September, October, November 2020Volume 27, Number 1

© Copyright Warner Press, Inc.

Adult StudentKevin Stiffler, Editor and PublisherCurtis D. Corzine, Layout

Published quarterly for the teaching church by Warner Press, Inc., PO Box 2499, Anderson, Indiana 46018. Printed in the United States of America. Lessons based on International Sunday School Lessons; the International Bible Lessons for Christian Teaching, Copyright © 1971, by Committee on Uniform Series. Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

ContentsWEEK DATE TITLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PAGE

Unit IStruggles with Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

1 September 6 Issues of Love � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 32 September 13 God Rewards Obedience 113 September 20 Love versus Guilt 194 September 27 God’s Plan Revealed � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 28

Unit IIInclusive Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

5 October 4 Love for and Devotion to Others � � � � � � � � 376 October 11 Love Your Enemies� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 457 October 18 Loving Your Neighbor 528 October 25 Love Divine 60

Unit IIIGodly Love among Believers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68

9 November 1 Loving by Serving� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 6910 November 8 Abiding Love 7711 November 15 Confident Love 8512 November 22 Sharing Love 9313 November 29 Impartial Love 101

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Unit I at a GlanceStruggles with Love

Throughout its pages, the Bible is faithful to report honestly the behavior of its characters—including the good, the bad, and the ugly� Sometimes people failed to demonstrate love to one another as God had commanded and had shown to them, and the text tells us about the disastrous results� But love always triumphed when people turned to God and chose to forgive others�

Week 1 studies the conflict between Joseph and his brothers that led the brothers to sell Joseph into slavery� Jealousy was the root of the problem here� Decisions that were made led to a treacherous act and untold heartache and pain that would take many years to resolve�

Week 2 explores God’s love poured out on Joseph while Joseph was a captive in Egypt� Even though Joseph was already a slave, he ended up in prison� But God’s love still reached out to bless him, soon causing Joseph to rise to a position of great power and influence�

Week 3 examines the eventual reestablishment of contact between Joseph and his brothers� Certainly Joseph still felt pain at what had been done to him earlier, but he determined to care for his brothers and to test the possibility that their hearts had changed for the good�

Week 4 looks at the final restoration of the relationship between Joseph and his brothers� With perspective given by God, Joseph realized that his time of separation from his family had been used by God for the good; he wept out of love and compassion and took steps to care for his family in anticipation of the coming years of famine�

Writing contributors for Unit I:Kathleen Buehler, Jaymie Dieterle

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September 6, 2020 Week 1

Issues of LoveWhat Is Our Study About Today?Jealousy, hate, and love are emotions that people experience in their families� An absence of love for Joseph by his brothers led to envy and finally a plot to kill him�

Bible PassagesGenesis 37:2–11, 23–24a, 28

What Topics Will Be Discussed?Love, jealousy, hatred, relationships�

Bible Background

At the time reflected in today’s text, Joseph was a young man in a large family—the eleventh of twelve sons born to Jacob� The older sons likely were married and had their own children� Unmarried and living in their father’s tent, Joseph and Benjamin enjoyed Jacob’s favor because of their mother Rachel, Jacob’s beloved wife� Joseph’s older brothers resented him� That resentment grew as Joseph “tattled” on his brothers by taking a bad report to their father about their work with the flocks and then recounted his dreams indicating that he would one day rule over them� Animosity finally boiled over and resulted in Joseph being sold into slavery�

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CONNECTSome people insist that the place you occupy in your family of

origin determines at least some of who you are as a person� According to this view, oldest children tend to be the “achievers�” Middle children tend to be the “peacemakers�” The youngest children tend to be the “entertainers�” Only children tend to be like first-borns, only more so in every area� Of course, these are generalizations� Many factors influence the kinds of people we become� There are positive traits and problematic ones that can develop for individuals no matter what their place or birth order in the family�

In the Book of Genesis, Jacob was the youngest of twin boys� Jacob’s brother, Esau, was the favorite of his father; Jacob was doted on by his mother� There was considerable tension over which son would receive the family inheritance and the dominant position within the clan�

Jacob married two sisters, Leah and Rachel� The natural rivalry one would expect between two sisters married to the same man was compounded by the fact that Jacob clearly loved Rachel and was essentially tricked into marrying Leah�

Over time, Jacob had twelve sons through Leah and Rachel and two of the sisters’ servants� Joseph was number eleven out of twelve boys, and he was highly favored by his father over the rest of the sons� Customary sibling rivalry was amplified and complicated by dynamics that included the tension between Leah and Rachel and the special status Joseph enjoyed in his father’s affections�

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STUDYI. Genesis 37:2–4, Jacob’s Sons

K J VGenesis 37:2 These are the

generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, and his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.

3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.

4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

N I VGenesis 37:2 This is the

account of Jacob’s family line. Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them.

3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him.

4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.

2 Verse 2 gives us important context for understanding the dynamics of this story� The sons of Bilhah and…Zilpah were born to the servants of Leah and Rachel (Jacob’s wives who were sisters), and they were a bit older than Joseph, who was born to Rachel, the sister Jacob loved most� These older brothers were likely already married with children of their own� The age difference and the different mothers would have caused some distance in the relationship between Joseph and his brothers� And then Joseph brought their father Jacob a bad report, presumably concerning the work the others were doing with the flocks�

3–4 The text does not hide the fact that Israel (Jacob) loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, just as he loved Joseph’s mother, Rachel, more than any of the mothers of his other children�

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This favoritism was blatantly demonstrated by the ornate robe Jacob made for Joseph to wear� Joseph’s brothers…hated him because of his favored status in the family�

II. Genesis 37:5–11, The Dreamer

K J V5 And Joseph dreamed

a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.

6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:

7 For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.

8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.

9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.

10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down

N I V5 Joseph had a dream, and

when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more.

6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had:

7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.”

8 His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.

9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”

10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?”

11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

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K J V continuedourselves to thee to the earth?

11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

5–7 Joseph had a dream, and when he shared about it with his brothers, they hated him all the more. Joseph did not specifically state what he thought the dream meant or what interpretation, if any, God had given him� He simply identified himself with the sheaf of grain that stood upright and indicated that his brothers’ sheaves…bowed down to it. The insinuation was clear to Joseph’s brothers, providing a possible picture of the future in which Joseph would be honored above his brothers�

8–10 The text emphasizes the depth of the brothers’ resentment of Joseph by repeating again the fact that they hated him all the more because of the dream� Joseph was either oblivious to their hatred or he didn’t care, because he had another, similar dream that he communicated to his father as well as to his brothers� Jacob’s response was no more favorable than that of the brothers; he rebuked Joseph for the young man’s seeming pretensions to superiority�

11 There is no indication that Jacob was aware of his other sons’ feelings toward Joseph� If he had been more aware, he might have been reluctant to send Joseph off unaccompanied to seek Jacob’s other sons who were grazing the family flocks (Gen 37:12–17)� However, Jacob did keep the dream in mind.

III. Genesis 37:23–24a, 28, Stripped and Sold

K J V23 And it came to pass, when

Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him;

24a And they took him, and cast him into a pit:

28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and

N I V23 So when Joseph came to

his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the ornate robe he was wearing—

24a and they took him and threw him into the cistern.

28 So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the

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K J V continuedthey drew up and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

N I V continuedcistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.

23–24a When Joseph came to his brothers, the plotters put their plan into action� And the first thing they did was strip him of his robe� This might have been their way of making it clear that they disdained Joseph’s position as the favored son� Then they threw Joseph into a dry cistern, a pit dug for holding rainwater�

28 There is much that today’s selected text does not include, such as the indication that the sons of Jacob sat down to eat after tossing their own brother into an empty cistern (v 25)� How callous! Genesis 42:21 tells us that Joseph pleaded with his brothers for his life� While he was pleading, the brothers perhaps mulled over their next move, since Reuben had talked them out of murder� Another of the brothers, Judah, convinced the group that there was a way to turn a profit while avoiding getting Joseph’s blood on their hands� The brothers saw their chance to be rid of Joseph when Midianite merchants came by� They were delighted with this opportunity to get rid of their pretentious pest of a brother and make a little money for their trouble� Apparently selling Joseph into slavery was a more palatable solution for their fraternal problems and their consciences� They would have expected Joseph’s life as a slave to be miserable when he was chained, taken to Egypt, treated like baggage, and sold as property� They may have even expected their pampered little brother to die on the journey—the end they desired, carried out by the hands of others�

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APPLYThe Old Testament story of Joseph is not merely a cataloging

of the hills and valleys of Joseph’s life and his family; there are also parallels to the life of Christ� In this early portion of Joseph’s saga, we see glimpses of these connections�

• Both Joseph and Jesus were envied and hated (Matt 27:18)�

• Both were rejected by their brothers� Joseph’s brothers did not recognize that God was calling Joseph to greatness (of course, at this stage Joseph did not fully realize what he was being called to either)� Jesus’ brothers did not understand that Jesus was the Son of God (John 7:5)�

• Joseph’s brothers betrayed him and handed him over to others in return for money� Jesus was betrayed by one of his disciples, men who were closer to him than his kindred, for thirty silver coins (Matt 26:14–15)�

• At a point in their lives, both Joseph and Jesus were taken to Egypt under stressful circumstances (Matt 2:13–15)�

• Although both Joseph and Jesus could have sought revenge against those who had hurt them, they each chose the path of love and forgiveness (Luke 23:34)�

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LIVEAs you think of today’s Bible passages and the insights drawn from

them, reflect on and write your responses to the following questions:1. How has your place in your family influenced who you are today and the ways in which you have responded to God’s call on your life?

2. In what ways have jealousy or hatred—whether from others toward you or from you toward others—caused heartache and pain and kept your relationships from being all they might be?

3. What strategies might you develop to allow a commitment to love to override feelings of jealousy and hatred in your life?

DAILY BIBLE READINGSM August 31 Genesis 30:22–24; 35:16–20 Mother of Joseph and Benjamin

T September 1 Genesis 37:12–17 Checking On the Brothers

W September 2 Genesis 37:29–36 Joseph Presumed Dead

T September 3 Psalm 106:1–6, 16–22 From Slave to Ruler

F September 4 Acts 7:9–15a Jacob Lives with Joseph

S September 5 James 4:1–7 Caution about Disputes

S September 6 Genesis 37:2–11, 23–24a, 28 Issues of Love

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September 13, 2020 Week 2

God Rewards ObedienceWhat Is Our Study About Today?It may be difficult to hold on to dreams of future success when faced with extreme hardship� Because Joseph loved and obeyed God, he was able to engage in wise and discerning problem-solving that got him appointed second in command over all Egypt�

Bible PassagesGenesis 41:25–33, 37–40, 50–52

What Topics Will Be Discussed?God’s will, maturity, preparation to serve�

Bible Background

The Bible tells us that Joseph was cast into a pit and then sold into slavery by his envious brothers� Once he reached Egypt, he rose to a position of trust in the household of Potiphar, the captain of the guard in Pharaoh’s court, before being imprisoned on false charges of trying to rape Potiphar’s wife� Despite this setback, Joseph eventually was summoned to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams and organize an effort that saved lives in Egypt, within Joseph’s own family, and among others during a time of severe famine� Through it all, God was preparing and equipping Joseph to help further God’s purpose of creating and sustaining God’s covenant people�

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CONNECTPaul was talking to a friend and expressed his frustration over

struggling to know God’s will for his life� “I wish it was like in the days of Adam or Noah�” he said� “God walked in the garden talking with Adam, and he spoke to Noah and gave him very specific instructions for the ark� I wish God would make things that clear to me!” At that time, Paul was contemplating changing careers and leaving behind the business he had started and worked in for over twenty-five years� Money was tight, and he would need to invest in some training if he were to make the move� Paul asked his friend to pray that Paul would receive guidance and clarity from the Lord about this change� Paul’s friend told about a former pastor who would sometimes pray and ask God to keep the congregation from error when they were undertaking a new task or ministry�

Regardless of whether we would prefer to live in Old Testament times, most of us would probably not object to knowing clearly what God wanted for us or had in store for us� When Joseph of the Old Testament was thrown into the cistern and first sold into slavery, he might not yet have known what God was up to� But when it came to the dreams Joseph had or heard, Joseph seemed to have clear direction from the Lord�

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STUDYI. Genesis 41:25–33, Pharaoh’s Dreams Interpreted

K J VGenesis 41:25 And Joseph

said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.

26 The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.

27 And the seven thin and ill favored kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.

28 This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh.

29 Behold, there come seven year of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:

30 And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;

31 And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous.

32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is

N I VGenesis 41:25 Then Joseph

said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do.

26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream.

27 The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine.

28 “It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.

29 Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt,

30 but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land.

31 The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe.

32 The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has

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K J V continuedestablished by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

33 Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.

N I V continuedbeen firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon.

33 “And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt.

25 In the text of Genesis between last week’s lesson and today, we are told that Joseph had been imprisoned on false charges of attempted rape� Despite his imprisonment, Joseph rose to a responsible position� He was chosen by the warden to oversee the other prisoners� Joseph befriended and correctly interpreted the dreams of two fellow prisoners who were servants of Pharaoh� Two years later, he had now been called on to interpret two of Pharaoh’s dreams� After hearing what the dreams were, Joseph told Pharaoh that the dreams both had the same meaning, revealing to Pharaoh what God was about to do.

26–28 Pharaoh’s dreams included seven healthy-looking cows…and…seven healthy heads of grain, which represented seven years; they also included seven famished cows…and…seven sickly heads of grain, which represented seven years of famine. With Joseph’s help, God was showing Pharaoh the future, which would allow Pharaoh to plan for it�

29–32 Joseph told Pharaoh that his dreams foretold seven years of great abundance followed by seven years of a famine so intense that no one would remember the times of plenty that immediately preceded it� There would not be a tendency to tell stories of the “good old days�” In people’s minds, the severity of the famine would overshadow the memory of the prosperous times� The reason for the dream happening in two similar forms was to confirm that these things would, in fact, come to pass�

33 Joseph encouraged Pharaoh to appoint a discerning and wise leader to help the nation prepare for the time of famine� In verses not included in today’s text, Joseph detailed how this plan would work�

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II. Genesis 41:37–40, Joseph Put in Charge

K J V37 And the thing was good in

the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.

38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?

39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:

40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.

N I V37 The plan seemed good to

Pharaoh and to all his officials.38 So Pharaoh asked them,

“Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?”

39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you.

40 You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”

37–38 Joseph’s plan sounded sensible to Pharaoh and to all his officials. Note that there is no indication that Joseph took credit for the interpretation of the message he delivered or put himself forward as the one who should be appointed to oversee the massive effort to lay aside stores of food� Unlike the slightly cocky adolescent of former years—the proud boy who had flaunted before his brothers his dreams of greatness—the Joseph who had been matured and seasoned by harsh experience was content to speak God’s message and wait to see how God might use him�

39–40 Pharaoh acknowledged that it was God who had made all this known to Joseph� He put the relief effort in Joseph’s hands� Joseph had become second in authority in Egypt only to Pharaoh� The dreams of Joseph’s youth were poised for fulfillment�

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III. Genesis 41:50–52, Joseph’s Sons

K J V50 And unto Joseph were

born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him.

51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.

52 And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.

N I V50 Before the years of famine

came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.

51 Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.”

52 The second son he named Ephraim and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”

50 At the time of his elevation to great power, Joseph had spent approximately thirteen years in Egypt� The Bible tells us that he was seventeen years old when his brothers sold him into slavery (Gen 37:2), and that he was thirty when he began his service to Pharaoh (Gen 41:46)� Pharaoh bestowed great honor on Joseph, including arranging for Joseph to be married to the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On (Gen 41:45)� And before the famine came, Joseph and his wife were blessed with two sons�

51–52 Taken together, the names of Joseph’s sons serve as both brief biographies of Joseph’s life and a testimony to God’s sustaining presence� Manasseh sounds like the Hebrew word for “forget” and was meant to express thanksgiving for God’s role in helping Joseph forget his past troubles� Ephraim sounds like the Hebrew word for “twice fruitful” and testifies to God’s ability to bring abundance out of unlikely circumstances� Joseph was one of twelve brothers, one of whom was Levi� Since the Levites were devoted to God’s service and did not receive their own territory in the Promised Land, the clans of Joseph’s sons became “half tribes” that were accorded the status of full tribes; the Bible rarely mentions the tribe of Joseph, instead referring to the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim� This was a further blessing to the legacy of Joseph�

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APPLYJody is active in her local congregation� In the past she has served

several groups with her organizational gifts� Two of her current ministries are coordinating a food pantry and organizing a vacation Bible school�

When asked how God has prepared her for this season in her life, Jody responded, “I realized several years ago that the next step of faith is always easier to take because God has been faithful to walk the journey with me� When I agreed to help with earlier food ministry efforts, those opportunities proved to be training grounds, so to speak, for this new ministry opportunity� So because of the similarity between the outreach opportunities—and because I know that if God is calling you to move out for God’s purpose, God will be there with you—for me there wasn’t any other answer than to say yes� Early in my marriage I assisted with weekday religious education, and I believe it helped prepare me to work with kids, speak in front of people, organize material, and pursue Bible study for teaching� As I look back now, I realize I wasn’t very good, but it was a stepping stone for the current VBS ministry� Now when new opportunities present themselves, I can look back on my life and say, ‘Wow, God has had his hand on me, bringing opportunities to me along my journey to better prepare me for today�’ When I say yes to one thing, I gain more experience and confidence to say yes to the next thing�”

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LIVE1. What has been your greatest challenge in life, and how has God used it to prepare you for deeper Christian maturity and service?

2. Describe a time when God has spoken (communicated) to you� What did you sense God saying to you?

3. How has your love for God enabled you to endure tough circumstances and continue to honor the Lord in your family, your work, your church, and your community?

DAILY BIBLE READINGSM September 7 Acts 13:1–5 Appointed for Ministry

T September 8 Genesis 41:9–13 Interpreter of Dreams

W September 9 Genesis 41:14–24 Dreams of Cows and Grain

T September 10 Genesis 41:34–36 Preparing for the Famine

F September 11 Genesis 41:41–49 Storing Grain for the Future

S September 12 Genesis 41:53–57 Egypt Feeds the Middle East

S September 13 Genesis 41:25–33, God Rewards 37–40, 50–52 Obedience

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September 20, 2020 Week 3

Love versus GuiltWhat Is Our Study About Today?Some people allow guilt about the past to poison their present� When Joseph saw and remembered his brothers who sold him into slavery, he showed compassion while motivating them to recall and take responsibility for their earlier actions�

Bible PassageGenesis 42:6–25

What Topics Will Be Discussed?Guilt, forgiveness, compassion, godly sorrow�

Bible Background

Two decades earlier, Joseph’s ten older brothers held all the cards over him� Now Joseph held the cards over these brothers, and he knew it� He had the power to have them killed� But Joseph cared for his brothers and wondered if they had changed� Perhaps he would find answers by giving them a taste of their own medicine and reminding them of their guilt� Repeated accusations, time in jail, and a difficult proposed test of their honesty brought their past sin to their minds and to their lips in confession� Joseph tempered his harshness, providing food for their families and for their journey, all at no cost to them�

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CONNECTWhen my children were young, I would sometimes complain to

my dad and mom about a discipline issue my husband and I were having with our kids� My dad would say, “What goes around comes around�” In other words, they had dealt with the same kind of thing with me and my siblings� I’m reminded of that now when my grown children talk about an issue with their young kids� Sometimes the headaches we gave our parents become the headaches we face with our children�

This saying might also relate to the effect of wrongdoing� We might want to deny something wrong we’ve done rather than confess it, but it will “come around” to confront us at some point�

Finish the following statements� What does each one mean? Which ones relate to the effects of wrongdoing?

1. You’re getting your just __________________________�

2. Your chickens have come home __________________________�

3. If you lie down with dogs, you’ll __________________________�

4. What you sow, you __________________________�

5. You can be sure that your sin __________________________�

6. If you play with fire, you __________________________�

7. If you want to dance, you’ll have to pay the ________________�

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STUDYI. Genesis 42:6–8, Joseph Recognizes His Brothers

K J VGenesis 42:6 And Joseph

was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.

7 And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.

8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.

N I VGenesis 42:6 Now Joseph

was the governor of the land, the person who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.

7 As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. “Where do you come from?” he asked. “From the land of Canaan,” they replied, “to buy food.”

8 Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.

6 Seven years of plenty had passed, and it was now the second year of famine� Food was scarce throughout the region—except in Egypt, due to Joseph’s interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams and his astute planning� People from surrounding countries came to buy from Egypt, including Jacob’s ten older sons� Joseph not only had a political position as governor, but he also had an economic position as the person who sold grain� His authority was evident, and when the brothers came before Joseph, they bowed down to him in recognition of that authority�

7–8 Joseph…recognized his brothers right away, but they did not recognize him� The brothers, already adults when they last saw Joseph, may not have changed much in looks or dress� Joseph, a teenager when he came to Egypt, was now in his thirties with the dress, language, and authority of an Egyptian—and was presumed

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dead by his family� Joseph played the advantage� He pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to the brothers� He asked them what he already knew�

II. Genesis 42:9–13, Joseph Interrogates His Brothers

K J V9 And Joseph remembered

the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

10 And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.

11 We are all one man’s sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies.

12 And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

13 And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.

N I V9 Then he remembered his

dreams about them and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”

10 “No, my lord,” they answered. “Your servants have come to buy food.

11 We are all the sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies.”

12 “No!” he said to them. “You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”

13 But they replied, “Your servants were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.”

9 Joseph remembered his dreams of prominence over his brothers (Gen 37:5–11); now these dreams were beginning to be fulfilled� He intentionally falsely accused his brothers, but for what purpose? Little by little we find out�

10–11 The brothers proclaimed their honesty� They certainly were the sons of one man and not spies, but their claim contrasted with an earlier time when they caused their father to believe a lie (Gen 37:31–34)� They had lived with that lie all these years�

12–13 As Joseph heightened his accusations, the brothers continued to protest, sharing more information about their family� They said that the youngest brother was at home (thus Joseph knew

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that his full brother, Benjamin, was still alive) and that one brother was no more. The brothers assumed that Joseph was dead�

III. Genesis 42:14–20, The Test

K J V14 And Joseph said unto

them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies:

15 Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.

16 Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.

17 And he put them all together into ward three days.

18 And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God:

19 If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses:

20 But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.

N I V14 Joseph said to them, “It is

just as I told you: You are spies!15 And this is how you will

be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.

16 Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be kept in prison, so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!”

17 And he put them all in custody for three days.

18 On the third day, Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God:

19 If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison, while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households.

20 But you must bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified and that you may not die.” This they proceeded to do.

14–17 Joseph refused to take his brothers’ word; instead, he proposed a test to find out the truth of what they said� The youngest brother must come to Egypt; one of the ten would go home to get him� But instead of following through on this plan immediately,

24 Adult Student

Joseph put…all the brothers in custody for three days. Did it remind them of the pit they had put Joseph in two decades earlier?

18–19 Joseph now altered his test� “I fear God,” he told his brothers� We begin to see grace at work� He would see whether his brothers were indeed honest men by having one…brother stay…while the rest went home with food for their starving households.

20 Even under this new plan, Joseph still required that the youngest brother be brought to Joseph to prove the truth of their words and so they would not die—not just the brother left behind, but all of them and their families� The famine would last five more years� At some point they would need to buy more food, and that required Joseph’s favor�

IV. Genesis 42:21–25, Guilt and Compassion

K J V21 And they said one to

another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.

22 And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.

23 And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.

24 And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.

N I V21 They said to one another,

“Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come on us.”

22 Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood.”

23 They did not realize that Joseph could understand them, since he was using an interpreter.

24 He turned away from them and began to weep, but then came back and spoke to them again. He had Simeon taken from them and bound before their eyes.

25 Joseph gave orders to fill

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K J V continued25 Then Joseph commanded

to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man’s money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them.

N I V continuedtheir bags with grain, to put each man’s silver back in his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. After this was done for them,

21–22 The brothers seemed to have been jolted into remembrance of their guilt in regard to Joseph; they believed their current distress was in retribution for that sin� Two decades earlier, Joseph had pleaded with them for his life, but they would not listen� Now Egypt’s governor would not listen to their pleas� Reuben (the oldest) pronounced their sentence: we must give an accounting for his blood. They were guilty for what they assumed was Joseph’s death and now must pay�

23–24 Meanwhile, Joseph had been listening to his brothers’ public confession of guilt, unbeknownst to them� Overcome with emotion, he turned away and wept� We catch here a glimpse of his compassion�

25 With the verdict still out on the brothers’ honesty, nine of them left for home with bags full of grain…and…provisions for their journey, and also with their money secretly returned to them, all due to Joseph and his compassion�

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APPLYThe Kilauea volcano in Hawaii erupted in May 2018 and

continued to do so for several months� It seems that a relatively small leak in the reservoir of molten rock underneath and the lake above drained out lava through fissures in the rift zone� The resulting floods of lava threatened residences miles away�

What is hidden down under the earth can, through rock formations shifting and pushing, come to the surface� It manifests itself as a cave or a tidal wave or an earthquake or molten lava� A tree’s roots, at one time deep in the ground, may push up through to the surface and be exposed to view� Debris from ships buried on the bottom of the sea may years later be carried to land�

Unresolved guilt can be pushed down and efforts made to forget it and move on, but it has a way of eventually resurfacing� It sours relationships, keeps us from thoroughly enjoying life, comes to mind uninvited, and can negatively affect us physically� Sometimes it explodes from us as a volcano, or it may expose itself more quietly after years of being buried�

The psalmist knew the miseries of unresolved guilt� Read Psalm 32:3–4� What did his unresolved guilt feel like? Read verses 1–2 and 5� How did he feel upon receiving forgiveness?

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LIVEGrace Fabian and her husband, Edmund, were missionary

translators with Wycliffe� They went to Papua, New Guinea in 1969 to begin translating the New Testament into the Nabak language� After more than two decades of living and working with the Nabak people, they could begin to see the finish line for the New Testament project� Then on April 29, 1993, Edmund was brutally murdered by an unstable Nabak man who was helping him translate that morning�

Grace and her children were shocked� The Nabak people were not violent people, and this man was someone they had worked with, had shared food with, had played table games with� Surely he didn’t do it� But he confessed and was put in jail�

One day while Grace and her family were still reeling in their grief and shock, Grace sent cake by a friend to the man in jail� The friend reported that the man wouldn’t eat it, because it was too holy a gift to him� He was in anguish over his crime� Grace began to pity the man, and God used the incident to prepare her heart for forgiveness�

In early May, Grace, her two grown children, and her two teenage twins went to the jail� The man stood with eyes lowered, a picture of brokenness and guilt� The Fabians each put their hands through the bars, took his hand, and told him they forgave him�

DAILY BIBLE READINGSM September 14 Psalm 51:1–12 Have Mercy on Me

T September 15 Luke 23:9–15 Pilate’s Judgment of Jesus

W September 16 Genesis 42:1–5 Going to Buy Grain

T September 17 Genesis 42:26–28 The Money Returned

F September 18 Genesis 42:29–34 Joseph Questions His Brothers

S September 19 Genesis 42:35–38 Jacob’s Vow

S September 20 Genesis 42:6–25 Love versus Guilt

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Week 4 September 27, 2020

God’s Plan RevealedWhat Is Our Study About Today?Sometimes we are overwhelmed by tragic events in life� Joseph told his brothers that what they meant as harm was God’s plan for sav-ing them, a remnant of God’s people�

Bible PassagesGenesis 45:1–8, 10–15

What Topics Will Be Discussed?Difficult circumstances, God at work, trust, faith�

Bible Background

Most people in our society today tend to regard history as a string of events detached from universal meaning� The Bible maintains, on the other hand, that the events of history carry divine purpose because God is revealed in history as he actively works to bring about his will� This biblical affirmation is clearly seen in Genesis 45� It is summed up in Joseph’s statement to his brothers who had sold him into slavery: “It was not you who sent me here [to Egypt], but God” (Gen 45:8)� In Joseph’s understanding, God had put him in the right place, in a time of famine, to preserve God’s covenant people�

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CONNECTLook up the following verses and think about how they relate to

what you know of the life of Joseph and those of other Bible characters:

Matthew 25:21

1 Peter 5:5–6

Colossians 3:23

1 Peter 2:20

Romans 8:28

Others?

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STUDYI. Genesis 45:1–2, Joseph Weeps

K J VGenesis 45:1 THEN Joseph

could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there he stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren.

2 And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.

N I VGenesis 45:1 Then Joseph

could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!” So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers.

2 And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.

Joseph had “tested” his brothers by secretly returning the money they had paid for their grain and demanding they leave behind Benjamin, Jacob’s youngest son and Joseph’s full brother through Rachel, while they returned home� The brothers had brought the money back and confessed (honestly) that they didn’t know how it ended up in their sacks� Now Judah, whose idea it was to sell Joseph into slavery all those years ago, offered his own life in the place of Benjamin’s� Joseph was deeply moved; he had everyone leave the room except for his brothers, then he revealed his identity to them� Yet he wept so loudly that the sound traveled; the Egyptians heard it and told Pharaoh�

II. Genesis 45:3, I Am Joseph!

K J V3 And Joseph said unto his

brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence.

N I V3 Joseph said to his brothers,

“I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.

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After revealing his identity, one of Joseph’s chief concerns was revealed in his first question: Is my father still living? He must have guessed how his disappearance would have affected Jacob� But he didn’t get an answer from his brothers…because they were terrified at his presence. Not only had they been dealing with the second most powerful man in Egypt—a man who had the power to grant them life or order their deaths—but he just happened to be the brother they had plotted to kill, the sibling they had sold into slavery� Their concern about getting food back home was now eclipsed by the very real possibility that they were about to die�

III. Genesis 45:4–8, Preserving a Remnant

K J V4 And Joseph said unto his

brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.

5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.

6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.

7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

N I V4 Then Joseph said to his

brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!

5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.

6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping.

7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

8 “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.

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4–6 Joseph must have been aware of his brothers’ fear� He immediately began to offer them reassurance and to emphasize that he was not interested in revenge� He explained that he sensed God’s hand in the midst of everything he had experienced, that it was to save lives that God sent him ahead of them to Egypt� God’s plan not only took care of Egypt and those Joseph governed during the famine in the land, but it also enabled Jacob’s family, God’s chosen people, to survive�

7–8 In both of these verses, Joseph restated his firm belief that God was another participant—the chief and decisive participant—in the drama of Joseph’s life and the lives of his family members� Human beings may think they know the script of their lives, but it is God who can most effectively influence how our lives ultimately unfold and the good that can emerge from them�

IV. Genesis 45:10–15, Joseph to Provide

K J V10 And thou shalt dwell in

the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children’s children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast:

11 And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty.

12 And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you.

13 And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither.

14 And he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck, and

N I V10 You shall live in the

region of Goshen and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have.

11 I will provide for you there, because five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’

12 “You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that it is really I who am speaking to you.

13 Tell my father about all the honor accorded me in Egypt and about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.”

14 Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin

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wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck.

15 Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.

and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping.

15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him.

10 Joseph had a great offer for his brothers� He urged them to resettle in the region of Goshen in Egypt (in the northeast part of the country) along with their families—their children and grandchildren,…flocks and herds, and all of their possessions—so that they could be near to him�

11–12 In spite of what his brothers had done to him, Joseph wanted to be sure that his entire family was fed and cared for� Because of Joseph’s mature faith in God, he could freely forgive and lovingly care for his brothers� He saw God’s hand at every turn in his life� His higher calling—to save Egypt and to save his family in order to fulfill God’s plans—eclipsed his brothers’ sins�

13 Jacob would not even have known that Joseph was still alive until the brothers returned home to tell him, so Joseph urged them to bring his father down to Egypt quickly� Joseph was certainly bursting with anticipation at the thought of seeing his beloved father again after all these years�

14–15 The depth of Joseph’s forgiveness and his love for his brothers was demonstrated as he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Unlike so many people in our narcissistic, me-oriented society, Joseph did not become fixated on how wronged he had been� He saw the bigger picture and was thankful that God’s hand had continued to be on his life even as he faced years of hardship and separation from his family� This perspective enabled him to extend grace and forgiveness to his brothers�

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APPLYIn today’s text, we see Joseph saving the lives of those who betrayed

him, showing gracious forgiveness, and “adopting” his brothers into his new family in Egypt� Joseph had prepared a place of refuge for his family with him in Egypt so they could be together once again� His brothers were fearful, wondering if they could trust this forgiveness after all they had done� While we don’t read about it in today’s passage, the Bible tells us that Jacob at first didn’t believe his sons when they told him that Joseph was not dead, but eventually he rejoiced in the knowledge that his son was indeed alive (Gen 45:26–28)�

Jesus willingly saves those who betray him as they repent, showing each of us gracious forgiveness of the sins that sent him to the cross� He offers us “adoption” into God’s family� John 14 tells us that he has gone ahead of us to prepare a place so that we can be where he is� It can be difficult for new followers of Christ to accept his gift of forgiveness—it seems “too easy�” God’s Word also tells us that the disciples were slow to believe that Jesus was alive again, but when they finally saw him for themselves, they rejoiced (Luke 24:11; John 20:20)�

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LIVE1. Think back to when you first asked God to forgive your sins�

In what sense was it easy or difficult to accept that they were forgiven? To what extent were you able to walk away “free”? To what degree did you struggle with doubts of your salvation and with thoughts of having to earn it in some way? If you have not asked forgiveness of God yet, how do you anticipate that you might respond to these questions?

2. Choose one of the verses or passages from the Connect activity� How has the principle described there been evident in your life, or how would you like to further develop that principle in your life?

3. Because of God’s guidance and presence, how have you experienced something positive coming out of difficult circumstances? Describe a time in your life that was a “blessing in disguise”—it seemed bad at first but turned out for good�

DAILY BIBLE READINGS

M September 21 Psalm 43 Maintaining Hope

T September 22 Genesis 43:1–15 Benjamin Sent to Joseph

W September 23 Genesis 44:1–13 The Stolen Cup

T September 24 Genesis 44:14–17 The Brothers’ Offer

F September 25 Genesis 44:18–26 Judah’s Plea

S September 26 Genesis 44:27–34 Jacob’s Fear

S September 27 Genesis 45:1–8, 10–15 God’s Plan Revealed

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Unit II at a GlanceInclusive Love

When we understand that love is a decision that is demonstrated through our actions rather than a good feeling we have inside, it changes the way we live� We extend love to others—to strangers, the poor, and even our enemies—in practical ways� This is the nature of living for those who would love as God asks�

Week 5 studies the loving actions of Jonathan toward his friend David� Even though Jonathan’s father, King Saul, was seeking to have David killed, Jonathan bravely spoke to his father in defense of David and made sure David was aware of what was going on�

Week 6 explores the teaching of Jesus about loving our enemies� Jesus gave practical examples of how we do this: by doing good deeds for people, blessing them, and praying for them� Those who love their enemies in this way can expect great rewards from God as they demonstrate his mercy to the world�

Week 7 examines the Parable of the Good Samaritan, perhaps one of the best-known and best-loved stories Jesus told� It was clear from the Old Testament that we should love our neighbors as we love ourselves� Neighbors extend mercy, and at times they need mercy—therefore everyone is a neighbor to us by Jesus’ definition�

Week 8 looks at the “Love Chapter,” 1 Corinthians 13� Here Paul made clear the prominence of love in the lives of God’s children, presenting its characteristics in a powerful and memorable way that makes it easy to remember and understand why love is so great, why it is so important, and how we can show it�

Writing contributors for Unit II:Philip Barnhart, Sam Collins, Kathleen Buehler, David Russell

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October 4, 2020 Week 5

Love for and Devotion to OthersWhat Is Our Study About Today?Although families are important, family dysfunction can skew our priorities and lead us to ruin� Jonathan opposed the unjust inten-tions of his father, King Saul, in order to offer support and protec-tion to David�

Bible Passage1 Samuel 19:1–7

What Topics Will Be Discussed?Loyalty, justice, love, reconciliation�

Bible Background

Today’s Bible passage starts with a rash command, which 1 Samuel 18:28–29 puts into perspective: “When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days�” With the first verses of chapter 19 we see that Saul’s jealousy and fear of David had grown to the point that he openly declared war on David, giving orders for him to be killed� David now became the hunted, with a short respite mediated by Jonathan, and Jonathan began to divide his loyalty to Saul from his loyalty to David�

38 Adult Student

CONNECTWhom would you have voted for in your high school class as

“most likely to succeed”? Who was that one student with skills and abilities in many different areas—kind of an all-around guy or gal? In my high school, it would have been Louie� He served as student council president, took on community leadership roles, played tennis all four years, participated in class drama productions, was in the National Honor Society and other academic clubs, was chosen one of the senior “beaus” and Mr� Senior Class, served on the yearbook staff, and seemed well-liked by everyone� I would call him an all-around kind of guy—with brains, looks, athleticism, integrity, initiative, friendliness� I didn’t know Louie well, but he seemed to succeed in everything he put his hand to�

Jesse’s youngest son, David, herded sheep and did it well, protecting them from lion and bear� He was expert with a sling, quick on his feet, and fierce in his trust in the Lord� He defeated the giant Goliath single-handedly, and gave the glory to God� He became a beloved and successful leader of soldiers� He was skilled with a harp and could soothe spirits with his playing� He was loved by the people� He was an all-around kind of guy—with brains, looks, athleticism, integrity, initiative, friendliness� David seemed to succeed at everything he put his hand to�

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STUDYI. 1 Samuel 19:1, Saul’s Plan

K J V1 Samuel 19:1 AND Saul spake

to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David.

N I V1 Samuel 19:1 Saul told his son

Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David. But Jonathan had taken a great liking to David

Much had led up to Saul’s open hostility toward David� At one time Saul had liked David and had invited him into his service (1 Sam 16:21–22)� But Saul was a troubled man; “an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him” (1 Sam 16:14)� He knew God had rejected him as king (1 Sam 15:26), and fear and suspicion began to rule his mind� So when David defeated Goliath, and people shouted David’s praises, jealousy toward David sprang up in Saul’s heart� He made David a commander of men and sent him away with the troops, hoping David would be killed in battle� But David was successful, and Saul’s fear grew (1 Sam 18:15–16)� We now see the beginning of Saul’s open campaign to eliminate David as his enemy, a campaign that would last the rest of Saul’s life� Saul commanded those persons close to him, including his son Jonathan…, to kill David. But Jonathan had taken a great liking to David, making a pact of friendship with him (1 Sam 18:1–4)� Jonathan had pledged loyalty to David� But he also had a duty of loyalty to Saul, both as his father and as his king and commander-in-chief�

II. 1 Samuel 19:2–3, Jonathan Warns David

K J V2 But Jonathan Saul’s son

delighted much in David: and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul, my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret

N I V2 and warned him, “My father

Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding and stay there.

3 I will go out and stand with my father in the field where you

40 Adult Student

K J V continuedplace, and hide thyself:

3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will commune with my father of thee; and what I see, that I will tell thee.

N I V continuedare. I’ll speak to him about you and will tell you what I find out.”

2 Interestingly, Jonathan used the familial term “My father Saul” instead of the political term “king�” Perhaps it indicated Jonathan’s understanding that David was not an enemy of the kingdom, but rather a perceived enemy of Saul the man� Jonathan urged David to go into hiding� This would become a common situation for David until Saul’s death�

3 Jonathan’s plan was to go out and stand with his father� Jonathan would not be acting against his father; he would be with the king as an advocate for David, advising with a mind for what was best for the king as well� Jonathan would give a defense of David in the field where David was hiding and then report to David� David would witness the exchange but might not catch all the words� Jonathan was not sure how the conversation with his father would turn out, but he could let David know the results either way, and David could then respond appropriately�

III. 1 Samuel 19:4–5, Jonathan Defends David

K J V4 And Jonathan spake good

of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good:

5 For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought a great

N I V4 Jonathan spoke well of

David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king do wrong to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly.

5 He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory for all Israel, and you saw it and

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K J V continuedsalvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?

N I V continuedwere glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent man like David by killing him for no reason?”

4 Now we find Jonathan and Saul in the field and Jonathan beginning his defense of David� Jonathan spoke well of David; he chose his words carefully, because Saul might consider him to be a traitor and threaten his own life� He urged his father not to do wrong to…David� Jonathan’s argument focused on Saul’s role as king and David’s actions as Saul’s servant, not on Saul’s personal feelings toward David� He went on to iterate how David had not wronged the king (and the implied kingdom), but had instead benefited the king (and kingdom) greatly.

5 David had gone above and beyond by risking his life with Goliath when no one else would� Jonathan reminded Saul that the Lord (not David) won a great victory that day and Saul had witnessed it and was glad. Finally, Jonathan concluded that David was innocent and that Saul would be killing him for no reason, a grave offense for a king�

IV. 1 Samuel 19:6–7, Peace Is Restored

K J V6 And Saul hearkened unto

the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the Lord liveth, he shall not be slain.

7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shewed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past.

N I V6 Saul listened to Jonathan

and took this oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be put to death.”

7 So Jonathan called David and told him the whole conversation. He brought him to Saul, and David was with Saul as before.

6 Saul listened� He took the counsel of Jonathan and saw the truth in it� Then Saul took an oath� The niv does not repeat the

42 Adult Student

name Saul in the second action, but it is included in the Hebrew text, emphasizing to the reader that Saul took both actions� It sounds more like a formal court recording (“Let the record show…”)� Saul took the most serious and binding of oaths to state his intent not to have David killed: As surely as the Lord lives�

7 Jonathan reported to David…the whole conversation. It was important that both parties in the conflict knew all that had transpired� Jonathan continued to play mediator, physically bringing David back into Saul’s presence� David was with Saul as before. Peace was restored—for now�

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APPLY1. You worked your way up through the corporation’s ranks

and are the CEO’s go-to person� You know the ins and outs of the business� The board decides to hire a vice-president to take over in a few years when the CEO retires� The CEO and your coworkers assume that you will be chosen, but the board chooses someone new and younger as VP� The CEO is angry and feels she is being pushed out early� Your friends are upset� You like the CEO and the VP and look forward to working with both�

2. You dread family reunions� You have two uncles who haven’t spoken well of each other for several years� It all started when the family patriarch promised a certain heirloom to one of the uncles, yet the patriarch forgot his promise and the heirloom went to the other one� When they both show up, one winds up yelling and the other leaves hurt� If only one shows up, he talks badly about the other one and wants you to take his side� You love both of these uncles�

3. One person has led the small group you are a part of at church for years and has done a good job� The group has grown and changed� A newcomer to the church has become part of the group� This person has some fresh ideas for helping the flow and activity of the group� The group votes to try out some of these ideas� The leader feels threatened� You are part of this group and care about both individuals�

44 Adult Student

LIVEDear Lord,Your ways are righteous and holy and you act in kindness toward

me� You overwhelm me at times with your acts of love� I want to be more like you�

Right now there’s a conflict situation I need to bring to you� You

already know it, but I want to acknowledge it here:

In regard to this conflict, I have been guilty of

(nursing hurt or jealous feelings, taking sides, ignoring it, or other)�I ask your forgiveness, Lord� Help me to love the persons involved

as you love them� Give me eyes to see this situation as you see it� Give me a heart to do what is just and kind� Please speak to me, Lord� Help me to know my part in bringing reconciliation in this situation�

Thank you, Lord, for hearing my prayer� In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen�

DAILY BIBLE READINGSM September 28 1 Thessalonians 3:1–6 Paul’s Brother and Coworker

T September 29 1 Samuel 17:41–51 David Slays the Philistine

W September 30 1 Samuel 18:1–5 David and Jonathan’s Bond

T October 1 1 Samuel 18:12–18 Saul’s Jealousy

F October 2 1 Samuel 23:14–18 Jonathan Affirms David

S October 3 2 Samuel 9:1–10a Providing for Mephibosheth

S October 4 1 Samuel 19:1–7 Love for and Devotion to Others

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October 11, 2020 Week 6

Love Your EnemiesWhat Is Our Study About Today?We often wonder how we should treat our enemies� Jesus taught his disciples to love their enemies by forgiving them, responding to their needs, and being nonjudgmental�

Bible PassageLuke 6:27–36

What Topics Will Be Discussed?Unlovable qualities, Christlike love, feelings and choices�

Bible Background

The heart of Jesus’ teaching is love� That can be clearly seen in today’s Bible passage, which is part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain� This discourse is Luke’s counterpart to Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount� The text emphasizes the obligation of believers to love everybody� The love Jesus calls us to exhibit is not merely about warm feelings or relationships that work to our advantage� To love in the spirit of Christ is to put others’ needs ahead of our own� To love one’s friends is nice, but the standard of Christian morality calls us to love even those who can do us no good, including our enemies�

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CONNECT

Dear God, I bet it is very hard for you to love every bit of every person in

the whole wide world. There are only four people in my family, and I can never do it.

—Nan

In the space provided, write a letter to God briefly describing the challenges you grapple with in loving any or all of the following: your family members, your friends, your neighbors, your co-workers, or those you identify as enemies�

Dear God,

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STUDYI. Luke 6:27–28, Love Your Enemies

K J VLuke 6:27 But I say unto you

which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

N I V27 “But to you who are

listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

27 The practice of loving our friends grows out of human nature� But the Lord also wanted his followers to love their enemies� Loving our enemies is a considerable stretch for any of us, even those who are relatively generous� The natural impulse is to retaliate—to seek revenge and retribution—not to do good to those who hate you�

28 Jesus knew that people living in an occupied territory, as the Jewish people did at that time, tended to view many other groups as their enemies� Their resentments were numerous� And many people would have seen those resentments, and the resulting hatred, as entirely justified� When people curse you and mistreat you, few would blame you for seeking some way to strike back or even the score� But Jesus calls on his followers to intentionally walk a radical path of love that goes beyond love and affection for those who treasure us to bless our enemies and pray for those who prey upon us� One can almost hear those surrounding him saying, “You have got to be kidding! Why not ask us to polish the clubs our enemies beat us with and sharpen the blades they use to stab us in the back?”

II. Luke 6:29–31, Do unto Others

K J V29 And unto him that smiteth

thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.

30 Give to every man that

N I V29 If someone slaps you on

one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them.

30 Give to everyone who

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K J V continuedasketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.

31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

N I V continuedasks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.

31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

29 Jesus challenged the law of retaliation prevalent in his day and in our own� He clearly stood against an eye-for-an-eye philosophy� As someone once noted, the practice of taking an eye for an eye would eventually leave everyone blind� Jesus rejected anything less than wishing and acting for the highest good of those who exploit and mistreat us� The word translated as cheek could also be understood to be the jaw area� So what Jesus was referring to may have been a bone-rattling blow to the jaw, not just a slap to the cheek� The coat is an outer garment; the shirt is an inner garment� Jesus framed this statement in a way that seems to imply garments taken in an act of robbery�

30–31 Jesus’ admonition to give to everyone who asks you may allude to beggars, common to that time, who asked for alms� Verse 31 contains what we know as the Golden Rule� Similar sentiments had been expressed centuries before but tended to be phrased in negative forms� In other words, they expressed what one should not do (for example, do not harm others if you do not wish to be harmed yourself )� Jesus took this basic concept a step further� For those who belong to Christ, it is not enough to refrain from evil and retaliation� Christlike individuals not only avoid hostile actions, they also are called to actively seek the good of others�

III. Luke 6:32–36, Be Merciful

K J V32 For if ye love them which

love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.

33 And if ye do good to themwhich do good to you, what

N I V32 “If you love those who

love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.

33 And if you do good to those who are good to you,

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K J V continuedthank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.

34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.

35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

N I V continuedwhat credit is that to you? Even sinners do that.

34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.

35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

32 The love of Jesus, dwelling within us and directing our lives, enables us to grow beyond the impulses of others and also our own reactionary inclinations� Even people uncommitted to God love those who love them. Jesus’ example and his words summon us to do more�

33–34 Jesus’ whole life was one of exuberant generosity� He was not demanding of his disciples something that he failed to exhibit in his own dealings with and responses to other people� Even as he hung on the cross, he expressed compassion and love for those who crucified him (Luke 23:33–34)�

35–36 When we love…without condition, we are loving as Jesus does, and this makes us children of the Most High� When we turn aside from pettiness and vindictiveness and move toward others in love, God goes with us and is in us� We do not love to obtain reward� The results we seek are intimate fellowship with God and the opportunity to serve others� The greatest reward is becoming more like God� Through the redemption of Christ and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, our unloving, retribution-seeking natures can be transformed into natures and practices that reflect the love and mercy of God toward others�

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APPLYRead the following verses� In what ways do these words on love

inform, deepen, and enhance your understanding of and appreciation for what Jesus said about love in today’s Bible passage? Did God’s people in the Bible seem to live by these standards? Why or why not? How about Christians today?

Better a small serving of vegetables with love than a fattened calf with hatred. —Proverbs 15:17

“When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.” —Leviticus 19:33–34

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. —1 John 4:8

No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. —1 John 4:12

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. —1 John 3:18

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LIVELove is perhaps the subject of more songs, more movies, and more

television shows than any other topic� The word is used so frequently and in so many ways that it seems to mean a variety of things—or we might say that it is often used incorrectly to describe things that are not actually love�

Below are some statements about love� What do you think of them?

• We can never experience true love until we experience the love of God�

• To a great extent, love is more a decision than an emotion�• The farther and longer love flows, the deeper and clearer it

becomes�• Nothing in the universe is stronger than love�• The greatest blessings in life come from turning outward in

love to God and neighbor�• Hatred creates a chasm; love builds a bridge�• Only love can be shared endlessly without being diminished�• Love is turning from selfishness to someone else�• No lesson is more important than learning to love�• Love is a verb�

DAILY BIBLE READINGSM October 5 Psalm 103:1–14 Merciful and Gracious

T October 6 Matthew 5:38–42 Do Not Resist

W October 7 Leviticus 25:35–39 Handling Family Difficulties

T October 8 Psalm 128 Home Life of the Faithful

F October 9 Luke 23:32–36 Forgiving the Ignorant

S October 10 Matthew 5:1–12 Blessed and Rewarded

S October 11 Luke 6:27–36 Love Your Enemies

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Week 7 October 18, 2020

Loving Your NeighborWhat Is Our Study About Today?Selfish desires, self-gratification, and self-interest are highly valued in our time� Jesus’ teaching challenges us to address the needs and welfare of everyone, including perceived enemies�

Bible PassageLuke 10:25–37

What Topics Will Be Discussed?Prejudice, barriers, compassion, neighbors�

Bible Background

The individual who asked the question that led to the Parable of the Good Samaritan was an “expert in the law” (v 25)� Today we might call him a learned theologian� While the learned man’s theoretical knowledge was necessary, it was also insufficient� One must proceed beyond reading or hearing to doing� Life under the rule and reign of God is active rather than theoretical� That Jesus made a despised Samaritan the hero of his story must have jarred the ears of his Jewish hearers� In the process Jesus included the Samaritan, and others like him, within the circle of the neighbor to whom mercy was to be extended�

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CONNECTThere are a number of barriers that tend to divide people

from one another� Sometimes these divisions happen because of misunderstandings, false or inadequate information, the way we were raised, the things we have been taught, or the situations and circumstances we live in� But sometimes the divisions happen because of sin in our lives—wrong, selfish, hurtful attitudes or actions on our part�

Think about how the barriers listed below separate you from others� Which ones make it difficult for you to reach out to other people? Which ones are no problem for you?

• Economic status

• Racial identification

• Ethnic background

• Intellectual ability

• Faith tradition

• Lifestyle

• Language

• Gender

• Age

• Other: _________________________________________

• Other: _________________________________________

• Other: _________________________________________

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STUDYI. Luke 10:25–28, How to Live

K J VLuke 10:25 And, behold, a

certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

N I VLuke 10:25 On one occasion

an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

27 He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”

28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

25 The text indicates that an inquiry was initiated by an expert in the law, a theologian well versed in Jewish law� This man asked about what is necessary to inherit eternal life� The theologian likely knew that Jesus was calling sinners to repentance, but perhaps he reasoned that something additional was required of a seemingly righteous man such as himself�

26 Instead of answering the question, the Lord asked the theologian for his opinion� Responding to a question with another question drew the man into dialogue and revealed more about his heart and his motives�

27–28 The theologian responded by referring to the central words of Deuteronomy 6:4–5 and Leviticus 19:18� Jesus agreed with the man’s response, which summarized the heart of the Law� But Jesus pushed the discussion into the practical realm by saying, “Do this and you will live.” In other words, it is good to know the

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requirements of the Law, but one must also act according to those requirements�

II. Luke 10:29–32, Who Is My Neighbor?

K J V29 But he, willing to justify

himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

N I V29 But he wanted to justify

himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.

31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.

32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

29 Was the theologian attempting to escape the demands of the Law, or was he merely seeking clarification when he asked, “And who is my neighbor?” The text seems to indicate that the question may not have been an entirely unblemished, sincere follow-up response�

30 In reply, Jesus told the story that has come to be known as the Parable of the Good Samaritan� The road from Jerusalem to Jericho was approximately seventeen miles long� The lonely route gave robbers a prime opportunity to victimize travelers� The traveler in this case was beaten, robbed, and left for dead.

31–32 Both a priest and a Levite passed the wounded man by on the other side of the road� The priest may have been returning from his time of service in the Jerusalem temple� Priests and Levites were probably the most frequent travelers on this road� Jericho was a residential center for many priests� Why these men passed by is

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unclear� The Mosaic Law even commanded that one help one’s enemy at points (Ex 23:4–5)� Perhaps the priest and Levite thought the man had already died and wanted to avoid making themselves ritually unclean through contact with a dead body� Or they may have feared that they would fall victim to the same thieves who had attacked the traveler�

III. Luke 10:33–35, A Samaritan Takes Pity

K J V33 But a certain Samaritan,

as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

N I V33 But a Samaritan, as he

traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.

34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.

35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

33 The Samaritans were the hereditary enemies of the Jews; they had no dealings with each other (John 4:9)� Therefore, if anyone had an excuse for passing the wounded Jew it was the Samaritan� Few Jews would have expected any help from a Samaritan� But unlike the Jewish religious leaders who had preceded him, he took pity on the battered man� Jesus’ listeners would have been shocked� A Samaritan was considered both racially impure and religiously heretical�

34–35 The priest and the Levite may have been more orthodox religiously, but it was the Samaritan who put God’s law of love into action� He treated the injured man’s wounds by pouring on oil and wine, which were commonly used to soften wounds and as an antiseptic� The two denarii was equivalent to two days’ wages�

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IV. Luke 10:36–37, Go and Do Likewise

K J V36 Which now of these three,

thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

N I V36 “Which of these three do

you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Here Jesus posed the real question at the heart of whether or not we demonstrate the love that God requires� The real issue is not determining who our neighbor is; everyone who is in need is our neighbor� The real question is rather, Am I a neighbor to those in need? In other words, we must not attempt to escape the demands of the Law by asking “Who?” Instead, we must demonstrate God’s love to those in need, across all racial or sectarian boundaries, by asking “How?” By saying “Go and do likewise,” Jesus was indicating that the discussion had been more than a theologically clarifying dialogue� If the theologian wished to gain eternal life, as he indicated, he would need to follow the example of the Good Samaritan�

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APPLYThe world has billions and billions of people� Within that

worldwide population there is impressive variety� There are racial variations, ethnic distinctions, and national peculiarities that are almost too numerous to count� Modern technology and travel have made it possible to be exposed to more and more of the people we share this planet with—if not in person, through videos, pictures, and stories� No matter where you live, it is possible that the economic, racial, ethnic, and religious makeup of the population in your area has changed significantly over the years�

As Christians, we tend to glibly say that all people are God’s children� Theoretically, we maintain that all men and women are our brothers and sisters� But how does that play itself out, in concrete reality, when a Methodist from Ohio meets a Muslim from Oman? How much do we really feel like brothers and sisters when we see people of other racial, ethnic, or economic backgrounds on the street? How willing would we be to be the first to extend the hand of friendship? How quickly would we respond if we saw one of those persons in trouble? Would we be willing to take risks for them, as we would take risks for our next-door neighbors?

We say that God loves all people without partiality� And we say that our aim is to become more like Jesus, the Son who is the embodiment of the Father� So just what is our obligation to those who are different from us?

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LIVEThink of the Parable of the Good Samaritan and its implications

for your life� Consider people you know who have been neighbors to you or whom you have been a neighbor to� Think about how you value and treat the people around you—or how you should value and treat them� Think about Jesus’ call to you to share love and mercy with those who are in need, even those who are different from you� In the space provided, indicate some ways that you hope to live out the lessons of today’s Bible passage:

DAILY BIBLE READINGSM October 12 Deuteronomy 15:7–11 Help Your Neighbor

T October 13 1 John 4:16b–21 Love God and Others

W October 14 Mark 12:28–34 The Greatest Commandments

T October 15 Luke 17:11–19 Jesus Accepts Thanks

F October 16 Luke 9:51–56 Jesus Unwelcome

S October 17 John 4:1–15 Living Water

S October 18 Luke 10:25–37 Loving Your Neighbor

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Week 8 October 25, 2020

Love DivineWhat Is Our Study About Today?Special gifts such as knowledge and wisdom can easily make us lose sight of our obligations to others� Paul suggested that love is the best way to relate to others and forget one’s own status�

Bible Passage1 Corinthians 13

What Topics Will Be Discussed?Love’s qualities, God’s kingdom, spiritual gifts�

Bible Background

The Corinthian church had a priority problem� It seems they were focused on the spiritual gifts that tend to be self-promoting such as speaking in tongues, prophecy, knowledge, and faith� They had missed the point that spiritual gifts are distributed by the Holy spirit for building up and unifying the kingdom of God (Eph 4:11–12)� Their spiritual maturity was still in its infant stage� They saw their newfound faith as a platform to display how important they were to God and how much their fellow Corinthians should love them because of their spiritual gifts� Paul addressed this issue by teaching the Corinthian believers about the gift of divine love�

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CONNECTDivine love is the foundation on which everything in the kingdom

of God is built� Christ identified love for God the Father as the greatest commandment� He went on to say that love for our neighbor is second to love for God (Matt 22:36–40)� Love for us motivated God to provide the way for a restored relationship with him (John 3:16)� All of the Scriptures tell of God’s love for humankind�

Love can motivate people to do some incredible things� PFC (Private First Class) Desmond Doss was an Aidman (combat medic) in World War II� Doss had a deep love for God, country, and his fellow soldiers� During the battle of Okinawa, Doss stayed behind to render aid to wounded soldiers when the rest of his company retreated to regroup� He treated and singlehandedly evacuated seventy-five men to safety under intense enemy fire� After he would get a wounded soldier to safety, he would pray, “Lord, help find just one more�” PFC Doss repeatedly risked his own life to save the lives of his wounded buddies until there were none left to save� He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his bravery in Okinawa�

In Matthew 25:34–40, Jesus explained to his disciples that serving others out of love for God reaps eternal rewards� The Corinthian believers viewed spiritual gifts as something that would get them noticed� Paul wanted them to use their gifts with the right motive�

How important is it to you for others to recognize your spiritual gifts or your work in the church? Why?

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STUDYI. 1 Corinthians 13:1–3, The Importance of Love

K J V1 Corinthians 13:1 THOUGH

I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

N I V1 Corinthians 13:1 If I speak in

the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

1 In Paul’s day the ability to speak in the tongues of men, meaning in at least one language other than one’s native tongue, would require unusual life experiences or privilege and wealth� Speaking in the tongues of angels would put someone in a rare category and perhaps make that person the object of envy� But Paul compared those using these languages to a meaningless and irritating resounding gong or a clanging cymbal (familiar elements of pagan worship practices of the day), if they had such abilities but lacked love�

2 Even the gifts of prophecy (proclaiming God’s word), knowledge (superior wisdom), and faith (belief in God’s power) mean nothing if not motivated by love� Love bestows all human talents and God-given gifts with a resonance and a power that weights them with effectiveness, virtue, and value� People often pursue the outer trappings they hope will lead to public applause� What they need to pursue is love�

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3 Jesus condemned the wealthy temple-goers who gave some of their money in tithes but did it only to be admired� Here, Paul said that even if individuals gave all that they possessed to the poor and surrendered their bodies to hardship, the gestures would be worthless without love�

II. 1 Corinthians 13:4–7, The Characteristics of Love

K J V4 Charity suffereth long,

and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

N I V4 Love is patient, love is kind.

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

4 Paul did not define love so much as he described what it looks like in action� Love should be patient and kind, a reflection of the heavenly Father’s willingness to give us time to choose to follow him and do what is right� Envy refers to resenting others for whatever joy or blessings they have� Love that does not boast and is not proud reflects an attitude that is grateful for whatever blessings one has, without trying to make others feel inferior�

5–6 Disrespectful behaviors that dishonor others, are self-seeking, or show that we are easily angered are lacking in love� (Note that anger itself is not prohibited; it is a swift rush to anger that demonstrates love’s absence�) What purpose could there be to keeping a record or wrongs or delighting in evil except to want to see someone else hurt?

7 As Paul continued to describe the manifestations of love, he pointed to its qualities that are Godlike� Love that protects is like providing a covering to shelter someone� The God of Israel was

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patient with his wayward people, and he was always wooing them to follow him� God loves us with a love that always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.

III. 1 Corinthians 13:8–13, The Endurance of Love

K J V8 Charity never faileth: but

whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

N I V8 Love never fails. But where

there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part,

10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.

11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.

12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

8–10 The fact that love never fails does not mean that it always wins� It means that love is eternal; it has always been and always will be� In contrast, the gifts the Corinthians focused on and sought were temporary� Even prophecies and tongues and special knowledge…will pass away someday� Everything that we know in part will eventually disappear because all of these things are transitory�

11–12 There is a time to be like a child� If we want to be considered mature, we must put the ways of childhood behind us�

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Even so, we are limited in our perceptions and understandings, as though we see only a reflection as in a mirror� Mirror images are in reverse and at the mercy of the quality of the reflective agent� You only perceive a flat, cold, weak representation� Part of the dimness we see is because human sin distorts what God sees in us and wants to bring into his presence� All that Paul said about love and acting with love toward others will come into full reality someday� When it does, then we shall see face to face the God who is love�

13 Paul listed the three attributes that will last: faith, hope and love. Not only will love last, it is greatest of them all� Love is a contribution everyone can make to the Kingdom, no matter their level of spiritual maturity�

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APPLYThe New Testament church was in its infancy, and sharing the

gospel with the citizens of Corinth had some definite challenges� These new believers adapted to the good news of Jesus Christ with understandable difficulty� The type of love Paul was teaching went against their cultural way of life� The Corinthians were known to be arrogant and boastful� They liked being noticed for what they knew and what they could do�

Old habits are hard to break� Paul approached the problem at Corinth by relying on the example of Christ� For Christ, love was the motive for his ministry—love for God the Father and for God’s people� This kind of love Paul described was a foreign concept to the Corinthians� His task in today’s passage was to help his readers understand what he meant by love� In Paul’s day and in our own, love is one of those words that can be difficult to define� Paul’s approach here was to get his point across by describing what love is and what love is not�

How has your own understanding and/or experience of love changed over the years? Provide specific examples as you can�

From today’s Bible passage and your own experience, how would you differentiate between love as the world understands it and love as Paul described it?

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LIVEPrivate First Class Desmond Doss put his love for God, country,

and his fellow soldiers into action during his military service� He endured harsh treatment from his officers and members of his company during basic training because he was a conscientious objector� He refused to even touch a rifle� The military tried to discharge him as a mentally disturbed individual� He countered with the argument that with all the hatred and destruction of war, he could bring some peace by treating the wounded� Doss even saved the life of one of the officers who tried to get him kicked out of the Army� PFC Doss had a clear understanding of the type of love Paul was trying to teach the Corinthians�

Look back at 1 Corinthians 13:4–8a and list the opposites of each way Paul described love in these verses:

Consider how you can grow in your own spiritual maturity and

demonstration of love to be more like Christ, Paul, and PFC Doss�

DAILY BIBLE READINGSM October 19 1 Samuel 30:21–25 Sharing Victories

T October 20 Romans 12:1–8 New Life in Christ

W October 21 Philippians 2:1–11 The Mind of Christ

T October 22 Colossians 1:3–8 Faith, Hope, and Love

F October 23 1 Corinthians 12:4–11 Gifts for the Good of All

S October 24 1 Corinthians 14:13–19 Pray with Mind and Spirit

S October 25 1 Corinthians 13 Love Divine

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Unit III at a GlanceGodly Love among Believers

Followers of Christ should not expect to please God or experience the approval of God without loving others� God’s love for us has been so powerfully shown that it should be natural for us to love the people around us�

Week 9 studies the way Jesus washed his disciples’ feet and taught them about godly love� We are to love others by serving them, following the example Jesus set for us; this will show the world that we belong to Christ�

Week 10 explores Jesus’ proclamation that we will not bear fruit unless we remain connected to him� As we remain in his love and keep his commands, living as his friends and loving one another, our lives will bring glory to God the Father�

Week 11 examines the connection between love and eternal life� Our love for others, demonstrated through our actions, is a sign that we have passed from death to life� Jesus Christ powerfully demonstrated love by laying down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for one another�

Week 12 looks at the way believers in the New Testament church demonstrated God’s love at work in their lives� The believers shared their possessions with one another as they had need� The decision to do so was up to each individual, but honesty was expected�

Week 13 contains more instruction on practical ways to demonstrate godly love� Such love forbids favoritism in the body of Christ� We may be poor by the world’s standards, but when we are filled with God’s love and demonstrate that love then we are truly rich�

Writing contributors for Unit III:Jaymie Dieterle, Bill White, David Russell, Evelyn Wilkerson

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November 1, 2020 Week 9

Loving by ServingWhat Is Our Study About Today?Multiple definitions of love lead people to be confused about how to love� Jesus taught that our love for one another should be mani-fested in our service to others�

Bible PassagesJohn 13:1–15, 34–35

What Topics Will Be Discussed?Footwashing, service, love, discipleship�

Bible Background

Jesus’ disciples were shocked when he washed their feet� In the culture of that day, only a servant would touch another person’s feet and then only because it was the servant’s duty� Jesus’ goal was to help the disciples understand that service was to be a way of life for them� If he had only told them to “serve others,” perhaps they could have easily avoided forms of service that they considered distasteful� Jesus, however, performed one of his society’s lowliest tasks� His example left little room for doubt that his command to wash one another’s feet is also a metaphor for a humble servant attitude in all our relationships�

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CONNECTThere is some debate in North America today about the best way

to prepare for a career after high school� A lot of people think a four-year college degree is the way to go, but college is expensive, and many graduates have a difficult time finding jobs to match the degrees they have earned� At the same time, technical or trade schools are often less expensive and less time-consuming, and they prepare people for many jobs that pay well� Whether someone attends college or trade school, the fact remains that one of the best ways to learn a new skill is to have someone who already does it show you how to do it� This is true in colleges as well as in trade schools�

If you were going to teach others to perform the following tasks, how would you go about it?

Knitting:

Uploading digital pictures to a computer:

Diagramming a sentence:

Multiplying fractions:

Drawing a circle:

Painting a picture:

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STUDYI. John 13:1–3, Loving to the End

K J VJohn 13:1 NOW before the

feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him;

3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;

N I VJohn 13:1 It was just before

the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.

3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;

1 John put this event just before the Passover Festival, in the time frame of the Last Supper as recorded in the other Gospels� He set the stage for the story of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet by saying it was a way of showing that he loved them to the end. This was the deepest love possible, demonstrated in time up to the end of Jesus’ earthly life (even though he would rise again) but also to the end and extent of his capabilities—completely, showing them the full extent of his love�

2–3 These verses give us important context� Jesus knew that Judas…Iscariot had already decided to betray him—and yet Jesus would still serve him by washing his feet� Jesus was also “on the same page” with God, having full power…from God and knowing that he would soon be returning to God� In his final days, Jesus was preparing his followers as much as possible for life without him�

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II. John 13:4–8, Washing the Disciples’ Feet

K J V4 He riseth from supper, and

laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?

7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.

8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

N I V4 so he got up from the meal,

took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.

5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

4–5 Because Jesus knew that his earthly life would soon be done, and because of his extreme love, he took on the role of a servant and did one of the lowliest tasks of the time� Imagine the shocked surprise and silence in the room as Jesus moved from friend to friend, and the confused or horrified looks the disciples gave one another�

6–8 Only Simon Peter was brave enough to speak what all the disciples were probably thinking: “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus seemed to understand their questions and concerns� He sought to reassure Peter by saying, “Later you will understand.” Still, Peter was not comforted and spoke out rashly, as he was prone to do� In response, Jesus made it clear that participating in servanthood was necessary to have a part with him in his ministry�

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III. John 13:9–11, Peter Protests

K J V9 Simon Peter saith unto him,

Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.

10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.

N I V9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter

replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.”

11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

9 Peter continued to protest, making the over-the-top suggestion that Jesus also wash his hands and his head—in other words, that Jesus give him a complete bath! Of course Peter did not literally expect Jesus to do this; it was an expression of Peter’s failure to understand the purpose of Jesus washing his feet�

10–11 In New Testament times, sandals were the footwear of choice and walking was the common mode of transportation� Someone who had already had a bath and then walked somewhere would only need to have his or her feet washed to be clean again� But Jesus also spoke of cleanness of heart, and he knew that not every one present was clean on the inside�

IV. John 13:12–15, Setting the Example

K J V12 So after he had washed

their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?

13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

14 If I then, your Lord andMaster, have washed your feet;

N I V12 When he had finished

washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them.

13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.

14 Now that I, your Lord and

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K J V continuedye also ought to wash one another’s feet.

15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

N I V continuedTeacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.

15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

12–13 After Jesus finished washing his disciples’ feet, he offered them an explanation� In Luke’s Gospel (22:24), during the Lord’s Supper a debate erupted among the disciples concerning which of them was the greatest� The act of foot washing certainly speaks to those very human impulses to focus on such questions�

14–15 Jesus made it clear that if he, their Lord and Teacher, washed their feet, they also should wash one another’s feet. Jesus taught by example and expected his followers to do as he had done for them� It seems reasonable that Jesus would not have wanted his original disciples’ service—or ours—to involve only washing feet� The humble servant mindset should extend to other acts of service� Jesus performed the most humble act of service for those he loved� And he called us to serve one another in such a way�

V. John 13:34–35, A New Command

K J V34 A new commandment I

give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

N I V34 “A new command I give

you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

As Jesus had loved his disciples radically and completely, he now told them to love one another in like fashion� The body of Christ may have beautiful facilities and offer moving worship services, great preaching, and excellent programs for children and teens, but it is our love for one another that will let everyone…know we are…disciples of Jesus�

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APPLYThe account of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet is found only in

the Gospel of John and not in Matthew, Mark, or Luke� Think of how much richer our picture of the Savior is because we know how he humbly served his disciples by kneeling before them and serving them in this way�

John’s Gospel provides us with a number of other unique and powerful details about the life, words, and actions of Jesus� Look up the following passages and jot down the focus of each:

• Stories unique to John—John 2:1–11; 3:1–21; 4:1–42; 5:1–16; 9; 11:5–44

• In the beginning—John 1:1–5

• “I am” statements—John 6:35; 8:12; 10:7; 10:11; 14:6; 15:1

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LIVEFollowing are just a few ways that some church groups have offered

Christlike service to others� How might you and your congregation serve in ways that capture the spirit of Christ as he washed his disciples’ feet?

AIDS ministry in Africa—A group visits an HIV-infected person, finding her alone, delusional, and struggling for breath� One visitor reaches out, wipes the sweat from the woman’s face, and prays for her� There is no water to give her a drink� The group brings water back to share with the woman�

Beds to sleep on—Once a year, people from a local congregation form teams and drive to a local thrift store, where they pick up mattresses, bedframes, sheets, and furniture items� They deliver these to local families who are in need of these supplies, offering prayer for the people who receive the donations�

Neighborhood outreach—College students with a heart for others reach out to the neighborhood around their campus� They build relationships, schedule activities for the children, do household chores, and pray with those they meet�

Habitat for Humanity—Simple, affordable housing is built by families that will move into the homes and by volunteers� There is no profit included in the sale price, and mortgage payments are used to build more Habitat houses�

DAILY BIBLE READINGSM October 26 Genesis 24:24–33 Rebekah Discovered

T October 27 Genesis 43:20–25 The Brothers Return

W October 28 Ephesians 4:6–9 God and Father of All

T October 29 John 13:36–38; 18:15–18, 25–27 Peter Denies Jesus

F October 30 Psalm 41:8–10; John 13:21–30 Jesus Betrayed

S October 31 John 12:1–17 Mary Anoints Jesus

S November 1 John 13:1–15, 34–35 Loving by Serving

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November 8, 2020 Week 10

Abiding LoveWhat Is Our Study About Today?We try to love, but we feel beaten down by the world’s greed and jealousy� Jesus declared that we will be able to love one another if we remain in him, keep the commandments, and abide in his love as the Holy Spirit abides in us�

Bible PassageJohn 15:4–17

What Topics Will Be Discussed?The kingdom of God, bearing fruit, love, serving God�

Bible Background

Jesus and his disciples had just finished their last meal together in the upper room� Jesus would soon face the cross and he knew it� He told his friends about what was going to happen, but they did not comprehend what he said� Judas Iscariot had been identified as Christ’s betrayer and was no longer part of the group—separated from the Master� Now Jesus and the remaining eleven disciples were on their way to Gethsemane� Jesus used a vine and its branches to illustrate to the disciples how important their relationship with him was� This illustration defined the disciples’ role in the kingdom of God as fruit producers�

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CONNECTDuring the three years of Jesus’ active ministry, he taught his

disciples how to produce Kingdom fruit as he did by leading them on a deliberate path of spiritual formation� When they first began to follow Christ, they were in awe of the miracles and the healings he performed (Matt 8:27)� As the disciples’ spiritual formation developed, he empowered them to perform the miracles he did (Matt 10:1)�

Now the next phase of the plan was about to unfold� Jesus was going to complete his mission and leave their presence� He needed a way to show them that even though he would not be physically at their side, they would not be alone—as long as they remained connected to him� Separated from the Master, they would be powerless to do anything�

Adam and Eve were intimately connected with God in the garden of Eden (Gen 2:8)� But they chose to separate from God and break the relationship (Gen 3:6)�

Bread and water can sustain physical life, but they do not sustain spiritual life� Spiritual life happens by remaining connected with God through Jesus Christ�

Describe a time when you went through a process of development or growth, perhaps as a child, or as an adult learning a new job or skill� What did you learn? Who taught you, and how? What factors were important in making sure you effectively learned the things you needed to learn?

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STUDYI. John 15:4–7, Remain in Me

K J VJohn 15:4 Abide in me, and

I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

N I VJohn 15:4 Remain in me, as

I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

4–6 This passage is about the importance of maintaining relationships with God and other believers� Jesus instructed his disciples—and us—to remain in him, to stay connected to him� When we do this, we can bear fruit for God’s kingdom� The fruit mentioned here is good works motivated by love for God, Christ, and one another� It is impossible to bear…fruit for God apart from Jesus, who connects us to God� Apart from him we can do nothing of lasting value; our future becomes like that of a worthless, unproductive branch that is…thrown into the fire and burned.

7 On the surface, this verse appears to offer us a “blank check”: ask for whatever you wish, and God will do it for you. But that is not the case� The condition for receiving answered prayer from God is remaining connected to him through Christ, with his words

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abiding in us� This means aligning our heart’s desire with Christ’s mission� At that point God will grant the things we ask him for because we will ask for God’s will to be done�

II. John 15:8–12, Love Each Other

K J V8 Herein is my Father

glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

10 If ye keep my command-ments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

N I V8 This is to my Father’s

glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.

10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

8 When we fulfill our role in the Kingdom by bearing fruit, we bring glory to God� This is what it means to be…disciples of Jesus: living in such a way that others are pointed back to our heavenly Father�

9 Christ had the consummate example of love in God the Father, and that’s the way he loved his disciples (and loves us)� We are to reciprocate that love, to remain in it� To walk away from God’s love for us as demonstrated through Jesus Christ would be the most tragic decision we could ever make�

10 Jesus went on to bring the picture into clearer focus� If we keep his commands, we will remain or abide in his love and bear fruit� He gave us the example by keeping God’s commands and thus remaining in his love.

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11 Obeying Jesus’ commands does not mean a miserable existence of routinely following orders; this way of living brings joy—the joy of Jesus! Clouds of crucifixion were looming over him, yet he talked about his joy� Christ’s desire was for his disciples, and for us, to have joy that is complete: full, lacking nothing, as God intended and has enabled us to live�

12 The Greek term for love used here is agape, a pure, self-giving love� Disciples of Christ are commanded to love each another (give of themselves) as he has loved (given of himself to) them�

III. John 15:13–17, Friends of Jesus

K J V13 Greater love hath no man

than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.

N I V13 Greater love has no one

than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

14 You are my friends if you do what I command.

15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.

17 This is my command: Love each other.

13–14 The Greek word for friend used here means “companion�” Jesus displayed the greatest love possible by laying down his life for his companions� That includes us, when we accept the offer of a

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relationship with him� If we do what Jesus commands, he considers us his companions, his friends�

15 Servants are those who give up their own wills for the sake of the master’s will� They simply obey orders without always knowing the purpose behind those orders� But Jesus calls us friends because he has made known to us all that the Father has shown him�

16 Christ chose the disciples for specific roles in the Kingdom� He chooses us for Kingdom roles, as well� Our goal is to bear the fruit of godly love� Jesus reiterated again that those who remain in an intimate relationship with God through Christ will pray according to God’s will and thereby receive whatever they ask for�

17 Jesus presented a vivid illustration that would have made sense to his listeners� God is the farmer, Christ is the vine, and we are the branches� God prunes and tends the branches to create the greatest harvest possible� Our role is to remain connected to the vine so we can produce fruit� We are commanded to love Christ and love each other. We become (and remain) Christ’s friends when we fulfill our role�

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APPLYAll great leaders begin training their successors

early in their careers� Jesus only had three years to train those who would carry on his mission in the world—and he did not waste any time� He constantly focused on his mission� Jesus loved his disciples, and he demonstrated this love in ways that helped them bear abundant fruit for the kingdom of God�

Sometimes the weight of the fruit on the branches of a vine causes those branches to bend down� They can get so close to the ground that they become covered with dirt and mud� The vinedresser will lift these branches up and clean them� This cleansing allows the branches access to the sun that was blocked by dirt, mud, and the other branches that were above them�

Think about how Jesus “cleaned” Peter to bear fruit for God� In John 13:36–38, Christ foretold Peter’s denial� Peter did deny Jesus (John 18:15–18, 25–27)� After the resurrection, Jesus “restored” Peter and made it clear that Peter still had a role in God’s kingdom (John 21:15–19)� And Acts 2:14–41 records the sermon Peter gave at Pentecost, resulting in thousands of people being saved� Peter remained connected to Christ� He loved Jesus and also loved his fellow human beings� He was certainly a friend of Christ (John 15:14)�

Think back on your own spiritual development� What ways can you see that God has lifted you up and cleansed you so you could absorb more of his love and bear greater fruit? What results do you see in your life?

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LIVEDo you remember the experience of recess or PE when you were

in elementary school? Sides would be chosen for a game� Everyone would stand in a big long line, and the captains of each team would proceed to choose their players� You waited with anticipation, hoping you would be chosen by the team you wanted� The most popular kids and the best athletes were selected first� As the line grew smaller, your hopes changed; you now would be satisfied just to be chosen by either team� Do you remember the faces of those who were chosen last? The looks of excitement and anticipation were replaced by drooping shoulders, bowed heads, and dejected gazes� They had been rejected�

That does not happen in God’s kingdom� God chooses everyone� It’s not about being popular or skilled in some way� It’s about being willing to join the team and then remaining connected to the Captain—following his instructions and giving your best� He has created each one of us for a specific role in his Kingdom� He has a place for you on his team� He wants to develop a relationship with you so he can call you his friend�

DAILY BIBLE READINGSM November 2 Isaiah 5:1–7 God’s Disappointment

T November 3 Isaiah 27:2–6 God Will Redeem

W November 4 John 14:8–14 Believers Continue God’s Work

T November 5 John 10:11–18 Jesus Lays Down His Life

F November 6 John 15:18–25 Facing the World as Jesus Did

S November 7 John 15:1–3 Jesus Tends to His Vineyard

S November 8 John 15:4–17 Abiding Love

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November 15, 2020 Week 11

Confident LoveWhat Is Our Study About Today?Hatred toward others sometimes seems far easier to attain than love� The willingness of Jesus to die for us and his command that we live for others give us confidence to love�

Bible Passage1 John 3:11–24

What Topics Will Be Discussed?Love and hatred, life and death, God’s commands, peace with God�

Bible Background

Love is the dominant theme of First John� When sin entered the world, familial love was broken, and Cain murdered his brother Abel� Even a heart filled with hatred classifies one as a murderer, with no inheritance of eternal life� In contrast, we should lovingly lay down our lives for others, as Christ did for us� Even the physical need of another person is an opportunity to put our love into action by helping out� Those who live with this kind of love need not fear condemnation from God; they follow his commands and receive what they ask for in prayer, and God’s Spirit confirms that Christ lives in them�

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CONNECTIn The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan

Poe, the narrator describes a murder he has committed� He was careful in his planning and attempted to commit the perfect crime, including hiding the body under the floorboards� But his feelings of guilt cause him to hear a thumping sound, which he interprets as the dead man’s beating heart�

Numbers 32 tells about the Hebrews finally arriving at the Promised Land� The tribes of Reuben and Gad found territory where they wanted to settle, and they asked Moses to let them remain there� Moses was hesitant because he feared the men of these tribes would not help the other tribes when those tribes came to their own territories� The men of Reuben and Gad promised Moses that they would arm themselves for battle and give their assistance until all the other tribes were settled in their own land� Moses agreed, but he told them, “If you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out” (v 23)�

Rich or poor, famous or unknown—all people stare up at the same sky at night, and when they lie down to sleep they have a few moments with just their own thoughts and God� Some evil deeds seem to go unnoticed or unpunished, but there will be a day of reckoning for them—in this life or the next� Grasping this reality can cause us to panic or worry, but it doesn’t have to�

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STUDYI. 1 John 3:11–13, The Message of Love

K J V1 John 3:11 For this is the

message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.

13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.

N I V1 John 3:11 For this is the

message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.

12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.

13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the word hates you.

11 The Christian message has been the same from the beginning� Our lifestyle can be summed up in a single word: love� If we are truly new creatures in Christ, we should love one another. We should not only live rightly, we also need to love completely� The gospel of Jesus Christ tells of a Savior whose love was so great that he gave his life for us� The law given to Moses also emphasized love of God and neighbor�

12 As love is illustrated by Christ, the lack of love is illustrated by Cain, the eldest son of Adam and Eve, who…murdered his brother Abel (Gen 4:1–8)� Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous, Cain was susceptible to hatred and more heinous forms of iniquity� With no concrete love to hold it back, Cain’s envy and resentment toward Abel swelled and spilled over into murder�

13 Cain’s actions also illustrate why believers should not be surprised when the world hates them� Darkness loathes the light; wickedness detests righteousness� Jesus Christ’s own crucifixion and the treatment of his followers demonstrated this (see John 17:14)�

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II. 1 John 3:14–18, From Death to Life

K J V14 We know that we have

passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

17 But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

N I V14 We know that we have

passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.

15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.

16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?

18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

14–15 The fact that we love our brothers and sisters gives us assurance that we have been spiritually reborn in Christ and have passed from death to life� Hatred holds the potential for snuffing out the lives of others� Jesus warned his disciples of the close connection between hatred and the act of murder (Matt 5:21–22)� In a sense, hatred is like a match that has been struck and is poised just inches from the fuse of a stick of dynamite� It is the preliminary stage of violence�

16 In our world it is not unusual to see a type of love expressed even among those with no knowledge of Christ� But John pointed to a more rigorous example of what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. This is more than a warm feeling of affection for those of

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our own tribe, country, or kind� It is a willingness to give one’s life even for those who may wish us harm�

17–18 Giving material possessions to one in need may seem like a minor demonstration of love compared to the willingness to die for others; nevertheless, it indicates that the love of God is in us� Things such as food, clothing, money, and shelter are necessary for existence in a civilized world� In the first century, sharing these life-giving items would have been even more of a sacrifice than for many of us today� The love of God should be demonstrated in concrete fashion through our actions�

III. 1 John 3:19–24, Hearts at Rest

K J V19 And hereby we know that

we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then we have confidence toward God.

22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

N I V19 This is how we know that

we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence:

20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God

22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him.

23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.

24 The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

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19–20 We can be assured that we belong to the truth not because we know all things about God, but because Christ’s love is at work in us and through us� Love bears fruit, both for others and for us� It allows us to set out hearts at rest in God’s presence� There is no condemnation when we are filled with the love of Christ�

21–22 Genuine love gives us confidence before God in prayer� This is not to say that love guarantees we will get everything we might want to ask for from God� When we truly love God and others, it means that we keep his commands and do what pleases him. We can be confident that our prayers will be answered because, in part, the purity of our hearts prompts us to ask for and receive just what we should ask for to be in line with God’s will�

23–24 We begin a deep, intimate relationship with God by believing in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ� We help assure growth in that relationship as we love one another and keep God’s commands� As Christians, we gain additional assurance from the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to our hearts�

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APPLYIt is possible to feel false guilt� A little girl’s father leaves her

mother and her mother constantly tells her, “This is all your fault! You’re worthless, and you can’t do anything right!” The girl hears this so much that she comes to believe it� As a teenager and then as an adult, she struggles with self-esteem� If there’s any problem in one of her relationships or anything goes wrong at her job, she immediately blames herself because of the false narrative her mother has pounded into her brain since she was young� We might say that her heart condemns her, but it does so for no good reason�

Guilt that is genuine is helpful because it means we know we have done wrong� It might be compared to physical pain—or maybe, perhaps, a pebble in your shoe� You can still function, but you are constantly reminded that something is not right� When we respond to authentic guilt by asking forgiveness (both of God and of anyone we have hurt) and seeking to set things right, our hearts are no longer condemned� We can have confidence before God and rest in his presence� And the sense of peace we feel will be confirmed by the Holy Spirit who lives in us�

Describe a time you felt guilt, whether that guilt was false or justified� How were you able to get rid of the guilt and have a clear conscience once again?

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LIVEThomas Merton was a writer, poet, and social activist perhaps best

known for the following prayer:

My Lord God,I have no idea where I am going�I do not see the road ahead of me�I cannot know for certain where it will end�Nor do I really know myself,and the fact that I think I am following your willdoes not mean that I am actually doing so�But I believe that the desire to please youdoes in fact please you�And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing�I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire�And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road,though I may know nothing about it�Therefore will I trust you alwaysthough I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death�I will not fear, for you are ever with me,and you will never leave me to face my perils alone�

DAILY BIBLE READINGSM November 9 1 Thessalonians 2:1–10 Faith and Obedience

T November 10 Ephesians 5:8–16 Then Darkness, Now Light

W November 11 John 3:16–21 Live by the Light

T November 12 1 John 2:28—3:10 Loving One Another

F November 13 3 John 1–4 Walking in the Truth

S November 14 3 John 9–12 Imitate What Is Good

S November 15 1 John 3:11–24 Confident Love

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November 22, 2020 Week 12

Sharing LoveWhat Is Our Study About Today?In every community, there are people who have less than they need to maintain healthy lives� As the first believers in Jesus shared ev-erything in common, the needs of everyone were satisfied�

Bible PassageActs 4:32—5:11

What Topics Will Be Discussed?Generosity, honesty, unity, the Spirit’s power�

Bible Background

The New Testament church enjoyed an incredible sense of unity that was displayed by the generosity of its members� When there was a need in the body, those with resources would step up to meet it, sometimes even liquidating their real estate holdings and bringing the proceeds for the apostles to distribute� Barnabas, who would go on to prominent service in the church, was one who did this� A couple named Ananias and Sapphira sold some property and brought part of the proceeds but acted as if they had given all of the money they had made� The issue was their dishonesty, and they paid for it with their lives�

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CONNECTJack was part of First Church for many years� He served various

terms on the church board and also as church treasurer� He was present and involved at almost every church event, arriving early and staying late, helping where he could, always smiling and encouraging others� He and his wife frequently hosted small groups and other church gatherings in their home�

When three young siblings with a rough home life started coming to the church, Jack and his wife “adopted” them, giving them rides to church each week and buying food and clothes for them� They continued to do this until the children were grown and on their own�

Jack owned a successful construction company; he paid his workers well and supported them any way he could� When a man who was new to town came to the church and shared about being unable to find employment due to some past legal issues, Jack hired him and gave him a company truck to drive so he could have transportation�

Every December, whether or not Jack was on the church board or serving as treasurer, ended the same� He would discreetly find out whether the church was short on projected giving for the year and then write a check to cover the difference, whether it was $100 or $10,000�

The Lord called Jack home unexpectedly one Saturday afternoon� His wife found him collapsed and lifeless, kneeling at the side of his bed, with his palms open to heaven� His funeral was standing room only�

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STUDYI. Acts 4:32–35, No Needy Persons

K J VActs 4:32 And the multitude

of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things in common.

33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,

35 And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

N I VActs 4:32 All the believers

were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.

33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all

34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales

35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

32 In contrast to the individual-focused tendencies in many Western cultures, the early Christian fellowship was focused on dedication to Christ and commitment to one another� The statement that all the believers were one in heart and mind does not mean that their feelings and thoughts were identical� The early Christians were far from being cookie-cutter, photocopy images that excluded distinctive personalities, a variety of gifts, or diverse perspectives� Rather their unity grew out of their determination to faithfully follow the Lord Jesus and to lovingly behave toward others in ways that reflected the self-giving nature of Christ himself�

33 The unity and generosity of the early believers gave great

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power to the message of the apostles about the resurrection of…Jesus. This was not some sort of blessing earned by their efforts; it was due to God’s grace…at work�

34–35 Care for their fellow believers could be seen in the ways the early Christians strove to be sure that there were no needy persons among them. This resolve manifested itself, in part, in the willingness of some of the faithful to sell some of the land or houses they owned and allow the proceeds to be used to minister to and assist anyone who had need. The generosity of the church depicted in this passage is also reflected in Acts 2� There we are told that “the believers were together and had everything in common” (v 44) and that they sold their possessions in order to meet the needs of others� This does not seem to indicate a kind of Christian communism, however� Elsewhere in the New Testament there are indications that believers continued to hold private property� For example, we read that Mary, the mother of John Mark, owned her own home (Acts 12:12)�

II. Acts 4:36–37, The Generosity of Barnabas

K J V36 And Joses, who by

the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,

37 Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

N I V36 Joseph, a Levite from

Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”),

37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.

These two verses provide an example of an individual who displayed the type of generosity referred to in the previous verses� In offering this illustration of bigheartedness, the text introduces us to a key New Testament figure—Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas� In reviewing what we know of his life, it is easy to see why this man would become known in the church as a son of encouragement� In addition to his willingness to use his possessions and resources to assist his needy fellow Christians, Barnabas would go on to help organize and transport aid for victims

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of famine (Acts 11:27–30) and, along with Paul, serve as a missionary to the Gentiles�

III. Acts 5:1–11, Ananias and Sapphira

K J V5:1 BUT a certain man named

Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.

7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.

8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.

N I V5:1 Now a man named

Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.

2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.

3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?

4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”

5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened.

6 Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.

8 Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias

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K J V continued9 Then Peter said unto her,

How is that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.

10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.

11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.

N I V continuedgot for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”

9 Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”

10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband.

11 Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.

1–2 In contrast to the sincere generosity of Barnabas, today’s passage also presents the case of Ananias and Sapphira� Perhaps it was envy or greed that prompted the couple to sell a piece of property and keep back part of the money� No doubt they had noted that Barnabas and others had been applauded for their charitable actions� Maybe they hatched their plan as a way to gain praise, pocket some cash, and appear far more generous than they actually were�

3–4 The sin of which Ananias and Sapphira were guilty apparently was not that they had failed to take every last cent of their proceeds and give it to the apostles for their disposal� As Peter pointed out, it was their decision to do as they wished with the land and its profits� They provoked judgment upon themselves because they had lied…to God and, in effect, stolen from God�

5–11 Ananias…died because of his sin, and so did his wife� The Greek word translated as died is also used in referring to the death inflicted on Herod Agrippa (Acts 12:19–23) for blasphemously basking in the gathered crowd’s assertion that he was a god� Whether it is prideful rulers or deceitful people who proclaim a depth of faith and commitment they actually lack, the Lord is not pleased with those who focus on glorifying themselves rather than the Creator�

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APPLYSome churches pass metal or wooden plates to collect the offering;

some pass bags� Some churches have receptacles near the door where people can deposit their offering as they come or go� More and more churches now have online giving available, and in some churches you can even give by sending a text� Pastors are sometimes hesitant to teach about giving or to mention it because they don’t want to give newcomers the impression that the church is just out to get people’s money�

Even though it’s not the reason most people give, there are tax deductions available for contributions to churches and other nonprofit organizations� Oftentimes the church treasurer is the only one who knows how much the individuals in the congregation give� Some churches require that an individual be documented as a regular tither before that person can be nominated for a leadership role in the congregation�

What methods does your congregation use to collect tithes and offerings? What do you think about these methods, and why?

How often and in what ways should a pastor teach about or

mention giving? Why do you think so?

Should anyone besides the church treasurer know how much the

people in the congregation give? Why or why not?

Should tithing be a requirement for anyone who serves in church

leadership? Why or why not?

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LIVEChristians today sometimes wonder why the same type of

powerful events that occurred in the Book of Acts don’t seem to happen much in the modern church� It’s probably not common in most congregations for someone to lay hands on a sick person and see that person instantly healed� And when was the last time you saw someone tell a lie in church and immediately fall down dead?

It is important to keep in mind the purpose for the miracles in Acts: to bless people in Jesus’ name and draw people’s attention to the gospel message� As Jesus said to Martha in John 11:25–26, “I am the resurrection and the life� The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die�” Even those who are miraculously healed in this life will grow sick again someday and die; Lazarus did� But death is not the final word!

As children of God and followers of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit wants to use us to let people know about God’s love and the plan of salvation� It’s up to the Spirit to choose how to accomplish this goal� Our role is to be ready and willing�

DAILY BIBLE READINGSM November 16 1 Timothy 3:8–13 Being a Deacon

T November 17 Acts 5:12–16 The Church Grows

W November 18 Acts 6:1–7 Seven Chosen

T November 19 Acts 6:8–15 Stephen’s Ministry Opposed

F November 20 Acts 2:42–47 Sharing Life Together

S November 21 Acts 4:23–31 Prayer for Boldness and Signs

S November 22 Acts 4:32—5:11 Sharing Love

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November 29, 2020 Week 13

Impartial LoveWhat Is Our Study About Today?Favoring one person or group over others is a common occurrence in human relationships� James reminds us that godly love requires us to treat everyone equally�

Bible PassageJames 2:1–13

What Topics Will Be Discussed?Status, favoritism, impartiality, love�

Bible Background

Our study for today has to do with how we treat and value other people� It warns against favoring the wealthy over the poor, which can amount to a put-down of the poor—and overrating the rich and famous� James tells us that this kind of treatment is sinful and can be remedied by following the royal law in our relationships� Simply put, the royal law is this: “Love your neighbor as yourself ” (James 2:8)� James further elaborates on what this kind of love means by suggesting that we treat the poor—and everyone else, for that matter—with respect, mercy, and loving kindness� This is right in God’s eyes�

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CONNECT“Unconscious bias” has been sort of a hot topic in recent years�

We all have unconscious biases� These ways of thinking are automatic and unintentional, deeply engrained in our beliefs and impacting our behavior� Unconscious bias can take a variety of forms� For example, you might tend to think that everything about a certain person is good simply because you like that person (or that everything is bad about someone because you dislike that person)� You might tend to believe one thing (good or bad) about a certain group of people based on stereotypes and assumptions, making it difficult for you to be objective about individuals from this group� You might even automatically seek to confirm your pre-existing ideas and assumptions about certain groups of people�

Try to remember a time when someone acted with bias against you� Describe the situation and write down some words that express how you felt:

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STUDYI. James 2:1–4, No Favoritism

K J VJames 2:1 MY brethren, have

not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;

3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:

4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

N I VJames 2:1 My brothers and

sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.

2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in.

3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,”

4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

1 The writer of James was directing his plea to believers in…Jesus Christ: Don’t make distinctions between the wealthy and the poor� It’s a faulty comparison that leads to showing favoritism on the basis of outward appearances� It’s a judgment about worth and value that causes us to treat people differently—one that is not ours to make�

2–4 It has been common in all cultures to show honor and deference to those who are powerful or rich� Riches, in fact, are quite often the surest pathway to power� The message here is to have respect for all people, regardless of who they are or how they look� This leads to the question in verse 4: Have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Those who discriminate against the poor judge according to outward appearances and perpetuate evil by their unjust behavior� In Christ

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there should be no distinction between rich and poor� The inner life of faith and righteousness is the important factor, not external measures of wealth and prestige�

II. James 2:5–7, The Poor Are Rich

K J V5 Hearken, my beloved

brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?

7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

N I V5 Listen, my dear brothers

and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?

7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?

5 This section consists of rhetorical questions that call for affirmative answers� The poor who love God are dear to God because they have been chosen for a place in God’s kingdom� We must never forget that the perspectives of the kingdoms of the world are radically different from those of the kingdom of God� To the world, Jesus was a crucified criminal, and his disciples were the followers of a disgraced lightweight� In the kingdom of God, however, Jesus goes from being the ultimate loser to the one who is declared King of Kings and Lord of Lords� In the Kingdom view, the poor in material possessions can be among the richest in spirit; those with fat bank accounts can be among the most impoverished of soul�

6 Flattering the wealthy and discriminating against the poor—insulting them and judging them because of their poverty—makes one guilty of favoritism of the worst kind� After all, it tended to be the wealthy who oppressed and exploited the poor in the first century, as in most other eras of human history� It’s a double blow

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to the poor to pay fawning deference to those who take advantage of people who live in want and deprivation�

7 James wrote that it was these wealthy people who were often blaspheming the…name of Jesus� The primary reason for this was that by far most rich people in first-century society were neither Christians nor kindly disposed toward the teachings or followers of Jesus Christ�

III. James 2:8–11, The Royal Law

K J V8 If ye fulfil the royal law

according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well:

9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

N I V8 If you really keep the royal

law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.

9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.

10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

8 In this verse we can see James’s answer to the issue of how we can avoid the kind of biased treatment of others he condemned� It can happen if you really keep the royal law found in Scripture (meaning the Old Testament) as you love your neighbor as yourself—those last words being a quote that the writer took from Leviticus 19:18� This love for all becomes the basis for how people are treated regardless of their status�

9–11 Since God’s love is at the heart of his relationship with us, we in turn are to love others� We can’t choose whom we’re going to love; it must be everyone, if we intend to follow the royal

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law� Showing love to only a select few displays discrimination and favoritism, which James condemns as sin�

IV. James 2:12–13, The Triumph of Mercy

K J V12 So speak ye, and so do, as

they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

N I V12 Speak and act as those

who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,

13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Jesus called those who show mercy “blessed” and said that those who show mercy shall receive mercy (Matt 5:7)� When that occurs, everyone involved wins and mercy triumphs over judgment. No favoritism here, everyone is treated the same: with loving kindness� If we’re going to follow the royal law that sets us free, then we will be people who talk and act in loving and merciful ways toward all others—including those who are seen as being either ahead of us or behind us in the pecking order�

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APPLYLove your neighbor as yourself. James called this the “royal law�” It

is not royal because a king or queen decreed it or because only kings and queens are expected to obey it� It is royal because it is grand and magnificent and noble� It is simple, yet it is beautiful� The royal law encompasses how we think, how we speak, and how we act� It applies universally, whether we are dealing with a beloved family member, a dear friend, a casual acquaintance, or an evil enemy� When we show favoritism toward others, our thoughts are evil; we don black robes and sit behind the judge’s bench with an accusing stance�

The royal law prohibits favoritism� Those who live by the royal law are doing right in God’s eyes�

Finish the following statement:

I commit myself to living by the royal law, and loving others impartially with the love of Christ, by…

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LIVEOur first reaction when someone suggests we are acting with

bias or favoritism is often one of defensiveness� We quickly think of reasons and examples to prove why we are not biased� Favoritism can be very “sly”—it sneaks in under the radar, sometimes slowly, and sinks down roots over time� Coupled with pride, favoritism forms a strong team� We need God’s help to fight it� One of the ways God helps is often through the observations of those around us� To really keep the royal law requires a willingness to hear the truth and an openness to change�

Lord, we know how easy it is to judge another person� We know how easy it is to look at a man or woman or hear individuals talk and make the immediate judgment, “Oh, I know where that person’s coming from�” Help us to really see with your eyes, Lord� Help us to listen, really listen, with your ears� May our relationships be full of your love and kindness� May we find the courage to act with respect� You and you alone know our heart’s desire� We truly want to be your disciples of love and caring� May it be so, Lord� In the powerful name of Jesus, we pray� Amen�

DAILY BIBLE READINGSM November 23 Matthew 12:1–8 The Importance of Mercy

T November 24 1 Peter 1:17–23 Love from the Heart

W November 25 Galatians 3:6–9, 13–14 Sharing Abraham’s Faith

T November 26 Exodus 2:1–10 Moses Saved

F November 27 James 2:14–17 Expressing Your Faith

S November 28 James 2:18–26 Faith and Works

S November 29 James 2:1–13 Impartial Love

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NOTES:

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NOTES: