"God Call's Moses" Sunday School Lesson

International Sunday School Lesson
For Week Ending June 7, 2009

Purpose: To recognize that God calls us, like Moses, to realign our lives to act within God's liberating purposes.

Bible Text: Exodus 3: 1-12 (NRSV)

Background Text: Exodus 2:23-3:12

Exodus 3:1-12
(1): Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb,the mountain of God. (2)There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. (3)Then Moses said, ‘I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.’ (4)When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ (5)Then he said, ‘Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.’(6)He said further, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

(7) Then the Lord said, ‘I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings,(8)and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites,the Hivites, and the Jebusites. (9)The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. (10)So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.’ (11)But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’ (12)He said, I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.’

My Thoughts by Burgess Walter

In the world we live in today, communicating has never been easier, and yet how frustrating to try and get someone to respond to our call at times. Most of us are more interested in our hotels offering free internet access than we are in comfortable beds. We have the technology to be in constant communication, but we also have the ability to completely ignore text messages, e-mails and phone calls. Imagine how Moses must have felt, he left Egypt 40 years ago, he was minding his father-in-law's heard hundreds of miles from any town or city, and yet God was able to make contact.

God's formula has not changed; He challenged Moses where Moses may have been the most vulnerable. Remember he had to flee Egypt because he killed an Egyptian that was causing hardship for Moses’ people and Moses felt empathy for their struggle. God says to Moses in verse seven “I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed I know their suffering”. Now it was time for Moses to respond, he was willing to kill one of the “taskmasters” but would he be willing to go back and lead them out of this terrible situation that had continued to get worse over the past 40 years. The rulers of Egypt had changed since Moses fled; his life was no longer in danger,if he returned.

Notice God says in verse eight "I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians”. God will do the delivering, but God also adds a little more by saying “The cry of the Israelites has now come to me: I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them”. The words seem to almost vindicate Moses for his actions. How is Moses not going to respond to something which is so important to him?

The call of Moses shows us several important things; first, God usually calls us to do things which we are passionate about. This is why when we make suggestions about a project or mission we must be prepared to lead that project or mission. Second we have the same assurance that was given to Moses, “I will be with you”, Emmanuel, God with us. Third, we can not go far enough to escape from God, long before cell phones and e-mails or twitter, God was able to contact Moses and reveal himself and his mission, and Moses, though reluctant at first, responded to God's call.

How often have you tried to run from God? How often have you put him on ignore?

Equipped for New Life- Sunday School Lesson

International Sunday School Lesson
For Week Ending May 31, 2009

Purpose: To claim God's power to stand firm against the spiritual forces of evil.

Scripture Text: Ephesians 6:10-18 (NRSV)

Ephesians 6:10-18 (10) Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. (11)Put on the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (12)For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (13)Therefore take up the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. (14)Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness.(15)As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. (16)With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. (17)Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

(18) Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.

My Thoughts by Burgess Walter

As in last weeks lesson, the very first line, tells us what should happen if we want to be successful Christians. “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power”.

The second point I would make is that it is God's armor we are to put on, not our own. God has provided us with all we need to defeat the enemy, but unless we are willing to put it on, it has little value or protection against those powers that would defeat us. The “cosmic powers” require special armor. There may be some powers that we can defeat with just the “sword of the spirit”. There may be other powers we can defeat with the “breastplate of righteousness”. We must always be ready “to proclaim the gospel of peace”. Verse 14 says “Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist”. But we must revert back to verse 11, “put on the whole armor of God”. We must be willing to put on all of the combat gear that God has made available to us, as his followers.

It may be hard for us as American Christians to comprehend the struggles that others face. Since the beginning of the Iraq war the number of Chaldean Christians has decreased by a million believers. The Syrian Orthodox has lost forty percent of their followers since the 2003 invasion. There is disturbing information now out about the population growth of Europe and Russia. The Russian army may be made up of forty percent Muslims. Islam will soon be the majority religion in France, Spain and England and within a short period of time it will replace Christianity as the most popular religion in the world.

This should be a sobering thought to all believers, we know that Christians are persecuted in the Islamic world; we have read and heard many stories of families being torn apart.

Certainly these “cosmic powers” will require all of Christendom to put on the “whole armor of God”. One of the area's that has changed in America is we are no longer just social Christians, we no longer attend church just because the doors are open, it is no longer socially necessary to attend church, in fact the opposite now seems more socially acceptable. Those that choose to attend are doing it for the right reasons, the church may now just play a small role in our current culture, but our resolve should be stronger than ever and our mission more defined, we are at war with the world. Those that make up the community of believers are in a definite minority. In verse 13, we are called to do all we can do; and then, when there is nothing you can do, stand – knowing you do not stand alone, and we stand with all of the armor God has made available to us.

The final call is for us to be alert and to pray always, and always pray in the spirit, and always persevere in supplication for the saints. Why should we be heartened by what is going on in our churches? Is our strength in numbers, or is it in the armor? How can we come out of today's woes stronger?

New Life in the Home- Sunday School Lesson

International Sunday School Lesson
For Week Ending May 24, 2009

Purpose: To recognize that God calls all Christians, male and female,young and old, to lives of mutual submission.

Scripture Text: Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-4 (NRSV)

Background: Ephesians 5:1-6:4

Ephesians 5:21-33
21) Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.

(22) Wives, be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord. (23)For the husband is the head of the wife just as Christ is the head of the church, the body of which he is the Saviour. (24)Just as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives ought to be, in everything, to their husbands.

(25) Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, (26) in order to make her holy by cleansing her with the washing of water by the word, (27) so as to present the church to himself in splendor, without a spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind—yes, so that she may be holy and without blemish. (28)In the same way, husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. (29)For no one ever hates his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, (30)because we are members of his body. (31)‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ (32)This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ and the church. (33)Each of you, however, should love his wife as himself, and a wife should respect her husband.

Ephesians 6:4
(6)Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. (2) ‘Honor your father and mother’—this is the first commandment with a promise: (3) ‘so that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.’ (4) And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

My Thoughts by Burgess Walter

As I read the title for today's lesson, it made me very nervous. I am not sure at my age “New life in the home” would be the title I would have chosen, I am trying my best to stay out of the “home”. All of that aside, the make up of the home is a very important part of the family unit. As our leaders have taught us we must use the scriptures, tradition, experience and reason, to help us as we interpret the bible. It is why we study the bible and not just read it.

The traditional family of the first century in an eastern culture, would be considerably different than today's family structure, therefore some statements made by the writer need the light of today in our existing culture to shine on them to make them relevant for today. That is not discounting the scripture, it is simply applying truths after studying, and using what we have been taught and have reasoned by experience.

There are too many examples of women leaders in both the Old and New Testament to make an assumption that women have no place in God's church. The writer of Ephesians is talking about mutual submission.

In today's world, there are many examples of relationships that fail, or are very difficult. On TV there are some reality programs that try and deal with the conflicts and problems of a relationship. “Jon and Kate plus Eight” offers an example of a husband and wife struggling with their relationship and eight children, and that may not survive the present difficulties they are going through. Another program called “Wife Swap” whose premise is two mothers and wives swap places for a short period of time and deal with each others dysfunctional families. Usually one is real strict while the other is laid back and does not believe in discipline. Amazingly they come out of the experiment with a better understanding of what is important for a family relationship.

Our text covers many of the problems these TV programs highlight. Relationships are difficult, and they are especially difficult if God is not involved in the marriage or in the home. Our relationships need to be based on the same love that Christ has shown to His church. If we claim the name of Christ our relationships need to reflect His love, whether it is husband and wife, employer/employee, parents and children, or older parents and older children.

This subject is so important that it is covered almost identically in two books of the bible, this passage in Ephesians and the passage in Colossians 3:18;-4:1.

Is there a secret for making a relationship work that you would like to share? There are many single parent families, how does this scripture text apply to them? How can the Church best minister to these families?

"New Revelation in Christ" - Sunday School Lesson

International Sunday School Lesson
For Week Ending May 17, 2009

Purpose: To proclaim against all opposition that the church be a diverse community of persons demonstrating God's impartiality and love for all people.

Scripture Text: Ephesians 3:1-13 (NRSV)

Ephesians 3:1-13
(1)This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— (2) for surely you have already heard of the commission of God’s grace that was given to me for you, (3) and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, (4) a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ. (5)In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: (6) that are the Gentiles have become fellow-heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

(7) Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the working of his power. (8)Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, (9) and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; (10) so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. (11)This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, (12) in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him. (13) I pray therefore that you may not lose heart over my sufferings for you; they are your glory.

My Thoughts by Burgess Walter

As we continue in our study of Ephesians for the balance of this quarter, today's lesson provides a real challenge to each of us as well as our churches. As we have stated, in earlier commentary, Paul's reason for writing this circular letter to the early churches of Asia was an effort to bring together both Greek and Jew in the body of Christ.

The point of this portion of scripture seems to be; we are all equal in God's sight, Jew, Greek or whatever we are (v6) “fellow heirs, members of the same body, sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel”. Paul reveals he has been given an understanding of the (v4) “mystery of Christ”.

Back in the book of Genesis in chapter 11, God had scattered the people and given them diversity in language because they were content to settle a small portion of his creation. God intended for all of us to be diverse and unique, God also intends for all of us to love one another. Our diversity is not something to make us afraid, but rather is something we should embrace, it is part of the mystery of God, and it is in our, (v10) rich variety that the rulers in “heavenly places” will realize that God's church has received the wisdom of God.

In verse 17 of this chapter, the writer says “and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love”. Paul seems to imply that the church's faith, and love for one another is what will separate them from the rest of God's creation.

From the beginning God had a plan, and that plan has been revealed to Paul and to the prophets, this mystery was hidden from the, (v5) “sons of men”. From the tower of Babel to the resurrection of Christ and the giving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, from the calling of one man named Abram an establishing a nation of separated people, all was part of God's plan. Who could be more diverse that the sons of Isaac, (Jacob and Esau) or even the sons of Jacob.

God wants us to be diverse, it is by showing our love for those that are different in culture, race, ethnicity, and even in beliefs, that we can show the world that the love of Christ in our hearts is what makes us part of God's family. I think that God calls his people to love those that are unloved and unlovely, those that may have a different sexual orientation than others, we are called to love them all, and I do not see any exceptions to God's law of love.

Is it easier to love those that are different than us, or do you find it harder to love some of those you know more about? Can our knowledge of someone get in the way of our love? Why is Ephesians 3:17 so important in our ability to love?

"New Life in Christ " Sunday School Lesson

International Sunday School Lesson
For Week Ending May 10, 2009

Purpose: To acknowledge how necessary God's grace is to move us from the blindness and helplessness of sin to a life of good works.

Scripture Text: Ephesians 2:1-10 (NRSV)

Ephesians 2:1-10
(1)You were dead through the trespasses and sins (2)in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. (3)All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. (4)But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us (5)even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— (6)and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, (7)so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. (8)For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— (9)not the result of works, so that no one may boast. (10)For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

My Thoughts by Burgess Walter

This is our second lesson from Ephesians, and as we stated in our last lesson, this letter was written as a circular letter to the Asian churches that Paul had established during his missionary journeys.There is some tension between the doctrines of Ephesians and the doctrine of some of Paul’s other writing which has caused some to dispute Paul as the author of Ephesians. I will try and point out some of those tensions as we progress through this lesson.

As we noted last week, this letter is written to Christians and to the Churches established by Paul. The writer begins by recalling our former state before we became part of God's family. “You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once lived”. Just as we studied about six weeks ago in the book of Ezekiel 37 we were the living dead, moving about as dry bones, with no life, no purpose, no hope and cut off completely. We were guilty of following “the course of this world”. And so doing the writer says we were following “the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient”. The author is clear in proclaiming those outside of Christ are lost, and the same as dead.

The reasoning then, is if we follow our own desires and we are in bondage to “the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses”, we are separated from God and in need of being restored to God as one of His children, as God intended us to be. “We were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else”. Then we have the most important two words in this text “But God”. Despite our own perverse will, God's plan for us is something other than death. “But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses , made us alive together with Christ”. This passage of scripture emphasizes the here and now as opposed to some distant happiness, and that reveals the tensions with other passages. In Romans 5:1-11, Paul seems to say “not yet” compared with today's “already”. Romans 5:9 states “while we have been justified, we will be saved.” In Romans it seems to be about the cross, in today's lesson it seems to be about the resurrection. Our text today is certainly more comforting if we are facing trials and tribulations it is nice to know, God's love has, “made us alive together with Christ”.

Paul's logic concerning salvation sometimes seems unclear or hard to follow, but in today's text it seems to be presented in a nice uncomplicated package. “For by grace you have been saved through faith”. Our salvation is God's work and not ours; “we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life” Paul states something similar when he describes the “fruits of the spirit” in Galatians 5:22-25. James states “So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead” (James 2:17). A little saying has been making the rounds lately but it is well worth repeating here “God loves us just the way we are, but he loves us too much to leave us that way”.

Why do you think you deserve a place in heaven? Which do you prefer, the plan for salvation found in Romans 5 or the one found in Ephesians 2? Why? Both have been canonized so both are applicable, both are the word of God for the people of God.

"New Family in Christ" Sunday School Lesson

International Sunday School Lesson
For Week Ending May 3, 2009

Purpose: To celebrate all that God has done to make us God's own adopted children

Scripture Text: Ephesians 1:3-14 (NRSV)

Ephesians 1:3-14
(3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,(4) just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. (5)He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, (6)to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. (7)In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace (8)that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight (9)he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, (10)as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (11)In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, (12)so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. (13)In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; (14)this is the pledge of our inheritance towards redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.

My Thoughts by Burgess Walter

This week's lesson is from the Book of Ephesians, written by Paul, while a prisoner in Rome. In today's bibles the letter is addressed to the church at Ephesus, but the oldest manuscripts are not addressed to anyone in particular, and the book of Ephesians is considered a circuit letter meant to be read by several churches in that area.

The dilemma for Paul is he has two congregations, one is the newly converted Gentiles, and the other is the established Jewish congregations. Paul does not want to see two different churches; he wants one church, one in Christ. He wants the Jews to accept that the Gentiles can become Christians without becoming Jews, and he did not want the Gentiles to be prejudiced against the Jews. This epistle is addressed to the Gentile Christians; Paul had earlier appeased the Jewish element by taking them a generous offering.

Paul sees God as a Great Big Something, in whom there is room for all races, viewpoints and prejudices, and God is able to solve and resolve all of the differences, and bring us all into a relationship with Him. In 3:10 he even hints at other unseen universes. Regardless of what we think, God had an eternal purpose, which was accomplished through Jesus Christ.

Paul had spent three years in Ephesus, but the letter contains no personal greeting as in some of his other letters. In today's text Paul states God's purpose and plan, that includes redemption, adoption, forgiveness, and sealing of a people for God's own possession. This plan had been determined in eternity and was now being brought to completion by the effective exercise of God's will.

The text opens with praise, much as the Lord's Prayer, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”. The emphasis remains on Jesus through out the book. It is in Christ that God's plan has been revealed and accomplished. In verse four we are told “God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love”. It would be a mistake to think God has embarked on some plan to create superhuman beings without flaw or defect. The perfection God has in mind is a perfection of love. When we choose God, through Christ, we fulfill a destiny that was established before the foundations of the world. God chose to redeem mankind, now it is our chance to choose God through Jesus Christ.

In verse five, it says, “He destined us for adoption as his children”, the Greek word rendered “destined” here literally means “foresaw”. God becomes both the granter and guarantor for his plan of redemption. Clearly in God's plan his willing and caring come first, but that does not mean our own actions and willing are irrelevant. Note in verse 12, “we who were first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of His glory”. And later it says, “when you had heard the word of truth,.... and believed in him were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit”. Then the Holy Spirit becomes our “pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people”.

God has gone to great lengths, to provide a means whereby we can become part of His family. God's work is done, now it is up to us to accept our new heavenly Father and His plan which includes the work of Jesus Christ, and the forgiveness that is available through His blood.

I think it is important to remember this letter was written to the redeemed, to the church of Asia, to encourage them to enjoy now, through the person of the Holy Spirit, what they would receive later in eternity, to live blameless before Him in Love. Have you responded to God's love? How? If our adoption is offered but declined, where does that leave us?

"Bringing New Life to Those in Need" Sunday School Lesson

International Sunday School Lesson
For Week Ending April 26, 2009

Purpose: To offer assurance that through the life and witness of the church, we can extend Christ's power and presence in times of need.

Scripture Text: Acts 9:32-43 (NRSV)

Acts 9:32-43
(32) Now as Peter went here and there among all the believers, he came down also to the saints living in Lydda. (33)There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years, for he was paralysed. (34)Peter said to him, ‘Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed!’ And immediately he got up. (35)And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

(36) Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. (37)At that time she became ill and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs. (38)Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, who heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, ‘Please come to us without delay.’ (39)So Peter got up and went with them; and when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them. (40)Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, ‘Tabitha, get up.’ Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. (41)He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive. (42)This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. (43)Meanwhile he stayed in Joppa for some time with a certain Simon, a tanner.

My Thoughts by Burgess Walter

As I look at this text from Acts, I am struck by a couple of things, first, God's will is not always done on earth, second, that is why it is so important they we communicate with God about our needs and desires. It appears to me, God responds to our prayers when His response is in agreement with His will.

Last week we talked about the writings of Luke (The Gospel of Luke and the Act's of the Apostles). The Gospel of Luke points us towards Jerusalem and the Book of Acts points us outward from Jerusalem. We can further divide the Book of Acts into those things that went on in Judea and Samaria and then all the way to Rome. It can also be divided into the ministry of Peter (1-12) and the ministry of Paul (13-28).

Our text takes place in the Judean and Samaritan time frame, as Peter was visiting the early Christians in the area away from Jerusalem. The healing of Aeneas is very similar to the healing of the paralytic found in Luke 5:17-26. It is easy to make the case that this miracle was an important part of spreading the good news in this area outside of Jerusalem, and we know it is God's will “that all should be saved”. However we may miss the importance of Peter's prayer, “Jesus Christ heals you”. I do not think it was because of God’s will that Aeneas was paralyzed, and because of that fact God was willing to answer Peter's prayer for Aeneas's healing. It would serve to glorify God in several ways, the obvious way and in the strengthening of Peter's faith, for even greater acts. It is important to note Peter did not heal, Jesus Christ was the healer.

With the spreading of the news about Aeneas throughout the area it is no wonder help was sought when in the neighboring town of Joppa the Christian community was going through a trial of its own. It had lost a disciple named Dorcas,(in Greek) or Tabitha (in Aramaic or Hebrew). Dorcas is the only woman identified as a “disciple” in the Book of Acts. Dorcas seemed to have been a very diligent and gifted disciple and was especially loved by the widows of Joppa. We do not know the circumstance of her death. It did not have to be God's will that she die, but it was certainly His will that she be called back from the dead by Peter, but without Peter's prayer it would not have happened.

Where does prayer stand, in your witness? In your church's witness? Prayer is a powerful tool that we have been given; our responsibility is to use it wisely. It is not to be used like a magic wand, but it is to be used to communicate to the Father our concerns and our needs and the needs of others. We are taught to pray “thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven”. I believe God's will is done in heaven, I pray that it will also be done on earth, but I need to ask Him to do that, and if I don't ask, I will never know what His will is.

"Witnesses to New Life" Sunday School Lesson

International Sunday School Lesson
For Week Ending April 19, 2009

Purpose: To demonstrate that despite our fears, the risen Christ empowers us to worship and witness.

Scripture Text: Luke 24:44-53 (NRSV)

Background: Luke 24:36-53

Luke 24:44-53
(44) Then he said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.’ (45)Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, (46)and he said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, (47)and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.(48)You are witnesses of these things. (49)And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’

(50) Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. (51)While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. (52)And they worshiped him, an returned to Jerusalem with great joy; (53)and they were continually in the temple blessing God.

My Thoughts by Burgess Walter

The Gospel of Luke, written by the “beloved physician” (Col. 4:14) is also the only Gospel written by a gentile. The fact that Luke was a physician might play a part in his fascination with Jesus eating broiled fish and honey after the resurrection. (Vs 42-43)

The overall theme of Luke is “Christ, the Son of Man” and many of the events in this book demonstrate Christ's humanity. Luke's writings also include the Book of Acts of the Apostles, so the Gospel of Luke, is the first part of a continuing story. The Gospel of Luke is constantly pointing us to Jerusalem and the cross, while the Book of Acts, starts in Jerusalem and extends to “the ends of the earth”, which Christ commands in Acts 1:8:“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”. Today's lesson is simply preparing the disciples to do the work of witnessing to “the ends of the earth”.

Jesus is going to teach in just a short period of time, some 40 days, everything He had tried to teach them the three years prior, but they were unwilling to learn.

When I was younger I took flying lessons, and as long as the instructor was with me, in the right hand seat, I was very comfortable, no matter what the circumstance, because I knew he did not want to die prematurely, but when the day came and he climbed out and he told me to go do three “solo landings” and “take offs”, I suddenly wished I would have paid more attention to what he was telling me for the previous six weeks or so. The same was true with the disciples; they all of a sudden realized they were going to have to fly solo. It was them that would be responsible for spreading the good news around the world.

After I had achieved the ability to fly by myself, then I was certified to carry passengers with me, and some forty hours of flying time later, I began working on an instrument rating. I can relate that to what the disciples went through, the intense learning, and learning to trust someone else, a higher force, than what I was able to do with my own vision. Eventually I became able to not only fly solo, I was able to do it when I could not see the ground or other aircraft, I had learned to depend on someone who had the big picture, someone that knew where every airport was and who also knew where every airplane was in the sky. Of course I had to check in with them every time I wanted to fly, and they would give me the clearance to proceed to my destination.

Like the disciples, I had to learn a lot and I had to have my mind opened to understanding the Instrument Flight Rules. It was an intense learning time and I studied harder than I had ever studied and the final exam was the hardest I had ever taken, but the whole world was opened to me, I could literally fly anywhere i wanted to go and just about anytime I wanted to go, as long as I was in touch with the “controller”.

I think that is exactly where these eleven or so disciples were, they were told to wait until they received their clearance from on high, and then they were to go into the entire world preaching the gospel, but always staying in touch with the “controller”.

I must confess there were times when I would start out on my own, trusting my own sight, but if I found myself unable to see the way, I could immediately call the controller and tell him my situation and where I wanted to go, if the air traffic and weather were no problem, he would then direct me to my destination, if I obeyed his commands and did exactly as he said.

Who do you trust, are you flying by sight? Or are you willing to trust the Controller? God does not want to be our co-pilot; He wants to be the Controller

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"Resurrected Unto New Life" Easter Sunday School Lesson

International Sunday School Lesson
For Week Ending April 12, 2009

Purpose: To celebrate Christ's resurrection and the new life it makes possible.

Scripture Text: Luke 24:1-12 (NRSV)

Luke 24:1-12
(1)But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. (2)They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3but when they went in, they did not find the body. (4)While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. (5)The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. (6)Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, (7)that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’ (8)Then they remembered his words, (9)and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. (10)Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. (11)But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. (12)But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.

My Thoughts by Burgess Walter

The events of Friday came to sudden end, after Jesus groaned His last breath, and gave up the ghost. His body was given to Joseph of Arimathea for burial in Joseph's tomb. Because of the Sabbath beginning at sunset there was not sufficient time to prepare the body of Jesus properly, for burial. I think it was evidence of God's grace that the suffering was over so soon and that the body was removed from the cross. Under normal conditions the body would have been left to hang, while the wild animals and birds of prey would feast on the remains. God provided Joseph of Arimathea to claim the body and remove it from the cross.

Our lesson begins with the women returning to the grave sight to better prepare the body of Jesus for internment. These women were an important part of Jesus ministry, Mary Magdalene was not the prostitute everyone believes her to be but rather a business women whom Jesus had cast out demons. In Luke 8:3 it says “they provided for Him out of their resources”. In Luke 8:1-3 we learn of two other women Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Sussana. These Three women plus Mary the mother of James and others went to the tomb on Sunday morning to give a proper burial for Jesus.

As we have noted in earlier lessons Luke uses the women to discover the empty tomb and to share this news with the eleven. Because a woman's testimony had no legal standing, what they said they saw was treated rather indifferently (idle tale) by the eleven, with the exception of Peter. The greatest event in the history of the world was ignored because of the sexist small-mindedness of eleven men.

Even now, the United Nations Development Fund for Women recently released a report that accuses Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai of fast-tracking an anti-woman's rights law. The “Shia Family Law,” while not available for public review yet, is reported to forbid wives from leaving their home without permission from their husbands, to grant custody of children only to fathers and grandfathers, and to require women to meet their husband's sexual demands. How far have we come in the last 2000 years?

The women of Luke received a special blessing because they knew what they saw, after Peter makes his own inspection he too is “amazed at what had happened”.

The Gospels tell the story of the resurrection from differing view points, but the story remains the same, Christ is risen. In modern day events, it is like the Kennedy assassination, Kennedy is dead, but there are those who still dispute how it happened and who was responsible. The women knew the truth, and Peter believed when he saw the empty tomb, the others only believed when Jesus appears to them. Still others only believed when they see the nail scars in the hands and the sword wound in the side. What does it take for you to believe? Do you believe the witness of five or six women? What evidence do you need? Does a changed life make it believable?

"Suffering Unto Death" Sunday School Lesson

International Sunday School Lesson
For Week Ending April 5, 2009

Purpose: To discover through Jesus' suffering and death what true victory is.

Scripture Text: Luke 23:32-46(NRSV)

Luke 23:32-46
(32) Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. (33)When they came to the place that is called The Skull,they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. (34)Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’And they cast lots to divide his clothing.(35)And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!’

(36)The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, (37)and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’ (38)There was also an inscription over him, ‘This is the King of the Jews.’(39)One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ (40)But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? (41)And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.’ (42)Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ (43)He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’

(44) It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, (45)while the sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. (46)Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.’ Having said this, he breathed his last.

My Thoughts by Burgess Walter

Our lesson from Luke describes the events that took place on that Good Friday almost 2000 years ago. The prophet Isaiah had written about 600 years earlier (Isaiah 53:8-9) “By a perversion of justice He was taken away. Who could imagine his future? For he was cut off from the land of the living...... They made his grave with the wicked and his tomb with the rich”.

It is important to point out that Jesus was not murdered; he was a willing participant in this charade. Jesus had on several occasions escaped from those that would do Him harm, and if He would have chosen to so, He could have escaped again. He knew the reason God had sent Him to earth and decided by His own will, that this would be the time for God's plan to be executed, not the execution of Jesus. Imagine the jubilation in the devils camp, for they knew who Jesus was. Jesus would be executed by the Roman government, at the request of the Jewish leadership.Those that were crucified with Christ are often referred to as thieves, but Rome did not execute thieves, more likely they were followers of Barabbas, the criminal that was released, or other Zealots that were threatening to overthrow the Roman rule in Palestine.

It appears from Luke's account that everybody knew this whole trial and execution was a sham, even Pilate could find no fault. The very thing that Jesus was accused of by the mob, and the plaque placed over His head, and meant to mock Him, was in fact true, Jesus was the “King of the Jews”. And He was the Son of God.

Jesus continued to rule even from the cross, when he said, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do”. He showed His power to forgive, and became the victor not the victim. Jesus died willingly, and He also granted one of the others, that were also being crucified, salvation, Jesus was in control of heaven and earth even as the mob of Jewish leaders and Satan thought they had won.

The power of the resurrection is an awesome power that we can tap into in our own lives. Saturday Satan thinks he has finally defeated God, and I can imagine he gathered his entire band of fallen angels and declared he had won the victory. He had been thrown out of heaven, and Jesus says in Luke 10:18 “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lighting”. Satan wanted to be God or at least His Son. Now he thought he had won the greatest of all battles he had seen the Son of God die. All of Satan's strength would focus on one thing, keeping Jesus dead and buried.

What a difference a day makes, come Sunday morning and an empty tomb and Satan victory turns into defeat. Because Christ lives we know Satan can be defeated, we too have the power of the resurrection in us through Jesus. What wonderful power is available to all of us, the power of the resurrection.

How can we use the power of the resurrection in our own lives? Why is it important that Jesus went willingly to the cross? What three things did Jesus do while on the cross that proves His sovereignty?

Envisioning New Life - Sunday School Lesson

International Sunday School Lesson
For Week Ending March 29, 2009

Purpose: To rejoice that the waters of God's mercy make the barren wastelands of our lives blossom and thrive

Lesson Text: Ezekiel 47:1-12 (NRVS)

Ezekiel 47:1-12
(1)Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple; there, water was flowing from below the threshold of the temple towards the east (for the temple faced east); and the water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. (2)Then he brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me round on the outside to the outer gate that faces towards the east; and the water was coming out on the south side.

(3) Going on eastwards with a cord in his hand, the man measured one thousand cubits, and then led me through the water; and it was ankle-deep. (4)Again he measured one thousand, and led me through the water; and it was knee-deep. Again he measured one thousand, and led me through the water; and it was up to the waist. (5)Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross, for the water had risen; it was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be crossed. (6)He said to me, ‘Mortal, have you seen this?’

Then he led me back along the bank of the river. (7)As I came back, I saw on the bank of the river a great many trees on one side and on the other. (8)He said to me, ‘This water flows towards the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah; and when it enters the sea, the sea of stagnant waters, the water will become fresh. (9)Wherever the river goes,every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish, once these waters reach there. It will become fresh; and everything will live where the river goes. (10)People will stand fishing beside the sea from En-gedi to En-eglaim; it will be a place for the spreading of nets; its fish will be of a great many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea. (11)But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt. (12)On the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.’

My Thoughts by Burgess Walter

This passage is the fourth vision recorded in Ezekiel, and is the third concerning God's glory. Under the circumstances it may have been necessary to reinforce to Ezekiel and to the remnant of Jews in Babylon, the glory of God. From their vantage point, God seemed to have lost His luster and even His mystic, and the fact is they only had doubts fears and maybe even disbelief.

In Ezekiel's vision there is new hope, because the glory of God does not flow from the temple itself but from the throne of God. The water comes under the threshold, not over it. Ezekiel had seen in a prior vision in chapter 43:7, wherever this water was coming from, it was the dwelling place of God, “The place of my throne and the place where the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever”.

If we go back to the instructions given to Moses and Aaron on building the Tabernacle in the wilderness, we know it was to be replica of God's throne, the same happened when Solomon built the permanent temple in Jerusalem; it was a replica of God's heavenly throne, where God dwells. If we go forward to the Revelation of John in chapter 22:1-2, we will see an almost identical vision record by John as the one recorded by Ezekiel. Both of these visions can also be compared to the original scene from Genesis 2:9-10, of the Garden of Eden.

I feel the significances of the way the river starts almost as a trickle but grows into a river that could not be crossed, is speaking of God's presence growing from one man Abraham, to a nation of twelve tribes, to a regional power, and eventually to a gigantic movement that can not be stopped. The river flows from Genesis to Revelation, I am not sure you could find this interpretation in any commentary, but it is what God has revealed to me today. The Glory of God is the essence of all creation; in fact you could say that His creation is His glory. Remember after God had finished with His creation, He announces it to be “good” and it is God's goodness that draws all of us to Him (see Genesis 1:18, 25).

It is the glory of God that generates all of the goodness in this world, from the tree of life to the leaves of healing, to eternal life with Him in His dwelling place. He went to great lengths to enable us, His creation, to be able to live with Him forever. He sent His only Son to be our redeemer, and He gave us a creation to use until we no longer need this creation and we can claim the original, not the replica, the eternal throne room of God.

It should give all of us a new hope, that out of barren wastelands, our lives can blossom and bloom, into the fruits of the spirit, it is God's love flowing through each of us. How are you using the power of God's glory flowing through you? Are you making the barren, blossom and bloom? What do you think Ezekiel's vision means? When you compare Genesis, Ezekiel, and Revelation, do you get a sense of the thread or river that runs through these three different books?

"Prophesying New Life" Sunday School Lesson

International Sunday School Lesson
For Week Ending March 22,2009

Purpose: To affirm hope in God's ability to bring new life into hopeless situations.

Scripture Text: Ezekiel 37:1-14(NRSV)

Ezekiel 37:1-14
(1)The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. (2)He led me all round them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. (3)He said to me, ‘Mortal, can these bones live?’ I answered, ‘O Lord God, you know.’ (4)Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. (5)Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. (6)I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.’

(7) So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. (8)I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. (9)Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.’(10)I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.

(11) Then he said to me, ‘Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.” (12)Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. (13)And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. (14)I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.’

My Thoughts by Burgess Walter

Have you ever been in a place of deep despair, maybe out of grief or health fears, or fear of poverty, or even the burden of guilt or addiction? Whatever the reason, most of of us can relate to the circumstances that Ezekiel's audience was in. They were without hope, “our hope is lost; we are cut off completely” (vs. 37:11). How often when you were in this situation did some well meaning Christian or friend say? “Cheer up, things could be worse”, and you cheered up and, sure enough, things got worse.

The nation of Israel was in a valley of dry bones. They had lost their homeland, the temple had been destroyed, and they were now strangers in a foreign land. Where was the God that brought them out of Egypt and established them as a nation? Surely God had deserted them. We can take a lesson from the situation the Israelites were in, God did not present some Pollyanna optimism, or give them a pat on the back and say chin-up. They were in deep, dark despair and they needed real hope, not a superficial platitude.

Ezekiel's vision has a couple of interesting parts. He is placed by God in a valley of dry bones, bones that are disjointed, dusty, and have been picked clean by the vultures. God asked a question. He asked Ezekiel “Can these bones live?” and Ezekiel's answer shows that Ezekiel believes “with God all things are possible”. (MATT 14:26)

Belief is the first requirement from God. The second step is they must hear and receive God's word “hear the word of the Lord.” The third part is that they must receive the breath of God or the Spirit of God. “I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.” After Ezekiel spoke, the bones began to join themselves together, but he also had to prophesy to the breath, “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.”

Just as John records “in the beginning was the Word” so with Ezekiel it required the Word. God works through words. That is why our prayer life is so important. The very breath of God had to be summoned by Ezekiel, and until they received the breath of God, they were just bones walking around.Ezekiel's vision gives them new hope; the vision breathed new hope, into those that were without hope. The vision of dry bones can be interpreted several ways, including our own resurrection at some future date.

In verse 12 & 13 all of us are given the hope of the resurrection. It is the hope of not only our own resurrection but the hope that Easter morning gives all of us. "Because I live, ye shall live also". John 14:19

We may interpret this passage, that to recover from a desperate situation, we must believe, hear what God has to say, and then receive His Spirit. How can we use this passage in dealing with those that are depressed and without hope in our everyday world? How should these verses help anyone who is hopeless? In James 2:15-16, James says, “If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace: keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what good is that?” How should that affect the way you do ministry?

"God's People Restored Again" Sunday School Lesson

International Sunday School Lesson
For Week Ending March 15, 2009

Purpose: To lead us to a fuller awareness that we are the undeserving beneficiaries of God's intention to be true to God's character

Scripture Text: Ezekiel 36:22-32 (NRSV)

Ezekiel 36:22-32
(22) Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. (23)I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord, says the LordGod, when through you I display my holiness before their eyes. (24)I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the countries, and bring you into your own land. (25)I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. (26)A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. (27)I will put my spirit within you, and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. (28)Then you shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors; and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

(29)I will save you from all your uncleannesses, and I will summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you. (30)I will make the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field abundant, so that you may never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations. (31)Then you shall remember your evil ways, and your dealings that were not good; and you shall loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominable deeds. (32)It is not for your sake that I will act, says the Lord God; let that be known to you. Be ashamed and dismayed for your ways, O house of Israel.

My Thoughts by Burgess Walter

This particular passage of scripture has some tensions and maybe even controversy. The first thing that should be noted is starting at verse 23b of this chapter, we seem to have a new editor of this passage. According to the LXX (Septuagint) the pattern and vocabulary appears to change, although 1st century copies show this passage intact. The variance could be as simple as a different translator in Alexandria where the translation took place by seventy different scholars, hence the LXX and Septuagint name, given to this translation from Hebrew to Greek.

The other two tensions have to do with the arguments of predestination and baptism. Note that in verse 25 it says “I will sprinkle clean water on you”. This verse along with Romans 10:22 (“having our hearts sprinkled and --- our bodies washed”) is used to justify sprinkling as a form of baptism by some believers, along with the practicality of sprinkling as a convenient way to replace circumcision as a means to separate Christians from non-Christians. I must say, that in most all branches of Christianity, immersion, would be the preferred way for adult baptism. But if you believe baptism to be essential to salvation then you probably sprinkle infants rather than immerse them, or you view it more like circumcision, as a testimony and covenant of Christianity.

As for the argument for predestination these verses seem to make a strong argument The writer seems to say God saved His people. In verse 26 “A new heart I will give you” then in verse 29 “I will save you from all your sin” and in verse 31 “then you shall remember your evil ways”. If we follow these scriptures it would be easy to assume salvation came before repentance, which would be in agreement with the argument for predestination, and contrary to the belief that repentance must precede salvation.

I will only make this point, however we get it, salvation comes as a gift of God's grace. Our salvation depends wholly on God's grace, and not on our good works, or our repentance. We do not repent and do good works, so that God will love us, but rather, we repent and do good works, because we love God. In Romans 5:8 Paul says, “God loved us while we were still sinners”. I believe, because of that love, God does everything to entice us to Him and to establish a relationship with Him, but also allowing for our own free will, to accept or reject His gift of salvation.

As our purpose statement says, we are the undeserving beneficiaries of God's intention. God's intention is that all “be saved” and he went to great lengths, on the cross, to make that happen, but still, some doubt, and others do not believe, nevertheless God loves them all and He loves you.

How would you convince another of your relationship with God? What was your baptism, was it by water or by spirit? As a Christian, what is your reasonable responsibility to God?

"New Leadership" Sunday School Lesson

International Sunday School Lesson
For Week Ending March 8, 2009

Purpose: To display confidence in God to provide servant leaders who will shepherd the lost, the least, and the neglected.

Scripture Text: Ezekiel 34:23-31 (NRSV)

Background: Ezekiel chapter 34

Ezekiel 34:23-31
(23) I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. (24)And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them; I, the Lord, have spoken.

(25) I will make with them a covenant of peace and banish wild animals from the land, so that they may live in the wild and sleep in the woods securely. (26)I will make them and the region around my hill a blessing; and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing. (27)The trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase. They shall be secure on their soil; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke, and save them from the hands of those who enslaved them. (28)They shall no more be plunder for the nations, nor shall the animals of the land devour them; they shall live in safety, and no one shall make them afraid. (29)I will provide for them splendid vegetation, so that they shall no more be consumed with hunger in the land, and no longer suffer the insults of the nations. (30)They shall know that I, the Lord their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, says the Lord God. (31)You are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture,* and I am your God, says the Lord God.

My Thoughts by Burgess Walter

I think the first thing you should do when studying this lesson, is read Matthew 25: 31-46. The passage in Matthew is where Jesus talks about separating the sheep and the goats and the judgment is against the goats for not caring.

In today's scripture text, Ezekiel says pretty much the same thing. It is important to read the entire 34th chapter to understand Ezekiel's message. Remember Ezekiel is a prophet and a priest. The chapter is an indictment of the Shepherds of Israel. The responsibility for Israel's plight is laid at the door of the greedy and cruel kings and priests who had exploited and led the people astray. It is against this background Ezekiel sees a vision of the Future Shepherd of God's people in the coming Messiah (see Vs. 15, 23, 24), under whom there shall be no more suffering, and “there shall be showers of blessing” (Vs. 26).

Ezekiel shows his priestly side when he refers to “a covenant of peace”. This first appeared in Numbers 25:10-13, where God tells Moses to give the blessing to Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, and also promises an everlasting priesthood.

After the kingdom of David was divided, the kings were more interested in seeing how much they could increase their own wealth, and they cared very little for the people. They were not servant leaders, as God had intended. Ezekiel sees a new leader, one that will protect, as well as feed his people, and they will be respected by the rest of the world. One could probably say that the nation of Israel today reflects Ezekiel's vision. The establishing of Israel as a nation, and their position as the most powerful nation in the Middle East, certainly looks like a fulfillment of Ezekiel's prophecy. But as Christians, we also know that the total fulfillment of this prophecy will not happen until Christ, “the prince among them” is established as the King.

The question for us is this; Who is our king? How would you stack up as a servant leader? The parable of the shepherd and the sheep could use some updating. What would your modern day parable be? The most important question is; do we find ourselves counted with the sheep or the goats from Matthew 25?