeroboam II of Israel, probably in the 750s BCE.”  So this was about two hundred years after the United Monarchy of King David divided into the kingdom of Israel and the kingdom of Judah.  The NISB also notes that “Amos was a southerner, from Tekoa, some ten miles from Jerusalem. But it seems that his prophetic activity took place in the northern kingdom of Israel.”  So Jerusalem was in the southern Kingdom of Judah and the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel was Samaria. It seems to me that Amos was an especially bold prophet. He lived in the southern Kingdom of Judah but went into the northern Kingdom of Israel to pronounce severe and harsh judgement upon its officials and people.

Other points the NISB notes include:

  • The Northern Kingdom of Israel was enjoying a period of relative prosperity.  
  • Unlike his younger contemporary Hosea, Amos concentrates on the treatment of one section of society by another.
  • We see in Amos the first example of the prophets as the nation’s conscience, condemning those in positions of power and influence for the ill-treatment of those who cannot defend themselves.
  • It is this radical message of the need for social justice that has made Amos such an important prophet for many modern readers of the Bible.  

The fifth chapter of Amos deals with a lament for Israel’s sin and the day of the LORD as a dark day.  The NISB notes that this section is a mixture of condemnations and threats and three exhortations to repent or change course.  The focus of this week’s lesson is how Amos calls Judah to accountability for its treatment of the poor and disenfranchised. Some important terms to consider about this text include:

Justice 

The Day of the Lord 

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

In last week’s lesson I gave a brief review of the Winter Quarter and talked about how Jesus taught his disciples the importance of perseverance in prayer.  After teaching the disciples the model prayer (what we often call the Lord’s Prayer) Jesus used a parable to explain the importance of ever-persevering petitions.  I highlighted the fact that we need to pray and keep on praying. In last week’s parable Jesus used the example of a shameless neighbor and an earthly father to help his disciples understand that relationships matter.  He also helped them understand that because of their relationship with God they could trust that God was a loving, merciful, kind, gracious, and generous God. Jesus helped them to know that perseverance pays off. When we are in God’s will, God answers our prayers.  Jesus also helps them to know that we don’t pray to change God’s mind. God already knows what we need; we pray to get in God’s will.  It’s our job to ask for God’s will; it’s our job to seek and search for God’s will.  When we ask for God’s will, when we seek and search for God’s will, God will open the door to answer our prayers.  Townsend and Boyd’s Commentaries title this week’s lesson “Called to Accountability”  Standard Lesson Commentary titles this week’s lesson “A Call to Accountability”. The scripture text comes from Amos 5:18-24.  

Pay attention to how dark and grim this text is.  Amos is issuing a terrible prophecy upon the nation of Israel.  Amos is God’s prophet and he is telling it like it is. He is speaking on behalf of God and this is what they have to look forward to.   

What Takes Place in This Passage:  

The lesson opens in chapter five at verse 18 with the woeful prophecy of Amos.  He asks the question “why do you want the day of the LORD?” Amos knows the day of the Lord will not be what they expect it to be.  If they have any hope in the coming day of the Lord it is a false hope.  Westminster’s Dictionary of Theological Terms defines Day of the LORD as “A term associated with coming judgement in the Old Testament (Isa. 13:9; Joel 1:15; 2:11; Amos 5:20) and in the New Testament with the second coming of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:10).”  In this case Amos is not simply prophesying judgement, but abject, stark, and grim judgement upon the nation. If the people were expecting victory they would only receive defeat, if they were expecting pleasure they would only receive pain, if joy they would only get sorrow.  Amos lets them know the day of the LORD is not something to look forward to for the nation of Israel. The NISB notes that “the offenses against God are not war crimes but instances of social injustice within the nation.”  Amos speaks truth to power.  

In verse nineteen Amos paints a picture of the disappointment Israel will experience on the day of the Lord.  He compares and contrasts darkness to light, fleeing a lion only to run into a bear, and resting your hand against a wall only to be bitten by a snake.  The UBS handbook on Amos notes this is “a short illustration of an unlucky man who escapes from two dangerous animals, only to be killed by a snake in his own home where he thought he was safe.”  Amos wants Israel to know that they are facing disaster, calamity, and affliction. The day of the LORD will not be a day of victory. It will be harsh, stark, and painful.  

In verse twenty Amos asks a rhetorical question.  “Is not the day of the LORD darkness, not light, and gloom with no brightness in it?”  If they hadn’t understood by now, at this point he is making it plain. There will be darkness and gloom with no brightness, no reason to celebrate, no reason to look forward, and no reason for hope in the future.  

At verse twenty one Amos records the words of the LORD.  It begins “I hate, I despise your festivals.” This is God speaking and God uses the word “hate”.  Westminster’s defines hate as a “Strong opposite to love; the desire that harm or evil might come upon another person.  It is characteristic of sinners in relation to God (John 15:23) and toward others (Gal. 5:20). It is contrary to the love Jesus requires (Matt. 22:37-40).”  So yes, hate is a strong word and should probably never be used by Christians to describe our feelings toward others. So that gives me an indication of how disgusted, outraged, and repulsed God is with Israel.  The New American Commentary explains that “Hate and despise are strong words. The term for hate is used three times is Amos, all in this chapter. Rather than hating evil (v. 15), Israel hated advocates for righteousness, therefore God hated their presumptuous worship (v. 21).”  God was not interested in the Israelites festivals to worship and praise God. The people had shown by their actions that they were not interested in true righteousness or justice.  

In verses twenty-two and twenty three God continues “Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them.”  “Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps.” God rejects their sacrifices and their songs. The New American Commentary also explains

 “the three sacrifices mentioned here are the first three of the five main Levitical offerings presented in Leviticus 1-7.  These are the “pleasing aroma” offerings.  They are the ones that in particular represent consecration and worship as opposed to the other two used solely for atonement.”

God is not interested in their worship, God is not interested in their sacrifices, and God is not interested in their songs.  These are a people who disgust God with their fake worship and fake festivals.  “Burnt offerings were sacrifices in which the entire animal was consumed on the altar and arose to God in smoke.  Grain offerings could only be used on various sacrifices brought as a gift. Fellowship offerings were those in which part of the animal was consumed on the altar and part of it was eaten by the worshiper, thus symbolizing communion between the worshiper and God.”  Again, God is not interested in anything they have to offer. God rejects all that they presumptuously believe they are doing to please God.  

Verse twenty-four closes this lesson with God plainly saying what the right response should be.  “Let justice roll down like water, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. quoted these words in his Letter From A Birmingham Jail.  Dr. King’s letter highlighted some of the same issues and problems Israel was guilty of thousands of years earlier.  Israel had rejected justice and righteousness and God had rejected Israel. The New American Commentary also notes that “justice would mean “reparations for the defrauded, fairness for the less fortunate, and dignity and compassion for the needy”; righteousness would entail “attitudes of mercy and generosity, and honest dealings that imitate the character of God.””  If Israel wanted to please God then justice and righteousness should burst forth like an overflowing stream.  

Context: 

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 is the view that justice repairs the harm caused by crime with victims, offenders, and community members all deciding how to make the repair.  Victims and often their families need equitable repair. Harsh punishment can destroy the offender as well as the offenders family and in turn the offenders community.  It seems to me that restorative justice acknowledges the needs of the victim without destroying the offender. There would be no restoration for Israel in Amos’ prophecy.  For too long Israel had ignored the call of justice and righteousness. Now they would face judgement. The road to justice and righteousness begins with simply striving to “do right” by those we come in contact with.  When we treat people right our families, our communities, states and our nation will become a better place for all.  

Key Words:  

Justice – Classically, the concept of each person receiving what is due.  Biblically, the emphasis is on right relationships and persons receiving a share of the resources of the society.  Concern is expressed for the oppressed and their right treatment. Justice is related to love and grace.  

The Day of the LORD – A term associated with coming judgement in the Old Testament and in the New Testament with the second coming of Jesus Christ. 

Themes, Topics, Discussion, or Sermon Preparation Ideas:  

1.  Do the right thing.

2.  God hates fake.

Question:  

What civil rights leader is known for quoting Amos 5:24?

Preview of Next Week’s Lesson:

Next week’s lesson continues in the minor prophets.  The lesson comes from the book of Habakkuk 1:1-4, and 12-14.  The lesson for March 8, 2020 is titled “A Prayer for Justice.”   

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Sunday School, Sunday School Lesson

Sunday School Lesson (February 23, 2020) Perseverance in Prayer / Ever-Persevering Petitions Luke 11:5-13

Sunday School Preacher

Hello Sunday school teachers, preachers, and students! Welcome to SundaySchoolPreacher.com.  In this week’s lesson I give a brief review of the Winter Quarter and show how Jesus teaches his disciples the importance of perseverance in prayer.  After teaching the disciples the model prayer (what we often call the Lord’s Prayer) he uses a parable to explain the importance of ever-persevering petitions.  We need to pray and keep on praying. In this parable Jesus uses the example of a shameless neighbor and an earthly father to help his disciples understand that relationships matter.  He also helps them understand that because of their relationship with God they can trust that God is a loving, merciful, kind, gracious, and generous God. Jesus helps the disciples to know that perseverance pays off.  When we are in God’s will, God answers our prayers. He also helps them to know that we don’t pray to change God’s mind.  God already knows what we need; we pray to get in God’s will.  It’s our job to ask for God’s will; it’s our job to seek God’s will.  When we ask for God’s will, when we seek and search for God’s will, God will open the door to answer our prayers.  Some key ideas surrounding this week’s text includes the terms:  

Parable

Perseverance 

Background:  

The Gospel According to Luke is the third of the four Gospels and the third of the three synoptic Gospels.  Mathew, Mark, and Luke are synoptic whereas John is not. As I explained last week the synoptic Gospels, in large part, talk about the same things and talk about them in the same ways.  The Gospel According to John stands alone. It talks about some of the same things but talks about them differently and it also talks about things the other Gospels does not mention.  

Nelson’s Bible Handbook notes that “the author does not identify himself by name, but does tell us a good deal about himself.”  It notes that “the author is educated, with the best command of Greek of any New Testament writer. He also counts among his acquaintances a person of high social standing, the “most excellent” Theophilus.”  Other important facts from Nelson’s include:

  • As a Gentile the author is interested in Gentiles and equally disinterested in matters purely Jewish.
  • Luke was probably written some time shortly after 70 A.D.
  • Later tradition identifies the author as Luke, the companion of Paul.
  • Luke is the most socially minded of the gospels.  

The New Interpreter’s Study Bible explains that “Luke is most noteworthy for its narrative of the birth of Jesus (chaps 1-2), the lengthy “travel account” in the central section (9:51-19:48), and its unrelenting interest in the marginalized and the dispossessed.”  So, in this Gospel we see how Jesus shows particular interest in the marginalized and dispossessed. Luke highlights these interactions while also highlighting the “theme of salvation for Israel.”  

Our scripture text falls within the long travel account on the way to Jerusalem.  This is Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem. The NISB notes that “Jesus’ journey is especially concerned with the formation of disciples.”  For example, in chapter 11:1 note how the disciples ask Jesus “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” The NISB also notes that this journey is “also characterized by a growing hostility that reaches its acme in Jerusalem.”  Nelson’s Bible Handbook notes that “knowing He is on his last journey to Jerusalem, Jesus instructs His disciples on a number of practical matters including prayer, covetousness, faithfulness, repentance (and more).” After the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem he faces the hostility of the Scribes and Sadducees.  The hostility escalates until ultimately Jesus is crucified.  

The eleventh chapter of Luke deals with what we call The Lord’s Prayer, perseverance in prayer, Jesus and Beelzebul, the sign of Jonah, and among other things Jesus denounces Pharisees and lawyers.  The focus of this week’s lesson is perseverance in prayer. Some important terms to consider about this text include:

Parable

Perseverance

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

In last week’s lesson Jesus gave his disciples an example of a kingdom seeking prayer.  We often call this model prayer of Jesus the Lord’s Prayer. In this portion of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus was showing his disciples a more excellent way to pray.  He was correcting them so they wouldn’t pray like hypocrites. He was correcting them so they wouldn’t pray to be seen like others or to draw attention to themselves. When Jesus says “pray then in this way”  He was teaching his disciples how to pray. That is to say, this is a better way to pray. He had already told them don’t pray like the hypocrites in the synagogue and in the streets. He had already told them don’t pray to bring attention to yourself.  And it’s not as if the disciples weren’t already praying or didn’t know how to pray. This prayer Jesus was teaching his disciples continued his instruction on the new rules and new commands that would govern the citizens of the new kingdom of heaven.  It is perhaps the most well known prayer of all time and many of us learned it at the feet of our mothers.  Townsend and Boyd’s Commentaries title this week’s lesson “Perseverance in Prayer” Standard Lesson Commentary titles this week’s lesson “Ever-Persevering Petitions.”  The scripture text comes from Luke 11:5-13.  

Again, these are the words of Jesus.  He uses this parable not to give the disciples the answers, but to help them think through a situation and come to the right conclusion.    

What Takes Place in This Passage:  

This final lesson of the quarter opens at chapter eleven verse five.  This is the 13th and final lesson of the Winter Quarter. Each of the 13 lessons focused on Honoring God.  We began with David honoring God, then we saw how David remembered how good God had been to him. He knew where God had brought him from.  God had been with King David down through the years and David wanted to honor God by building God a house. David’s heart was in the right place and he was well able to build a great house for God.  But just because you can, don’t mean you should. It was not God’s will for David, but it was God’s will for David’s son Solomon.  I talked about the Davidic Covenant and then moved on to unit two which focused on how Solomon honored God.   

Solomon made a place for the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord and then he made sure to move the Ark so that only the priests would touch the Ark.  Then Solomon made a great celebration to dedicate this new home for God. No longer would God dwell in the tabernacle, the moveable, mobile tent made by Moses; now the Ark of the Covenant would have a permanent place to dwell. 

In unit three we see how Jesus honors God as he teaches about true worship with single minded obedience, piety, prayer, and perseverance.  First God dwelt in the tabernacle. Then God dwelt in the Temple. Now God dwells in our hearts and it’s our duty to honor God even in our prayers.

Verse five begins with Jesus asking his disciples a rhetorical question.  He asks “suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and ask your friend for three loaves of bread.”  Jesus isn’t really expecting the disciples to give an answer. This is a parable. Jesus is about to teach his followers an important lesson.  Westmininister’s Dictionary of Theological Terms defines parable as “A short story based on common experiences that contains a meaning.”  This is a common experience that his followers would be able to identify with.  Lexham Bible Dictionary explains that Jesus’ parables:

  • Are often introduced with a question.
  • Use everyday images.
  • Uses nameless characters.
  • Often describe the Kingdom of Heaven.
  • Sometimes have a shocking punchline.  

It continues, “parables were not stories that merely educated, entertained, or satisfied curiosity; they demanded interpretation and application.”  It is the interpretation and application that nourished and inspired his followers and confounded and confused his detractors.  Lexham also notes that ““parable” occurs 48 times in the synoptic Gospels and twice in Hebrews.  And while Jesus used metaphors such as light, vine, gate, and shepherd in the Gospel of John, none of Jesus’ teachings recorded there are considered parables and the word “parable” is not mentioned in John.”  

One of the points of this parable is to highlight that perseverance pays off.  The friend is in bed. He and his children are asleep. If he wakes up to get the loaves of bread not only will it disrupt his sleep, it will also wake up the entire family.  Jesus uses everyday images and situations that made his listeners think. He didn’t give them the answers in his parables. He helped them think through to their own conclusions.  Was it rude to wake the friend and his family? Was it even more rude to not provide some food for a friend who has probably been traveling through the day and arriving late at night.  Townsend’s Commentary notes that “Hospitality was an important cultural practice. The suggestion that the sleeping man would deny his friend’s request was unthinkable in their culture.”  It seems to me that this parable is also about relationships. Their is relationship between the traveller and his friend. There is a relationship between the person asking for bread and the sleeping friend.  The friend asking for the loaves was not ashamed to keep knocking, to keep asking. It is his perseverance that gets the result he wants. Likewise, it can be our perseverance that gets the results we want when we are in line with God’s will.  God knows what we stand in need of before we ask. Yet, it delights God to answer our prayers. 1 John 5:14,15 reminds us “And this is the boldness we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him.”  Perseverance pays off. When we are in God’s will, God answers our prayers. We don’t pray to change God’s mind, we pray to get in God’s will.  

In verse nine Jesus continues, “So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.”  That’s the point Jesus is driving home.  Prayer is important. Making our requests known to God is important.  Trusting God to answer our prayers is important. God is a generous, loving, kind, and merciful God.  It’s our job to ask for God’s will; it’s our job to seek God’s will. When we ask for God’s will, when we seek and search for God’s will, God will open the door to answer our prayers.  

I need to interject here to say that sometimes we really don’t know God’s will.  I’ve been in situations in my own life where I honestly didn’t know which way to pray.  The only thing I knew how to do was to trust that God was still a loving God, that God was still merciful and kind.  And that I was still God’s son. Sometimes you don’t know what to do, and sometimes there is nothing you can do; but simply trust God.   

In verses eleven and twelve Jesus continues “Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg will he give him a scorpion?”  Jesus is making the point that God can be trusted to treat God’s children right.  Our God is a loving, merciful, kind, gracious, and generous God. It is unthinkable that any loving parent would give their child a snake instead of a fish or a scorpion instead of an egg.  Likewise, it is unthinkable that our loving God in heaven would give us something harmful instead of something good.

Verse thirteen closes this lesson with Jesus stating the obvious to his disciples.  13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”  In other words, if your earthly fathers know how to give you good gifts, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts?  Jesus is making his point by moving from the disadvantaged earthly father’s perspective to the omnipotent heavenly Father’s perspective.  If your disadvantaged earthly father knows how to give good gifts, how much more will the God of the universe do for God’s children.     

Context: 

People who say God may not come when you want Him, but He’s always right on time, say that because they have probably experienced God for themselves.  They already know that God is an on time God. Jesus has already taught the disciples the model prayer and in this parable he is teaching them to persevere in prayer.  He is driving home the point that persistent prayer, persevering prayer, changes things. What we should know and believe is that prayer changes things. If not our circumstances or situations, then perhaps us.

Key Words:  

Parable – A short story based on common experiences that contains a meaning.  Parables make up approximately 35% of Jesus’ recorded sayings.    

Perseverance – persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.

Themes, Topics, Discussion, or Sermon Preparation Ideas:  

1.  Prayer changes things. 

2.  Why do we pray?

Question:  

If God already knows what we need before we ask why is it important to ask?    

Preview of Next Week’s Lesson:

Next week is the first week of the Spring Quarter.  The focus for next quarter is justice and the prophets.  The lesson for March 1, 2020 comes from Amos 5:18-24 and is titled “Called to Accountability” and “A Call to Accountability”.   

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Sunday School, Sunday School Lesson

Sunday School Lesson (February 16, 2020) The Prayer of Jesus / Kingdom Seeking Prayer Matthew 6:9-15

Sunday School Preacher
The Prayer of Jesus / Kingdom Seeking Prayer

Hello Sunday school teachers, preachers, and students! Welcome to SundaySchoolPreacher.com.  In this week’s lesson Jesus provides his disciples with a kingdom seeking prayer. We often call this prayer of Jesus the Lord’s Prayer.  In this portion of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is showing his disciples a more excellent way to pray. He is correcting them so they won’t pray like hypocrites.  He is correcting them so they won’t pray to be seen like others or to draw attention to themselves. When Jesus says “pray then in this way” He is teaching his disciples how to pray.  That is to say, this is a better way to pray. He has already told them don’t pray like the hypocrites in the synagogue and in the streets. He’s already told them don’t pray to bring attention to yourself.  And it’s not as if the disciples weren’t already praying or didn’t know how to pray. This prayer Jesus is teaching his disciples continues his instruction on the new rules and new commands that will govern the citizens of the new kingdom of heaven.  It is perhaps the most well known prayer of all time and many of us learned it at the feet of our mothers.  Some key ideas surrounding this week’s text includes the terms:  

Doxology

Kingdom of God

Background:  

This is the third lesson of three from the early chapters of the Gospel According to Matthew.  Over the last two weeks some of the major points I’ve discussed include:

  • How The Gospel According to Matthew and the other three Gospels are placed at the beginning of the New Testament to form a foundation and basis upon which we learn about the life, work, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  
  • How this book is the writer’s recollection of words Jesus spoke decades earlier.
  • How the main subject of Matthew is “the kingdom of heaven” or the “kingdom of God.”
  • How this Gospel presents Jesus as a sort of Moses who delivers the nation of Israel like Moses delivered the nation from Pharaoh in Egypt.
  • How the NISB explains that “the Gospel was probably a rewriting of Mark’s Gospel, written around 70 CE.”
  • How the NISB explains “the antagonism toward the synagogue in Matthew suggests a date in the 80s.” 

In this week’s lesson Jesus gives the disciples a model prayer.  It is perhaps the most well known prayer of all time. Keep in mind that this prayer is a part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount discourse.  In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus outlined some of the rules and commands that the kingdom of God will be governed by. In this prayer Jesus is showing his disciples a more excellent way to pray.  

I want to highlight that this text is likely written after the Temple in Jerusalem has been destroyed.  That’s significant because the Temple was central, or one of the most important aspects of the Jewish religion.  As we have studied in previous lessons the Temple was the place where God would be present among them. Now that place was destroyed.  God’s house was destroyed. And the Jewish people are trying to figure out what that means for them as a people. They want to know if it means that God has abandoned them.  After suffering such a heavy defeat they are confused about their place in the world, what all this means for the Davidic covenant, and if God has truly forsaken them. One of the reasons The Gospel According to Matthew is written is to answer that question.  The writer wants them to know that Jesus is the answer. The sixth chapter of Matthew deals with almsgiving, prayer, fasting, treasures, serving two masters, and worry. In our text for this week Jesus provides an example of how to pray. This model prayer is perhaps the most well known prayer in all of history.  Some important terms to consider about this text include:

Doxology

Kingdom of God

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

In last week’s lesson Jesus gave instructions on how to do good deeds, where to pray, how to pray, and how not to pray.  All of this was a part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.  Jesus had been baptized by John the Baptist, he had endured forty days and forty nights of fasting in the desert, then  tempted by the satan. He had begun his ministry in Galilee, called his first disciples, and ministered to the crowds before his first major discourse – the Sermon on the Mount. The instructions in his Sermon on the Mount included how to do good deeds, how to give alms, and how to pray our prayers in ways that won’t draw attention to ourselves.  Because when it’s all about us, when it’s all about drawing attention to ourselves, it’s not about the will of God for our lives. And it’s not about the others that Jesus sacrificed his life for. In last week’s text we also began to see a bit of the antagonism The Gospel of Matthew has toward the synagogue. That antagonism was a result of the division between what I call the old school traditional Jews (who reject Jesus) and the new Jewish Christians who believe Jesus is the Messiah.  I also noted that Matthew does not offer a friendly glowing depiction of the synagogue. I noted how as the Mattheian writer writes to the Jewish-Christian community he recalled the words of Jesus from decades earlier yet his focus was still God honoring Piety. Townsend and Boyd’s Commentaries title this week’s lesson “The Prayer of Jesus.” Standard Lesson Commentary titles this week’s lesson “Kingdom Seeking Prayer.” The scripture text comes from Matthew 6:9-15.  

Again, these are the words of Jesus.  This prayer is a part of his sermon on the mount and it should not be considered as a separate, isolated text.  It is in the context of all the words he just spoke in verses 1-8. This prayer is a part of his first major discourse – the Sermon on the Mount.  It is a part of the rules and commands that govern the citizens of this new kingdom of God Jesus is preaching.  

What Takes Place in This Passage:  

The lesson opens at chapter six verse nine with Jesus having already given instructions on piety or as the King James version puts it almsgiving.  He has given instructions on how to pray, where to pray, and how not to pray. Jesus has warned the disciples to beware of being pious in order to be seen by others and He has told the disciples “do not be like the hypocrites.”  Now he teaches his disciples a model prayer.  

This is the prayer that many of us learned from our mothers when we were but little children.  And because we have known this prayer for so long it can be easy to simply say the words without meaning what we say.  We know it by rote. And since we are so familiar with it and have known it for so long we can fall into the sin of verse 7 which says “When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do.

When Jesus says “pray then in this way”  He is teaching his disciples how to pray.  That is to say, this is a better way to pray than the way you have been praying.  He has already told them don’t pray like the hypocrites in the synagogue and in the streets.  He’s already told them don’t pray to bring attention to yourself. It’s not as if the disciples weren’t already praying or didn’t know how to pray.  Jesus is correcting the way they pray.  Remember the verses before this one talked about not being a hypocrite and not praying to be seen by others.  

The prayer begins by addressing God in heaven.  Westminster’s Dictionary of Theological Terms defines heaven as “The place beyond earth that is the abode of God.  In Christian theology, it is the future eternal abode of those who receive salvation in Jesus Christ. It is portrayed as a place of blessedness, without pain or evil, distinguished by the presence of God”.  This place where the abode of God is, is also referred to as the third heaven. The first heaven is the atmosphere where we breath, the birds fly, and the clouds exist. The second heaven would be outer space where the sun, the moon, and the stars exist.  And the third heaven would be God’s throne; that place where God most manifests God’s self. Check Genesis 1:1, 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, and Deuteronomy 26:15. Westminster’s defines “hallow” as “To consecrate, set apart, or regard as holy”. So Jesus is telling his disciples to address God in heaven knowing that God is – set apart, and holy.  

In verse ten Jesus says “your kingdom come, your will be done.”  That’s the WHOLE point. God’s kingdom on earth. This is the central reason behind The Gospel According to Matthew.  God’s kingdom on earth, ruled by Jesus Christ. God’s kingdom on earth won’t be like the Roman kingdom that has oppressed the Jewish people and destroyed the Temple.  It won’t even be like the old Jewish kingdoms of David and Solomon. This will be a new way of living, a new kingdom with new rules that govern the citizens of the new kingdom.  This kingdom ruled by Jesus Christ will establish the perfect kingdom of God on earth and in the universe.  

In verse eleven Jesus reminds his disciples to pray for daily provisions also.  Jesus is not so heavenly minded that he is of no earthly good. He knows his disciples and followers often struggle for daily provision.  And he wants us to bring those needs to God in prayer. 1 Peter 5:6, 7 reminds us “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you”.

In verse twelve Jesus instructs the disciples “forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”  I think this verse should be interpreted to mean exactly what it says. We ask God to forgive our debts, just as or in the same way, we forgive our debtors.  However, Marvin R. Vincent in Word Studies in the New Testament  notes that “sin is pictured as a debt and the sinner is the debtor (compare Matt. 18:28, 30).”  That a fine picture and it works for this verse but again, I don’t think this verse needs further interpretation.  Forgiveness is an important theme in both the Old and New Testaments and we bear the duty and responsibility of forgiving when forgiveness is warranted.  

In verse thirteen the New Revised Standard Version says “And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one.”  The KJV says “and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil”. And The New International Version says “and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.”  The difference between the three translations is “time of trial instead of temptation” and deliver us from evil versus deliver us from the evil one. The Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew by Barclay M. Newman notes that “This final petition is especially difficult to interpret.  The Greek word translated temptation may also mean “trail or persecution.”  As I have noted in previous lessons, God does not tempt.  James 1:13 reminds us. “No one, when tempted, should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one.”  Note also that the KJV includes the doxology – “for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.  Amen.” These words are not included in the NRSV or the NIV. The Pulpit Commentary explains 

“indeed it was so usual for doxologies of one kind or another to be added by the jews to prayers, that, though we cannot for one moment accept the words here as genuine, we must consider it very doubtful if the Lord’s Prayer was ever used in Jewish circles without a doxology, or that our Lord, as Man, ever intended it to be so used.”  

So, the doxology we quote in this verse was not a part of the original text of the Matthian writer nor is it in Luke’s account of this prayer.  

Verses fourteen and fifteen close the lesson on a note about forgiveness.  Just as God forgives us, we should forgive others. It’s important to do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  We ought always to treat people right. Jesus is teaching a new way of living. No longer are the Jews to practice “an eye for an eye” now they are to forgive so that God in heaven will forgive them.  These are new rules and a new way of living for the citizens of this new kingdom of Heaven.  

Context: 

Why do we pray?  I pray because I believe God can do something about my situation or circumstances.  I pray to have a conversation with God, to praise, or thank God. I pray to process my thoughts and to hear God’s direction.  There are a number of ways and reasons we can and should pray. But in our praying we should know and remember that God is more concerned with the pray-er, than God is with the prayer.  Let’s strive to do as Jesus taught his disciples to pray.

Key Words:  

Doxology – a form of praise to God, such as “Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost (Spirit).    

Kingdom of God – God’s Sovereign reign and God’s rule was the major focus of Jesus’ teaching (Matt. 6:23; Mark 1:15; Luke 6:20).  Its fullness is in the future (Luke 13:29; 22:18) and yet it has also come in Jesus himself (Luke 10:9; 17:21).

Themes, Topics, Discussion, or Sermon Preparation Ideas:  

1.  Praying for our daily bread.  (In the same way Jesus taught his disciples about spiritual and heavenly things he also taught them to pray for their daily provisions)

2.  Why do we pray?  (as in all things, our motivations matter.  We ought to pray from a genuine heart)

Question:  

Jesus took the time to instruct his disciple on prayer.  Why is this an important part of the Christians’ life?  

Preview of Next Week’s Lesson:

Next week, we move to the Gospel According to Luke but we cover the same subject content of this week.  Next week we again study the Lord’s prayer but this time from Luke’s perspective. The lesson for February 23, 2020 comes from Luke 11:5-13 and is titled “Perseverance in Prayer” and “Ever-Persevering Petitions.”  Again, Jesus teaches us about true worship through prayer.

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Sunday School, Sunday School Lesson

Sunday School Lesson (February 9, 2020) Piety That Honors God / God Honoring Piety Matthew 6:1-8

Sunday School Preacher
Piety That Honors God / God Honoring Piety – Matthew 6:1-8

Hello Sunday school teachers, preachers, and students! Welcome to SundaySchoolPreacher.com.  In this week’s lesson Jesus instructs us on piety that honors God. This God honoring piety begins with instruction on how to do good deeds.  Then Jesus switches to where to pray, how to pray, and how not to pray.  All of this is a part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.  Jesus has been baptized by John the Baptist, he has endured forty days and forty nights of fasting in the dessert followed by temptation from the satan.  He has begun his ministry in Galilee, called his first disciples, and ministered to the crowds before he begins his first major discourse – the Sermon on the Mount. In this week’s text Jesus instructs us to do our good deeds, to give our alms, and to pray our prayers in ways that won’t draw attention to ourselves.  When it’s all about us, when it’s all about drawing attention to ourselves, it’s not about the will of God for our lives. And it’s not about the others that Jesus sacrificed his life for. Additionally, in this week’s text we begin to see a bit of the antagonism The Gospel of Matthew contains toward the synagogue. This antagonism is a result of the division between what I call the old school traditional Jews (who reject Jesus) and these new Jewish Christians who believe Jesus is the Messiah.  Matthew does not offer a friendly glowing depiction of the synagogue. In this week’s text, as Matthew writes to the Jewish-Christian community he recalls the words of Jesus from decades earlier and his focus is God honoring Piety. Some key ideas surrounding this week’s text includes the terms:  

Hypocrisy 

Kingdom of God

Background:

This is the second lesson of three that comes from the early chapters of the Gospel According to Matthew.  Last week I mentioned how Matthew is the first book of the New Testament and the first book of what we call the four Gospels.  I noted how Nelson’s Bible Handbook explains that “Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are placed at the beginning of the New Testament as the theological backdrop for the rest of the New Testament”.  So these four books help form the foundation and basis upon which we learn about the life, work, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Each of the four Gospels tell the story of Jesus from their own unique perspective.  Matthew, Mark, and Luke are synoptic Gospels.  That means in large part, they tell the same stories,  and they tell them pretty much the same way. They go together hand-in-glove.  They are very much alike whereas the Gospel According to John is not synoptic.  John stands alone recording events the other Gospels does not record and when it tells the same stories it tells them in a different way.  

Nelson’s Bible Handbook notes that the main subject of Matthew is the “kingdom of heaven” or “Kingdom of God”.  It continues, “this kingdom of God means the rule or reign of God – in the entire universe, in the world, and in our hearts.”  That’s significant because this week’s lesson deals with some of the rules that govern the kingdom of God.  These are new rules that the Jewish people had not heard before. In this new kingdom of God, with these new rules, people’s lives and society will be changed so they are not oppressing others and not living under oppression.  Nelson’s Bible Handbook explains that “the kingdom is already here in Jesus (12:28), but it is not yet fulfilled (13:43; 25:34).” So God reigns sovereign throughout the universe right now, but the Kingdom of God that Jesus is preaching is not yet fully complete.  If you have a red-letter edition of the Bible you will notice a lot of red in chapters five, six, and seven. In those chapters, Jesus is outlining his rules to govern this new kingdom of God.  Those rules begin with what we call the Beatitudes in chapter 5:1-13.  

In last week’s background I noted how the NISB explains that “the Gospel was probably a rewriting of Mark’s Gospel, written around 70 CE.”  The NISB continues “the antagonism toward the synagogue in Matthew suggests a date in the 80s.” This antagonism The Gospel of Matthew contains is a result of the division between what I call the old school traditional Jews (who reject Jesus) and these new Jewish Christians who believe Jesus is the Messiah.  In this week’s lesson a bit of that antagonism toward the synagogue begins to appear. Matthew does not offer a friendly glowing depiction of the synagogue.  

The sixth chapter of Matthew deals with almsgiving, prayer, fasting, treasures, serving two masters, and worry.  In our text for this week Jesus gives us instruction on how to do good deeds, where and when to pray; and how to and how not to pray.  Some important terms to consider about this text include:

Hypocrisy 

Kingdom of God

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

In last week’s lesson we saw a prime example of single minded obedience as Jesus demonstrated true worship.  After being baptised by John the baptist, experiencing God the Father in a voice from the opened heavens, and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, Jesus was immediately taken into the wilderness by the Spirit where he fasted for forty days and forty nights.  After fasting forty days and forty nights Jesus was famished. He may have been God in the flesh but his flesh desperately needed sustenance. Jesus is no doubt in a weakened state physically and emotionally. It was at this point when Jesus was vulnerable that the adversary, the accuser, the tempter, the devil tried to short circuit Jesus’ journey to become King of Kings and LORD of Lords.  Jesus was tempted three times by the satan. Each time he engaged the devil by quoting holy Scripture. If it’s in you, it will come out of you. Jesus fought the devil with what was inside him – scripture. We would do well, if we could do the same when faced with adversity. Townsend and Boyd’s Commentaries title this week’s lesson “Piety that Honors God.” Standard Lesson Commentary titles this week’s lesson “God Honoring Piety.”  The scripture text comes from Matthew 6:1-8.  

Again, these are the words of Jesus.  They are a part of his first major discourse – his Sermon on the Mount and they are a part of the rules and commands that govern the citizens of this new kingdom of God Jesus is preaching.  

What Takes Place in This Passage:  

The lesson opens at chapter six verse one with Jesus giving instructions on piety or as the King James version puts it almsgiving.  His focus in this verse is piety. Westminster’s Dictionary of Theological Terms define “piety” as devotion and commitment to God expressed in the Christian life through a variety of actions.  Different expressions and emphases for piety are found throughout Christian history.  The term is sometimes used synonymously with “spirituality”.”  So piety can be seen as part of one’s religious duty. Something that is done because of and required by one’s religious commitment.  For us today, piety might be as simple as praying before we eat or visiting the sick or elderly.  

In this verse, in the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), Jesus warns us to beware of being pious in order to be seen by others.  The King James Version uses the word alms, the New International Version uses the term right-eousness. And the New Revised Standard Version uses the term piety.  Those are three different words in three different translations. The Pulpit Commentary explains several reasons why “alms” should not be the word used in this verse.  One reason is that “it is improbable that the [Greek] word used here should be rendered “alms” because it has this meaning no where else in the New Testament.” 

At any rate, Jesus is teaching us about the motives of why we do what we do; whether it’s called piety, doing good deeds, righteousness, or some other term.  Jesus warns us to beware of doing what we do in order to be seen by others. He says, “for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.” The implication then, is if we are doing these good deeds not to be seen by others but from a pure motive, then there will be a reward for us.  But the question that immediately comes to mind is whether that reward will be received in this life or in the life to come.  

In verse two we begin to see a bit of the animosity the Gospel writer has with the synagogue.  As the Mattheian writer recalls the words Jesus spoke decades earlier he does not gloss over his disdain for the members of the synagogue.  He calls them hypocrites. Note also that the correct word for alms is now used in the NRSV, the KJV, and the NIV translates alms as “giving to the needy.”  In this verse, Jesus tells us “do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others.”  The idea is that those who give should not draw attention to themselves for the good works they do. When they draw attention to themselves for the work they do the attention they receive is their reward.  

The NISB explains “this passage promotes practices that benefit the other and serve God.”  Serving others and not serving our own self interests is a theme that runs through both Old and New Testaments.  In verses three and four Jesus tells us “when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.”  Giving alms or doing righteousness does not require a great announcement. I think this takes into account the feelings of the person receiving alms also.  Who wants to be the subject of someone making a big deal about how much they helped you. No matter how grateful a person may be, it can be embarrassing for someone to make a big deal about how they helped you.  I think Matthew is concerned about the person on the receiving end of the good deed also. When our alms are done in secret, when we do good works without drawing attention to ourselves, God sees and God knows and that’s what counts.  

First Jesus gives us instruction on piety then in verse five Jesus switches the subject to prayer.  Again the Mattheian writer notes that hypocrites can be found in the synagogue “for they love to stand and pray in the synagogue.”  They are hypocrites because they love to be seen. They are hypocrites because they love to look pious but their motives are for self glorification and not from a genuine heart.  Jesus tells us “do not be like hypocrites.” The hypocrites have already received their reward.  

In verse six, Jesus gives us instruction on where to pray.  He tells us to go into our room, shut the door, and pray to the Father who is in secret, and the Father who sees in secret will reward you.  Note that the KJV includes the word “openly”. The NIV and NRSV does not include this word. Public prayer for the praise and approval of others is vain and conceited.  Westminster’s Dictionary of Theological Terms defines “prayer” as: human approach to God and addressing God in praise and adoration, confession, thanksgiving, suppliction, and intercession.  A consciousness of God’s presence, love, direction, and grace may be experienced.” We pray to communicate with God, not to show off or be praised by others.  

In verse seven Jesus tells us how to pray.  He says we should not “heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do.  The KJV calls Gentiles “heathen”. The NIV uses “pagans” for the same word.  The KJV uses heathen, the NIV uses pagan, and the NRSV uses Gentile. At any rate, this implies to me that heathens, pagans and Gentiles pray also.  But I think the point the writer is making is that non-christian people pray and our prayers should not be like those of people outside the faith. The NISB explains that “heaping up empty phrases or babbling is polemic.”  In other words, the Mattheian writer is harshly disagreeing with, if not attacking the way Gentiles pray.  

Verse eight closes our lesson with an admonition not to be like the Gentiles and a reassurance that God the Father knows what we need before we ask.  You may have heard some people say “ it don’t take all that”. In this case, it’s true. We don’t need long wordy prayers that sound a certain way. God already knows what we stand in need of.  I especially like Hebrews 4:16 as a guide to my own prayer. “Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  And God knows, it’s always a time of need.  

Context: 

Why do we do what we do?  What is our motivation? Do our good works come from a place of genuine concern for others without expecting something specific in return?  I think these are questions that can help guide us in this Christian journey. Jesus instructs us to do our good deeds, to give our alms, and to pray our prayers in ways that won’t draw attention to ourselves.  When it’s all about us, when it’s all about drawing attention to ourselves, it’s not about the will of God for our lives. And it’s not about the others that Jesus sacrificed his life for. Let’s strive to stay grounded in the reasons that matter.   

Key Words:  

Hypocrisy – The outward appearance of conveying truth or righteousness that masks the inner state of mind or intention of untruth or evilness (Matt 23:28; Mark 12:15; James 3:17).  

Kingdom of God – God’s Sovereign reign and God’s rule was the major focus of Jesus’ teaching (Matt. 6:23; Mark 1:15; Luke 6:20).  Its fullness is in the future (Luke 13:29; 22:18) and yet it has also come in Jesus himself (Luke 10:9; 17:21).

Themes, Topics, Discussion, or Sermon Preparation Ideas:  

1.  Stay grounded in the reasons that matter.  (Some things matter more than others, we should always stay grounded in the reasons that really matter)

2.  Why do we do what we do?  (our motivations matter.  If we are seeking our own praise we can be sure we’ve already received all the reward we’ll get)

Question:  

Why do words like humbleness, modesty, and meekness seem to be so much more valued for Christians?

Preview of Next Week’s Lesson:

Next week, we pick up where we left off in Matthew sixth chapter.  The lesson for February 16, 2020 comes from Matthew 6:9-15 and is titled “The Prayer of Jesus” and “Kingdom Seeking Prayer.”  Next week’s study deals with what is commonly called the Lord’s prayer. Again, Jesus teaches us about true worship; this time through prayer.

Thank you for joining me on this journey.  I am Rev. Dexter Alexander and you’ve been listening to SundaySchoolPreacher.com. 

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