Sunday School Lesson
July 19
Lesson 7 (KJV)
The Wisdom of Jesus
Devotional Reading: Mark 7:14–23
Background Scripture: Mark 6:1–6; 7:1–23
Mark 6:1–6
1. And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him.
2. And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
3. Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
4. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
5. And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
6. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
When the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?… And they were offended at him.—Mark 6:2, 3b
Lesson Aims
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
1. Identify lack-of-wisdom factors in the rejection of Jesus in Nazareth.
2. Explain Jesus’ response to that rejection.
3. Make a plan to identify and change one besetting tendency to reject godly wisdom.
HOW TO SAY IT
Galilee | Gal-uh-lee. |
Nazarene | Naz-uh-reen. |
Nazareth | Naz-uh-reth. |
Sepphoris | Sef-uh-ris. |
Introduction
A. Ordinary and Familiar
“Familiarity breeds contempt” is a very old saying. Over time, we become so accustomed to the things we experience frequently that we lose respect for them. Though outsiders remain in awe, those of us who have experienced a wonder over and over can cease to realize it is a wonder. Imagine the children of a great chef. Do they realize how good their family meals are? Extraordinary talent risks being rendered ordinary simply through everyday exposure.
Jesus, though extraordinary, seemed ordinary in many ways. He was born into a poor family from an insignificant village. For most of His life, He received no notice. In what we call His public ministry, He attracted great support as a rabbi and prophet, but also great opposition. In His lifetime, Jesus was known only in His own small part of the world. Worst of all, He died the shameful, tortuous death of a notorious criminal (compare Isaiah 53:2, 3).
Today’s text narrates one of the most dramatic instances in which people responded to Jesus out of their familiarity with His ordinariness. We will wonder how anyone could have ignored how exceptional Jesus was, but we will also realize our own tendency to take for granted our Lord who has become so familiar.
B. Lesson Context
Mark’s Gospel is the shortest of the four accounts of Jesus’ life in the New Testament. Its focus on Jesus’ mighty deeds exposes a contrast between the faith of some and the disbelief of others.
Mark begins his Gospel with stories highlighting the joyous excitement of people who are blessed by Jesus’ healing (Mark 1:21–34, 40–45). But soon we see religious leaders who object to Jesus’ words and deeds (3:1–6). Confronted with danger, the 12 disciples Jesus had appointed (3:13–19) failed in their faith (4:35–41).
In the middle of a very mixed set of responses to His ministry, Jesus tells a parable of seed falling on different kinds of soil (Mark 4:1–9). The varying results represent different responses of faith and unbelief to God’s good news (4:10–20). Jesus’ experience at home leads us to today’s text. (Matthew 13:53–58 and Luke 4:16–30 are parallel.)
I. Homeward Bound
(Mark 6:1)
A. Travel (v. 1a)
1a. And he went out from thence, and came into his own country.
Jesus leaves the place near the Sea of Galilee where He had raised a girl from the dead (Mark 5:21, 35–43). From there, He travels about 15 miles west toward his own country, specifically the town of Nazareth. Though Jesus had been born in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1; Luke 2:4–7), His parents lived in Nazareth and had returned to the town when Jesus was very young (Matthew 2:22, 23; Luke 2:39). Throughout His life, therefore, Jesus is known as “Jesus of Nazareth” (Mark 1:24; 10:47).
Nazareth was a small agricultural village in Jesus’ time, in no way famous or influential. Nearby was the prosperous city of Sepphoris, a booming market town. By comparison, Nazareth was a sleepy place with mostly poor farmers and tradespeople in residence.
What Do You Think? What preparations might a Christian make to ensure that interactions with hometown folks have the best chance of being taken in a positive way? Digging Deeper |
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Companions (v. 1b)
1b. And his disciples follow him.Mark draws attention to the disciples accompanying Jesus, although they will play no direct role in what is about to happen. Even so, the incident will undoubtedly make a lasting impression on them. Perhaps they will see a connection when Jesus later warns them about sheep among wolves (Matthew 10:16).
II. Neighbors Weigh In
(Mark 6:2, 3)
A. New Information (v. 2)
2a. And when the sabbath day was come.The sabbath day is a key observance for the people of Israel. Established in the Law of Moses (Exodus 20:8), its requirement is simple: to rest the entire day, doing no work (20:9, 10).
This day of rest looks back on two of the most important events in God’s work: His creation of the world (Exodus 20:11), and His deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:15).2b. He began to teach in the synagogue.
The Law of Moses has no requirements for the people of Israel to gather on the Sabbath, only to rest. But during the Babylonian exile, when the people were far from their homeland and the (destroyed) temple (2 Kings 25:8–12), the custom of gathering on the Sabbath began. It became a day to read the sacred books aloud and to pray together. This practice became commonplace over time. It eventually took root in Israel’s homeland as the Jewish people returned from exile.
In Jesus’ time, synagogue services were probably very simple. From what we read in ancient sources, they appeared to include readings from the Law and from the Prophets (Acts 13:15) and a discourse of teaching and exhortation. An example of this is found in Luke’s parallel account. In that longer account of the same event, Luke reveals that Jesus reads from and speaks about Isaiah 61:1, 2 (Luke 4:16–22).
Because the gatherings are simple and not prescribed by the law, the opportunity to speak seems to be available to any adult male member of the faith who is present. (Women addressing any public assembly that includes men is seen as inappropriate in the culture of the time.) Praying and singing or chanting is likely also practiced.Though formal training and expertise are available (example: Acts 22:3), such qualifications are not necessarily expected for a synagogue teacher. For this reason, Jesus is often able to enter a synagogue meeting on a Sabbath and offer an address to the people gathered (Mark 1:21, 39; 3:1–6).
2c. And many hearing him were astonished.
People are often astonished at Jesus’ teaching and mighty acts. But Mark records different kinds of astonishment. Some is from confusion (example: Mark 10:24–26), but more generally it is surprise at the authority of Jesus’ teaching and acts (examples: 7:37; 11:18). As this account begins, we are reminded of the amazement at a similar synagogue message in Capernaum (1:21, 22). That incident resulted in faith that God was doing great things in Jesus.
2d. Saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
But the nature for the astonishment differs in this instance: the people of Nazareth wonder about the source and nature of Jesus’ wisdom. Though we do not know what Jesus is saying to elicit this response, we can infer from earlier chapters that He speaks about the nearness of God’s kingdom (Mark 1:15) as He asserts His own authority within that kingdom (examples: 2:8–12, 28). In Luke’s parallel account, Jesus announces that He is fulfilling the promises of God given to the prophet Isaiah (Luke 4:17–21). Such claims are good news, if they are true. Reasons for the people’s skeptical amazement come next.
B. Old Knowledge (v. 3)3a. Is not this the carpenter.
Jesus based His ministry in Capernaum (Matthew 4:13). But for those who had lived alongside Jesus in His hometown of Nazareth, the claims He makes seem incredible. They know Him as a common carpenter. This is an honorable trade, but a very ordinary one.
What Do You Think? What are some good ways to sidestep the question “What do you do for a living?” so that the one asking it doesn’t develop misconceptions based on your occupation? Digging Deeper |
3b. The son of Mary.
The skeptics know Jesus’ family. This knowledge suggests to them that Jesus should not have any special knowledge beyond His trade. They discount that Jesus might be more than the one whom they knew as He was growing up.
If the skeptics acknowledge that the origin of both His wisdom and mighty works is God, it would answer their question of the previous verse. In Mark’s Gospel, neither Jesus’ birth nor His adoptive father, Joseph, is ever mentioned directly, and this passage is no exception. Referring to a man as the son of his mother may imply that the father is deceased. However, it also may imply in this culture that the son was born out of wedlock, the father perhaps unknown. Jesus, born of a virgin, doubtless appears at least to some to be the result of an illicit sexual encounter; divine revelation establishes otherwise (Matthew 1:18–25; Luke 1:26–38), but the skeptics may be unaware of this or disbelieve it. So as the skeptics refer to Jesus as the son of Mary, they may be implying that Jesus’ conception was dishonorable. Certainly they feel confident that they know of His origin.
3c. The brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us?
Beginning sometime in the second century AD, some Christians concluded that Mary remained a virgin her entire life. To explain references to Jesus’ siblings, they suggest that these are cousins or other relatives, or perhaps Joseph’s children from a prior marriage. However, the New Testament nowhere suggests that Mary remained a virgin after Jesus’ birth, only before (Matthew 1:25). It is most reasonable to assume, as did the earliest church fathers, that those named here are Joseph and Mary’s natural children, Jesus’ younger half siblings.
Jesus’ brothers and sisters are well known to the townspeople. It seems that Jesus’ “mother and his brethren” have moved to Capernaum with Him by this time (John 2:12). That would leave his sisters here in Nazareth. Further, the neighbors may know that Jesus’ family—especially His brothers—are not supportive of His ministry. His mother and brothers had sought to bring Him home, perhaps thinking that He had lost His mind (Mark 3:21–35).
Jesus’ brothers are skeptical of Him throughout His earthly ministry (John 7:2–5). But He will appear to at least one of His brothers, James, after the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:5, 7). James becomes not only a believer but a leader in the first-century church (Acts 12:17; 15:13; 21:18). James also writes the epistle that bears his name (see lessons 9–13). Juda becomes the author of the New Testament letter of Jude (see Jude 1).
3d. And they were offended at him.
The term translated offended occurs about 30 times in the New Testament. It frequently describes someone or something that causes a person to be faithless in some way (examples: Matthew 15:12; Mark 9:42–47; Romans 14:21). The prophet Isaiah referred to God as both a refuge for His people and the cause of their “stumbling” (Isaiah 8:14), the very idea that Mark uses here.
Though Jesus’ words and deeds are evidence of His power and love, those who feel offended at him act faithlessly because they do not understand who Jesus is. Disbelieving the implications of His reported miraculous deeds, the skeptics conclude that one who is as common as they are cannot be inspired by divine wisdom, let alone be wisdom personified (1 Corinthians 1:24). They have forgotten that God likes to use seemingly insignificant people in His work: Abram, an elderly man with no children (Genesis 15:2–5; 18:10, 11); Moses, who spoke poorly (Exodus 4:10); Ruth, a poor widow (Ruth 1:3–5; 2:2); David, an insignificant shepherd boy (1 Samuel 16:11–13); etc.
Generation after generation, God’s wisdom is divisive, bringing blessing to those who believe but confirming unbelievers in their stubbornness and consequent judgment. Jesus’ appearance becomes the supreme example of that pattern.
What Do You Think? What are some good ways to sidestep the question “Where are you from?” so that the one asking it doesn’t develop misconceptions based on where you grew up? Digging Deeper |
Growing Up and Away
I did not travel far from home for college. The short distance made it tempting to go back home often, but I resisted the urge. Over time whenever I did visit home, I began to get a real sense of how I was changing. My growth did not happen just because of what I was studying, but also because of interactions with a diverse group of peers. Being away opened my eyes to other cultures, perspectives, and lifestyles. On visits home, conversations around the dinner table would highlight how I was changing. Home was not a simple fit the way it had been before I left.
Jesus had been away from His hometown. When He returned, neighbors sensed a change in Him. As Christ’s followers, you too will face times when what is familiar no longer feels like home. As you grow in the Lord, those close to you may no longer understand you. Do not be discouraged when that happens. Jesus understands exactly what you are going through.
—L. H-P.
III. Jesus Impeded
(Mark 6:4–6)
A. Like a Prophet (v. 4)
4. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
This saying is attested in other ancient Jewish and Greek texts. As the proverb well describes Israel’s history of persecuting God’s messengers, so Jesus now applies it to himself. He will apply it again as a reaction to the rejection that He will experience (Luke 13:33–35).
Jews in Jesus’ day are certainly aware of the harsh treatment of prophets in their history. But whether they feel any responsibility for those martyred prophets (or are on guard against repeating that treatment regarding contemporary prophets) is unknown. The evidence in the New Testament suggests that neither concern is foremost in the social conscience; but treatment of prophets is and will be on Jesus’ mind (Luke 11:47–51; etc.). Through the prophets, God had spoken to the people’s forebears, but they had refused to heed the message. This was sometimes accompanied by violent treatment of God’s messengers (Matthew 5:12; 23:29–31, 34).
Jesus’ experience in His hometown is another instance of such rejection. It points forward to those who will conspire and call to have Jesus put to death (John 19:4–7). But in the present moment, the people’s rejection of Jesus should be seen against a larger backdrop. Not everyone rejects Jesus as those in his own country do; outside Nazareth, large crowds follow Him (Mark 2:4, 13; 3:9, 20, 32; 4:1, 36; 5:21, 24, 27). And although not everyone in those crowds is a faithful disciple, certainly some are or will be. Those who are offended by Jesus can reverse course and come to believe Him. Jesus’ own kin, especially His brothers, will prove to be prime examples (see on Mark 6:3c, above).
B. Without Opportunity (v. 5)
5. And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
This remark is challenging to understand. Our first inclination is to see the Nazarenes’ unbelief or lack of faith in and of itself as preventing Jesus from doing mighty work (compare Matthew 13:58). But in the preceding episode, Jesus raised a girl from the dead when the mourners around her lacked faith (Mark 5:35–43). It is more likely therefore that the Nazarenes’ faithless response is followed by action that results in Jesus’ leaving the village before ministering for very long. In Luke’s account, we read of their attempt to throw Jesus off a cliff to His death (Luke 4:28, 29).
Due to the hostility in the town, Jesus does not attend to the sick for an extended time (Mark 1:21–34). Yet in the time He has, He still heals a few. Fierce rejection cannot put a stop to what God is doing in Jesus.
What Do You Think? Under what circumstances, if any, will you be prepared to quote Mark 6:4 in reference to how hometown folks react to your witness? Digging Deeper |
Without Boundaries (v. 6)6a. And he marvelled because of their unbelief.
At the beginning of the story, the people of Nazareth are astonished at Jesus’ teaching and wisdom, leading to their rejection of someone they believe they know well. Jesus similarly marvels at their unbelief. Though He knows the history of rejecting prophets, it is still a rude awakening to experience the same dismissal in His hometown among people He knows well and loves.
6b. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
This disappointing rejection does not deter Jesus. He continues to travel about the villages, among people just as poor and insignificant as His former neighbors. He will be met with both enthusiasm and violent opposition. But Jesus continues forward, steadfast to complete the work that God the Father has given Him.
What Do You Think? When finding yourself in a hostile environment, how will you know whether you should stay put or move on? Digging Deeper |
Rejection Is Not the End
I once had a job raising money for a nonprofit. In the beginning, I called only prospective donors. I usually received more nos than yeses. Some prospective donors were outright rude when they refused. These calls were demoralizing, but how I dealt with them affected future calls. I had to learn that just because someone had rejected my request harshly did not mean the next person would. To be successful, I had to move on from the bad calls into the next call with a positive attitude, expecting a positive outcome.
It is hard to imagine what would have happened if Jesus had allowed His hometown’s rejection to stop Him. There would have been no cross, no resurrection, no redemption. Thanks be to God for Christ’s perseverance! Likewise, we must not consider experiences of rejection as permission to give up God’s mission.
—L. H-P.
Conclusion
A. Normal Wisdom
The text leaves us to ask: Do we accept Jesus as He is? Or do we think He ought to be someone else? As we weigh the great questions of faith and unbelief, perhaps the most astonishing idea is that God did His saving work in one from a town as ordinary as Nazareth. We expect God’s work to be grand. Yet in Jesus it was humble.
Far from yearning to be humble, we often long to be grand. But wanting to be extraordinary can be especially problematic for Christians. This is how God’s wisdom challenges us to our core. The good news of Jesus teaches us that God’s goodness is usually manifested in the lives of ordinary believers and in the fellowship of ordinary churches. The gracious goodness of God surrounds us constantly. If we expect to experience it only in grandiose ways, we will overlook His “ordinary” work in our lives.
Prosperity, victory, status, security—these do not happen in a village like Nazareth visited by a carpenter who used to live there. Such aspirations and outcomes certainly do not look like willing surrender to one’s enemies and submission to an unjust execution! Yet in Jesus’ humility, God’s wisdom was fully expressed.
God’s wisdom is similarly expressed today. It is expressed in an ordinary church witnessing to the gospel in a community, in a circle of friends who study Scripture and pray together, in the often unnoticed acts of service rendered to others in the name of Jesus, in sacrificial gifts that provide sustenance of body and spirit for those in need.
Often those who do not know the true God hold such matters in contempt. They cannot believe that people of ordinary intelligence, of limited means, and having little of what the world counts as power can be doing what God desires. Their outlook tragically reflects that of the people in Nazareth who did not believe Jesus.
But the door is not yet closed on such people of today. No place, no group, no person is ever beyond the possibility of repentance. And God always welcomes the repentant.
God still embodies His wisdom in people who appear utterly ordinary, defying even the expectations of the faithful. When we feel stuck in our own ordinariness and lowliness, we can take heart that God continues to do the work of His kingdom in people like us.
B. Prayer
Almighty God, we ask You to open our eyes to see clearly the work You are doing around us, in us, and through us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
C. Thought to Remember
God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things.
KID’S CORNER
Living Truthfully in Love
Sunday, July 19, 2020
2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 & 2 John 1:1-13
(2 John 1:1) The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth, and not only I but also all who know the truth, John was the apostle and teacher in the Church who wrote the Gospel of John, the Book of Revelation, and three letters in the Bible. The “elect lady” was a congregation or “the Church,” which would have included “her children;” that is, many congregations such as those listed in the Book of Revelation. Her “children” would also include individual members of the Church, not simply other church leaders. All who know the truth love the Church and God’s children in the Church, just as John wrote that he did.
(2 John 1:2) because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever: Jesus declared that He was the truth (John 14:6). Jesus and His truth abide in or remain in the children of God and the Church that confesses Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God (1 John 4:15; 1 John 5:1). Jesus did not promise to be forever with the person or church that refuses to believe in Him or turns from believing and loving the truth that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God (see especially the Book of Revelation, chapters 1-3).
(2 John 1:3) Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, in truth and love. John declared specifically and repeatedly that God the Father and the Father’s Son, Jesus Christ, love us and have revealed the truth to us. God is love and Jesus demonstrated the love of God in truth as God’s Son by all He did and said. The love of the Father and the Son for us motivates them to extend grace, mercy, and peace to us as Their children, and we are Their children if we believe the truth about the Father and the Son, which inspires us to love them—because they first loved us. Because of the grace of God, Christians receive mercy from God and forgiveness of their sins through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, which gives them peace with God, peace within themselves, and peace with others insofar as the possibility of peace with others resides with them: this is the truth about how much God loves His children (us, as true believers). In God, truth and love come together and are expressed together. As examples for us, the Father and the Son always express truth in love, and never sacrifice the truth to be “loving.”
(2 John 1:4) I was overjoyed to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we have been commanded by the Father. One important word in this verse is “some.” John was overjoyed to find “some” of those in the Church “walking” or “living” in the truth and according to the truth as revealed in Jesus Christ and in the Bible (which John would help write). “Walking” is a way of life, and John rejoiced that some in the Church maintained a way of life according to the way of Jesus and lived as the Father commanded: God’s children were living in both truth and love (truth and love cannot be separated, for learning the truth about God and reality should lead to love, and those who love should speak and live in the truth of God and reality).
(2 John 1:5) But now, dear lady, I ask you, not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning, let us love one another. Because only “some” in the church were walking in the truth, John went on to emphasize a commandment that the church had from the beginning. John wrote the Church, the “dear lady,” to remind her leaders and members to love one another. Those who walked in the truth loved others in the Church just as the Father commanded them. Some were church members because at one time they had repented of their sins and professed faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God as far as the church could tell (they could not see into their hearts), but these members were not acting truthfully and with love toward others in the church, so John wanted the church to remind them to obey Jesus’ commands.
(2 John 1:6) And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment just as you have heard it from the beginning—you must walk in it. Love is obeying Jesus’ commandments. Love is a way of life, not just a way of feeling. Love as a way of life is a commandment of God no matter how we may feel. Love includes speaking the truth because we know and love the truth as revealed in Jesus Christ, who is THE Truth, and we can and should speak and teach the truth in love—in loving ways. Love includes how we treat others as a way of life (see 1 Corinthians 13). The fruit of the Spirit includes love for God and others, which promotes the well-being of others— a concern that they repent of their sins and follow Jesus and His teachings, a concern that they grow in true faith, love, holiness, and happiness.
(2 John 1:7) Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh; any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist! 4 What John saw as a problem of life and death concern in his day has continued throughout history and will remain a problem until Jesus Christ returns as John foretold in the Book of Revelation. Some refuse to confess that the Messiah has come. Some refuse to confess that Jesus is the Messiah and Jesus has come into the world and into the lives of God’s children as the Bible describes. Those who refuse to believe the truth, especially the truth about Jesus, are antichrist (against Christ), and they are truly unloving people (no matter how they might appear to us) who try to deceive others—they love themselves supremely. They are deceivers who will try to lead the children of God and those who walk in love and light into hatred and darkness, into disbelief in the truth of God in Christ and into hatred for God and the children of God (which can be very subtle). John knew, just as the Church has known for centuries, that some will come into the Church and appear to be sincere Christians, and then they will go out into the world (morally and spiritually leave the church, if not physically leave the Church) and try to deceive others inside and outside the Church by leading people away from trust in and obedience to the Word of God in the flesh (Jesus) and the Word of God written (the Bible).
(2 John 1:8) Be on your guard, so that you do not lose what we have worked for, but may receive a full reward. Members of the Church who had worked hard to learn, understand, rightly apply, and obey the truth as embodied in and revealed by Jesus Christ in love could be deceived by those who were against Christ and what the Bible taught about Christ. John warned everyone in the Church to be on guard so this would not happen to them. A full reward would include our receiving fully and knowingly the loving presence of God in Christ and not needing the discipline of God to lead us back into a walk of truth in love. We can work hard to learn and rightly apply the Scriptures victoriously in this life, and we do not want to fall back and lose the progress we have made in following Christ with the Holy Spirit’s help.
(2 John 1:9) Everyone who does not abide in the teaching of Christ, but goes beyond it, does not have God; whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. The teaching of Christ is revealed clearly throughout the New Testament and the commands of Christ are completely consistent with the truth of God and the reality of existence as created by God. A person can “go beyond” or “go on ahead” of Christ’s teachings by restricting the right application of the Bible or by extending the application of the Bible into wrong areas that Christ never intended: to intentionally and knowingly do either can be a sign that a person does not have God. Some in the church may do this out of ignorance instead of rebellion against God, and the Christian’s responsibility is to help them understand the truth of the Bible so they can once again truly walk in faith and love. The truth demands that a true child of God abide or remain true to the teachings of Christ and the Bible. If we remain true to the Bible, we have both the Father and the Son abiding in us and they will help us walk in their way of love and truth.
(2 John 1:10) Do not receive into the house or welcome anyone who comes to you and does not bring this teaching; As a Church leader, the Holy Spirit inspired John to explicitly state how serious it is and can be when any child of God or Christian congregation admits into their lives someone who brings teaching that is contrary to or contradicts the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Bible. To welcome them can lead to listening to them and to being misled by them which can lead to multitudes being misled away from truth and love for generations. Churches can decline morally and spiritually over many generations as they regress and lose the love and the truth of Christ and the Scriptures: John’s Book of Revelation warns about this possibility. Whereas adults and mature Christians might be wise enough not to be misled by someone who is teaching contrary to the Bible in the Church, their children can be more easily misled (unknown to them), until they fall away from following Christ and into moral decline and spiritual apostasy.
(2 John 1:11) for to welcome is to participate in the evil deeds of such a person. It is an evil deed to deceive another. It is an evil deed to deceive another about the true teachings of Jesus Christ and the Bible. When the child of God continues to love and obey God and the commandments of God in the Bible; when they pray for the Holy Spirit to help them discern the truth and walk in love, they are less likely to be deceived but not totally protected from ever being deceived. To even welcome a deceiver into a person’s church, home, or life is to participate in the deceiver’s evil efforts to deceive, and evil will be done.
(2 John 1:12) Although I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink; instead I hope to come to you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete. John had much more to say about how a child of God can protect themselves from deceivers and being deceived. Every detail about how to remain mentally and spiritually united to Jesus Christ and the truth of Christ and the Bible needed to be discussed: questions asked could be explained and answered and John hoped to visit the church that he wrote to and other congregations to have this joyful fellowship time of teaching. He also intended for his letter to be read to other congregations (her children).
(2 John 1:13) The children of your elect sister send you their greetings. John participated fully in the life of the congregation where he lived and taught. The children of God in the Church in his congregation sent their greetings along with his to the church and other congregations that would read his letter. This letter obviously meant a great deal to the Church, and it may have been copied and circulated among many churches, because God providentially protected it so it could be saved in the Bible and read by us
Living Truthfully in Love
Sunday, July 19, 2020
2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 & 2 John 1:1-13
“I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father” (2 John 1:4).
In John’s letter to an elect lady and her children (the church), he reminded Christians of two commands. First, the Father commands Christians to walk in the truth. Second, the Father commands Christians to walk in love. John wrote that the Father had always commanded people to love one another—this was no new command. Then, he explained that Christian love involved “walking” or “living according to” the truth and the Father’s commandments (which God revealed in the Bible). When Christians sincerely love God and one another by living according to the truth and commands of God, they treat others rightly. Like a good parent, John rejoiced greatly when he saw his spiritual children living truthfully in love. As their spiritual parent, John also expressed concern that though they were walking in truth and love, they might become misled. He wrote that many deceivers had gone out into the world. These deceivers taught false things about God and Christ; for example, some denied that Jesus had come into the world in the flesh as a real human being. John wanted Christians to abide in the teachings of Jesus and not add to or subtract from them or believe and trust anyone who misrepresented what the Bible taught. Indeed, John warned that if a believer greeted a false teacher or received him into their house, then they took part in his “wicked works.” Practicing obedience to the Bible’s teachings can help us avoid being misled and sinning; especially if we will remember that the Father will never command anyone to do anything contrary to His commands in the Bible.
Thinking Further
Living Truthfully in Love
Sunday, July 19, 2020
2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 & 2 John 1:1-13
Name ________________________________________
- Reread 2 Thessalonians 3:1, how might the church and world be different if every Christian’s first prayer request each day was the same as Paul’s?
- Reread 2 Thessalonians 3:5, what did Paul pray for the Thessalonians? How might that prayer be answered in your life?
- How are Christians supposed to live (walk) and why should they live (walk) that way?
- According to John, what are some characteristics of a deceiver?
- What are some of the things people are doing when they welcome a deceiver into their home or church?
Questions for Discussion and Thinking Further
- Who do you think is the elect lady and her children? The church and her members that John wrote his letter to, but she might have been a real Christian lady, who could have told what he wrote to others.
- What abides in a true Christian forever according to 2 John 1:1-13? The truth (and love).
- How are Christians supposed to live (walk) and why should they live (walk) that way? Live (walk) in the truth and love one another because the Father has commanded Christians to live (walk) in these ways.
- According to John, what are some characteristics of a deceiver? They have gone out into the world (from out of the circle Christian faith, love, and truth) and they do not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. They are antichrist. They do not abide in the teaching of Christ. They do not have God.
- What are some of the things people are doing when they welcome a deceiver into their home or church? They are dropping their guard and they can be deceived. They are giving deceivers an opportunity to deceive others. They are participating in the evil deeds of the deceiver.
Word Search
Living Truthfully in Love
Sunday, July 19, 2020
2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 & 2 John 1:1-13
Name __________________________________
D T E Z J S N X U L H P C Z N
M G N D R A W E R S A Y F D R
N F P E A C E O P G F D N H M
P O B Q V H T U R T U T Y E R
H R U O W C R G U A R D R K F
N E T D G H V I D L Z C H R R
Y V S J E R C T E I Y G E E H
O E I N D I A R G O B D V C R
J R R C K S Q C T F L I H I T
S F H V N T R C E E E I E X U
H D C K C G E O Q C L P O Q W
K Q I M L L Z A E D H K Y T S
X R T W E A Y D R Q R N R D E
P Z N M R U W E F D H O X T R
N U A D I M N Z W Q Z W U O E
Elder
Elect
Lady
Children
Know
Truth
Forever
Grace
Mercy
Peace
Walk
Christ
Deceiver
Antichrist
Guard
Reward
True and False Test
Living Truthfully in Love
Sunday, July 19, 2020
2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 & 2 John 1:1-13
Name ___________________________________
Circle the true or false answers. Correct the false statements by restating them.
- All who know the truth should also love in the truth. True or False
- The truth will live in true Christians forever. True or False
- True Christians do not need grace because God has forgiven them. True or False
- The Father and Jesus Christ give grace, mercy, peace truth, and love. True or False
- The Father has commanded us to walk in the truth. True or False
- If we love God, we do not need to love others. True or False
- Love involves walking according to God’s commandments. True or False
- Churches should not be concerned about deceivers. True or False
- Everyone should abide in the teaching of Christ, especially Christians. True or False
- It is okay to welcome a deceiver and an antichrist into your church. True or False
Answers to the True and False Test
- True
- True
- False
- True
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
- False
Prayer
Almighty God, we ask You to open our eyes to see clearly the work You are doing around us, in us, and through us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.