Spiritual Spring Cleaning

Note: This lesson was actually delivered back in May, but I was absent from services that day. The speaker sent me his notes a while ago, and I'm finally getting this one up.

Whenever the months of April and May roll around, we start looking at ways we can do some spring cleaning. When do we take the time, however, to spring clean our spirits? While you’re cleaning out closets, sweeping under the furniture, think about this – spring cleaning, while certainly worth the effort, is temporary, but spiritual cleaning could have an eternal influence. Don’t only dust behind those book shelves, then. Dust off those spiritual goals, and get ready for a spiritual spring cleaning.

Steps to a Cleaner Spirit

Step 1 – Cleanse Our Hearts

The Bible encourages us to draw close to God & allow our hearts & bodies to be cleansed. This is the 1st step in our spring cleaning project. Psalm 51:10 calls on God to clean our hearts and renew our spirits, and Hebrews 10:22 encourages us to draw near to God, with hearts and bodies cleansed of guilt. We can’t clean ourselves. Instead we must draw near to God & ask him to do the cleansing.

Step 2 – Clean Out Our Mouths

I have had to work on my mouth editing since my days on the radio – not so much with coarse language – but with long years of untactful speech. Spiritual cleansing requires deep cleaning – it is housekeeping that goes beyond what others see and hear. It’s a cleansing from within – inside & out. As our hearts gets clean, our language should follow.

This is not only talking about our language, but also about negative conversations and pessimistic thoughts that can contradict the Word of God. This includes challenging ourselves to stop complaining, and this starts with our attitude. Luke 6:45 reads that we produce whatever is stored in our hearts, and Philippians 2:14 exhorts us to do everything without complaining or arguing. That can be tall order, but we can do it if we fix our attitudes.

Step 3 – Renew Our Minds

One of the biggest challenges in this spiritual cleaning is removing the garbage of this world. We must feed our minds & spirits the Word of God instead of the garbage of this world. Romans 12:2 discourages us from conforming to the world. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our mind. II Corinthians 10:5 calls on us to make every though we have obedient to Christ.

Step 4 – Repent from Hidden Sin

Hidden sin will destroy our life and your peace. The Bible encourages us to confess our sins, and, when our spiritual closets are clean, the heaviness from hidden sin will lift.

Remember Psalm 32:3-5:

When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day & night our hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you & did not cover up my iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the LORD – and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

Step 5 – Release Grudges & Bitterness

When we refuse forgiveness, when we bear bitterness and grudges, it is like old baggage in the attic you just can’t seem to part with. We are so familiar with it, we don’t even realize how it is hindering our life. Hebrews 12:1 reminds us to cast aside anything weighing us down, and Ephesians 4:31-32 calls on us to rid ourselves of all bitterness, instead being as forgiving as our Savior.

Step 6 – Involve Jesus In Our daily Lives

What God wants from us most is a relationship – friendship. He wants to be involved in every moment our lives. Through him, we can experience a continual refreshing of our spirits. According to I Corinthians 1:9 – God is the one who invited us into this wonderful friendship with his Son Jesus, and Psalm 56:13 assures us we can walk in God’s presence, trusting Him to keep us from falling.

Step 7 – Enjoy the Journey

Some of us take life to seriously, or we take ourselves too seriously. Jesus want us to enjoy ourselves, and learn to have some fun. God made us for his pleasure. In Psalm 28:7 we see the psalmist leaping for joy and singing praises to His God. He can have the same effect on us.

Conclusion

Cleaning ourselves spiritually begins and ends with our attitude. If our attitudes are strong, then we will be able to commit ourselves to the preparation and work involved in the process. We can choose now whether or not we will continue living in our pasts of sin and regret or push forward to a better future in Christ. Like Paul, we can put our pasts behind us and reach for the upward calling of Jesus’ grace. We just have to take a moment and clean ourselves spiritually. If we even have one day to live, there is good work we can do. We just have to continue pressing forward.

lesson by Mike Mahoney

Seeing Our Reflection

Lately, we’ve been revisiting the Old Testament in our Bible classes, and we understand that, while we are no longer bound to that law, studying the triumphs and failings of God’s people can benefit our own spiritual growth. As Paul writes in Romans 15:4:

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

I want to take some time in this lesson to look at a few individuals from the Old and New Testaments. What will we see in them? Will we see characters to judge and condemn, or will we see reflections of ourselves – the same faults, the same misplaced priorities, the same desires, the same misdirection, and the same stumbles we all share? If we can see ourselves in them, then we will be able to see our reflections in one another and handle the sins in our lives and others all the better.

Seeing Ourselves in Them

We know the figures of King Saul, King David, and the Apostle Peter pretty well. We’ve studied their lives time and again, and I don’t think this lesson is going to shed any new light on these individuals. I want us, however, to be self-reflective as we take a look at specific events from each of these lives.

• King Saul (I Samuel 13:5-12). Scared of the impending doom he perceives and anxiously impatient for Samuel’s arrival, Saul takes it upon himself to make an offering to the Lord. The problem is that it is not his place to do so, and he acts outside the authority of God’s word.
• King David (II Samuel 11:3-5). David sees a woman bathing and desires her. He goes to great lengths to have her and to greater lengths to cover his sin, resorting to lies and murder to prevent the knowledge of his indiscretion from spreading.
• Peter the Apostle (Matthew 14:22-33). Peter walks on water to reach Jesus, but his faith falters. He begins to sink, and Jesus must pull him up, chastising him for a lack of faith.

What do we see with these individuals? Do we only see the rebukes and the consequences their actions inspire? Do we only focus on their failings? Do we sit back and judge, patting ourselves on our back that we are not as bad as them? Do we just see Saul as an impatient egomaniac; David as a womanizer; Bathsheba as immodest; Peter as faithless? It’s very easy to look at these people as mere character whom we can academically dissect and discuss while failing to see our own reflection in them. Can we not see that you and I are no different today? Should we not be learning about ourselves as we are learning about them?

When we examine Saul’s action in I Samuel 13, we can see our own fears and insecurities in him. How often do we want God to work on our own timeline? How often do we feel when need to do His work for Him? After all, Christians are fond of quoting Benjamin Franklin: “God helps those who help themselves.” With David, it’s easy to throw blame all over the place in those events, but do we not see our own struggles with lust and desire in him? Are we not as guilty of increasing our own sins to cover our own faults? Finally, in the case Peter, we all have our moments when our faith meets its limits and falters. At least in Peter’s case, he turns to the right source for salvation. At times, I am Saul. I am David. I am Peter, and so are we all.

Forgiving Others

If we can empathize with these distant historical figures, it should be all the easier to be compassionate and forgiving toward our fellow man. Jesus’ ministry is filled with moments of kindness, compassion, and forgiveness – especially toward individuals with whom we might have a hard time relating – activists, tax collectors, prostitutes. The Hebrew writer gives us some insight into this empathy in Hebrews 4:15-16:

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Jesus can empathize with our struggles and shortcomings, and we should be able to do the same with our fellow man. Just like we often say we should be quick to hear and slow to speak, we should be quick to care and slow to judge others’ sin. After all, if we look closely enough at their problems, we might just see a reflection of our own.

Forgiving Ourselves

If we can forgive David, Peter, and Saul their failings, we should be able to more easily forgive our own. If we are quick to criticize and condemn those we see in the Bible, what will we do when we see our own reflection in them? If we are too harsh on them, will we be too harsh on ourselves? II Corinthians 7:10 warns of falling too deeply into regret over our sins.

If we want to beat down individuals like David, Peter, and Saul for their faults; if we want to beat down others around us for their faults, how will we handle it when we fall into the same traps? Will we be like David and try to conceal our sins, regardless of the cost? Will we beat ourselves down for these failings? Instead, we should be helping each other up, turning to each other for that help, and ultimately allowing our Lord to lift us up when we begin to sink into the despair of sin.

Conclusion

The Bible story is one of redemption and reconciliation, and time and again we see that anyone, regardless of their pasts and their faults, can take advantage of God’s grace. Saul could have turned back to the Lord instead of sinking deeper and deeper into bitterness. David and Peter do ultimately grow. My mind keeps coming back to the imagery of Peter sinking beneath the waves; he knows who to appeal for salvation. There are many lost and wandering in the world, sinking in sin, and we can be that rescuing hand if we can look upon them with the love and compassion demonstrated in our Lord. Conversely, we will need that mercy at times. We will need a brother or sister pull us up, and we have to be able to forgive ourselves when that happens.

It all starts with what we see when we look into God’s word. If we can see ourselves reflected in the people within, with all their faith and all their faults, then we can better forgive others and ourselves for their faults. We all have David moments. We all have Saul moments. We all have Peter moments. The measure of our spirituality comes when see those moments in ourselves and others. We can look into that flawed reflection and see a soul that Christ loves and for which He was willing to sacrifice Himself. We can see the value of our own souls and those of others, and, in so doing, we can see the need for our Savior in our own lives and theirs. What will you do with others when you see them sinking in sin? What will you do when you need rescuing? It depends on what you see when you look into the mirrors in God’s word and those all around us.

lesson by Robert Smelser

The Choice of Sin

C.S. Lewis, a widely cited Christian writer, once said, “It does not matter how small the sins are provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing. Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick.” He observes that all sin moves us further and further from God. Sometimes we take a Calvinistic or fatalistic approach to sin, leading us to tolerate sin we feel we are fated to do. We see it as an unavoidable product of human nature. Rather than seeing sin as unavoidable, we should see it as rebellion, a violation of God’s word, inexcusable by our circumstances.

Sin’s Nature

Sin is purposeful rebellion. Genesis chapters 2-3 illustrate the first recorded sin when Adam and Eve turn from God’s expectations and partake of the Tree of Knowledge. When Eve repeats God’s warning in chapter 3:2-3, it is clear she knows exactly what God expects, yet she goes on and makes a rebellious choice. In Genesis 9, God tells Noah and his descendants to multiply and disperse, but those descendants prefer the opposite in Genesis 11:4. They do not want to scatter. King Saul, in I Samuel 15:9, directly violates God’s commands of verses 1-3 . Each of these examples know precisely what God expects in their lives, but they consciously and purposefully do the opposite. They rebel.

Also, no matter the intentions, sin violates God’s word. Leviticus 10 records the sinful offering of Nadab and Abihu. In II Samuel 6:6-7, Uzzah perishes for the sin of laying his hand on the Ark of the Covenant, despite is good intentions to steady it on its cart. Saul, in Acts 8:3 and 9:1 as well as his account of himself in Acts 26:9, persecutes Christians with pure motivations. Sin is sin regardless of intentions, for it violates God’s law.

Finally, circumstances do not excuse our sins. I Corinthians 15:33 warn us about those with whom we associate, bout the circumstances in which we place ourselves. Job does not allow himself to sin because of his wife’s prodding or his friends’ discouragement. Adam cannot not blame Eve any more than Eve can blame the serpent for her choice. Saul, again in I Samuel 15, tries to justify his actions by blaming others. Then he tries to justify his actions by his intentions. He ignores and denies the problem through rationalizations and excuses.

Turning Away Again and Again

When I sin, it is my choice. I am not fated to sin. I am not born to sin. Our God is just and upright. He does not condemn us. We condemn ourselves. In Judges 10:6, God again gives Israel over to their sins and idolatry, and they again cry out to him. In this instance, God’s response is slightly different than before. He reminds His people how He has saved them time and again, and He makes it clear they have chosen that path one too many times. He tells them to cry out to their idols and to those they have turned to before. God finally delivers them when they choose to submit themselves to them and they put away those sins they had previously allowed.

We are too like these individuals in the book of Judges. We return to the well of sin too many times and them call out to God when our choices get us into trouble time and again. In Judges 6:16, we see a God hurt and saddened over the separation between Him and His people, and He does eventually deliver them when they truly repeat. We have to look at our own lives and our own choices, our seeking for answers away from God. Are we like these children of Israel, turning to God only when things get tough?

Conclusion

My sin is my own, and answers do not come from our violation of God’s will. David, in Psalms 32, writes of the pain in his life when he would hide his sin from himself and from God. In verse 5, however, he writes of his repentance and God’s forgiveness. David counts forgiveness as a joy. When we truly repent and turn from sin as the rebellion it is – regardless of circumstances or intentions – our God will forgive us and draw us toward Him again.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Are We Having Fun Yet?

There are times in this life when sorrow rolls over us and peace is far away. There are times when our sin is ever before us. The phrase, “Are we having fun yet?” is a sarcastic remark that permeates pop culture. Usually, when we ask this question, we are feeling the exact opposite. “Are we having fun yet?” may have, in fact, made a good title to some of the chapters in the book of Ecclesiastes. Many of the issues we find in the wisdom literature still exist today.

Solomon recognizes times of trouble, times of sin, times of conflict. He sees much around him that is without endurance and without foundation. He sees that we live in a broken world where bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people. We see twisting of justice. We see a lack of fairness. It is not life itself that is unprofitable or vanity. Rather, vanity comes from living to the world’s standards of success and happiness. Successful jobs, praise from others, material possessions, pushing boundaries – none of these things fulfill man’s purpose nor provide enduring contentment.

Seeking the Next Fix
We grow dull and desensitized to those things that give us joy and excitement. Solomon begins looking for pleasure in chapter 2, but that is not enough. He then moves on to building great works – houses, gardens, parks, pools, etc. Verse 7 then transitions to material possessions. He has servants, flocks, silver and gold. It begins with him seeking pleasure, and he moves on time and again to the next fix. By verses 10-12, Solomon indulges in any and every joy he sees – whether wise or foolish.

By chapter 2:17-20, all of this brings him despair and dissatisfaction. He seeks pleasure in this life, regardless of the source. Hebrews 11:24-25, in the context of Moses’ life, speaks of the pleasures of sin, yet the writer calls these pleasures seasonal. They are temporary and transient. Moses recognizes this and chooses God. While we acknowledge the ability of sin to deliver pleasure and satisfaction, but what long-term gains come from it. Romans 6:20 calls sin freedom from righteousness, but verse 21 asks what the point it, though, when the end of that freedom is destruction.

Discovering True Contentment
Can respect, honor, dignity, and love come from living in sin? Paul says no – shame and death come from sin. Are we having fun yet, while we continue to distance ourselves from God? Returning to Ecclesiastes 2, however, Solomon sees hope. In verses 22-24, he sees that one can enjoy life in this broken world while acknowledging God and keeping Him in perspective. Chapter 5:18 reinforces this idea of enjoying our possessions and labors in gratitude to God. Chapter 8:12 reminds us that those who do good will do well before God. He concludes in chapter 12 by admonishing us all to remember our Creator and to live our lives for Him.

Solomon recognizes that striving after fulfillment in this life ultimately results in vanity. No matter how we try to ignore it or run from it, we know eternity awaits us. Many aspects of life lose meaning without God. Without Him, all these pleasures and achievements are mere distractions that will leave voids needing to be filled again and again. Are we having fun yet? Perhaps that is the wrong question altogether. Paul asks of the fruits of sin, but he offers hope in Romans 6:22-23. We are free from sin in Christ’s sacrifice, and he concludes where Solomon concludes: serve God. We can enjoy the things of this life, but we have meaning and contentment when we acknowledge the temporary nature of this world. In serving God and obeying Him, we can enjoy life and find peace in a broken world.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Our Need for Atonement

What concept of sin, separation, and salvation do the patriarchs under the old covenant have? Psalm 32:1 begins with blessings for those whose sins are forgiven by God, and David acknowledges the sorrow associated with separation from God. Also, Psalm 38:1 opens with a plea for mercy from judgment, the consequences of the sins he confesses in verse 15. Psalm 51:1 begins again with a plea for mercy, asking the psalmists’ transgressions be blotted and cleansed. He asks for purification by God in verse 7. These psalms demonstrate an understanding of sin, separation, and forgiveness that we sometimes don’t attribute to those who lived under the Old Testament.

Today is the Day of Atonement on the Jewish calendar – Yom Kippur. In the Old Testament, the Day of Atonement is a monumental occasion, the day when the high priest enters the holiest place, when the scapegoat is released, a day of fasting. Would they forget what necessitated atonement? Do we likewise emphasize the death of Christ while forgetting what put Him on that cross?

If it is only the death of Christ on which we should focus, the New Testament writers might have demonstrated less reserve in describing that death. They are not concerned with portraying agony for agony’s sake. They do not concern themselves with theatrical or dramatic portrayals of the cross. The significance is not only in what happened but also why. The reason for Christ’s death is sin – yours and mine. How we view our sins affects how we view the cross just as those in the Old Testament had to appreciate their need for atonement to appreciate the meaning behind the Day of Atonement.

The Seriousness of Sin
We often define sin as, “missing the mark,” and that does not sound so severe. Missing a mark can be close, and we have little problem with being close. However, God sees sin as a condemnable act, and we should take it so seriously. Multiple times in Ezekiel 18, the prophet proclaims that the soul who sins stands condemned to death. Luke 13:1 accounts a discussions where the Pharisees are talking about the consequences of others’ sins, but Jesus rebukes them for not taking their own sins seriously. In John 8:24, Jesus warns that sin brings death without His intervention.

Sin is a terminal disease, but we have a tendency to trivialize it and tolerate it. We feel guilt, but we learn to shrug that guilt away. SIn corrupts character, creates barriers between men, causes crime and abuse. When we define sin as simply missing a mark, we miss a true appreciation of the seriousness of sin. It is rebellion against God, and, if we participate in it, Isaiah 59:1-2 warns it creates a separation between ourselves and our God.

The Greatness of Salvation
If we view sin as the serious offense it is, then we can truly appreciate the greatness of God’s salvation. Salvation is more than a good disposition or a general mindset. Romans 3:23 warns that all have sinned, and Peter writes that God wants all to repent from the sin that separates man. We have problems reconciling God’s love the idea of punishment, but in Matthew 25:30, in the context of a parable, Jesus speaks of an outer darkness. Verses 41 and 46 talk of eternal fire and punishment. Mark 9:43 records Jesus preaching of the desperate measures we should be willing to take in avoiding condemnation.

Salvation delivers us from terrible consequences, and it is not something to view casually. In Hebrews 5:9 calls Jesus high priest to all who obey Him. How then should we feel about our atonement? How should we feel about the cross?

• Romans 6:23 makes it clear that sin causes death, and our Savior died on that cross to pay that debt.
• II Peter 2:22 and II Corinthians 5:21 emphasize Jesus’ lack of sin. He died because of sin, but He did not die for His own.
• II Corinthians 5:21 makes it clear Jesus was made sin on our behalf.

In Isaiah 53, the prophet writes of how the suffering servant bears my sin, my sorrows, my transgressions, my iniquities. He takes on my punishment. His stripes heal me. The consequence of sin is death, but Jesus did not die for His own sins. Instead His sacrifice took my place.

Conclusion
Jesus’ death is more than an act of martyrdom. It is a sanctification that allows us to drive sin and its consequences from our lives. Romans 6:1-2 warns us against assuming God’s grace. Rather we should die to that sin for which Jesus died. Jesus took our grief and transgressions. In response, we must purge sin from our lives, looking at sin the way God does. We can remember our Lord, repent, and turn toward a Lord who has brought us a great salvation from the consequences of sin.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Biblical Appeals

In Ecclesiastes 3:11, the author observes that God makes everything beautiful in its time, setting eternity in the heart of man. The latter part of the verse explains that God has given us a sense of something greater in our hearts, some recognition that we owe our existence to One greater than us. Our compulsive drive to understand the forces behind the world around us results from our creation after the image of He who set these forces in motion. We come to a better understanding of God and ourselves when we study from God’s word.

Wanting God in our lives without having his word in our lives is like being a lawyer that does not study law, like an engineer that knows nothing of physics. To know Him requires interaction with His word. Too often, our Bibles collect dust on days between worship services, and we are inundated with the concept that God’s word is out of date. We believe it no longer applies to us. How could something written two thousand years ago still appeal to mankind? The Bible does, and it appeals to man on an intellectual basis, on a philosophical basis, and a spiritual basis.

Rational Appeal

• The Bible teaches us to learn from the actions of others. I Corinthians 10:1 begins a passage that opens with a reminder of things happening to those in the Old Testament, and Paul states those events happened so we may have an example. We learn from those who have come before us. Israel’s interactions with God teaches about the nature of God, His justice, His mercy, and His expectations.
• The Bible teaches what we want is not what we need. In I Samuel 8, the people call for a king, and God gives them a king impressive to the people. The second king, a boy called David, defies expectations, but God, in I Samuel 16:7, tells Samuel to look beyond David’s appearance. God see the heart. The king the people expect and want is not the king they need.
• The Bible teaches that nothing escapes God’s notice. In Genesis 47, Jacob looks back on the deceptions filling his life, and he recognizes that he has received as he had given. Back in Genesis 42, Joseph’s brothers recognize their guilt over their brother’s disappearance – years after the event. They see they are reaping the consequences of their actions.

Philosophical Appeal

• The Bible appeals to the pursuit of logic and wisdom. It is full of practical wisdom that can guide our lives. Proverbs 15:1, for example, encourages us to answer anger with softness. Proverbs 14:29 esteems one slow to anger. Proverbs 27:15 tells of the dangers of nagging. Proverbs 2:1 talks about seeking after wisdom and the importance of one generation passing wisdom on to the next. The Proverb writer is saying that listening to our elders and seeking wisdom leads to a better life.
• The Bible speaks to counsels relationships. Many wonder why the Song of Solomon is included in the Bible, but in chapter 2:7, the beloved advises her friends to be careful about rushing into relationships. This is repeated in chapter 3:5. Even after she is married to Solomon, she again entreats her friends to seek love only when the person and the time is right. It is a message we would do well to apply in our own relationships
• The Bible addresses pain. On the nature of pain and suffering, we have the book of Job. One frustrating aspect, though, is that Job never receives and answer. What he does learn is that we are not defined by what we have. Luke 12:15 records Jesus saying that life does not consist of things. Instead, Jesus teaches, and Job learns, that sustenance is found in God.

Spiritual Appeal

• Sin separates. Genesis 3 demonstrates the separation between man and God resulting from sin. We see the promises later made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Old Testament tells a story of the fulfillment of God’s promises, leading to a Messiah brought to this world. John 1 describes this Messiah as God in flesh. Without studying His word, we remain unaware of God’s unending nature. The problem of sin remains the same, as Isaiah describes in Isaiah 59:2 and Paul describes in Romans 3:23.
• God’s love remains the same. Isaiah 55:6 calls on God’s people to repent of their sins and return to God. The prophet reassures them He will forgive. We would have a hard time forgiving someone who has wronged us as much as His people wronged Him, but verses 8-9 explain that God’s nature and His love make such forgiveness possible. No matter how many times we let God down, if we turn away and repent, God is willing to forgive. His love has not wavered.
• God’s word is urgent. It can be tempting to be like Agrippa and procrastinate God until another time. However, In Psalm 95:6-9, David appeals to God’s people to respond to Him today. In Hebrews 3:7, 3:15, and 4:7, this same plea is repeated. We never know what the next moment will bring, so the time to respond to His word is always the same: now.

Conclusion

II Peter 1:2-3 speaks of God’s divine power to give us all things pertaining to life and godliness. To fully appreciate the wisdom contained in God’s word, we have to study. For the Bible to be applicable to our lives, we must apply it. We may have eternity in our hearts, but, to spend eternity with God, we must know His word, His plan, and His expectations.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Certain Unalienable Rights

The preamble of the United States Declaration of Independence contains one of the most famous phrases in modern political philosophy:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

By calling these rights unalienable, the authors of the Declaration – primarily Thomas Jefferson – are saying these are rights inherit in the nature of our species. They are not contingent upon any societal codes, customs, or beliefs. This concept of natural rights is largely derived from, though not exclusive to, the political philosophies of John Locke who, in Two Treatises of Government, writes: "no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions." In the Declaration, the concept of personal property as a right is changed to the pursuit of happiness – Jefferson knowing well that the fledgling government might have to seize property in upcoming battles.

Using the concept of deity to stir the masses, Jefferson (whose beliefs excluded any notion of a God that would intervene in human affairs) writes that these rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are given by our Creator, and it’s so ingrained into our cultural doctrine that it is assumed to be true, but I want to take some time in this lesson to examine what the scriptures have to say regarding our rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Certain Unalienable Rights

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The Right to Life
There is a lot of discussion around the concept of one’s right to life and what that expression means, but, historically, our nation’s leaders have applied it to the preservation of one’s own life at all costs – that our lives our completely and wholly our own. In Matthew 16:24, however, Jesus encourages us to take up our crosses to follow Him – that is to put self and self-interest to death. He goes on to warn that those who are unwilling to make that sacrifice jeopardize their own souls. In fact, Paul says we are purchased by God in Ephesians 1:13-14. We are no longer our own. God holds all rights of ownership over us. Reinforcing that point, Galatians 2:20 has Paul saying he has given himself up, and now Christ lives in him.

Coming to God on His terms involves sacrificing self, giving up that unalienable right of self, and turning our lives over to Him. Our lives are then no longer a right, but they become an opportunity to share God’s grace with others. We give up self-interest to put God and others before ourselves. We no longer look at our lives as our right, as our own possessions to do with as we will. We count our lives as loss so may may lay hold of the eternal life spoken of in I Timothy 6:12.

The Right to Liberty
The Christians of the First Century lived under very oppressive conditions, but the New Testament writers seldom address these conditions. In I Timothy 6:1-2, Paul instructs Christian bondservants (read: slaves) to honor their masters. He even goes on to describe conduct if a Christian owns another Christian. Romans 13:1-7 encourages Christians to submit to their government and pay their taxes, and remember this in the context of Roman rule – a dictatorship with oppressive tax codes and wicked leaders. Even those who would be undergoing persecution in Revelation 3:10 are encouraged to simply endure.

The liberty of the Bible has nothing to do with equal representation, freedom of speech, or taxation. God is concerned with our spiritual liberty. Romans 6:6 calls us slaves to sin without the redeeming blood of Jesus, but verse 7 says those who have died with Christ – that is, submitted to baptism in Him – have been freed from the bondage of sin. Sin and death rule over us no more than over our Messiah, and we obtain this liberty, not through revolution or protests, but by looking into and following the perfect law of liberty according to James 1:25. II Corinthians 3:17 simply states that, where the Lord is, there is liberty. Our spiritual liberty is not a right. Rather it is a gift we obtain through God’s mercy.

The Pursuit of Happiness
When we seek the joys of this life, we are seeking the temporary. We are seeking that which will pass away. I John 2:15-17 warns us against loving the things of this world, and Matthew 6:19 advises against laying up treasures here on this world. Verse 24 states we cannot serve God and our riches simultaneously, and Jesus goes on in the next several verses to say we should let go of the worries surrounding our earthly possessions. While I do believe God allows us to be happy in this life, He does not promise happiness, nor does He encourage us to seek worldly happiness. After all, such endeavors did not get Solomon very far.

After living life to its fullest, the wise ruler of Israel concludes, in Ecclesiastes 12:13, that true fulfillment is found in submitting to God. Returning to the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says to seek God’s kingdom first, before all other pursuits in Matthew 6:33, and He calls on us to place our hopes and our hearts in heaven back in verses 20-21. In Colossians 3:1-3, Paul says we have died to the things of this world. We should then be seeking things above.

Conclusion
As hard as it might be for us to hear, God does not guarantee our lives, our liberties, or our happiness as rights in this world. These things are not self-evident, but what is self-evident is that we have a Savior who died on the cross so we may have something better than this life has to offer. With our eyes on that cross, we count this life as loss so we may have eternal life with our Father. We seek liberty from sin, obtainable regardless of the state of our personal liberties. We forsake pursuing the things of this world so we may pursue things above. In this, we gain more than any worldly government can provide according to Philippians 3:20-21. We become citizens of God’s heavenly kingdom, conformed in His perfect image.

lesson by Robert Smelser

Observing the Cross

In our service, are we participants or spectators? We don’t typically say, “We saw a good service this morning?” We can understand and apply the lessons of the Bible if we actively engage in our service, but in this lesson, we’re going to look at some individuals who did not engage with Jesus. They merely spectated.

Matthew 27:35-36 records some who, in the midst of the crucifixion, sat down, cast lots for Jesus’ garments, and simply watched Him. We read of the crowds surrounding the crucifixion, the leaders involved in the trial and accusations, the women gathering around the cross, the scattering apostles, and the soldiers attacking Jesus. What do these people see in Jesus? What do we see?

What Did They See?

What do the soldiers see? Matthew 27:27-31 describes some of the cruelties Jesus endured prior to His execution. What do those soldiers see during these indignities? They see a spectacle they enjoyed. These cruelties were not unique to Jesus. To them, He is just another prisoner, and they took joy in their job. They care nothing for Jesus’ identity, His claims, or the charges surrounding Him. They are merely caught up in their jobs.

What do the religious and governmental leaders see? We know Jesus had some supporters among the leaders, but even those often held their peace, for the majority of their peers are set against the Christ. Most of those religious and political leaders see victory in Jesus’ death. They continuously plotted His death while He was teaching and preaching, seeing Jesus as a threat to their positions and their way of life.

What do the criminals see? One sees a miscarriage of justice while one sees a figure to mock. In Luke 23:39, one figure hanging on the crosses joins in the jeers against Him. He takes up the chant persisted by the crowds. “Save yourself.” In contrast, the other recognizes that they will die alongside Him – them deserving, Him undeserving. This second thief started out mocking Jesus, but, while they are on those crosses, this thief sees Christ as something different.

What do the apostles see? Matthew 26:55 tells how the disciples flee. Some observe from a distance. Some hide behind locked doors. What do they see? They see their hopes crumble. In Luke 24:18, we see how despondent two of Jesus’ disciples are in their conversation. For them, their work for the past three years has become pointless. All of their work is for nothing.

What do the women see? Matthew 27:55 describes those women who had received kindness from Jesus, and they, in turn, had shown hospitality to Him. They had helped feed Him and His disciples, giving them room and board. When Jesus dies, these women see the death of a friend.

What do We See?

What do we see in the death of Jesus? Do we focus on the violence? Do we see it as an excuse for racial hatred – showing no interest in emulating Christ but rather feeding a grudge? Do we simply see an interesting point of Roman history? Do we see a mere man who dies for His principles? What do we see when we are faced with Jesus and the cross?

• We should see the wickedness of man. Acts 2:22-23 describes how hatred and sin put Jesus on the cross, and our animosity, rebellion, and sin did just as much to crucify Him as those shouting, “Crucify Him!”
• We should see the inadequacy of the Old Law. Hebrews 10:1-4 describes the impossibility of animal sacrifices truly atoning for sin. It took a perfect sacrifice to fulfill the requirements of sin.
• We should see the seriousness of sin. Isaiah 59:1-2 describes the separation sin creates between us and God. It creates a rift the took Jesus’ sacrifice to bridge.
• We should see the majesty of God’s justice. Romans 3:23 describes that all fall short of God’s glory, but the point comes in verses 24-26, showing that God through Christ justifies us in mercy. He pays the penalty for sin.
• We should see the extent of God’s love. John 3:16, I John 4:8-10, Romans 5:10 – these verses and more describe the love God has in His sacrifice for us and the love that should be reflected in our lives.
• We should see the trauma of conversion. In Romans 6:6, Paul describes our life-changing conversion as a crucifixion. We put our sinful self to death the same way Christ was put to death. We should see more than in Christ’s death than an act that occurred to someone else.

Those baptized to Christ are baptized into His death, being raised to walk in newness of life. When we look at the cross, we should see the dedication and commitment it takes to be a follower of Christ. It is more than a name we wear on Sundays. It is more than a label. It is a transformation to a new being, set apart and sanctified by the sacrifice of Jesus on that cross.

lesson by Tim Smelser

The Bondage of Sin

In John 8, Jesus proclaims His deity multiple times, and in the midst of His declaring that He is the I AM, he calls on his audience to accept the truth that will make them free. In response, those around respond that they have never been in bondage as sons of Abraham. This is a confounding answer, for their forefathers had indeed been in captivity under the Egyptians, under Assyrians, and under the Babylonians. In this lesson, we’re going to look at these times of bondage for Israel and what we can learn from these periods of history.

God’s People in Bondage
In Exodus 6, God tells Moses to go to Egypt and redeem the Israelites. God says they will become His people, and He will be their God. Deuteronomy 7:17, some forty years after the Exodus commences, Moses calls upon the people to remember their deliverance from Egypt by God’s outstretched arm. In Deuteronomy 2:29 and 11:2, Moses again calls upon them to remember God’s power in His deliverance.

Generations pass. The period of the judges comes and goes. The monarchy is established, and the kingdom divides between northern and southern kingdoms. Hosea 8:13 records God saying the people of the north would return to Egypt. He does not mean literal Egypt, but they would return to the dangers of captivity. In Hosea 11:5, the prophet reveals Assyria to be the new captors. Contemporary to Hosea, to Amos 4:1 begins describing the terrors of this captivity, God giving them over to a people cruel and merciless because they have forsaken Him.

Amos 2 foreshadows another captivity. Verse 4 speaks of the transgressions of the southern kingdom of Judah, and Amos anticipates the bondage under Babylon. During the life of Jeremiah, the temple would be destroyed, the city burned, and the majority of the population carried away. The kingdom of Judah would never completely recover from the damages caused by Babylon.

Captivity Under Sin
What can these stories of bondage and captivity mean for us as New Testament Christians? After converting the sorcerer Simon, Paul in Acts 8:22-23 accuses him of being in bondage to sin. Discussing his inner conflict in Romans 7:14, Paul describes himself sold as a slave to sin, and Romans 6:6 and 16-17 speaks of sin in terms of slavery as does Galatians 5:1. Sin is spiritual captivity. Living in such a state puts us in the same situation as those Israelites being carried off to Assyria by fishhooks.

Longing for Slavery
In Numbers 11:4, the people of Israel remember their days in Egypt fondly. They long for the relative luxuries they had when they were in bondage to Pharaoh. They view their captivity as a form of good old days. Also, in Numbers 14, as the spies return from Canaan, the congregation of Israel weep against Moses, wishing they had died in Egypt or in the wilderness. They even plan to return to Egypt. As terrible as their bondage was, when times were difficult, they sought to return.

Likewise, at the end of the Babylonian captivity, some were content to stay in the land of their conquerors. We shake our heads in disbelief at their resistance to God’s redemption while we do the very same thing. The bondage of sin can look very attractive at times, and we can turn back to sin as the Israelites wished to return to Egypt. We must understand the wretchedness of bondage to sin. I John 1:8 warns us against taking sin lightly, and Romans 6:23 spells out the consequences of sin. Like Israel should have come out of captivity, never looking back, we should come out of sin to never return.

God stretches out His arm to redeem us and pull us from slavery. We can accept that saving grace to live free from the chains of sin.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Compromising with Sin

In Exodus chapter 8, over the progression of the course of the plagues God delivers to Egypt, Pharaoh tries to compromise with Moses. Instead of allowing the people of Israel to leave and worship God, Egypt’s ruler tries to change the terms. In Exodus 8:25, Pharaoh tries to get them to stay in the land while worshiping, but Moses rebuts this compromise. In verse 28, Pharaoh tries a different tack – go and worship, but not three days journey. Exodus 10:10-11, Pharaoh commands Moses to take only the men and leave the women and children behind. Finally, in Exodus 11:24, the terms are to take the people but leave their flocks and herds behind. In like manner, Satan tries to compromise with us.

The Devil's Compromises
“Stay in the land.” The devil tells us to give God lip-service, to worship God but remaining in the world. He entreats us to never separate ourselves from the world, but Jesus, in Matthew 15, warns that our hearts and actions should agree. We not only give God our service. We give Him our hearts. We cannot worship God wile compromising with the world.

“Don’t go far.” Satan tells us to be Christians, but keep it shallow. Obey some things. Do some good, but don’t be a fanatic. In Matthew 22:37, Jesus calls upon to love God wholly and completely. This is not a call for meeting God halfway. This is a call to dedicate ourselves entirely to Him.

“Don’t Take Your Families.” The devil encourages us to keep our faith to ourselves. Don’t try to impact others, but Matthew 5:13 records Jesus telling His followers that they are the salt of the land, a light to the world. He calls upon them to let their light shines so others can see the faith they profess. Jesus expects us to influence others.

“Divide Your Loyalties.” Satan calls us to allow worldly concerns to pull us away from God, but Jesus calls us to lay up treasures in Heaven in Matthew 6:24-33. We cannot serve God and our earthly treasures, so we should seek God first, trusting in Him and finding refuge in Him alone.

Conclusion
Pharaoh wanted to control Israel through comprise, but there is no compromise with God’s edicts. The same is still true. Satan wants us to make compromises and control us through those trade-offs. If we value our spiritual heritage, we will resist him at every turn, showing him that God’s will not bend to his deceptions.

lesson by Tim Smelser