ISBN: 9780892651412 2009 Randall House Copying, distributing, or sharing this study beyond the use of the purchasing church or single campus site is a breach of ethics and illegal. It is also a breach of the license agreement to remove this statement from the study or from any customized or derivative study. To purchase this study or others like it, visit http://accessbiblestudies.com
FACES OF THE LAW INTRODUCTION Popular culture would have people believe a truth is only true if an individual makes it true. In other words, society wants us to believe we can discard truths based on fickle popular ideas or our personal changing situations. Living in the midst of such a society confuses the Christian. Thus, the message of Ephesians 4:4-6 becomes at best negotiable and at worst abandoned. Unfortunately, many Christians cannot identify worldly philosophy from Christian doctrine. Through Faces of the Law, participants will understand the stability and authority of truth. Together, these faces give the truth of Christianity substance. Out of these faces flows the true freedom of faith in God. In His great authority, God has established a law, a boundary. He is our loving divine Parent. These laws create boundaries, but that is only the beginning; The law leads to liberty. The law teaches liberty. The law is liberty. It is very important to get the word out for this study in every way possible. The following lessons titles and objectives are structured for use in church bulletins and newsletters, emails, text messages or Facebook groups. The Face of Authority: and God the Father. Group members will recognize the authorities of the law: the Word The Face of the Father s Plan: Group members should come to see faith and obedience in the authoritative Word of God results in spiritual growth and the furtherance of God s perfect plan. The Face of Freedom In and Out: Group members will discover freedom proceeds from love of God s law. Spiritual freedom involves wisdom. The Face of Freedom Up and Down: Group members will understand all people are free to live for the world or to live for Jesus. Access Downloadable Curriculum Introduction
Session One THE FACE OF AUTHORITY MATERIALS NEEDED Student handouts Bibles Pens, pencils, or markers Paper A pair of nerdy glasses, a toy sheriff s badge, a tie, a pair of showy sunglasses, and a kitchen timer LESSON OBJECTIVE Group members will recognize the authorities of the law: the Word and God the Father. They will come to understand the laws of the Old Testament prepared humanity for the new order of faith. They will see if this faith is not characterized by obedience to the law, we obviously do not really have genuine faith. CONNECT Choose one of the following options. If it will aid discussion, discuss specific persons in positions of authority. 1. Hold an election to select the most important authority figure. Have seven volunteers come to the front of the class. These are the candidates. Ask each candidate to hold up a piece of paper that identifies his or her character. (Before meeting write the names of the following authority figures on separate sheets of paper: Boss, Teacher, Police Officer, Politician, Celebrity, Religious Leader, and Parent.) Give each candidate his or her prop : a pencil, the nerdy glasses, the toy sheriff s badge, the tie, the pair of showy sunglasses, a Bible, and kitchen timer. Candidate #1: Boss pencil (instruct the student to put it behind his or her ear) Candidate #2: Teacher nerdy glasses Candidate #3: Police Officer toy sheriff s badge Candidate #4: Politician tie Candidate #5: Celebrity - showy sunglasses Candidate #6: Religious leader Bible Candidate #7: Parent kitchen timer 2. As a group, come up with a list of authority figures. You decide if you want general (politicians, religious leaders, celebrities, etc.) or specific (Barack Obama, James Dobson, Oprah Winfry, etc.) answers. As a class, decide their ranking of importance. Pass out a piece of paper and a pen or pencil to each participant. Instruct everyone to rank the importance of these figures. Discuss the results. No matter if you choose option 1 or 2, use these questions for discussion: What is your motivation for obeying these people? What might be motivations for disobeying? What is the difference between obeying God s laws and obeying people s laws? If it will aid discussion, discuss specific persons in positions of authority.
Do you know if all of your group members are Christians? Be sensitive to this issue. Ask for God s guidance and rely on His Spirit as you lead your group. For Sure Be Confident You re a Christian Abba means father in Aramaic. The Bible is so full of the revealed authority of God, you could probably open it at random and find an example of this power displayed or expounded. Segue into CONSIDER by saying: No matter the position or power of a person, God is the ultimate authority. He is the authority above all authorities. Faith depends on recognition of and submission to this authority. How does that work in our culture s anti-authority philosophy? Let s find out. CONSIDER Authority of the Father Ask group members: Why do you think people need regulations? Why do you think people then rebel against those limits? If you have parents in your group, ask: What is your perspective regarding giving your children rules to live by? How can children know parents give these rules out of love? Read Romans 8:12-21 and Romans 14:7-12, and then discuss what these verses teach about God s authority. Ask: How does viewing God as a parent impact your view of His authority? How does it affect your response to His authority? The Bible is so full of the revealed authority of God, you could probably open it at random and find an example of this power displayed or expounded. One of the most powerful examples comes in the final chapters of Job. If time permits, read aloud Job 38:1 40:2. Poor, righteous Job had spent the entire book demanding God explain Himself. All the while, Job s friends heaped verbal coals on Job s head, insisting God was punishing Job for some sin. Finally, God replied, but He did not answer Job s question. Basically, He said, It s really none of your business what I m doing. You just need to trust me. See all of this creation? I m taking care of it and I can certainly take care of you, too. Authority of the Word Read Galatians 3:24-25. When Paul spoke about the law in this Galatians passage, he referred to the laws given to Moses such as The Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments spelled out exactly what God s wished for the Israelites. All the commands of God are how we know right from wrong. Yet, no one was ever able to perfectly follow God s Law. (See James 2:10.) Yet, God satisfied His own Law through Christ, providing liberty from the judgments of the lawbreakers. Jesus perfect life fulfilled every minute detail for us. He paid the price for all of our errors. Because of this we no longer have to live a life ruled by regulation. The Schoolmaster himself came down to fulfill the requirements of the students. The result is a more intimate, lasting relationship with God. In another sense, God s Law is His complete Word, not just the Ten Commandments, but also the entire Bible. Read Psalm 119:150-168. Ask: What is the psalmist s perspective of God s law? What does the law provide? How does it benefit the psalmist? Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17. Ask: What does this passage teach us about God s law? Liberty and Authority Ask volunteers to read Romans 8:1-2; 14:13-21; 1 Corinthians 6:12; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Hebrews 12:7-11; and 1 Peter 1:6-7; 2:15-17. Ask: What can we learn about spiritual liberty and authority from these passages. What does such liberty mean about how we interact with God? What does it mean about how we interact with other people? The Christian life can be a very, very difficult life, but it is true liberty liberty from sin and death. Christian liberty is a highly misunderstood thing. Technically, being set free from sin through faith in the Son means everything is lawful for the believer. However, Christians need to use wisdom. They need to ask: Will this hurt other Christians? Would someone who
really loves God and His Word do this? Does this violate a command of Christ? Christian liberty does not mean one is completely without restraints. It does mean we are free to work with godly wisdom within the framework established by the ultimate authority. A large part of true liberty involves accountability and responsibility. When God judges us we will each be held accountable for our actions. COMMIT Ask group members: How do you form your own beliefs concerning spiritual matters? Do the changing theological opinions of society greatly affect your opinions? How important are God and His Word in the process of forming these opinions? What are some practical things you can do to become more intimate with your heavenly Father? What are various ways you can become more knowledgeable about His commands? Say: We are all children in the eyes of God. We are all under the rule of the Word of the Father. Many people will not accept this and continue to live as rebellious children. It is time we recognize His divine fatherhood and that He knows best all of the time. Our greatest need is firmly establishing our faith on Him. Our conception of right and wrong are to be based on His law, the law of the Father. Being a child of God demands we know without a doubt the truth. It is not enough to simply believe what everyone else believes. Read 1 Peter 2:2 and Hebrews 5:12-14, and then discuss how these verses can encourage and challenge the believer. Ask: Why would the law of the Father be the most powerful thing in the universe? What would be a good way to communicate this power in such an independent-minded, cynical world? How would you communicate the freedom found in such a powerful authority? Distribute copies of the handout, Learning About the Law to each student before the end of this session. Challenge them to complete it during the week and to bring it to your next meeting for discussion.
HANDOUT LEARNING ABOUT THE LAW For Sure Be Confident You re a Christian Read each Bible passage, and then write what you learn about the law. Deuteronomy 30:6, 11-16 Psalm 37:30-31 Psalm 40:8 Jeremiah 24:6-7 Jeremiah 31:33-34 Jeremiah 32:38-41 Ezekiel 11:19-20 Romans 2:29 Romans 7:5-6 Romans 13:8-10 2 Corinthians 3:2-3