Sunday
Morning Bible Study
June
5, 2016
Introduction
Do people see Jesus? Is the gospel
preached? Does it address the person who is: Empty, lonely, guilty, or afraid
to die? Does it speak to the broken
hearted? Does it build up the church? Milk – Meat – Manna Preach for a decision
Is the church loved? Regular: 2900
words Communion: 2500 words Video=75wpm
We’ve set up a Truth Project page on the church website.
On the church website find “Media” and then “Truth Project”. Or click on the Truth Project slide when if
first loads.
From our page, you can go to the registration page for the Truth Project
itself, sign up, and get access to all kinds of materials. It’s free.
Part of the value of the Truth Project comes with the discussions – and we
are putting our discussions live on the church’s Facebook page each Thursday.
On our page we are also giving you links to the handouts for each week – if
you want to download the outline and key terms pdfs each week on your iPad,
it’s pretty cool.
This Thursday Night – The Truth Project – Teaser Trailer for #2 –
Philosophy and Ethics
Luke was a doctor and a traveling
companion of the apostle Paul.
He wrote this book while Paul was
in prison.
In writing this book about Jesus,
Luke made use of other older documents like the Gospel of Mark, as well as
extensive eyewitness accounts.
Illustration
There once was a man named Fred, who inherited 10 million dollars, but
there were some catches, he had to make some choices, and he made the wrong
ones. The will provided that he had to accept the 10 million either in Brazil
or in Chile. Well, he chose Brazil, unfortunately it turned out that in Chile
he would have received his inheritance in land on which uranium, gold and
silver had just been discovered. Once in Brazil he had to choose between
receiving his inheritance in coffee or nuts. Well, he chose the nuts. And that
was too bad, because the bottom fell out of the nut market, but coffee went up
to 5.34 a pound wholesale. And poor Fred lost everything he had to his name, he
went out and sold his gold watch for money, and he did that so that he could
get enough money to fly home. It seems that he had enough money to buy a ticket
to either New York or Boston. He chose Boston. When the plane for New York
taxied up, he noticed that it was a brand new super 777 jet with red carpet and
cool people and wine popping hostesses. The plane for Boston arrived and it was
a 1928 Ford tri motor with a swayback, it took a full day to get off the
ground. And it was filled with crying children and tethered goats. Well, over
the Andes, one of the engines fell off. Our man Fred made his way up to the
cockpit and captain and said, “Look I’m a jinx on this plane, let me out if you
want to save your lives, give me a parachute”. And the pilot agreed and looking
at him said, Okay, but on this plane, anybody who bales out must wear two
chutes. And so Fred jumped out of the plane whirling through the air, trying to
make up his mind, which ripcord to pull. Finally, he chose the one on the left,
it was rusty and the wire pulled loose. So he pulled the other handle, the
parachute opened but the shroud lines snapped. In desperation, the poor fellow
cried out, “St. Francis, save me!!” A large hand reached out of Heaven and
seized the poor fellow by the wrist and let him dangle in mid-air. And a gentle
but inquisitive voice asked, “St. Francis of Xavier or St. Francis of Assisi?”
Sometimes it seems that our lives sound an awful lot like that. It seems like we’re constantly facing choices
and constantly making the wrong ones.
When things seem to go from bad to worse, we can find ourselves asking,
“What did I do to deserve this?”
Why do things happen? Is it my bad choices?
Jesus’ ministry is well under way, and the people have been amazed not just
at the things He’s been teaching, but the things He’s been doing.
13:1-5 Tragedies
:1 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans
whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
were present – pareimi
– to be by, be at hand, to have arrived, to be present; to be ready, in
store, at command
season – kairos
– due measure; opportune or seasonable time
Galileans were people who lived in the northern part of Israel.
mingled – mignumi
– to mix, mingle
:1 some who told Him about the Galileans
told Him – apaggello – to bring tidings (from a
person or a thing), bring word, report; to proclaim
They are not just speaking words at Jesus.
These folks are giving Jesus an important news update.
Keep in mind, Jesus is being perceived as a leader, and He as well as most
of His followers are also from Galilee.
It reminds me of some of the press conferences given by a political
candidate where they are being asked about their take on some big news item of
the day.
It’s possible that these people are trying to warn Jesus, but I wonder if
they aren’t also trying to scare Him a little as well since He too was from
Galilee.
:1 whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices
We do not have any other historical account of this incident other than
Luke’s record, but we do know that Pontius Pilate was a ruthless man and caused
lots of trouble with the Jews.
Josephus records an event when Pilate thought he’d move his troops from
Caesarea to Jerusalem for the winter, along with all their pagan images that
accompanied each of the legions.
The Jews in Jerusalem did not like Pilate bringing idolatrous images into
Jerusalem and they brought protests against Pilate in Caesarea.
After several days of protest, Pilate had some of his soldiers dress up
like Jews and infiltrate the crowd.
When the protest began, Pilate warned the people that if they continued to
protest, he would have them all killed.
At that point, all the protesters threw themselves on the ground with their
necks bared, daring Pilate to have them all killed.
Pilate realized he was dealing with a fanatical people.
But now Pilate, the procurator of Judea, removed the army from
Cesarea to Jerusalem, to take their winter quarters there, in order to abolish
the Jewish laws. So he introduced Caesar’s effigies, which were upon the
ensigns, and brought them into the city; whereas our law forbids us the very
making of images; (56) on which account the former procurators were wont to
make their entry into the city with such ensigns as had not those ornaments.
Pilate was the first who brought those images to Jerusalem, and set them up
there; which was done without the knowledge of the people, because it was done
in the nighttime; (57) but as soon as they knew it, they came in multitudes to
Cesarea, and interceded with Pilate many days, that he would remove the images;
and when he would not grant their requests, because it would tend to the injury
of Caesar, while yet they persevered in their request, on the sixth day he
ordered his soldiers to have their weapons privately, while he came and sat
upon his judgment seat, which seat was so prepared in the open place of the
city, that it concealed the army that lay ready to oppress them: (58) and when
the Jews petitioned him again, he gave a signal to the soldiers to encompass
them round, and threatened that their punishment should be no less than
immediate death, unless they would leave off disturbing him, and go their ways
home. (59) But they threw themselves upon the ground, and laid their necks
bare, and said they would take their death very willingly, rather than the
wisdom of their laws should be transgressed; upon which Pilate was deeply
affected with their firm resolution to keep their laws inviolable, and
presently commanded the images to be carried back from Jerusalem to Cesarea. [1]
Pilate would also have run ins with
the Samaritans, and it was his rough handling and the killing of some of the
Samaritans that led to his eventual removal as governor and being sent back to
Rome.
2. (88) But when this tumult was appeased, the
Samaritan senate sent an embassy to Vitellius, a man that had been consul, and
who was now president of Syria, and accused Pilate of the murder of those that
were killed; for that they did not go to Tirathaba in order to revolt from the
Romans, but to escape the violence of Pilate. (89) So Vitellius sent Marcellus,
a friend of his, to take care of the affairs of Judea, and ordered Pilate to go
to Rome, to answer before the emperor to the accusation of the Jews. So Pilate,
when he had tarried ten years in Judea, made haste to Rome, and this in
obedience to the orders of Vitellius, which he durst not contradict; but before
he could get to Rome, Tiberius was dead. [2]
It sounds as if the specific news
item being shared with Jesus may have had something to do with Galileans from
the northern part of Israel going on pilgrimage to Jerusalem in the south, and
while there they were put to death on Pilate’s orders.
:2 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these
Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they
suffered such things?
Do you suppose – dokeo
– to be of opinion, think, suppose; to seem, to be accounted, reputed
suffered – pascho
– to be affected or have been affected, to feel, have a sensible
experience, to undergo; in a bad sense, to suffer sadly, be in a bad plight
:2 were worse sinners than …
I think that Jesus is asking this question because this is exactly how
these people were thinking.
They want to know if these people died because they were worse sinners than
others.
sinners – hamartolos –
devoted to sin, a sinner
It comes from hamartano – to miss
the mark; to miss or wander from the path of uprightness
:3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.
repent – metanoeo – to change
one’s mind, i.e. to repent; to change one’s mind for better, heartily to amend
with abhorrence of one’s past sins
likewise – hosautos
– in like manner, likewise
perish – apollumi
– to destroy; to put out of the way entirely, abolish, put an end to ruin;
to kill; metaph. to devote or give over to eternal misery in hell; to perish,
to be lost, ruined, destroyed
Future indicative
:3 you will all likewise perish
Some have suggested that Jesus was
hinting prophetically at the coming destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.
Jesus is using their arguments and bringing them to their logical
conclusion.
If these people from Galilee perished because of their sin, then all of the
people standing before Jesus are in trouble because they too are sinners.
:4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do
you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in
Jerusalem?
tower – purgos
– a tower; a fortified structure rising to a considerable height, to repel
a hostile attack or to enable a watchman to see in every direction
do you think – dokeo
– to be of opinion, think, suppose; to seem, to be accounted, reputed
:4 the tower in Siloam fell
This is another historical incident that only Luke records.
Siloam was an area in Jerusalem south of the Temple mount. There was a pool there supplied by the water
from Hezekiah’s tunnel. Apparently there
was also a tower at one time.
Jesus is mentioning it because it’s obviously another event that a lot of
people remembered and had talked about.
This is kind of like 9/11
Whose fault was it that the towers fell?
After 9/11 there were a lot of voices telling us why this tragedy hit
America.
There were preachers saying that it was a sign of God’s judgment on us
because of our wickedness.
That may have been the case, but I’d be reluctant to preach that unless God
told me specifically that it was so.
I’d prefer to think that until we know something different, that the towers
fell because wicked men flew planes into them.
:4 do you think that they were worse sinners …
Jesus uses a different than the word for “sinner” than in vs. 2 (“missing
the mark”)
sinners – opheiletes – one who owes another, a
debtor; one who has not yet made amends to whom he has injured; one who owes
God penalty or whom God can demand punishment as something due
It’s basically the same word used in the prayer that Jesus taught:
(Matthew 6:12 NKJV)
And
forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
Here the emphasis is on the fact that as a “sinner”, a debt has been
acquired. There is something owed to
God. A price needs to be paid.
The problem with thinking that the Twin Towers fell because of our sin is
that we are faced with a parallel question:
Were the people in the towers worse sinners than those of us not in the
towers? I’m not sure that’s the case.
:5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
repent – metanoeo
– to change one’s mind, i.e. to repent; to change one’s mind for better,
heartily to amend with abhorrence of one’s past sins
likewise – hosautos
– in like manner, likewise
perish – apollumi
– to destroy; to put out of the way entirely, abolish, put an end to ruin;
to kill; metaph. to devote or give over to eternal misery in hell; to perish,
to be lost, ruined, destroyed
:5 I tell you, no
Lesson
Why things happen
Sometimes things in life go wrong and we ask the question why?
Here’s a confession I have to make.
I had that very same theme song playing in my head on Wednesday morning
when I was coming down from the sanctuary attic. I did a “Clouseau” and had quite a fall. The ER says I didn’t break anything.
I guess in years past I would ask, “Why did this
happen?” Now I’m willing to acknowledge
it’s just because I’m a klutz.
Most of us have this underlying idea in our heads that good things happen
to good people, and bad things happen to bad people.
Something good happens to someone and we silently wonder, “What did they do
to deserve that?”
Something bad happens to someone and we ask the parallel question, “What
did they do to deserve that?”
There is an ultimate truth in the idea that good results in rewards and
evil results in punishment, but only in the sense of when we stand ultimately
before God at the end of our lives, people will receive what is due them.
For now, while we’re still alive, it’s not that simple.
Sometimes God allows good things to happen as a result of our good actions.
Jesus said,
(Luke
6:38 NKJV) Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down,
shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the
same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
But sometimes good things happen just because God is being gracious.
(Matthew
5:44–45 NKJV) —44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do
good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and
persecute you, 45
that
you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil
and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
God is actually kind and good to people who are “evil” and
“unjust”. That’s grace.
On the bad side … Sometimes bad things happen because we did something bad. Even as believers, we might be “chastened” or
“spanked” for our disobedience.
(Hebrews 12:5–6
NKJV) —5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to
sons: “My son, do
not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be
discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the
Lord loves He chastens, And scourges
every son whom He receives.”
Yet even at times like this, chastening doesn’t come
because God hates us, but because He loves us.
The truth is, God doesn’t “spank” us every time we ought to be spanked.
(Psalm
103:10 NKJV) He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished
us according to our iniquities.
Sometimes bad things happen so God can display His glory
(John 9:1–3 NKJV)
—1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from
birth. 2 And His
disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that
he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that
the works of God should be revealed in him.
Jesus would then go on to display God’s power and heal
this blind man.
Sometimes bad things happen so we will mature.
Peter wrote,
(1
Peter 1:6–7 NKJV) —6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need
be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being
much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be
found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
Our faith is refined and purified through trials like gold
is refined in the fire. Faith becomes
better with more heat.
A gentleman once asked the famous George Mueller (a man
known for his great faith) the best way to have strong faith.
“The only way,” replied the patriarch of faith, “to learn
strong faith is to endure great trials. I have learned my faith by standing
firm amid severe testings.”
This is very true. The time to trust is when all else
fails.
Dear one, you
scarcely realize the value of your present opportunity; if you are passing
through great afflictions you are in the very soul of the strongest faith, and
if you will only let go, He will teach you in these hours the mightiest hold
upon His throne which you can ever know.
“Be not afraid,
only believe.” And if you are afraid, just look up and say, “What time I am
afraid I will trust in thee,” and you will yet thank God for the school of
sorrow which was to you the school of faith.
--A. B. Simpson
“Great faith must have great trials.”
Sometimes bad things happen because God trusts us.
He is confident that we will be a testimony to the world that when a good
person suffers, they will turn to God.
That was the case with Job.
(Job
1:8 NKJV) Then the Lord said to
Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him
on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?”
God didn’t Satan to test Job because Job did something bad
to deserve it, but because God wanted to show the world how a righteous man
could trust God.
Be careful of thinking you understand why a person is going through either
a good or a difficult time.
:5 you will all likewise perish
Jesus has reiterated this phrase twice.
Lesson
We are all sinners
I think Jesus is trying to make a point to the people in front of Him is that
the people who perished in these disasters were no different than they were.
We somehow want to be thought of as being “better” than others, but the
truth is …
We are all sinners.
(Romans 3:23 NKJV) for all have
sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
(Romans 3:10–11 NKJV) —10 As it is
written: “There is none
righteous, no, not one; 11 There
is none who understands; There is
none who seeks after God.
(Romans 7:18–19 NKJV) —18 For I know
that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present
with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil
I will not to do, that I practice.
There is no place for boasting that we are any better than anyone else.
We are all sinners in need of God’s mercy and grace.
Illustration
Pastor Don Meyer writes,
Years ago I traveled to Ecuador and spent a couple of
weeks traveling in the mountains. The Quechua Indian people I met there lived
amidst the most mind-numbing squalor. The disease and disfigured bodies were
heartbreaking. The bugs and stench were everywhere. People were living in a
hole in the ground and calling it a house. They were feeding on rotten food and
prizing garbage as possessions. But they didn't know it. Why?
Because everyone lived that way. They had never been given a picture of what it
means to be a genuinely healthy human being. They did not know what an abundant
life truly looked like.
That is our problem, too. It's the reason we think of
ourselves as largely innocent people—people who have little to do with bringing
about the Cross of Christ. We don't get how sick and undeveloped we are
spiritually. In Psalm 14, David says that the one fully-healthy Being in the
universe views the human race as we might view those Quechua villagers—only the
gap between his life and that of our village is so much larger. "The Lord
looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who
understand, any who seek God. But all have turned aside. They have together
become corrupt. There is no one who does good, not even one." In other
words, we are condemned, and we don't even know it.
Dan Meyer, in his sermon "Why Remember the
Passion?" www.ccobtv.org (4-9-04)
:5 unless you repent
repent – metanoeo – to
change one’s mind
Even though repentance is based in the “mind”, it shows itself by a
person’s actions.
Lesson
Turn It Around
That’s what the word “repent” means.
Turn your life around.
Instead of walking away from God, walk towards God.
Jesus is trying to get these folks before Him to take these bad things in
the news and let them affect their behavior.
Jesus said,
(Matthew 7:1–5 NLT)
—1 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2 For you will
be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard
by which you will be judged. 3 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a
log in your own? 4
How
can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck
in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite!
First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal
with the speck in your friend’s eye.
If you see a difficulty in some other person’s life,
instead of instantly working to condemn them, perhaps we ought to stop and take
time to look in the mirror at ourselves.
Illustration
From time to time I will hear about a person in ministry who has become
caught in some sin. I heard of another
pastor arrested last week for molesting a minor.
Years ago I would hear about one of the televangelists who had fallen and
would respond in disgust, thinking that they had it coming.
The older I get, the less I think that way.
I now realize that it’s only too easy for any of us to fall.
It’s my goal now when I hear about a person caught in a sin, that I look at
my own life to make sure that I am not leaving myself open to temptation. I think it’s a healthy exercise to put
yourself in the fallen one’s shoes and think of the implications of what would
happen if you gave in to a certain temptation.
I need to think of the people I’d disappoint, of the devastation that would
come to my family, and especially the grief I would cause God.
David wrote,
(Psalm
69:6 NLT) Don’t let those who trust in you be ashamed because of me, O
Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s
Armies. Don’t let me cause them to be humiliated, O God of Israel.
When you are caught in a sin and you begin to feel conviction, don’t run
from God, run TO God. The Bible says,
(1 John 1:9 NKJV) If we
confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
The word “confess” means to “agree with”. If I confess my sins, I am coming to the
point where I am agreeing with God over my sins.
That means that I need to agree with God that my sin is
wrong.
I need to agree with God that Jesus’ death on the cross is
able to pay for my sin.
I need to agree with God that my life needs to
change.
And when I “agree with” God concerning my sin, I will find
forgiveness.
Our eternal salvation doesn’t happen by the action of repenting, but we are
saved by our faith.
(Ephesians 2:8–9
NKJV) —8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of
yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Our faith is in God’s grace, in what Jesus did when He died on the cross.
He died to pay for our sins.
Yet if our faith is genuine, then it will affect the way we act.
We talked on Thursday night at the Truth Project about how you can test
what you really believe by looking at your actions.
Your actions betray what you really believe.
Video: Truth Project – Do you really believe that…
Your actions, like praying, will give you a hint as to
whether you really believe what you believe.
Genuine faith results in genuine change in behavior.