Looking for Jesus Sunday School Lesson

International Sunday School Lesson
For Week Ending October 4, 2009

Purpose: To discover that when we find Jesus, he incorporates us into the community of faith.

Scripture Text: Mark 1:35-45 (NRSV)

Mark 1:35-45
(35)In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. (36)And Simon and his companions hunted for him. (37)When they found him, they said to him, ‘Everyone is searching for you.’ (38)He answered, ‘Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.’ (39)And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons

(40) A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, ‘If you choose, you can make me clean.’ (41)Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I do choose. Be made clean!’ (42)Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.(43)After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, (44)saying to him, ‘See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’ (45)But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.

My Thoughts by Burgess Walter

This passage of scripture takes place very early in Jesus’ earthly ministry. Jesus had been baptized by John the Baptizer, and had been tempted in the wilderness, called His disciples from the shores of Galilee, and spoken at the Synagogue in Capernaum on the Sabbath. After Jesus had called out an unclean spirit during His teaching at the synagogue, he and the other disciples went to Simon and Andrew's home, where Simon's mother-in-law was sick with a fever. Hearing of her illness Jesus took her hand and healed her and she was able to assume her duties as a host. There is one other important bit of information you need to know, and that is from verse 14 of this chapter, “Now after John was put in prison.”

It is important that you understand the political climate in Judea, Samaria, and Galilee. They are under Roman rule and they sat on the very fringe of the Persian Empire, which would be Rome's greatest enemy at that time. You could very well compare that part of the world with the Eastern block of nations between the U.S.S.R. And West Germany during the Cold War. The Russians were very interested in everything that went on in that part of the world. Likewise, John the Baptist had been arrested because they thought he and his followers were a threat to Roman rule, and John was singing from a different book and spoke with a boldness that brought concern to those that ruled for Rome.

Before our text, we find in the previous verses, 32-34 that after the sun had gone down, because it was the Sabbath that the whole town was at the door of Simon and Andrew's home looking for healing from health problems to demon possession. No wonder the Lord got up early in the morning and headed to the wilderness for some solace and prayer time with the Father.

Jesus was certainly aware, with the arrest of John the Baptist that anyone creating this kind of buzz was going to be a target for the Roman rulers in this area. Simon and the others were not concerned about that, but seemed more interested in being a part of this new found popularity; they were certainly looked upon in a different way, being part of the entourage of Christ. Knowing all of this, helps us understand what happens in our text.

Maybe the disciples had made promises back in Capernaum, and wanted Jesus to go back and do their bidding. Whatever the reason they were upset when they did not know where Jesus could be found. I love the statement “Everyone is searching for you”; if only we could say that today with conviction. Indeed today there are many that are searching for something that will take away the illnesses, and other health problems. There are also those that are looking for something to fill a void in there own lives and heart. People today are still looking for something to believe in, something or someone that can provide comfort and peace of mind.

As much as Jesus may have wanted to go back and help those that were searching for him in Capernaum, He knew that was not His overall mission, but He remained focused, as I am sure the Father had encouraged Him to do, in their prayer time together. Which is why we need to seek God, the Father, out in our prayer time and make sure we are focused on His mission not ours or that of well meaning friends and neighbors and maybe even family. Jesus said let's move on to other towns. The Good News of Jesus needs to go out to the highways and byways; it is not for just the home town folks.

As Jesus travels about all of Galilee He encounters a man with leprosy, and interesting conversation takes place. The leper says, “If you choose you can make me clean.” Jesus says, “I do choose. Be made clean.” Do you think Jesus could have said: “not now I am too busy”? Or" you do not have enough faith”, or “you do not have the right doctrine”? I think it is important to notice that Jesus asked him to go and get checked out by the priest, the leper needed the priest to inspect him and proclaim him clean, so he could rejoin society. He could go from an outcast to a working member of the community. I think Jesus was struck by the severity of the law as much as the disease, being a leper was a lonesome existence. Although Jesus had told the leper to say nothing, except to the priest, the exuberance of the leper being healed made it impossible for Jesus to continue to minister in that area. Fear of the Romans and knowing His mission was not completed pushed Jesus’ ministry to the wilderness, He could no longer minister in the cities.

In our world today we deal with those that have HIV/AIDS in much that same way as they dealt with Lepers in Jesus day.I remember when Magic Johnson of the LA Lakers announced he had the HIV/AID virus. The rules for basketball changed because of the fear and stigma of the disease. Jesus ministry to the Leper was an example for all of us to follow, He was willing to touch and to heal, we may not be able to heal, but we can certainly help them be a part of society.

How should the Church respond to those that have the HIV/AID virus? What precautions has your church taken to prevent the spread of the H1N1 flu? When you found Jesus did you want everybody to find Jesus? Do you think Jesus is worth searching for? Why?

Nehemiah: A Motivator for the People Sunday School Lesson

International Sunday School Lesson
For Week Ending Sept. 27, 2009

Purpose: To see that the devotion and commitment of Nehemiah helped him rally the people to work for the common good.

Scripture Text: Nehemiah 2:5, 11-20 (NRSV)

Nehemiah 2:5, 11-20
(5)Then I said to the king, ‘If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor with you, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my ancestors’ graves, so that I may rebuild it.’

(11)So I came to Jerusalem and was there for three days. (12)Then I got up during the night, I and a few men with me; I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. The only animal I took was the animal I rode. (13)I went out by night by the Valley Gate past the Dragon’s Spring and to the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that had been broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire. (14)Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and to the King’s Pool; but there was no place for the animal I was riding to continue. (15)So I went up by way of the valley by night and inspected the wall. Then I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned. (16)The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing; I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, and the rest that were to do the work.

(17)Then I said to them, ‘You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burnt. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so that we may no longer suffer disgrace.’ (18)I told them that the hand of my God had been gracious upon me, and also the words that the king had spoken to me. Then they said, ‘Let us start building!’ So they committed themselves to the common good. (19)But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they mocked and ridiculed us, saying, ‘What is this that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?’ (20)Then I replied to them, ‘The God of heaven is the one who will give us success, and we his servants are going to start building; but you have no share or claim or historic right in Jerusalem.

My Thoughts by Burgess Walter

Have you ever seen someone that has a unique ability to lead? Have you ever analyzed that person’s character and charisma to see what makes them a special leader? Nehemiah was such a leader, and we want to look at how he became such a good leader.

The first thing you should know is that Nehemiah was a “layman”; that means he did not hold any office within the religious order. Second he had earned the responsibility as Cup-bearer to the King. Third, he was a listener, if you go back to Chapter 1:1-5 it says: "The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah. In the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in Susa the capital, (2) one of my brothers, Hanani, came with certain men from Judah; and I asked them about the Jews that survived, those who had escaped the captivity, and about Jerusalem. (3)They replied, ‘The survivors there in the province who escaped captivity are in great trouble and shame; the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been destroyed by fire.’(4)When I heard these words I sat down and wept, and mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven."

We can also see from this passage that he was willing to humble himself, and willing to fast and to pray concerning the situation, all of the things we are instructed to do when seeking God's face. (See ll Chronicles 2:14).

Notice that when Nehemiah arrives in Jerusalem, he does not come in with a brash, my way or the highway, attitude, but rather he listens and watches for three days. When he goes to inspect the walls of the city, it is not with a lot of fanfare but chooses to go at night, in the quiet time. He had a quiet assurance about his mission; he had both God and the King of Persia on his side. He was not frightened by those that wanted to distract him from his mission. It is important that those that lead us are confident and have a clear vision, and are not easily swayed by outside influence. Nehemiah's other quality was his ability to convince the residents that what he purposed to do was for the common good of everyone. Sometimes we are hesitant to accept new ideas even when we know it would be better for the community.

Just a short history lesson; In the Hebrew writings the Book of Ezra and Nehemiah are one book, and they are relatively close in time to the Book of Esther. Esther became Queen in 476 BC, Ezra went to Jerusalem in 458 BC, and Nehemiah went in 445 BC, so all three books cover a 31 year period. If you notice in verse 6 of Chapter 2 there is the quote (6) the king said to me (the queen also was sitting beside him), ‘How long will you be gone, and when will you return? There is no other explanation for this statement except that it was Queen Esther. Some have said that the Kings names do not match, but you should know that they are not names but titles. Artaxerxes is a title that simply means "The Great King"; Ahasuerus is a title meaning "The Venerable Father."

Nehemiah was a great “laymen” and he was a great leader, more importantly he was a great believer in God's promise to His people. He realized that it was important for God's overall mission that Jerusalem be restored, he became aware of the need and God called him to go and fix the problem. There maybe problems that need fixed in your community or church, God may be calling you to be a leader like Nehemiah. “See the need and do the deed.” Listen, fast, pray, and learn to lead, allowing God to work through you. The great promise we have is “God is with us” Emmanuel.

Ezra: A Priest for the People Sunday School Lesson

International Sunday School Lesson
For Week Ending Sept. 20, 2009

Purpose: To acknowledge that God may require us to make radical changes in our lives when we have strayed from God’s ways.

Scripture Text: Ezra 9:5-11, 15 (NRSV)

Ezra 9:5-11, 15
(5)At the evening sacrifice I got up from my fasting, with my garments and my mantle torn, and fell on my knees, spread out my hands to the Lord my God, (6) and said, ‘O my God, I am too ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens. (7) From the days of our ancestors to this day we have been deep in guilt, and for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been handed over to the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, and to utter shame, as is now the case. (8) But now for a brief moment favor has been shown by the Lord our God, who has left us a remnant, and given us a stake in his holy place, in order that he may brighten our eyes and grant us a little sustenance in our slavery. (9) For we are slaves; yet our God has not forsaken us in our slavery, but has extended to us his steadfast love before the kings of Persia, to give us new life to set up the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judea and Jerusalem.

(10) ‘And now, our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken your commandments, (11) which you commanded by your servants the prophets, saying, “The land that you are entering to possess is a land unclean with the pollutions of the peoples of the lands, with their abominations. They have filled it from end to end with their uncleanness. (15) O Lord, God of Israel, you are just, but we have escaped as a remnant, as is now the case. Here we are before you in our guilt, though no one can face you because of this.’

My Thoughts by Burgess Walter

It is often hard for us to admit we might be both sinners and in need of God’s help; Ezra asked for personal forgiveness as well as forgiveness for the entire remnant of Jews that still existed in his world.

I think there is merit in talking about the circumstances that created this revelation for Ezra. He had been worshiping God, and also fasting, it should not surprise us when God speaks to us when we have prepared ourselves to have communion with Him. Ezra did it through the evening sacrifice and fasting. As many of us do it at a time of Holy Communion, we have prepared ourselves by confessing our sins, both individual and corporate, and if we add fasting to that experience we too can have that sweet communion with God that Ezra experienced.

Ezra went one step further, he tore his garments as well as his mantle, and fell on his knees, repentant and humbled, knowing he not deserve God’s grace or forgiveness. When was the last time you opened up to God and confessed you had not been an obedient servant, or corporately you had not been an obedient church? When was the last time you humbled yourself enough to apologize, or make amends for wrongs you may have committed? Remember in the story of Zaccheus after Christ forgave his sins he went about and made restitution (sometimes with a severe penalty as required by the law of Moses) for all of the shady deals he had done as a tax collector. And when Christ forgave the women for adultery, He said, “go and sin no more”.

I think one of the things that the purification of the “remnant” achieved is by the time of Christ almost all of the idol worship that had taken place earlier in Israel’s history, with the great kings of Israel up through the captivity, was finally going to be extinguished, and by the time of Christ it was not idol worship that was the problem. Rather it was the adultery of the law, and the corruption of the established leadership of the Jewish religion that Christ attacked. We do not have a lot of instances where idol worship was attacked by Christ, we do have several occasions where the Jewish hierarchy was criticized and condemned by Christ.

It would be hard for us today to condone what Ezra promoted in the three verses left out of our lesson. I would suggest you read verse 12, 13 and 14 and think about what Ezra was asking the remnant to do.

Many bible scholars and historians believe that those three verses are what caused the writing of The Book of Ruth to take place. Although by historical setting the Book of Ruth took place hundreds of years before the Book of Ezra, it is thought the story was added after the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. And was to counteract what Ezra was teaching concerning the disposal and abandonment of those other than Jews, in a marriage or family relationship.

One reason they say that, is because it seems to try and explain the traditions of Ruth and Boaz’s time. (i.e. 4:6-9). The story of Ruth is all about a Moabite widow and a gracious Jew, Boaz, which took her in and produced the linage of not only King David but also of Christ. It presents for us the very essence of God’s grace and redemption.

How do you feel about Ezra’s suggested handling of mixed marriages? Are you more comfortable with the story of Ruth and a mixed marriage? Do you think communal sin needs to be confessed as well as individual sin?

"Gideon: A deliverer for the People" Sunday School Lesson

International Sunday School Lesson
For Week Ending September 13, 2009

Purpose: To show that we can serve God even when we do not have all our questions about God's ways answered

Scripture Text: Judges 6:1-3, 7-14 (NRSV)

Judges 6:1-3, 7-14
(1)The Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord gave them into the hand of Midian for seven years. (2)The hand of Midian prevailed over Israel; and because of Midian the Israelites provided for themselves hiding-places in the mountains, caves and strongholds. (3)For whenever the Israelites put in seed, the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the east would come up against them.

(7) When the Israelites cried to the Lord on account of the Midianites,(8)the Lord sent a prophet to the Israelites; and he said to them, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I led you up from Egypt, and brought you out of the house of slavery; (9)and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you, and gave you their land; (10)and I said to you, “I am the Lord your God; you shall not pay reverence to the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.” But you have not given heed to my voice.’

(11) Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the oak at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, as his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press, to hide it from the Midianites. (12)The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, ‘The Lord is with you, you mighty warrior.’ (13)Gideon answered him, ‘But sir, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our ancestors recounted to us, saying, “Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?” But now the Lord has cast us off, and given us into the hand of Midian.’ (14)Then the Lord turned to him and said, ‘Go in this might of yours and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian; I hereby commission you.’

My Thoughts by Burgess Walter

There are several reasons why I have always loved the story of Gideon; one is because I am a Gideon. The Gideon’s International is a group of Christian business and professional men that have elected to put bibles where the people are. As a result they have seen more people all over the world come to a relationship with Christ,

The other reason I love the Gideon story is because it gives everyone hope. Gideon was not a great follower of Yahweh, or the Jehovah God. In fact his father worshiped Baal and had even erected an altar to Baal on his farm. Gideon did not have any religious training or upbringing; he was simply tired of hiding and being chased by the Midianites and the Amalekites. Gideon had heard the old stories of how God had brought this group of people out of slavery in Egypt, but now it seemed that God had deserted them. The truth is they had deserted God, and started to worship the Gods of the land that God had given them. There was more instant pleasure in serving the fertility gods of Canaan, than obeying the laws that they had received from God and Moses.

Who are these people that are harassing God's chosen people? The Midianites descended from Abraham and Ketarah's (Sara's handmaiden) son Ishmael, who was the father of Midian, they would be the Arabians of today. The Amakekites descended from Esau, Jacobs’s twin that sold his birthright for a bowl of stew. All three families can trace their heritage back to Abraham.

The key verse from God's point of view is verse 10, the Israelites had not been faithful to God and they preferred to worship the gods of the Amorites. The key verse for Gideon is verse 13, when he speaks to God and shares his concerns, “if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us?” How many times have you ask that same thing of God? Since up to this point Gideon did not have any relationship with God, this was a genuine question that he thought needed answering. God's response is interesting, “Go and change it, if you don't like it” (my paraphrase). Then God gives Gideon a commission, not the great commission, he saved that for us. But the command is pretty much the same; don't like seeing the poor abused? Do something. Don't like seeing people go hungry? Do something. Don't like your life? Do something. It appears we have the ability, with God's blessing, to change those things that we would like to see changed.

About 100 years ago two Christians end up in the same hotel room, and decide every hotel room should have a bible. They did not whine and complain, instead they did something. Now bibles are in hotel rooms and other places all over the world. The story of Gideon highlights the fact that anyone can respond to God, you don't have to be a great theologian, preacher, missionary or evangelist, just see the need and do the deed.

During the depths of the great depression, Harry Emerson Fosdick, pastor of Riverside Church in Manhattan wrote the words to “God of Grace and God of Glory”