"Joshua: A Leader for the People" Sunday School Lesson

International Sunday School Lesson
For Week Ending September 5, 2009

Purpose: To recognize that God's strength and courage are important promises for leaders who have big shoes to fill.

Scripture Text: Joshua 1:1-11, 16-17 (NRSV)

Joshua 1:1-11, 16-17
(1)After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying, (2)‘My servant Moses is dead. Now proceed to cross the Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the Israelites. (3)Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, as I promised to Moses. (4)From the wilderness and the Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, to the Great Sea in the west shall be your territory. (5)No one shall be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. (6)Be strong and courageous; for you shall put this people in possession of the land that I swore to their ancestors to give them. (7)Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to act in accordance with all the law that my servant Moses commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you may be successful wherever you go. (8)This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall be successful. (9)I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.’

(10) Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, (11)‘Pass through the camp, and command the people: “Prepare your provisions; for in three days you are to cross over the Jordan, to go in to take possession of the land that the Lord your God gives you to possess.” ’

(16) They answered Joshua: ‘All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. (17)Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you, as he was with Moses!

My Thoughts by Burgess Walter

How tough is it to follow someone in a leadership role? Comparisons are constantly being made, “we never did it like that before.” are called the seven most deadly words for a church or organization.

For over forty years Moses had been the leader of this congregation of complainers, and disgruntled followers. Because of decisions made by Moses he was denied the opportunity to lead this congregation into the “promised land.” God had a new leader in mind, and God was going to make sure that He gave Joshua every opportunity to succeed, where Moses had in fact, failed.

Joshua was well qualified to assume the role of leader, he, along with Caleb was one of the twelve spies sent out that came back with a positive report, that they could in fact conquer the present inhabitants of “the promised land.”

We first hear of Joshua when Moses chooses him to lead the battle against Amalek at Rephidim (Exodus 17:9), shortly after that he was chosen as one of the tribal leaders sent to spy out the land of Canaan. (Numbers 13:17) His father's name was Nun and he was from the tribe of Ephraim and he was about 80 years old when he was chosen by God and informed by Moses of his new role within the congregation. (Numbers 27:18)

As our text unfolds God reassures Joshua of the support that God is going to give Joshua. In verses 5,6 and 7 God proclaims and then reassures Joshua that God will both guide and protect and fulfill the promise that was made first to Abraham, then Isaac and Jacob and lastly to Moses. The guidance that God gives to Joshua seems rather simple, do not deviate, remember the law, be strong and courageous and “I will be with you wherever you go.”

The scariest moment for Joshua may have been in verse 17 when the leaders report back to Joshua, that they will be as loyal to him as they were to Moses. I am certain Joshua was thinking, “I could do without that kind of loyalty.” This congregation did not have the best record for obedience; they were a constant irritant to Moses as he tried to lead them from Egypt to Canaan.

Joshua was very successful in conquering the land that God had promised, and his statement “but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15) is one of the most powerful statements uttered in the Old Testament. It is that kind of commitment that God expects and wants from all of those that have a leadership role. It remains good advice for all that have a place of responsibility within families, government or churches. Do you welcome change? Or do you resist change?

What qualities do you expect from your leaders today? The hymn writer Katherine von Schlegel says:
"Be still, my soul: the Lord is on your side,
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to your God to order and provide;
In every change God faithful will remain"

"God Call's for Decision"-Sunday School Lesson

International Sunday School Lesson
For Week Ending August 30, 2009

Purpose: To realign our lives with God's purposes by opening ourselves to God's transforming work in us.

Scripture Text: Deuteronomy 30:1-10 (NRSV)

Deuteronomy 30:1-10
(1)When all these things have happened to you, the blessings and the curses that I have set before you, if you call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God has driven you, (2)and return to the Lord your God, and you and your children obey him with all your heart and with all your soul, just as I am commanding you today,(3)then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you, gathering you again from all the peoples among whom the Lord your God has scattered you. (4)Even if you are exiled to the ends of the world, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there he will bring you back. (5)The Lord your God will bring you into the land that your ancestors possessed, and you will possess it; he will make you more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors.

(6) Moreover, the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, in order that you may live. (7)The Lord your God will put all these curses on your enemies and on the adversaries who took advantage of you. (8)Then you shall again obey the Lord, observing all his commandments that I am commanding you today, (9)and the Lord your God will make you abundantly prosperous in all your undertakings, in the fruit of your body, in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your soil. For the Lord will again take delight in prospering you, just as he delighted in prospering your ancestors, (10)when you obey the Lord your God by observing his commandments and decrees that are written in this book of the law, because you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

My Thoughts by Burgess Walter

This week's text is a very important text for us to understand and appreciate, even more so if you include the last verse of the previous chapter 29:29, which says “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the revealed things belong to us and to our children for ever, to observe all the words of this law.” There are things we do not know about God, but those things that He has revealed to us belong to us and we are expected to be obedient to what has been revealed.

Our text seems to assume,Israel was going to fail, and it did. It also makes clear that there is a way to overcome that failure and to be restored. I think the latter is still taking place today. The nation of Israel is stronger today than it has ever been, and those that have come back to the land God had promised, have come from every corner of the globe.

Because of the next few verses (6-20) this portion of God's word has been a major influence though out Christianity. The “circumcision of the heart” was Wesley's way of calling for a filling of the “Holy Spirit”, or (a sanctified life) within each of us. When we allow ourselves to have a heart that God has circumcised or removed that which we do not need, then our lives can become the testimony that God had originally planned for His special people; the ones that were called to circumcise their young men as a sign to the world that they belonged to God. Circumcision of the heart is a repeat of last week's lesson on the “Great Commandment,” “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” Notice that in verses 7-10, this becomes a commandment, with both a promise and a curse. If the children of Israel remained true to God and kept this commandment they would prosper, and their enemies would be cursed, however they too would face God's curse if they were disobedient to God's commands.

The rest of this chapter addresses another theological question, “The Complaint of Inability.” In church history this teaching is called “antinomianism” (against the law) which says that saving faith is of such a nature as to remove the obligation of obedience to God's law. The reply of Moses leaves no doubt about the matter. Moses said, (v-11) “Surely, this commandment that I am commanding you today is not too hard for you, nor is it too far away.” When you include verse 29 from the previous chapter and verse 11 to our printed text, you can realize that some things are kept from us, but following His commandments is not one of them. God has been very clear with us and He expects us to follow His commandments and to allow our heart to be circumcised, and filled with His love and presence, and to remove ourselves from the sin and distractions of this world.

What do I need to remove from my life, to be more fully devoted to His will? Are you willing to accept the transformation God wants to work in you? We can walk closer to God; our goal should be to be more like God and less like our old selves. Which do you choose today, blessing or curse?

God Calls for Obedience- Sunday School Lesson

International Sunday School Lesson
For Week Ending August 23, 2009

Purpose: To respond wholeheartedly to God's covenant love by faithfully obeying God's law and teaching it to others.

Scripture Text: Deuteronomy 6:1-9, 20-24 (NRSV)

Deuteronomy 6:1-9, 20-24
(1)Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the ordinances—that the Lord your God charged me to teach you to observe in the land that you are about to cross into and occupy, (2) so that you and your children and your children’s children may fear the Lord your God all the days of your life, and keep all his decrees and his commandments that I am commanding you, so that your days may be long. (3)Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe them diligently, so that it may go well with you, and so that you may multiply greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has promised you.

(4) Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. (5)You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. (6)Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. (7)Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. (8)Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, (9)and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

(20) When your children ask you in time to come, ‘What is the meaning of the decrees and the statutes and the ordinances that the Lord our God has commanded you?’ (21) Then you shall say to your children, ‘We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. (22)The Lord displayed before our eyes great and awesome signs and wonders against Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his household. (23)He brought us out from there in order to bring us in, to give us the land that he promised on oath to our ancestors. (24)Then the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our lasting good, so as to keep us alive, as is now the case.

My Thoughts by Burgess Walter

I would like to begin by talking briefly about the “Purpose” statement. The point that should be made is: (1) The response God desires from us is faithful obedience, and (2) we must pass the Christian way of life on to others.

Our text for this lesson includes what the Jew's call “The Shema”. Shema is the Hebrew word for “hear”, which is the initial word of the commandment found in verses 4 & 5. We have come to know this passage as the “Great Commandment” referred to by Jesus in Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30, and Luke 10:27.

The nation of Israel was called as a nation to a life of total commitment, but, if you study the words “you” and “your” found in the commandment, you will find they are singular, in other words, this commandment was addressed to each member of the community. Each of us is called to respond to God's command. Martin Luther once wrote, “Everyone must do his own believing just as everyone must do his own dying.” The three words at the end “heart”, “soul” and “might” imply a “whole-being” with a total devotion to the Lord. The “love” that God speaks of is not an emotion, but rather an action. In the context of a covenant, love is shown by faithful obedience to God's revealed will.

I think it is worth noting the order of our intentional review and remembrance found in verses 7-9. The first priority is the instruction of our children. Devotion to God begins in the home. Then we are to establish visible reminders, and then to personal responsibility and behavior. The doorpost would represent our home and the gates would represent our work or business life, or where we meet the community.

Verse 20-24 offers a hypothetical question that children will ask, and the proper response that should come from the parents. The liberation of Israel from Egypt was not an end to itself, but rather a means to the achievement of God's plan for the salvation of the nations. John F. Kennedy said, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” Without gratitude, a vital relationship with God is reduced to religious obligation, a life lived under those conditions can end in bitterness and cynicism. God wants grateful followers not obligated followers, if we have been transformed by God's kindness, “In that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” Our responsibility to live grateful lives means we do not live for ourselves, but for others. This community of people that God was trying to teach and train was for the rest of the world to see the one true God and Him alone.

Is your relationship with God rooted in obligation, or does it flow out of gratitude? What sort of person do I need to become in order to live a life of faithful obedience?

Moses Disobeys Sunday School Lesson

International Sunday School Lesson
For Week Ending August 16, 2009

Purpose: To warn us how sin and disobedience can block or delay the abundant life God offers to us.

Scripture Text: Numbers 20:1-13 (NRSV)

Numbers 20:1-13
1)The Israelites, the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. Miriam died there, and was buried there.

(2)Now there was no water for the congregation; so they gathered together against Moses and against Aaron.(3)The people quarreled with Moses and said, ‘Would that we had died when our kindred died before the Lord! (4)Why have you brought the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die here? (5)Why have you brought us up out of Egypt, to bring us to this wretched place? It is no place for grain, or figs, or vines, or pomegranates; and there is no water to drink.’ (6)Then Moses and Aaron went away from the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting; they fell on their faces, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. (7)The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: (8)Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and your brother Aaron, and command the rock before their eyes to yield its water. Thus you shall bring water out of the rock for them; thus you shall provide drink for the congregation and their livestock.

(9) So Moses took the staff from before the Lord, as he had commanded him. (10)Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, ‘Listen, you rebels, shall we bring water for you out of this rock?’ (11)Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff; water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their livestock drank. (12)But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you did not trust in me, to show my holiness before the eyes of the Israelites, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.’ (13)These are the waters of Meribah, where the people of Israel quarreled with the Lord, and by which he showed his holiness.

My Thoughts by Burgess Walter

I don't know about you, but I have often attempted to assemble Christmas toys or tools or even electronic equipment without reading or following the instructions. I recently bought a new washing machine. I did not want to wait for the delivery so I took it home and hooked it up myself, knowing, since I had sold washing machines years ago while working at Sears, I knew how to hook up a simple washing machine. To my surprise during the first load the machine started to bounce, and jump around and took off across the floor like a runaway Rota tiller. Then, with my wife's encouragement, I read the instructions, and sure enough there was a special packing device that I had failed to remove. I confess my stupidity to make a point, obeying instructions is very important.

Our text starts with a very sad note, Moses and Aaron's sister Miriam had died. Since it was probably Miriam that had helped save Moses when he was left in the bulrushes, it was no doubt a sad time for Moses and Aaron, as well as the entire congregation. However, there seemed to be an even greater problem, there was no water for the livestock or for the people and they were starting to panic. As was normal the congregation started to blame Moses and Aaron for the dilemma. Why do we always recall the good things about the “good old days”? We forget or don't want to remember the hard times and struggles we went through. Sometimes I feel the reason we have so many repeat visitors in our penal system is because there is a certain amount of security in being in prison; we have a bed, a roof, and three square meals a day (three squares and a cot).

The children of Israel were in the same boat, why did they have to come this far to die, this desert could not grow anything, and there was no water, they were certainly better off as slaves in Egypt, than free in this desolate place. The action that Moses and Aaron take is what you would expect from a dedicated servant and follower of all the Lord had taught them. They were obedient and humble and sought God's counsel. God responded with very precise instructions, but unfortunately, like me, they did not follow the instructions exactly like God had given them and they added a few remarks of their own. Verse 8 gives God's instructions, verses 9-11 describes Moses actions. Notice the difference, God said “command the rock”, Moses makes at least three mistakes, first, he judges the congregation, by calling them rebels. Second, he strikes the rock twice with his staff. Third, he takes all the credit, “shall we bring water for you out of this rock”.

Moses disobedience left God in a very perilous situation. God had for more than a year tried to teach both the children of Israel and the rest of civilization, about himself, and His ability to provide and protect His chosen people. Now, His chosen leader had failed to be obedient. He had judged God's chosen people as “rebels”, which only God can judge. He struck, instead of spoke, and he failed to make sure the people understood it was God that would cause the water to pour out of the rock, and not Moses or Aaron. How was all of this going to bring honor and glory to a loving and faithful God? Why do you think God was so harsh with Moses? Did Moses deserve to be disqualified from entering the Canaan rest? How do you relate this story to the third and fourth chapter of Hebrews?

People Rebel Sunday School Lesson

International Sunday School Lesson
For Week Ending August 9, 2009

Purpose: To explore how dissatisfaction and complaint lead to rebellion and disobedience.

Scripture Text: Numbers 14:1-12 (NRSV)

Numbers 14:1-12
(1)Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. (2)And all the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron; the whole congregation said to them, ‘Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! (3)Why is the Lord bringing us into this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become booty; would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?’ (4)So they said to one another, ‘Let us choose a captain, and go back to Egypt.’ (5) Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the Israelites. (6)And Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes (7)and said to all the congregation of the Israelites, ‘The land that we went through as spies is an exceedingly good land.

(8)If the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. (9)Only, do not rebel against the Lord; and do not fear the people of the land, for they are no more than bread for us; their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.’ (10)But the whole congregation threatened to stone them. Then the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the Israelites. (11)And the Lord said to Moses, ‘How long will this people despise me? And how long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them? (12)I will strike them with pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.’

My Thoughts by Burgess Walter

I would like to give you a little time line for today's text. It was about two month’s time from Egypt to Sinai, an additional nine months ten days were spent at Sinai receiving the law and instructions. Once the Israelites broke camp and headed to Kadesh-Barnea the travel time was about two months. So from Egypt to Kadesh-Barnea was a total of one year one month and ten days. That brings us to Numbers 10:11. Last week’s lesson and this lesson both take place in the Wilderness of Paran. God had promised the Children of Israel a new home, one with milk and honey, now they were in a position to claim it, but first they wanted to spy out the land. They selected a tribesman from each tribe and sent them ahead to spy out the area. The majority of the spies came back with a confirmation that indeed the land was full of milk and honey as God had said, but it was also full of fortified cities and armies and even giants, so the majorities' advise was to not go into the land God had promised. That is where today's text begins.

How strong is your faith and how much do you trust God to do what he has promised? This was the same group that had witnessed God's plaques/signs against Egypt, experienced the Passover, walked on dry ground through the sea, and received God's law at Mount Sinai. In addition they had seen the cloud by day and pillar of fire by night, they received manna, thousands of doves and more meat than they could eat. In 13:27 they acknowledged that indeed the land flowed with milk and honey just as God said. This leads us to think if we only believe the good part (God is love, and He loves us) but don't have enough faith to claim what God has promised, where does that place us in the relationship?

Last week we talked about “cheap grace”, God's grace deserves our response, I agree the concept of grace may have not been understood by the children of Israel, but then it becomes about trust. Could they trust God? The children of Israel did not trust God, and they made it very plain as they began the chorus of “if only”. The “noise in the system” as a former UF football coach put it, reached a crescendo when they directly questioned God's motives in verse 3. It should be pointed out that God did not ask this group of people to be perfect, He had established within the law the means for forgiveness if they messed up. What God wanted was faithful obedience, which He considered a reasonable response, which included repentance and forgiveness. Israel's future was secure as long as they were in relationship with the Lord. God had promised to do all the fighting, if they would respond to His love/grace by just showing up and being His select group. “I will be your God, and you will be my people”.

It appears from God's remarks to Moses, that He was willing to abandon His original idea and establish a new covenant with Moses that would be Moses’ descendants not necessarily Abraham’s, Isaac’s and Jacob's. This shows us that God's work will get done whether by us or others that God chooses. How great to have a Joshua and a Caleb in your camp, they were ready and willing to move forward and collect the prize that God had promised. After God heard Moses prayer he was willing to forgive the people, but, also to pronounce judgment. All of those except Joshua and Caleb would not see the Promised Land, including Moses and Aaron. And God adds a stinger at the end, saying in verse 31 “But your little ones whom you said would be victims I will bring in”. That is the grace of God at work, willful disobedience and rebellion against God has consequences.

It is interesting that two out of the twelve spies seemed to have an understanding of God and a relationship with Him. Today there are over 113,000,000 men over the age of 15 in America, only 1 out of 18 are involved in an active relationship with Jesus Christ. In our lesson 1/6th had an active relationship with God; today it is 1/18th or 3 times worse than those in our text.

In what ways are we like Israel? What obstacles hinder us from living as part of the people of God? What fears do we have about trusting God?