Tag: Bible Verse

Sunday School Lesson – “The Christian Race” Hebrews 12:1-13

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VERSE DISCOVERY: Hebrews 12:1-13 (KJV, Public Domain)

On your marks.  Get set.  Go!  Once you have accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Savior you have officially entered the Christian race.  The prize is before you and the contests are around you, and the only way to make it to the finish line is by focusing on He who paved the way before you.  The struggles may seem hard at times, but Jesus promised, “He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved,” (Matthew 24:13).

Endurance is the key and although troubles seem to catch us off guard, we are reminded that we are not the only ones suffering; we are not alone in our pursuit to live like Christ and yet face adversity.  Others have gone before us, including our Lord.  Let their testimony encourage the weary and faint of heart to press on through the contentions of this life that we may gain the crown of life in the next.

Our Focus

Hebrews 12:1-4 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.  Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.”

In the chapter prior to this, we have some of the greatest sources of encouragement recorded not only in God’s Word but in the world.  We have, as the people of God, dubbed it the Hall of Fame of Faith; and, rightfully so.  In that chapter, we see a concentrated version of God’s mighty acts performed through and for those who followed hard after Him in faith.  Their stories are amazing, and their examples are a testimony of how to do life while still holding on to the promises of God; how to make it to the end even when some personally didn’t see the fulfillment of said promises.

These people who have gone before us can testify that the road wasn’t always easy.  They can tell their story of how they tried to do the work of God and people acted adversely toward them and did not respond the way they had hoped, or the trials they faced on the way to their particular promise were heavy at times.  They can let the cat out of the bag about how they were mistreated, used and abused because their desire was to fulfill the call of God on their lives.  They are a “great cloud of witnesses” that can testify and say, “I’ve been there and done that.  Just hold on to God’s unchanging hand and He will see you through.”

“Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us.”  Most Olympians and accomplished runners in any race strive to enter the competition with as little baggage as possible.  Clothing is kept to a minimum, as much as decency will allow.  Preparations for physical strength and the shedding of unwanted weight that can prove to be a hindrance were made before one foot touches the starters block.

Why?  To give the athlete the best possible chance of winning.

Jesus wants us to make it to the end of our race.  He wants us to come in victorious as the winners He knows we are in Him.  That can’t happen if we allow people, and stuff, and sin bog us down.  The feet that were meant to run like they had wings attached rather sink as if stones were wrapped around their ankles.  Therefore, the author of Hebrews commands us to “lay aside” everything that wants to hold us back; everything that stands as an obstacle to our spiritual success; everything that works against our salvation preventing us from experiencing the fullness of joy we have in Christ Jesus.

Those in this world compete for trophies, but our competition in our Christian race is for a prize this world can’t offer.  We must do as Paul instructed and, “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14).  We can’t do that carrying the extra “weight” of worries and “sin” of this world.

“Let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”  Notice the word “us” written here.  That word is inclusive and tells us that we all have our own race to run that is “set before us.”  The track I am on may not look like yours, but we’re still in this together, each running the course that’s ahead of them.  The things I fight with may not be the same for you, but we are altogether battling against things that try to stop our progression in Christ.

This was especially true for the original readers of this letter who were suffering through times of persecution and hardship.  I can imagine some lying awake at night or hiding out in some undisclosed location wondering about the promises of God through the murkiness of the pain they were experiencing.  I don’t care what anybody tells you, nobody likes to experience troubles, but the soul that can hold on will see the light at the end of the tunnel.  It may not shine as you supposed it would, but it will be there nonetheless as a testimony to the glory of God working in your life as well.

But, to continue this course, in spite of it all, requires “patience;” endurance.  Going back to the picture of an athlete preparing for the competition, they stretch their bodies past normal limits in order to condition it for the race.  They add on extra time and additional boundaries to push past in order to get their endurance and stamina up so that they can power through the most difficult times.  They mold, shape, and work their bodies to be fit for the fight.

Here, the writer is giving us the same advice in the spiritual.  We must purposely trust God and push past some stuff we see now to build up our faith and give us the strength to make it to the end.  We will never be able to power through the competitions of this life if we don’t allow our faith muscles to be conditioned for the battle.

“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.”  Jesus, once again, stands as our perfect example of not only how to run the race but how to endure during the process, and one thing I wrote about in a previous article was His “Focus Shift” (I encourage you to read the entire article).  Jesus, while going through the worse thing He could ever possibly endure, didn’t dwell on His current situation or even the enemies at hand, He was more concerned about the welfare of others; He gained a heavenly perspective for souls and salvation that we can only hope to emulate as we look to Him.

Through the trials and tribulations we may face in our own race, we are told to gain a new perspective as well; we are told to shift our focus from ourselves and look to Jesus.  In His life and His obedience, He has gone the road before us to show us how to live and walk in accordance with the Father’s will and never give up.

He is the “author and finisher of our faith.”  He is the originator and completer of our faith.  He is our soul’s pioneer, if you will (a word you often hear referenced when discussing this topic).  He went before us into uncharted territory to gain heavenly ground for each one of us.  Jesus Christ has secured everything we need under the faith umbrella to live this life the way God is calling us to live.

 “Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.”  The cross and the process of dying on the cross were ugly.  But, the results that would come from the cross were beautiful and brought joy to the heart of our Savior.  One of my favorite articles written is titled “Reap Rejoicing.”  In that I wrote:

“No one could ever put into words the pain of what it felt like to hang on that cross and bear the sins of the world.  But, as He hung there, with blood pouring down, He was in the gathering process.  That’s why He couldn’t come down because even as He was nailed and left to die, He with great sorrow and tears, was working at gathering that would eventually lead to rejoicing.

What a clear head and frame of mind our Lord kept through it all.  Most of us would have went into survival mode under such duress, thinking of self.  Jesus went to survival mode, too.  Not for Himself rather, “To seek and to save that which was lost,” (Luke 19:10, KJV).”

Therefore, He “endured” the course before Him with “joy” for souls like us and becomes our prime example of how to follow the path of faith.  As the “author and finisher of our faith;” the beginning and end – He showed us how to run our race.

“Despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  The cross was just not about pain, but it was about “shame.”  Jesus hung on the cross naked – shame!  Jesus took on the curse of sin for humanity – shame!  Jesus was abused, beaten, and tossed about as nobody worth considering; just another criminal – shame!  Yet, He took any and all shame that would seek to bind us.  He didn’t give in to the pull to turn tail and run.  He took it all on Himself and completed fully the work of the cross and is “set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  He finished His race and gained His reward and lives forever to show us how to do it.

“Consider him!”  He “endured!”  He was wrongfully accused and wrongfully abused due to the “contradiction of sinners against himself.”  Jesus spoke rightly when He said, “He that is not with me is against me…” (Matthew 12:30), and at the time of the cross His body bore the marks of their opposition and hatred toward Him – yet, He still refused to give up.  Even when the taunting tongues said, “He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him,” (Matthew 27:42); He held on and endured the cross until He gave up the ghost and ascended on high.

“Lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”  Why are we continually told to look to Jesus, to fix our spiritual gaze upon Him and consider all that He went through?  Because His legacy becomes a testament to how one should run this Christian race.  His story becomes a well of strength from which we can draw encouragement from.  His experience becomes the energy that we need to motivate us to press on despite all the adversity that tries to mount attacks against us; that try to move us from our faith.  “But they that wait upon the LORD,” the Bible tells us, “shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint,” (Isaiah 40:31).  Consider Jesus that you yourselves to don’t faint in the process of running the race.

When we discussed the previous chapter, the Hall of Fame of faith, in that we see Moses’ character in taking a stand against sin: “Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season,” (Hebrews 11:25).  Standing for one’s faith usually brings about persecution and affliction such as what the readers of this letter were facing.  How far are they willing to go in order to stand for their faith?  There are many in the body of Christ who have borne the harsh ravages of persecution on their own bodies, and even their lives.  There are many who gave all to follow Jesus.  The encouragement is for these readers to stir up their minds, gain strength from the stories of those devoted lives, keep pushing forth, and don’t give up!

Our Discipline

Hebrews 12:5-11 “And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.  Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.  Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”

“Despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him… if ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons.”  “Chastening” or discipline is part of what we must go through in order to grow and mature in Christ as need be.  There will be times of suffering as we continue to walk our path to go higher in Him.  There will be times when the road traveled will seem like we’re fighting an uphill battle.  There will be times of pain and hardships, but as Romans reminds us, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose,” (Romans 8:28).

Keep in mind, how we view something as working out for good and how God views it could look very different.  Something that may bring us sadness now, God may see a better benefit down the road for our good.  When God looks into the meat of our lives, He’s looking beyond the here and now and the tool that is often used is discipline.

Discipline is rarely seen as being pleasant.  Whether it refers to the bringing of one’s body under subjection for the benefit of exercising and preparing for a race; or, if it is for correction to set one’s course on a right path – hardship in this life is rarely a welcomed companion.

But we are told not to “despise” it as we are reminded that Jesus, the author of our faith, didn’t mount Calvary’s cross by bypassing suffering (see also Proverbs 3:11 and Job 5:17).  He faced it head-on as the Son of God who would redeem mankind from their sins.  Now, we are referred to as sons and daughters of God, and as such should we not take it all in stride when the Father’s molding of our lives involves things we would rather not endure?  Yet, endure we must for one will never reach the finish line of any competition by dropping out.  It’s pushing through despite the pain and the struggle that allows us to reach our eternal reward in victory.

For when God chastens, His only motivation is “love.”  Proverbs 3:12 verifies this by telling us, “For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.”  Parents don’t want to see their children hurting or sad over a situation no more than God does.  But there are some things that parents can’t allow their children to pursue because, in the end, it will be to their ruin.

God wants us where He is.  He “scourgeth even son whom he receiveth.”  He is our ultimate prize at the end of this race, but we will never get there if we allow the cumbrances of this world to deviate us off that path.  God steps in and corrects the steps we take that we may gain the richer rewards of heaven rather than settle for the less than this world has to offer.  He beckons us to follow the discipline and not to give up.  Allow it to mold you and work for your good to bring about a better end.

Did He not say in Jeremiah, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end?” (29:11). Those words of promise were spoken as the people endured the discipline of captivity.  God always, always, always has the greater good of His people in mind despite what it currently looks like.  Therefore, run the race and “endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ,” (2 Timothy 2:3).  Subject yourselves “unto the Father of spirits, and live!”  His correction in our lives is for our good!

He does it for “our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.”  Anything we face in this world cannot compare to the joy that we have in Him and the glory that lay ahead eternally.  One can only be a participator of that joy and glory if they are “partakers of his holiness.”  “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy,” (1 Peter 1:15-16).

God wants holiness in our lives and in our worship.  I love a message that pronounces blessings just as much as the next person, but without holiness, it means absolutely nothing in His sight.  We need to come back to the central theme of holiness because the LORD requires nothing less.  It is for our profit and if discipline is what it takes to get us there, then God will have His way because you and I are treasured that much that He wants you to be where He is.

No, it’s not “joyous” at the time of receiving said correction and discipline, but “afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”  There have been times when correction was probably necessary for our own lives, growing up or as an adult.  And no, we don’t like it but, we can thank God for where the correction keeps us from.  The paths of sin and wrong choices that could have kept us walking a road that yielded anything but “righteousness.”  It could have kept us bound in sin.

Children don’t usually rejoice due to correction and discipline.  When parents send a correction in the way of a child it is to prepare them for life up ahead.  When God sends discipline for each of us, we become like trees fit (trained, “exercised thereby”) due to pruning to prepare us to yield “fruit” that will carry over into eternity.

Our Race

Hebrews 12:12-13 “Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.”

Be encouraged through it all!  Get in there and run this Christian race!  Don’t let defeat win.  Don’t let the hardships knock you out of place, robbing you of the goal at the end.  If you feel down, get back up, strengthen yourself, and keep on running that your soul may be “healed.”  Jesus is waiting at the finish line.

We can be so easily swayed this way and that with the moving of our circumstances and our emotions and just plain old life itself.  But Jesus, “the author and finisher of our faith;” our perfect example, never let anything sway Him from the righteous path.  He never let anything drag Him off course from where God wanted Him to be.  As a matter of fact, He repeatedly let us know “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me,” (John 6:38).  And yes, He suffered through it all, but suffering didn’t win, and discouragement didn’t stand a chance against the will of God planted so deeply in Him, ergo He ran His race unhindered.

The writer of Hebrews is teaching his readers and us the same valuable life lesson.  Everything will not always seem to work in our favor (despite the barrage of popular messages that tell otherwise), but “make straight paths for your feet;” look past the obstacles that try to obstruct your view from the finish line and stay wholly focused on Him who is our spiritual forerunner.  Follow His lead who endured already and “ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established,” (Proverbs 4:26).

Remember, others are watching your race so run that they too may be encouraged to keep going and not be “turned out of the way.”  May they press on to receive healing for their souls as well.

Sometimes the things we deal with get hard.  Trials and tribulations are nothing to sneeze at, but we must make the decision to respond the way Jesus did and to not let it frustrate us from everything that God has for us and want us to do.  If you keep your eyes firmly fixed on Jesus, you can make it to the end of your Christian race.

PDF Printable Sunday School Lesson Pack (With easy to read instructions following the P.E.A.R.L. format on how to conduct each lesson with areas for adding personal notes): Sunday School Lesson – The Christian Faith 

Suggested Activities:

Object Lesson: “Run the Race Object Lesson”

Video Links: 

“Running the Race Youtube Video/Skit Guys”

“Derek Redmond Inspiration Video/Never Give Up”

Adult Journal Page: The Christian Race

Kid’s Journal Page: The Christian Race

Blank Journal Pages (to cover what points you prefer to bring out):  Blank Adult and Kid’s Journal Pages

Draw the Scene: The Christian Race Draw the Scene

How Many Words: The Christian Race How Many Words

Memory Verse: The Christian Race Memory Verse

 

Word Search: The Christian Race Word Search  Answers: The Christian Race Word Search Answers

Crossword: The Christian Race Crossword  Answers: The Christian Race Crossword Answers

Word Scramble: The Christian Race Word Scramble  Answers: The Christian Race Word Scramble Answers

“Perseverance” (opening Marshmallow Toss activity)

“What the Olympics can teach us about Christianity”

“Pressing for the Prize” 

 

“No matter what we face…”

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No matter what we face, we don’t face it alone.
Through every possible hardship, through
every possible scenario, God is with us. Not
only is He with us, but He is watching over His
people and protecting them.

Sometimes things may seem to be too much to
deal with – overwhelming, in fact. Sometimes
the fire and the flood before us or coming after
us can seem scary and dangerous. But God
is here for His people. He promises, “I will
never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (Heb. 13:5)
Lean into the promises God and His strength
and He will see you through the difficult times.

“Getting to the Other Side with Jesus!”

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Getting to the other side, isn’t that what we all want to do?  All we want to do is be opposite of where we are now.  Standing on the edge of one shore with a whole mess of stormy ocean in between, all our hearts yearn to do is get through this mess safely and plant our feet on the shore of peace that stands waiting to receive us after navigating the tumultuous oceans in between.

But, it’s that whole mess of raging ocean in between that’s the problem.  Sometimes life is hard.  Sometimes the waves are so high and terrible, the view of the shore is obscured.  Sometimes they crash so violently that I can’t help cry out with the disciples, “Lord, save us!” (Matthew 8:25).  The situation is hard and we are desperate and screaming for deliverance!

The Lord hears, and He questions them, “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” (Matthew 8:26).  For the disciples, Jesus wanted to know, “Where is your faith?” (Luke 8:25).

Let’s face it, like the disciples, sometimes it’s hard to see past what is before you right now.  With fearsome events swirling around, and disaster seemingly imminent, “seeing” a positive end to this rise is very difficult.  But, God never asked us to see the better end.  He asks us to hold on, in faith, and trust that He will get us to the other side.

Four times we are told in His word, “The just shall live by faith,” (Hab. 2:4; Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38).  And, in 2 Corinthians we are told, “We walk by faith, not by sight,” (5:7).  Yet, no matter how much we hear or read these encouraging words from Scripture, when it comes our time to be in the boat tossed about on the raging seas, many are ready to abandon ship because they just can’t see the way to the other side.  But, abandoning ship doesn’t get you to the other side.  It only leaves you treading water in the middle of the waves.

I don’t scoff at the disciples for waking Jesus, because if you don’t know how to get through the storm safely, and if you are having trouble navigating the ferocious winds in your life, it’s best to lean on Jesus in the middle of the storm.  It’s best to speak to the one who cannot only see you safely to the other side but quiet the mess in between (Matthew 8:26).  If your goal is the other side, Jesus is your way.  Trust that if you are riding with Him, you will arrive safely on that shore of peace because Jesus never fails.

“He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.”  – Psalm 107:29

“The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.” – Psalm 34:17

“The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.” – Nahum 1:7

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“God is Forever Faithful!”

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“It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness,”

Lamentations 3:22-23

There seems to be news every day of more and more people experiencing hardships in their lives. There are stories of loved ones that didn’t return home. There are stories of weather disasters wiping out cities. There are stories of our young people and teenagers struggling. There are stories of corrupt politics; a crippling economy, job layoffs and firings, and more.

You name it and it’s out there. The daily news is littered with the truth of the sorrow that can penetrate into anyone’s life on any given day; stories that cause one to just shake their head and feel the pang of sympathy for those going through. Nobody wants to experience hardships and nobody wants to see anybody else having to suffer with it either.

It is during these times when we have to fight the most to remember the sovereignty of God. When we have to continually pound it into our heads that He is in control and “His compassions fail not.” Life may seem very, very bleak at times but God is still on His throne and “great is Thy faithfulness!”

Going through the hardships and the disappointments of life are hard enough, but when we start attributing the human characteristics of short-comings to a divine God, we rob ourselves of an unfailing assurance.

It’s hard to keep one’s head above water during times of crisis. It is at that time when we need our safety float the most. Then is when we need to remember that God has never failed and He is not about to start failing today. He is forever faithful!

Even in the book of Lamentations after the people went into captivity and Jerusalem became desolate, Jeremiah penned words that still inspire to this generation. They became words that have resonated God’s faithfulness in song; words that recognize that God is still there with His people.

“This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope,” (Lamentations 3:20), Jeremiah writes. This is a made up mind focused on all that God has done through you and for you; seeing how He has moved in times past in your life. Looking back and remembering the prayers that He has already answered brings to the forefront of your mind all the successes He has allowed you to experience. Let that store up for you an arsenal of truth that fights for you and will declare “He is faithful!”

Don’t measure God faithfulness by your present circumstances.  God never promised the absence of hardship or adversity in our Christian walk. But, what He did promise, in His faithfulness, to be in it all the way with you (Matthew 28:20). Therefore, “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised),” Hebrews 10:23.  The pathway we have walked may not have been all peaches and cream, but God was there with us and brought us through to this day because He is faithful.

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Sunday School Lesson – “Love Your Enemies” Matthew 5:38-48

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VERSE DISCOVERY: Matthew 5:38-48 (KJV, Public Domain)

What does true Christianity look like?  How do people know that we are a child of God?  What marks us as being different from anyone else?  When we decided to do the things that God does and love the way He loves, then people can readily tell whom we belong; who is our Father.

In life, there are going to be times of being wronged, hurt, and/or misunderstood.  What do we do in these instances?  Do we vehemently seek revenge or try to get even? 

No.  Part of being a Christian or living life as God’s people is to extend God’s love to those who refuse to show us kindness in return.  It’s going against our human nature to when offenses happen by extending the heart of God to those who oppose or war against us; to those whom one would consider being an enemy.

When we choose to say no to what our flesh wants to do and yes to what is right in God’s sight, then we are on the right pathway of living lives that are pleasing to Him.  We are purposefully living like Jesus did – choosing to love, even the worst, like God does.   

Going Against Human Nature

Matthew 5:38-42 “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.  And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.  And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.  Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.”

It is during His teaching on the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus lays out the disciplines necessary for a life lived for the Kingdom of God, where this lesson text is found.  In that teaching, He clarifies a few points He wants His followers to adhere to.  Jesus wanted to set aright some misunderstandings concerning the Law and offers a more Kingdom-approached mindset.

Part of laying out the law in Exodus was to ensure that when people committed a wrong against another or injured another, proper retribution was made.  This portion of the law, and similar portions like it, were put in place to keep everything fair and balanced, not only for the offended but for the offender.  Both parties would be protected to ensure neither party involved would go overboard in exacting from the other what they believed was due them or deserved.  Those who were to receive something in return for an offense would get what’s coming to them – nothing more, nothing less.  And, those who caused the offense or injury, those on the punishment end of the spectrum would get or give what is their due – nothing more, nothing less.

Basically, laws like this not only promoted fairness, but it limited extreme actions from being taken by another for the least little bit of infractions.  The punishment had to fit the crime and not be exaggerated, out of the proportion, or go too far for what was called for.

That’s the meaning behind the phrase/verse, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, (compare Exodus 21:24).  It was not a license for retaliation and revenge.  It was a law commanded to keep everything fair and balanced.

Supporting the true nature of the law, Jesus taught, rather than seek revenge, go above and beyond what normal human nature would demand of in times of offense.  Do something radically different: Resist not evil.  Proverbs 20:22 explains it like this: “Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he will save thee,” (compare 1 Peter 3:9).  The focus of a Kingdom-minded individual is not seeking to render evil for evil.  The focus of a true child of God is to live life like Jesus did, with love and compassion toward one’s fellow man.  Even their enemies.

And, if it’s the Law the people want to quote to justify themselves in rendering to another their “just desserts,” then they also must remember that it is also the Law that states, “Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt  love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD,” (Leviticus 19:18).

People can be very self-seeking in matters of avenging and holding grudges.  These two things will tear relationships and people down rather than heal and restore.  And, that defeats the purpose of the original intent of the Law.

Therefore Jesus, to further drive His point home, continues: But whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.  During the Roman occupation, people in Jesus’ day would suffer many assaults from these soldiers and governing authorities.  And, surely too, there would be times when one’s own countrymen would strike out in unjust ways.  But, the response of the Christian is not to behave in the same manner as they.  They were to respond opposite of what society or their normal human character would dictate.

Other scenarios Jesus gave, such as, if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also, and, whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain, demonstrate the previous point He made about not getting caught up in revenge, retaliation, and the seeking of one’s rights.  Here, He is instructing them to once again, go above and beyond that, to the point of doing more than what was insistent upon.  The Christian is not called to live and act like everyone else, getting caught up in matters that surround the here and now or being entangled with the cares of this life, 2 Timothy 2:4.  He/she is called to live and love people as God Himself does, and that often goes against the grain of human nature.  And, sometimes it will require one to do extra or more than necessary in order to show the love of God.

When someone has been hurt and broken the last thing on their mind is the benefit of the one who has inflicted the harm.  Jesus, knowing what He was going to accomplish on the cross, was teaching His disciples to operate in this world as He would.

All these things that He speaks of in the above verses, all the scenarios of wrongs committed, were to be situations that Jesus Himself would live through, love through, and forgive the offense of others through.  They would be things that He would actually demonstrate through His own life: “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth,” (Isaiah 53:7).

Jesus was teaching His disciples that to live as Kingdom-minded people, you will not only have to go against the status quo and cliques of society, but you will also have to fight against your own natural inclinations that don’t want to seek the good of those who cause harm.

In addition to that, be giving.  Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.  God gave us the greatest gift one could ever hope to receive, the Lord Jesus Christ (John 3:16), who would freely and willingly suffer so much wrong to lay His life down for us.  Is it too much for us to give as He gave to those in need?  Jesus didn’t turn others way or turn a blind eye to genuine needs.  Do we?

Love Like God Loves

Matthew 5:43-48 “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.  For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?  And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?  Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

Love your enemies.  Loving neighbors is one thing, but the words love and enemies don’t exactly coincide with one another according to human standards; rather, they usually collide with one another head-on.  But Jesus is calling us to use God’s Spirit within us to operate on a supernatural level that surpasses our view which is usually obstructed by this natural world.

When one is an enemy that means they are against us.  Yet, Jesus’ command is to love them anyhow.  Show them the same compassion as He did when He allowed them to drive the nails through His hands and feet.  He told His disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane at the time of His arrest, “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53).  He could’ve taken care of His enemies with one swoop of prayer, yet love compelled Him to offer Himself for their release from sin.  He had a heavenly view for loving His enemies.  In that, He laid it all down for them and us and showed just one of the ways one can do good to them that hate you.

Pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.  No one said these sayings were easy, because they’re not.  If they were, everybody would be doing them.  But they are doable because everything that Jesus is telling His followers to do, He did, or would go on to do.

They cursed Him, yet He prayed for them: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do,” (Luke 23:34).  They struck Jesus on the cheek (John 18:22; compare with Matthew 5:39 from above), and they divided His clothes (Luke 23:34).  He went through it all and never sought His own revenge but continued forth in love.

Following His teachings, even when it’s hard, and mimicking the things He did, helps to identify the Christians as true children of your Father which is in heaven.  In normal, familial relationships there will be some sort of resemblance between parents and children.  Certain traits, characteristics, features will be prominent, assuring the fact that this child belongs to me.  And, the same is true for those who claim to be spiritual children of God.  As His children, some of Him should be seen in us.  As we were originally created to be in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27), so too should we represent His image as we have been recreated with a new nature (2 Corinthians 5:17).

God is a good God (Psalm 100:5) and “He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God,” (3 John 1:11).  In His goodness, He does not withhold the natural graces of nature even from those who are considered evil and unjust.  He allows the sun and rain to benefit them all.  How much more in kindness should we operate if we are mimicking our Father?

It is easy for anyone to love or salute those who love and salute them back.  Jesus, to make sure they understood this concept, used as an illustration one of the most despised people of their day: the publicans.  The publicans were the local tax collectors on behalf of the Roman government.  They placed exorbitant charges on their fellow countrymen and gave to the Romans what belonged to them while pocketing the overages for themselves.  Because of this, they were greatly despised among their own people and seen as traitors.

With that being said, Jesus is making His point, that it is no great thing to treat ones with love and compassion who show the same toward you.  Even the most despised of people usually do the same.

It is when one goes above and beyond – that’s what sets them apart as true children of God.  When one can step away from their natural tendencies of wanting to retaliate and get even and decide to walk the path that leads us to perfect living; one that mimics our Father which is in heaven is perfect, can they truly say they are loving as God loves.  They are seeing people the way the Father sees them.  That even enemies, and those that war against us, would be viewed in our sight the same way the Father views them and treats them.

After all, we were once enemies as well.  “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13).  But, in His love, “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8).  He didn’t wait until we were doing right and walking perfect and checking off all the right boxes and treating everyone fairly before He died for us.  He did it while we were in our mess.  He did it while we were sinners.  He did it while we were enemies.  Now, it’s our turn to show others, even those who may hurt us and be called our enemies, the love of God in us.

PDF Printable Sunday School Lesson Pack (With easy to read instructions following the P.E.A.R.L. format on how to conduct each lesson with areas for adding personal notes): Sunday School Lesson – Love Your Enemies

Suggested Activities:

Adult Journal Page – Love Your Enemies

Kid’s Journal Page – Going the Second Mile

Memory Verse: Love Your Enemies Memory Verse

Draw the Scene: Love Your Enemies Draw the Scene

Word Search: Love Your Enemies Word Search  Answers: Love Your Enemies Word Search Answers

Crossword: Love Your Enemies Crossword  Answers: Love Your Enemies Crossword Answers

Word Scramble: Love Your Enemies Word Scramble  Answers: Love Your Enemies Word Scramble Answers

“Love Your Enemies Activities” (Tom and Jerry anyone?  Yes, what a great example about getting along with someone you are always fighting with.  Enjoy!)

“Love Your Enemy Children’s Lesson”

“Love Your Enemies Group Activities” (Several great ways to bring this lesson out.  Enjoy!)

“Love Your Enemies Activity Sheets”

“What Would Jesus Do Printable Craft”

“What Would Jesus Do Activities” (I really like the section on Visual Activities.  I think using this technique is a great way to open up and introduce the students to this week’s lesson.  Enjoy!)

“What Would Jesus Do, Mirror”

“Jesus Knocking Craft” (Though this does not go with today’s verse, I think this easy printable can be nicely applied to today’s lesson.  Use it to make a Jesus door hanger that will help remind students to ask WWJD?  Enjoy!)

 

“Our True Image”

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In a world where selfies, mainstream personal videos, and profiles dominate it’s easy to surmise that image to most means a great deal.  One’s style and the exterior of self is put on display for the world to like, or not.

But, the true degree of our image goes much deeper.  It’s so easy to look at the clothes, the hair, and the poses and think that’s the sum of a person.  When God crafted us individually and designed us like Him, He saw so much more.  He had a greater vision in mind.

I fear that we have watered down His intention for our purposeful design of a deeper and more spiritually revealing self that personifies His glory before the world and we have settled for the cheaper, mass-produced, mass approved public version.

I believe when God spoke in the beginning that we were made in His image (see Genesis 1:27), He spoke of more than just our facial features, our physique, our height, weight, and so on.  He spoke of our representation of something the boundaries of those outer measurements can’t comprehend.  He spoke of our likeness of Him.  At that point of creation, when it came time for humanity to be put on the earth, God looked to Himself to snap a portrait of who we are truly designed to be.

Now, do I mean that you are supposed to be God sitting on the throne in heaven?  No.  But, what I do mean is we are carriers of so much more.  The portrait of our lives is made to expose and reflect His glory of the greater.  The selfies we have grown accustomed to can’t compare to the true nature we were designed to resemble.

So my question is, why settle for less when your life and mine were made to shine beyond the flash of a lens?  Can we not view our importance and value through the eyes of God instead of view clicks, like buttons, and reactions?  Who or what do we really want our lives to model?

Selfies and having fun with cameras aren’t bad.  I take them myself from time to time.  They just don’t hold the sum of who we really are.  We can make pretty faces, pose, and dress – but, we will never find true happiness and satisfaction in life exchanging our true image for the cheaper version this world has to offer.

Therefore, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven,” Matthew 5:16.  Show the world your selfie that’s established in Him.

Verses to ponder:

Colossians 3:10 “And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.”

Ephesians 4:24 “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Romans 13:14 “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”

Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

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“Lord, I Believe!” | Words To Live By

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God wants more than dreamers, He wants believers! People who believe He can heal. Individuals who know His power alone can save. Persons who will raise their hands and testify the Lord can raise up any dead situation or circumstance. Those who know that nothing is too hard for Him for He can open eyes, unstop ears, and change souls for eternity. Lives whose hope is only in Him, and they readily declare this day, “Lord, I believe!”

“Enjoy the Ride!”

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One day I found myself in a bit of a quandary.  After dropping one of my daughters off on her college campus I had to make the decision whether I would jump back on the highway or take the back road.  The dilemma: the highway was very congested and moving extremely slow and the back road took longer.  I had to be somewhere in an allotted amount of time and wanted to get there as quickly as possible.

Sending up a silent prayer for wisdom I proceeded back onto the highway only to be caught in practically stand-still traffic.  Quickly I jumped off the first exit and proceeded to take the back road.  Instead of allowing the usual frustration to set in of being sent off course, a thought kept niggling my mind: Enjoy the Ride.  The weather was crisp on that first full day of Fall, a few leaves were beginning to change.  The “rushing to get where I needed to” thought kept trying to invade this peaceful drive, but the thought would come again: Enjoy the Ride.

Sometimes plans going awry but being taken off course doesn’t have to be frustrating.  Sometimes I believe it’s God’s way of telling us to enjoy the journey of life a little more.  Schedules are always going to be there but sometimes we have to let go and enjoy the ride.  Give it to God and trust Him to lead you to your destination and sit back and enjoy.

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, and lean not on thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy path,” Proverbs 3:5-6

 

“Your Tears Matter to God”

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“For the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping.” Psalm 6:8

Tears have always gotten God’s attention.  Our God is a compassionate God.  He cares about the struggles we go through in life.  When we mourn, He mourns. When we hurt, He hurts.  When we are upset, He is upset. “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities,” Hebrews 4:15.  In other words, He knows how we feel!

“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy,” Psalm 126:5.  It might not feel like it now, but soon the suffering will be over, the pain will dull, and “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away,” Revelation 21:4.  It is only permitted to stay around for a little while. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning,” Psalm 30:5.

Your tears and the voice they give to your plight have gone up before your heavenly Father.  He lovingly has every one recorded that moistens your eyes and falls from your heart of despair. “Put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?” Psalm 56:8.

Take confidence today that your sorrow is not dismissed by God.  As with David, He is paying attention to the “voice of your weeping.”  “Your Tears Matter to God!”