Sunday, October 30, 2011

On 11-6-11, Matthew 5:17-26 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson, herein is my commentary.  This lesson is known by some as Forgiving as God’s People aka First be Reconciled.  You will find the 10-30-11 lesson directly beneath this message and/or on the right side.

Jed




Forgiving as God’s People
Or
 First be Reconciled
Matthew 5:17-26
International Sunday School Lesson
November 6, 2011



Commentary
By
Jed Greenough

The first verses of today’s scripture, 17-20, are known to us as The Fulfillment of the Law.  I believe that what Jesus was saying in these 4 verses can be understood in this fashion:
1.      Straight up, He told them He was the fulfillment of everything that was written in the scriptures.  Meaning He fulfilled not only their prophecies but their spirit and intent which ultimately is visible in the law.
2.     And this spirit and intent found in God’s word would not go away but would remain.
3.     And the commandments to which He refers are not the legalistic edicts as taught through the Pharisees and teachers of the law but a manner of living a righteous life that He was about to demonstrate through the rest of the Sermon on the Mount.
4.     Jesus in verse 20 through a bit of hyperbole shows that this righteous way, His way, is the route to take as opposed to the pharisaical route that is not a successful path to the kingdom of heaven.
What followed was such a departure from what the teachers of the law taught in their legalistic manner that Matthew 7:28-29 tell us that the crowds who were listening to this “sermon” were amazed.
In addition to the authority Jesus projected, I believe the people perceived uniqueness in Jesus’ teaching in that they believed He introduced a new way of thinking by the things He taught.  For example, “But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment” or “But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.”   Other examples found in today’s scripture are verses 23-24 and 25-26.
What they saw as unique was in fact Jesus teaching in the consistent voice that is the Word as it reveals throughout its breadth -- God.  He is a God of Peace meaning order and Jesus demonstrates this.
Two other places in the book of Matthew leap to my mind to demonstrate this as I considered the illustrations we read for today:
Matthew 7:12
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 22:36-40
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”  Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

If we followed the simple orderliness that is God’s way we wouldn’t need any other laws to live our lives in peace both for each other and for Him.  But God knew that we would not live this way and why the holy laws were given in the first place to clearly point out to us man’s transgressions.  In addition to man becoming aware of sin in this manner, God’s patient and beautiful plan also comes into sight.  A plan that shows God’s gift of grace as man failed to live in a righteous manner and thus points to the necessity for Christ to be the fulfillment of God’s law.
If to restate, it has been shown that man will not live in an orderly righteous manner by following the law; and because of this God has shown the necessity for Christ, how then is a holy God who requires the righteous requirements of the law satisfied?

Romans 3:21-31
Righteousness Through Faith
 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in His blood. He did this to demonstrate His justice, because in His forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— He did it to demonstrate His justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith.  For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.  Is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.  Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

So we see by this scripture that our reasoning is correct concerning the legalistic aspect of the law but what about that spirit and intent aspect that Jesus was talking about?  Well the same book of Romans tells us that because of that faith we just read about we are now dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.  No longer slaves to sin we are slaves to righteousness and anyone that is a slave like that in time can come to live a life that demonstrates the spirit that Jesus was talking about.


For Discussion:

1.     Discuss ways that we still fall into legalistic traps.
2.     Do some believe that Jesus is teaching we should still follow all the laws?  If so discuss James 2:10.
3.     Discuss how certain scripture when misunderstood can lead to incorrect teaching
4.     Read Hebrews 10.
5.     Discuss verses 22, 24 honestly.
6.     Without discussing openly, ask people to seriously consider the relationships with which they must be reconciled.
7.     Discuss ways that people could be aided in reconciliation within your church.
8.     Discuss the situation where there are those who do not see that there is a need for reconciliation but you do.




11-13-11:  Loving as God’s People (Loving Your Enemies), Matthew 5:43-48 or 5:38-48
11-20-11:  Praying as God’s People, Matthew 6:5-15
11-27-11:  Facing Life Without Worry, Matthew 6:25-34
12-4-11:  A Blessing for All Nations, Genesis 12:1-9
12-11-11:  A Promise to Abraham, Genesis 15:1-6, 12-18
12-18-11:  The Lord Provides, Genesis 22:1-2, 6-14
12-25-11:  According to the Promise, Luke 1:46-55




Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Living as God's People aka Blessed by God for Matthew 5:1-12 for 10-30-11

On 10-30-11 Matthew 5:1-12 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson, herein is my commentary.  This lesson is known by some as Living as God’s People aka Blessed by God. You will find the 10-23-11 lesson directly beneath this message and on/or the right side.

Jed




Living as God’s People
Or
 Blessed by God
Matthew 5:1-12
International Sunday School Lesson
October 30, 2011



Commentary
By
Jed Greenough


Well this blog has been in existence a bit more than a year and if you have been a part of this class long enough you may have sensed or even read that I seldom feel that there is enough scripture for each week’s lesson.  This is again one of those weeks and I feel that the picture is less complete for my mind’s eye unless I see and include the scriptures that come both before and after the verses for today.
At the point that we join this account in 5:1 we would have a better idea of the crowds referred to if we look at the trailing verses from chapter 4.  There we see that word was spreading fast about Jesus because not only was He teaching and preaching but He was miraculously healing every disease and sickness among the people as well.  So of course word was spreading fast, that kind of news would spread like wildfire.  They were pouring in from all over the region, wouldn’t you?
These crowds that were following Him were what moved Him to ascend the mountainside.  Did He move away from them, as I feel because they were there for the signs not the news of the kingdom?  Maybe He just moved to a position of higher ground as He did in affect when He moved onto the boat in Matthew 13:2 before speaking.  Regardless we know from Matthew 7:25 that at the conclusion of this Sermon on the Mount that the crowd had followed.
In any case He sat down and it was to His disciples He called and it is to them that He began to teach.  And what did He teach?  Everything that He taught in our scripture for today were things that would happen in the future after things that happen in the present.
Those in sight here, the peacemakers and the persecuted, the insulted and the mournful as well as all the rest will no longer be in a place where their condition will be a cause for reward; no, they will have received their reward.
My understanding of the poor in spirit is best summed up in the words of two different versions.  The first is the God’s Word Translation which puts it, “Blessed are those who recognize they are spiritually helpless.” And the New Living Translation, “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him.”
With regard to those that mourn it is obvious that not all of this world will receive the comfort in sight here but in my opinion it is only those of us who mourn the state of this fallen world that we live in.  But when he returns as he said in John 16:20 our grief will turn to joy.  We will change places with those of this world, for it is the world at the time of His return that will mourn (Matthew 24:30).
It is at that time that the meek will inherit the earth which is straight from Psalm 37 to quote verses 9-11 from that chapter, “For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.  A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.  But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.”
The rest of the beatitudes are rather self-explanatory but we still haven’t looked at the scriptures that follow this week’s mainly 5:13-16.
The beatitudes found in today’s scripture are the salt and light that Christ refers to in 5:13-16.  It is through showing men your spirit, your righteousness, your witness that you show your light and therefore glorify the Father.
Light up the world people!
For Discussion:

1.     See Luke 6:20-26.
2.     Discuss that at this time there were many so-called disciples.
3.     Discuss whether all the beatitudes listed apply to all Christians and for instance ask, “Do you literally hunger and thirst for righteousness, are you persecuted because of your witness for Christ?”
4.     Discuss ways that individuals might need to make peace with others
5.     Discuss how these attributes bring glory to God and their absence in Christians brings the opposite.
6.     Discuss why people are persecuted rather than ignored because of Christ.



11-6-11:    Forgiving as God’s People (First be Reconciled), Matthew 5:17-26
11-13-11:  Loving as God’s People (Loving Your Enemies), Matthew 5:43-48 or 5:38-48
11-20-11:  Praying as God’s People, Matthew 6:5-15
11-27-11:  Facing Life Without Worry, Matthew 6:25-34
12-4-11:    A Blessing for All Nations, Genesis 12:1-9
12-11-11:  A Promise to Abraham, Genesis 15:1-6, 12-18
12-18-11:  The Lord Provides, Genesis 22:1-2, 6-14
12-25-11:  According to the Promise, Luke 1:46-55




Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Tradition and Love aka How Sweet is Love for Song of Songs (Song of Solomon) 4:8-51a for 10-23-11

On 10-23-11 Song of Songs (Song of Solomon) 4:8-5:1a will our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson, herein is my commentary.  This lesson is known by some as Tradition and Love aka How Sweet is Love.  You will find the 10-16-12 lesson directly beneath this message and/or on the right side.
Jed




Tradition and Love
Or
 How Sweet is Love
Song of Songs (Song of Solomon) 4:8-5:1a
International Sunday School Lesson
October 23, 2011



Commentary
By
Jed Greenough

The number of times that I have sought insight from the scriptures is long forgotten.  I have poured over Acts as I looked into baptisms, the gospels as I sought out what Christ had to say about Hell.  I dived into the Revelation, Daniel, Matthew 24 and others as I pondered things eschatological.  And before my marriage I read and reread these songs of Solomon—not!
I am sorry about that bit of facetiousness, but I haven’t.  There must be some of you that are history buffs who spend more time in Chronicles then the other books.  Those that are fans of understanding the Law might nearly memorize Leviticus.  My favorite book is Romans and I will be upfront with my lack of having spent any substantive time in Song of Songs or as some know it, the Songs of Solomon.
My understanding is that the lover is speaking, in this case a man.  He is calling to the woman poetically to come away from these remote places, these mountain peaks and mountain haunts and be “close” and not far off.
Not really his sister in the normal use of the word today, the man describes the woman he is passionate about by ascribing to her the characteristics of pleasing things, things such as jewels, honeycomb, milk and honey.  The beloved woman is like a pleasing garden or a refreshing spring.  Anticipation builds as these places cannot be accessed and within this currently inaccessible garden is found the most pleasing of plants. 
Soon though, the beloved becomes agreeable to his amorous advances and he is allowed entry.
Why is it that we value parts of the Bible more than others?  Shouldn’t anything God provided to us under divine inspiration be just as weighty as the next?  Why then do we struggle with some more than others?  What is it that God wants me to come away with from this seemingly difficult book?
This week I have taken a route that I don’t normally by seeking the commentary of others.  What I find reminds me why I tend to avoid the practice.  Some would have us believe that after examining the book they see an allegorical description for the bond that Christ has with us and still others see the relationship of God with Israel.
So much for giving that a whirl and in the end I see it as a part of what the Bible shows us everywhere else.  That is, real unvarnished life, described in this case in poetic fashion.  In some places in the Bible we see slavery in others we see adultery.  In some cases the brutality of war is covered and in others great love between one man and one woman.  Nothing is hidden from view just as no one can live a truly sheltered life.  That perfect and pure life will have to wait until eternity.
When God wrote through Paul we see that Paul’s personality did not evaporate but still came through.  Likewise when God wrote through Solomon He did not squelch Solomon’s personality either.  When God inspired that accounts of battle be a part of His word the reality was passed on in a way that not every horror was shared.  We know enough in our minds eye without their inclusion.
Likewise we see in this book that God saw fit to show us that the most intimate can be included in His word as well.  He shows us that like war this also need not be described in a way that every aspect is passed on.  As with war, we know enough in our minds’ eye what happens.
Just as war is real and God does not shy away from it in His word this book shows us that God demonstrates that this isn’t something we need to pretend doesn’t exist.  Just as the author who wrote of a battle in the Old Testament was not passing on allegory so too do I believe that this author under inspiration wrote of love and was not passing on to us allegory.  But I will leave it up to you this time how to apply it.

For Discussion:

1.      Are you as glad as I that next week we are in Matthew? J
2.      If your group is of the right mix discuss favorite metaphors found within Song of Songs.  My favorite is found in 1:6 where the Beloved likens herself to a vineyard.
3.      If you feel that this book can be viewed as allegory, present your case to your group.
4.      Discuss how in Solomon’s time the words used in today’s scripture were so much more meaningful in their use to describe these lovers than they are obviously today.  What words might we use today?
5.      Discuss different viewpoints as to how this book and today’s scripture were meant to be applied.
6.      I mentioned this recently but I noticed that many people were looking for this lesson more than a week in advance.  If you need a lesson more than the one week in advance that I post now just send me an email as I am nearly a year ahead.
7.      Google has been driving me crazy in their search results please bookmark and if possible link to this site so you can always join me.  Thanks!



10-30-11:  Living as God’s People (Blessed by God), Matthew 5:1-12
11-6-11:  Forgiving as God’s People (First be Reconciled), Matthew 5:17-26
11-13-11:  Loving as God’s People (Loving Your Enemies), Matthew 5:43-48 or 5:38-48
11-20-11:  Praying as God’s People, Matthew 6:5-15




Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Wisdom for Aging aka Remember your Creator for Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:7, 13 for 10-16-11

On 10-16-11 Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:7, 13 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson Wisdom for Aging aka Remember your Creator, herein is my commentary. You will find the 10-9-11 lesson directly beneath this message and on the right side.

Jed




The Adult Sunday School
for
October 16, 2011



Commentary
By
Jed Greenough


Regrets, I’ve had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do and saw it through without exemption
I planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway
And more, much more than this, I did it my way

My apologies to Frank Sinatra, Shawn Carter, Paul Anka, Claude Francois, Giles Thibault and anyone else with rights to that great song so associated with Ol’ Blue Eyes, but this attitude is what the author of our scripture for today was trying to get his readers to avoid.
Regrets, I’ve got them and maybe you do too.    Yes, regrets that I didn’t do more to remember my creator in the days of my youth as it says in 12:1. I spent too much time doing as the lyrics said and did it my way.    But I am grateful that I am doing more to remember Him before the silver cord is severed as it says in 12:6.
I think we should all have that sense that we need to do as Solomon did under inspiration in this writing and impress those we can that time is indeed precious regardless of whether we are young, old or somewhere in between.  Any day could be the day that “the pitcher is shattered at the spring.”
I pray also that you agree with me then what the whole point of today’s scripture and in fact the whole book of Ecclesiastes was about.  You should come away with the idea that our lives are to be about glorifying God.  12:13 says, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter; Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”  Isaiah 43 corroborates this in you and me by saying that in fact that is why we were made, for His glory.
But as we know we haven’t always glorified Him and most of us don’t do a very good job of it even now.  This doesn’t help us to witness to the world who to paraphrase Romans 1:18-22 know God because what may be known is plain to see.  They however do not glorify Him and just as the Israelites who ignored His glory and failed to glorify Him did not enter the Promised Land so will most not one day be in His presence for eternity.
It is time for a throwing off of our worship and living styles where everything we do is about ourselves.  Everything should be looked at under the microscope that checks to see if what is being done glorifies God.
Are our prayers for this healing and that success or growth and outcomes that we desire?  Are our small groups about making friends?  Are our mission groups about helping a down trodden group? 
These things are all fine but we need to pray that God is glorified first and foremost in our prayers, in our church groups and in our good deeds.  Even Christ when he was most troubled said in John 12:27-28, “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say?  ‘Father, save me from this hour?’  No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.  Father, glorify your name!”

Psalm 34:3
 Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt His name together.

For Discussion:

1.      Discuss how we can do a better job of getting youth to remember their Creator.
2.      It might seem obvious, but discuss the advantages of the above.
3.      Discuss the effect that verse 13 has in the end on some of the seemingly negative verses that appear in Ecclesiastes.
4.      Listen to the prayers, sermons and discussions where you worship.  Objectively measure how your church is doing in putting God’s glory first in everything.
5.      Discuss how things such as hardship, illness, suffering and death can bring God glory.
6.      Discuss how a change in mindset is required so that all facets of life can bring glory to Him.  1 Corinthians 10:31


10-23-11:  Tradition and Love (How Sweet is Love), Song of Songs (Song of Solomon) 4:8-5:1a
10-30-11:  Living as God’s People (Blessed by God), Matthew 5:1-12
11-6-11:  Forgiving as God’s People (First be Reconciled), Matthew 5:17-26
11-13-11:  Loving as God’s People (Loving Your Enemies), Matthew 5:43-48 or 5:38-48


Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved

Sunday, October 2, 2011

The Superiority of Wisdom or Wisdom is Better than Might for Ecclesiastes 9:13-18 or 9:13-10:4 for 10-9-11

On 10-9-11 Ecclesiastes 9:13-18 or 9:13-10:4 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson, herein is my commentary.  This lesson is known by some as The Superiority of Wisdom aka Wisdom is Better than Might.  You will find the 10-2-11 lesson directly beneath this message and/or on the right side.
Jed







Commentary
By
Jed Greenough


Do you ever spend a couple hours in watching a movie or maybe devote days in reading a book and as you build up to the climax the moment you have been led up to disappoints?  Of course you have and though today’s first verse wasn’t any great investment of time, I had also just read all the preceding scripture in the book, and I felt that way today.
Here I am being led along through the doom and gloom of the meaningless of life found in the book of Ecclesiastes.  That is according to the author, who I suppose to be Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived when I read, “I also saw under the sun this example of wisdom that greatly impressed me.”  Now if this wisest and wealthiest of men was greatly impressed, I was prepared to be as well.  And then, the air all went out as I read of the example.
We see a small city that doesn’t sound like if conquered would offer much to the seeking victor, an already powerful king.  Great time and effort was put into the preparation to succeed in taking the city.  But then one poor man of wisdom saved the city.
That is all great and should lead us to our climax of how he did it, but Solomon if he knew wasn’t sharing.  I guess for him the point was enough.  And that was that wisdom can triumph over might.  Though the great king raged and planned and built, all that wasn’t enough to stand up to one poor man of wisdom.
After time to contemplate this passage what came to the front of my mind is that this is all rather analogous to the foolishness of men and the wisdom of God.  We as men can be like the great king and spend our lives building huge siegeworks as we attack our lives.  But in the end because of our foolishness as to what really matters victory eludes us not just in this life but for eternity.  Or we and those we share the gospel with can be saved like the simple poor man by choosing wisdom.

1 Corinthians 1:17-18
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.   For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:21-25
 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.  Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

1 Corinthians 1:30
It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

For Discussion:

1.      Something to share could be examples from scripture as well as the world where wisdom triumphed over might.  One example is the way that David used his head against Goliath.
2.      Discuss examples that come to mind of verse 17’s words of the wise as well as different rulers “shouts”.
3.      Discuss examples of one sinner destroying much good with your own examples being the most powerful.
4.       Don’t get hung up on the poor man personally not being remembered for what he did.  My thoughts are that Solomon meant more along the lines that people who fail to remember the past are doomed to repeat it.  Something akin to his saying in Ecclesiastes 1:9, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”
5.      Discuss how your class could share your wisdom from God with the unsaved.
6.      Discuss the wisdom and foolishness discussed in 1 Corinthians 1 if you agree with my analogy as it relates to today’s scripture.
7.      Do you ever need a lesson that is not yet posted?  Shoot me an email I have probably already done it.


10-16-11:  Wisdom for Aging (Remember Your Creator), Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:7, 13
10-23-11:  Tradition and Love (How Sweet is Love), Song of Solomon 4:8-5:1a
10-30-11:  Living as God’s People (Blessed by God), Matthew 5:1-12
11-6-11:  Forgiving as God’s People (First be Reconciled), Matthew 5:17-26




Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved