PLEASE BE A BLESSING TO US!

Roof Contribution Announcement

 Matthew 16:18 ESV

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

 

New Bethel AME Church is asking for your assistance, as we continue to maintain our local assembly for a place of fellowship and worship.  We have a goal to obtain funding to replace our roof by the end of this calendar year.  We are asking you to partner with us in making a monthly or one-time donation.  There are multiple ways to make your contribution.  Please feel free to give online via New Bethel’s website (http://www.newbethelameredtop.com), via the donate icon, Givelify, or mail your contribution to the address listed below. Please add the comment ‘roof donation’. We appreciate your continued efforts

We need $4,000.00 more PLEASE help us!

 

Sunday School Lesson

November 10

Lesson 11 (KJV)

Faith That Sets an Example

Devotional Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:1–10

Background Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1:2–10

 

1 Thessalonians 1:2–10

2. We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;

 

3. Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

 

4. Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.

 

5. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

 

6. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

 

7. So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

 

8. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.

 

9. For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
10. And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

 

 

Key Verses

Ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad.—1 Thessalonians 1:7, 8a

Lesson Aims

After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:

 

1. List salient points of the history between Paul and the Thessalonian church.

 

2. Explain the value of a good reputation for a Christian.

 

3. Identify an idolatrous trend in his or her life and make a plan to eliminate it.

 

 

HOW TO SAY IT

Achaia	Uh-kay-uh.
Corinthians	Ko-rin-thee-unz (th as in thin).
Macedonia	Mass-eh-doe-nee-uh.
Philippi	Fih-lip-pie or Fil-ih-pie.
Philippians	Fih-lip-ee-unz.
Silas	Sigh-luss.
Silvanus	Sil-vay-nus.
synagogue	sin-uh-gog.
Thessalonians	Thess-uh-lo-nee-unz (th as in thin).
Thessalonica	Thess-uh-lo-nye-kuh (th as in thin).
Via Egnatia	Vee-uh Eg-nah-tee-uh.

Introduction

1. Loving the Work

“Plan the work, then work the plan.” This advice helps clarify the logistics needed to get a job done. Plans are futile if the workers fail to do the needed work. Working can be futile when there is no goal in sight.

We often speak of our Christian works as labors of love. What if we said we loved the work and worked our love? What if we found better motivation and more energy to transform talk about acts of love into actions of service, deeply motivated by our love for others? When we do things motivated by our love for Christ and for others, we are not seeking to earn anything. We are working out the love in our hearts in tangible and helpful ways. We are loving the work and working our love. As Paul wrote, the things that really count are seen in “faith which worketh by love” (Galatians 5:6).

1. Lesson Context

The historical background concerning Paul’s time in Thessalonica comes primarily from Acts 17:1–9. Paul set out on his second journey of missionary work with companion, Silvanus (also known as Silas; see Lesson Context of lesson 13) and in AD 52 (Acts 15:40). Paul wanted to return to churches he had planted on the first missionary expedition. After that, he decided to press on into new territory with the gospel.

Paul eventually came to the city of Thessalonica (Acts 17:1), about 100 miles west of Philippi. Situated on the Via Egnatia, Thessalonica served as a link between the eastern and western parts of the Roman Empire. It was a center of commerce where both land and sea routes met. If Christianity could find a foothold in Thessalonica, the faith would be set to explode westward.

Paul began his ministry in Thessalonica in the synagogue (Acts 17:2), though not to the exclusion of welcoming Gentiles (17:4). This caused Jews of Thessalonica to become jealous of Paul’s success (17:5). A riotous mob formed. Christians were rounded up and jailed; only after posting bail were they allowed to return home (17:5–9). Paul and Silas left town under cover of darkness (17:10).

Paul spent less than four weeks in Thessalonica (“three sabbath days”; see Acts 17:2). This short time for preaching and teaching combined with the agitation from Jewish opponents (17:11, 13) left the young Thessalonian congregation in a tenuous position. Would their faith hold? Would they continue to trust Paul and, more importantly, Christ?

While Paul stayed in Corinth for about 18 months (Acts 18:11), such questions undoubtedly troubled him. So he sent Timotheus (Timothy) to Thessalonica to minister to the believers there (1 Thessalonians 3:2). Timotheus returned with a good report (3:6).

Paul’s two letters that are called 1 and 2 Thessalonians in our Bibles addressed doctrinal questions that arose in the congregation. The questions especially concerned the resurrection and the second coming of Jesus. These two letters were written within a few months of each other in AD 52.

The greeting of 1 Thessalonians 1:1 lists Paul, Silvanus, and Timotheus, the trio who had begun the good work in this city just a few months earlier. Whenever Paul refers to “we” or “us,” he likely has at least these two other men in mind.

 

1. Encouragement

(1 Thessalonians 1:2, 3)

1. Prayer of Constant Thanks (v. 2)
2. We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers.

 

Paul expresses warm feelings and concern for the Thessalonian Christians immediately by assuring them of their place in his prayers. Paul’s letters give evidence of a deep, consistent, daily prayer life. He frequently tells the recipients of his letters of his constant prayer for them, a claim he can truthfully make only with a systematic and deliberate approach to his prayer life (see Romans 1:9, 10; Ephesians 1:15, 16; Philippians 1:3, 4; Colossians 1:3; 2

 

Timothy 1:3).

Paul is not alone in these prayers (see Lesson Context). Though the Thessalonians may have felt abandoned by Paul’s understandably hasty departure, he assures them that he and his fellow evangelists have not forgotten them.

1. Remembrance of Loving Labor (v. 3)

3a. Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, in the sight of God and our Father.

 

The content of Paul’s prayerful remembrance in the sight of God and our Father is threefold. The first of the three concerns the Thessalonians’ faith. Theirs is an active faith, as indeed all faith is meant to be (see James 2:26). Faith in Christ propels the Thessalonians to do good things for each other and for their community.

 

3b. And labour of love.

 

The Thessalonian believers have not only an active faith, they also have the right motive for it. There is a big difference in staying power and end result when motivations other than love undergird a Christian’s work.

 

What Do You Think? What self-tests can we conduct to ensure that our works of faith are done in a spirit of love, rather than from a sense of obligation or a desire to impress?   Digging Deeper Under what circumstances would having an accountability partner be wise in this regard?

3c. And patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Third, Paul recognizes the Thessalonians’ willingness to persevere because of what they hold dear. Their “work of faith”—the same that is their “labour of love”—finds staying power in long-term hope. Christian hope consists not of vague wishes that everything will work out well. Instead, Christian hope is the confident expectation that God will do as he has promised and that his work will be a blessing to his people (compare Hebrews 11:1). The Thessalonians anticipate the return of Jesus, and they work in the present with an eye on that future reality (see on 1 Thessalonians 1:10, below).

Faith, hope, and love form Paul’s famous triad (see Romans 5:1–5; 1 Corinthians 13:13; Galatians 5:5, 6; Ephesians 4:2–5; Colossians 1:4, 5; 1 Thessalonians 5:8). Pondering how those three are evident among the Thessalonians encourages Paul greatly.

The Pareto Rule

Vilfredo Pareto was an economist who found that 80 percent of Italy’s income went to 20 percent of the population. The general “Pareto Rule” was the result of his research. It says that 80 percent of the effects in an organization are the result of 20 percent of the causes.

The Pareto Rule applies in congregations too. Eighty percent of the work is often the result of the involvement of 20 percent of its members. Such a study might be helpful in determining how your church could more effectively carry out its mission. Look at your membership roll and the list of nonmember regular attenders. Examine how service activity roles are distributed among them.

The point of this exercise should be to make real in your church’s life the characteristics for which Paul gave thanks in Thessalonica—works of faith and labors of love. What would change if 100 percent of your church invested in works of faith?

—C. R. B.

 

1. Election

(1 Thessalonians 1:4–6)

1. God’s Choosing (vv. 4, 5)
2. Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.

 

Paul goes to a deeper level to explain why he anticipates that the Thessalonians will remain faithful: he knows of their election of God. The word election conveys the idea of choice. Because the Thessalonians have accepted Christ, they are the ones God chooses for eternal life. God’s love is the framework for that choice. This should cause the Thessalonians to look forward to Christ’s return with hope and anticipation, not with dread and fear.

God chooses (makes His election) according to His foreknowledge (Romans 8:29; 1 Peter 1:1, 2). We become believers by our freewill choice, and those whom God already knows will do so He predestines to receive eternal life (see 2 Thessalonians 2:13). God’s chosen ones do not believe because they are chosen; rather, they are chosen because they believe (see Acts 10:43). God has known of our belief from eternity past (see Ephesians 1:4, 5). That’s how He can decide in advance who will be in Heaven and who won’t.

 

5a. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance.

 

Paul now summarizes the evidence that the Thessalonian Christians are among God’s chosen. They could easily have believed a false religious message. Their world is full of competing religions and philosophies, and not all of them can be true. But Paul reminds the Thessalonians that by believing the gospel, they have received something else: the power that comes only from the Holy Ghost.

 

What Do You Think? What are some guardrails we can erect to ensure that our accomplishments for Christ are “not by [human] might … but by [God’s] spirit” (Zechariah 4:6)?   Digging Deeper How do the general principles in Matthew 7:15–23; Romans 8:5–11; 1 Corinthians 14:18–25; Galatians 5:22–26; and 1 John 4:1–3 help you answer this question with specifics?

There is no specific mention of miracles in the account of Paul’s time in Thessalonica (Acts 17:1–9). But the account’s brevity probably indicates that many things are left out. The references in the verse before us to power, the Holy Ghost, and assurance may be another way of referring to “mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God” (Romans 15:19) done among the Thessalonians by Paul and his traveling companions. Though Luke (the author of Acts) provides no list of miracles taking place in Thessalonica, Paul’s work recorded in Acts 14:8–10 and 16:18 hints that such work likely has included healings and exorcisms.

The signs of the Holy Ghost in Thessalonica provide assurance for the elect. These signs assure not just the Greek believers but also Paul (see commentary on 1 Thessalonians 1:4). Where there are believers, beloved and chosen by God, the Holy Ghost is present also.

Paul’s presentation differs from that of traveling pagan teachers of his day. They often seek to impress audiences with lofty rhetoric and inspiring words (followed by gifts of money to the speakers). But Paul has no interest in flattering the Thessalonians to get money from them (1 Thessalonians 2:5; compare 2 Corinthians 10:10, 11). The veracity of his gospel, his message of the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ, comes from divine testimony, God’s confirmation through miracles in their midst (see 2 Corinthians 12:12).

 

5b. As ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

 

Paul indicates that the Thessalonians can judge his character and that of his companions by their actions to this point. The result will be to know what manner of men they were and are. None of them has sought to dominate the Thessalonians by authoritarian tactics (1 Thessalonians 2:6). Instead, the evangelists have cared for the Thessalonians as a mother and father care for their children (2:7, 11). Rather than requiring payment, Paul and his companions do other work for wages to support themselves (2:9; see Acts 18:3; compare 1 Corinthians 9:3–12).

 

1. Reputation for Joy (v. 6)

6a. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord.

 

Paul’s affectionate memories continue, recalling how the believers became followers of him and his companions. He is not attempting to replace Jesus as their rightful Lord but indicating they joined Paul and his fellows as disciples of Christ (compare 1 Corinthians 11:1). Their lives are examples of what it looks like to be Christ followers as well as pointers to the perfect example of Jesus himself.

Here Paul is especially stressing that the Thessalonian Christians have imitated him in accepting hardships that have come because of their faith. The core of the gospel is Jesus’ willing death on the cross in submission to God. Jesus’ followers will face hardships that call for similar faithfulness (John 15:20). If we understand the cross, we realize that following Jesus will mean accepting hardship, daily carrying our own crosses (Luke 9:23, 24).

 

What Do You Think? What will you do to ensure that your spiritually healthy devotion to a church leader doesn’t become unhealthy?   Digging Deeper How does contrasting Paul’s praise to the Thessalonians with his criticism of the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 1:10–17 help form your response?

6b. Having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.

 

This is not an easy time. Paul remembers much affliction, not just for himself but also for the Thessalonian believers (see Lesson Context). He makes sure to note that their suffering has been answered by the comforting joy of the Holy Ghost. Circumstances may seem to dictate that a morose and downtrodden spirit is justified. But the presence of God’s Spirit counteracts that in a powerful way (see Acts 13:50–52; Romans 14:17).

 

The Test of Spirituality

In a church where I once ministered, we had a member whose focus in faith leaned heavily toward the charismatic. Any discussion of Christian faith with him quickly turned to talk of the Holy Spirit and the question of whether a person had a certain spiritual gift. This was the man’s only real test of whether a person was Christian. He claimed to have the appropriate spiritual gift and claimed that his teenage son did too.

The son’s behavior indicated otherwise. He seemed incorrigible, continually causing trouble in the youth group! Attempts to point out this inconsistency fell on deaf ears. Since this supposedly Spirit-led boy was not bringing joy to the church, one wonders if the father’s assessment was accurate.

Paul refers to his own exemplary behavior in Thessalonica as evidence that the Spirit was at work in his life. How does the Spirit lead you to bring joy to others?

—C. R. B.

 

III. Examples

(1 Thessalonians 1:7–10)

1. Announcing the Gospel (vv. 7, 8)
2. So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

 

Macedonia is the region of northern Greece in which Thessalonica is located. Achaia is the region of Greece just to the south of Macedonia that includes both Athens and Corinth. The Thessalonian believers are ensamples (translated “examples” in 1 Corinthians 10:6 and “pattern” in Titus 2:7) worthy of being copied by others far and wide.

 

What Do You Think? What steps could we take to assess the reputation of our church in our community?   Digging Deeper How can we improve that reputation without compromising beliefs?

8a. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad.

 

The Thessalonians’ steadfastness under affliction gives credence to their testimony to the message of the gospel. It enhances their opportunities to evangelize others. Their name has spread far beyond their city of Thessalonica. Occurring only here in the New Testament, the Greek verb translated sounded out can also imply a crashing sound. The “noise” of the Thessalonians’ faith is not subtle but blaring out all around the Roman world.

 

8b. So that we need not to speak any thing.

 

Praising the Thessalonians’ faith in places where Paul travels is unnecessary because all who believe already know of it.

1. Embracing Christ (vv. 9, 10)
2. For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.

 

Many of the Thessalonian believers are Gentiles (Acts 17:4), and therefor had been pagans who venerated false gods and worshipped idols. Temples for the gods and goddesses are found in even small Greek towns. A larger city like Thessalonica is thick with them (compare Paul’s experience in Athens; 17:16). If worshipping one god is good, the thinking goes, then worshipping several is even better!

Temples and their idols are normal to Gentiles but abhorrent to Jews. Through general revelation, pagans know there is only one true God, but in rebellion they choose to suppress that truth (Romans 1:18–23). But now they have another chance to embrace the true God, who mercifully grants another chance through Jesus.

To abandon idolatry involves a complete change of life—a social, cultural, and religious upheaval. The Thessalonians embrace this radical change, having turned away from false gods and to the living and true God. The Thessalonians may feel insignificant, but they are at the very center of God’s work in the world. Through the spread of the gospel, God is doing what He promised: making himself known to the nations (compare Isaiah 2:2–4; 42:6; Micah 4:1–3; Zechariah 8:20–23).

 

What Do You Think? What steps can we take to identify and displace the idols in our lives?   Digging Deeper At what point does something become an idol? Why?

10a. And to wait for his Son from heaven.

 

This is the first of three phrases by which Paul sums up his gospel message. He left the Thessalonians with hope, causing them to wait in anticipation for God’s Son to return from heaven. Focusing on that return will allow the Thessalonians to endure any temporary affliction in the meantime. The doctrine of Christ’s return is very important to the Thessalonians, and Paul addresses some of their misunderstandings about it in both letters to them (see 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11; 2 Thessalonians 1:7–10). Paul reminds these suffering Christians that they still look forward to God’s final victory.

 

10b. Whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus.

 

Paul’s second phrase is also a message of hope. He will later clarify a misunderstanding concerning the relationship between the coming of Christ and the resurrection (1 Thessalonians 4:13–18), but this is a start. Death is not the end; since Jesus was raised from the dead, so can we be. The elect will be taken home to be with Jesus forever when He comes again (4:17).

 

10c. Which delivered us from the wrath to come.

 

Paul’s third phrase also conveys hope: the Thessalonian believers need not fear God’s wrath. Many of them were not previously part of God’s covenant people but now are through faith in Jesus’ atoning death.

God’s wrath is real, and Paul has much more to say about it elsewhere (Romans 1:18–31; 2:5, 8; etc.). Some may challenge the idea of a wrathful God whose punishment can be retribution rather than restorative. But that viewpoint misses the idea that the loving God is also the holy God.

 

Conclusion

1. Simple Gospel, Good Example

Is it possible to make the gospel too simple? Some preachers and churches seem to think so. They preach a highly refined version of the Christian message in which their followers must maintain correct views about many obscure doctrines, must adhere to certain social standards, and so forth. Could it really be so simple that Paul could express the essentials in a couple of verses?

Our gospel message must be centered on Jesus and His work. While there are many important aspects to the Christian life that call for study and practice, the core of the gospel need not be cluttered. Paul’s message for the Thessalonians was that Jesus Christ came and died for their sins, that He was raised from the dead, and that He will come again. This simple yet powerful message was enough for hardened pagans in ancient Thessalonica to turn from their idols and embrace faith in Christ. Their hearts were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Their transformation was so radical that their reputation spread over two Roman provinces.

 

 

Their testimony is worthy of our attention. Though this congregation experienced severe trials, the people refused to let their faith fade into the background. Instead, they stepped up their loving works so much that Paul touted them as already being an example to others.

We sometimes distance faith from works in our teaching, not wanting to mislead Christians into thinking they can earn their salvation. However, the two are sometimes paired in the New Testament (see 2 Thessalonians 1:11; Revelation 2:19). What can be missing is the connecting factor: love. May we believe as the Thessalonians believed and then act on our faith as they did: full of the Holy Spirit and love.

 

1. Prayer

Father, turn our hearts from idols so we can serve You in faith and love. May we long for the return of Your Son. We pray in His name. Amen.

1. Thought to Remember

The essentials of the gospel are simple and life-changing.

 

  

KID’S CORNER

The Serpent and the Son of Man

Sunday, November 10, 2019

John 3:11-21

John 3:11-21

(John 3:11) “Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony.

The “we” probably looked ahead and referred to Jesus and His disciples, who followed Jesus and who would testify about what Jesus taught after His death and resurrection. The “we” might also have referred to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and their testimony. “You people” might have referred to the Pharisees and other religious leaders in Jerusalem. Jesus, and later His disciples, were rejected by many of the religious leaders, who were responsible for His arrest and crucifixion by the Romans. Jesus and His disciples could testify about Jesus changing water into wine and other actions that demonstrated His divine wisdom and power with absolute certainty. Jesus could testify with absolute certainty about what He had seen and heard from God the Father in heaven before He was born in human flesh. “Testify” and “testimony” are legal terms for saying something under oath that a person has witnessed personally with their eyes (or with any of their senses) instead of having heard about something second hand or through rumors or from other’s opinions. In other words, what they spoke with absolute certainty was of the quality that it could hold up as true evidence in a court of law.

(John 3:12) “If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

Jesus was an eyewitness to heavenly things. He was and is the Word that was with God the Father from the beginning, so He could testify about everything that His Father and He had done from the beginning (or even before they began time and creation). But Jesus knew that Nicodemus and many others would not believe what He said about heaven, because they would not believe what He told people about the world in which they lived. Later, John indicates in his gospel that Nicodemus came to believe in Jesus.

(John 3:13) “No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man.

No one has ever obeyed the law perfectly or has contemplated religious ideas perfectly and become qualified to go into heaven. No one has succeeded in going to heaven and bringing down true and trustworthy knowledge about heaven. The only One who has brought the true knowledge of heaven to us is Jesus, the Son of Man. Jesus used the title “Son of Man” for himself, a title He took from the Old Testament. Consider Daniel 7:13, “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him” (KJV). Jesus claimed to be the Son of Man that Daniel saw. Some contemporary translations make this comparison less clear when they translate “Son of man” as “human being.” Jesus came into the world fully God and fully human. The title also expressed His humility, because at other times He indicated that He was the Son of God. He would not directly claim before unbelievers that He was the Son of God, but He would strongly imply the claim as the time neared for Him to be crucified with a charge of blasphemy against Him. In Matthew 16:16-17, Jesus fully accepted Simon Peter’s declaration: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus descended from heaven when He was born, and after His resurrection He ascended back into heaven (which proved that God the Father accepted His words and works as authentically divine, trustworthy, and without sin). Unlike any other human being, as the Son of God Jesus both descended from heaven to earth and then ascended from earth to heaven (see Luke 1:30-35 & Luke 24:50-53).

(John 3:14) “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;

One time, when the Israelites sinned against God in the wilderness, God sent poisonous serpents among them and many were bitten and died. God also provided a way for them to be forgiven for their sins and be healed from their bites so they would not die. According to the command of God, Moses lifted up a bronze serpent on a pole and all who looked at the serpent lived (see Numbers 21:8-9). It may not have made sense to some of the Israelites, so some did not look up and they died. In a similar way, Jesus foretold His being lifted up upon a cross and dying and rising again so all who would look to Him in faith would be forgiven, saved from their sins, and inherit eternal life. Even today, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ does not make sense to some people, so they will not look to Him in order to be born again, filled with the Holy Spirit, and live forever with Him. However, whether some will believe or not, Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life that God the Father has provided for people to look up to and trust in to be saved.

(John 3:15) so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.

John’s Gospel does not tell us whether Nicodemus understood all that Jesus told him that night, but he would remember the example of the serpent on the pole when he saw Jesus crucified. God the Father may have brought this to his remembrance, even as He revealed to Peter that Jesus was the Messiah (see Matthew 16:16-17). The fact that Nicodemus honored Jesus in His death indicates that He had come to believe in Jesus as the Son of God and he had received eternal life (eternal life includes a holy, loving, spiritual quality of life that can begin now in relationship with God in Jesus Christ as well as a blessed and happy life with God that will never end).

(John 3:16) “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

That night, Jesus told Nicodemus enough for him to believe in Him, to be born again, and to have eternal life. Jesus came to teach the truth, die, and rise again, but He did not explain everything He would do as Lord and Savior to Nicodemus that night. Because God (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) loved the world, Jesus came to die in our place. He came as the sacrifice for our sins. When the time was right, God the Father fulfilled the Old Testament laws and prophecies through Jesus. He gave His only begotten Son so everyone who believes in Jesus will not perish (suffer God’s just judgment and continue existing apart from or separated from God forever) but receive eternal life (live in holy love with God forever). God will fulfill all His promises in Jesus Christ. If we want to enjoy eternal life, we must believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, and receive the Holy Spirit.

(John 3:17) “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

God’s purpose in sending Jesus, His Son, was to save the world through faith in Jesus, the Messiah and Savior that God promised to send when He inspired the prophets of Old Testament times. Just as those bitten by the serpents in the wilderness could only be saved by looking at the serpent on the pole that God told Moses to create, so God provided Jesus as the way to be saved from sin and death. Jesus came to save and not condemn, but His solemn warnings to unbelievers and those who sought to murder Him may sound like condemnations, especially to unbelievers.

(John 3:18) “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

In this verse, Jesus once again claimed to be “the only Son of God.” Jesus came and taught, and Jesus sent out disciples to teach about Him and the meaning of His coming, so people could believe and not be condemned. If a criminal refuses to accept a pardon from his government and dies as a condemned criminal, the fault is not the government’s fault, but the fault of the one who refused to be pardoned. God offers us a pardon for all our sins, if we will accept the conditions of His pardon and His conditions are not complicated or strenuous, so anyone can choose to accept or reject God’s pardon. Some who heard the truth about Jesus (from His very own lips or from His disciples) refused to believe, and Jesus said they were “condemned already” (even prior to the coming Day of Judgment), because they refused to believe in Jesus, “in the name of the only Son of God.” God the Father sent Jesus His Son so the world might be saved through Him. Perhaps this solemn truth influenced Nicodemus when he came to believe in Jesus. Even today, the followers of Jesus Christ seek to teach the truth about Him that many might believe, be saved, and not be condemned: “But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him?” (Romans 10:14).

(John 3:19) “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.

Some people have committed themselves to doing evil (we too often read or hear about them), to rejecting God and God’s ways, to denying the existence of God. Jesus said that these people love the darkness because their deeds are evil (at one time most people wanted to hide their evil deeds by doing then in the dark). Today, in some contemporary cultures, some people do their evil deeds in the light and even post them through various media for many to see, but they are living in the spiritual darkness they prefer because their deeds are evil. Jesus is the light of the world, the truth of God for people to truly live by if they want true blessedness and happiness. The judgment is that some people reject Jesus and the light He gives because they prefer their godless thinking and their wicked ways of living.

(John 3:20) “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

Those who do evil are not neutral toward the light (or truth) or neutral toward Jesus. They do not simply ignore God and Jesus and the teachings of Jesus; rather, they hate the light of God, do not come to the light of God, and they hate the light and those who represent the truth of God. They often express their hatred by fighting against the light (the truth) of God and those who want to share the light (the truth) of God with others that they might be encouraged or come to believe in God the Father and His only Son. Those who did evil crucified Jesus, who did expose some of their deeds (He cleansed the temple for example and defeated their arguments in discussion). Those who do evil today will persecute Christians wherever they have the opportunity.

(John 3:21) “But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

One way to describe true Christians or true followers of Jesus Christ is with these words: “those who do what is true.” The followers of Jesus Christ go to Him for daily guidance and understanding of the Bible so they can do what is true in all situations throughout life. They want to live consistently with the teachings of the Word of God made flesh, Jesus, and the Word of God written, the Bible. Those walking in the light will see clearly when they and others do deeds that God has influenced and empowered them to do. Remember, Nicodemus came to Jesus by night; Jesus wanted Nicodemus to do what is right and true and come into the light, to come to Him in the light and not just at night. Nicodemus did so when he helped with the burial of Jesus in the light, and perhaps at other times before Jesus’ death and burial (see John 7:50-51).

The Serpent and the Son of Man

Sunday, November 10, 2019

John 3:11-21

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:14-15—KJV). As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life (John 3:14-15—NASB). And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life (John 3:14-15—NRSV). Nicodemus knew about this serpent incident in the wilderness. In Numbers 21:4-9, we learn that having been saved from slavery and death in Egypt, the LORD led the Israelites into the wilderness where He met their needs for leadership, guidance, food, and water. But the Israelites continued to complain against God and Moses; so, as punishment, the LORD sent poisonous snakes among them and many died. Then, the people repented, and Moses prayed for them. In answer to Moses’ prayer, the LORD told Moses to make a bronze serpent and put it on a poll; then, whenever someone was bitten, they could look at the serpent and live. Using this example, Jesus taught that the result of sin is death, and continuing to live sinfully will lead to condemnation. Therefore, God sent Jesus into the world to save people from sin, death, and condemnation. God did not send Jesus to wave a magic wand so people could be saved. God is love, and love includes acting justly and mercifully. Because God loves us, Jesus Christ came as the way for sinners to receive mercy and avoid just condemnation. Jesus hanged on a cross and died a sacrificial death, because “the Son of Man must be lifted up” so people can look at Him and receive eternal life. When the Israelites saw their bitten brothers and sisters healed when they looked at the serpent, they looked too. When some people see believers looking to Jesus and receiving forgiveness, freedom from slavery to sin, and enjoying eternal life, they believe in Jesus too.

Thinking Further

The Serpent and the Son of Man

Sunday, November 10, 2019

John 3:11-21

Name ______________________________

1. What types of things could or would Jesus have seen that He could testify to having seen (give evidence to having seen) that He knew the religious leaders and probably many people would not receive?

2. Explain what Jesus meant when He said the Son of Man had descended from heaven?

3. Why do you think Jesus compared the serpent that Moses lifted up to the Son of Man being lifted up?

4. How can a person have eternal life? What does having eternal life mean to you?

5. Why do you think some people think Jesus Christ came to condemn the world rather than save the world?

 

Discussion and Thinking Further

 

1. What types of things could or would Jesus have seen that He could testify to having seen (give evidence to having seen) that He knew the religious leaders and probably many people would not receive? From the position of Son of God, before He was born and came into the world in human flesh, Jesus would have seen heavenly and earthly things from the moment of their creation and their creation. He could have described in detail every interaction between heaven and earth and every being in heaven and earth and every interaction between every being. John said that the world could not contain the books that could be written about the things that Jesus has done (John 21:25).

2. Explain what Jesus meant when He said the Son of Man had descended from heaven? He meant that He himself, the Son of Man (the title that Jesus preferred to use for himself when teaching people) had come from heaven to earth. Matthew and Luke describe the way Jesus came to Earth in greater detail.

3. Why do you think Jesus compared the serpent that Moses lifted up to the Son of Man being lifted up? Moses lifted up the serpent as God commanded, and God healed from snake bites all those who looked up at the snake (or serpent) as God commanded. Those who looked upon the bronze snake did not die. This may not be easy for us (or for the Israelites in the wilderness) to understand, but those who obeyed God were healed by God. God the Father and His Son, Jesus, planned for Jesus to be lifted up on a cross and die, so that everyone who looked upon Jesus and His death for them would be saved from sin and receive eternal life. Their plan for Jesus to be lifted up on a cross may not be easy to understand, but those who do what Jesus said will not perish but have eternal life now and forever (see John 3:16).

4. How can a person have eternal life? What does having eternal life mean to you? We can have eternal life by believing in Jesus, the only Son of God. Eternal life is not just living forever or something we will receive in the future or after we die physically. When we believe in Jesus, we have eternal life now (life 3 involves living; we have an eternal way of living on the basis of eternal values that makes a difference now). Eternal life is a blessed and happy relationship with God because we are forgiven for our sins, cleansed from our sins, and empowered to live a godly life by the Holy Spirit who comes to indwell us when we believe in Jesus. We know that we are God’s children, for the Holy Spirit helps us pray to God, our heavenly Father. Living an eternal life becomes easier after we receive our resurrected human bodies and live on the new Earth after God makes all things new.

5. Why do you think some people think Jesus Christ came to condemn the world rather than save the world? The people who think Jesus Christ came to condemn the world do not believe the Bible and they prefer to live in darkness rather than the light because they prefer to do evil. They experience the fact of being condemned already because they will not come to Jesus and into the light in order to be saved (see John 3:18). Because Jesus, the Bible, and Christian witnesses tell them the truth about Jesus and His plans, they feel condemned and sometimes strike back and accuse others of condemning them.

 

 

Word Search

The Serpent and the Son of Man

Sunday, November 10, 2019

John 3:11-21

Name _______________________________

 

D S D S E R P E N T N P D C X

F X I F Y L N E V A E H N S H

V H L N J T D H J H Q O B M N

Q B J M I R E E S U S E J X Y

W L O X J Z I S D I A D S T L

I A J N O V E M T N R L N V H

L N C Q H C B Y N I E E X I T

D R S P K G I T M D M C P Y R

E E D M O M E S E G B O S W A

R T L A X S F D D D E Z N E E

N E R B T Q N U N E L R C Y D

E U Z I Y E J L O V I O J E K

S D F D C G K T C A E Z H X F

S Y P S P X A U Y S V J A Z R

F R A L K N O W C W E C Y T D

 

Know

Testify

Testimony

Earthly

Heavenly

Believe

Ascended

Descended

Serpent

Wilderness

Eternal

Perish

Condemn

Saved

Judgment

 

 

True and False Test

The Serpent and the Son of Man

Sunday, November 10, 2019

John 3:11-21

Name ______________________________

 

Circle the True or False answers. Correct the False statements by restating them.

 

1. Speaking to Nicodemus, Jesus said, “You believe our testimony because we testify to what we have seen.” True or False

2. If we will not believe the earthly things Jesus taught, we will not believe the heavenly things Jesus taught. True or False

3. Jesus, the Son of Man, descended from heaven and ascended into heaven. True or False

4. When the snake bitten Israelites looked at the bronze serpent on a poll, the LORD healed them, so they did not die. True or False

5. The Son of Man was lifted up when He hanged on the cross, and when people believe in Him they receive eternal life from Him. True or False

6. Jesus died on the cross that He might condemn the world. True or False

7. God loved the world, so He gave His only Son so believers in Jesus may not perish. True or False

8. Jesus came that the world might be saved by Him. True or False

9. Sinners hate the darkness, because they want people to see their evil deeds. True or False

10. Those who do what is true come to the light. True or False

 

 

True and False Test Answers

 

 

1. False
2. True
3. True
4. True
5. True
6. False
7. True
8. True
9. False

10.True

 

 

Prayer

Father, turn our hearts from idols so we can serve You in faith and love. May we long for the return of Your Son. We pray in His name. Amen.