Vol. XCIX No. 1 Senior High Bible Teacher WINTER QUARTER December 2017, January, February 2018 The Weeks Ahead... 2 Editorial... 3 Faith in Action UNIT I: Faith in Christ Dec. 3 Faith in Jesus Acts 3:11-21... 5 Dec. 10 Faith to Discern Acts 13:1-12... 11 Dec. 17 Faith to Persevere Acts 14:8-11, 19-23... 17 Dec. 24 Faithful Seekers of the King (Christmas) Matt. 2:1-12... 23 Dec. 31 Faith to Unite Eph. 4:1-16... 29 UNIT II: A Living Faith in God Jan. 7 A Sincere Faith Dan. 1:8-21... 35 Jan. 14 A Bold Faith Dan. 3:19-28... 41 Jan. 21 A Prayer for an Obedient Faith Dan. 9:4-8, 15-19... 47 Jan. 28 A Strong Faith Dan. 10:10-19... 53 UNIT III: Godly Faith Feb. 4 Faith Without Works Is Dead Jas. 2:14-26... 59 Feb. 11 A Disciplined Faith Jas. 3:1-12... 65 Feb. 18 Faithful Disciples Acts 9:36-43... 70 Feb. 25 The Good Fight of Faith I Tim. 6:11-21... 75 Paragraphs on Places and People... 80 Editor in Chief: Todd Williams Writer: J. A. Littler Edited and published quarterly by THE INCORPORATED TRUSTEES OF THE GOSPEL WORKER SOCIETY UNION GOSPEL PRESS DIVISION Rev. W. B. Musselman, Founder Price: $2.15 per quarter* $8.60 per year* *shipping and handling extra ISBN 978-1-59843-535-1 Lessons based on International Sunday School Lessons; the International Bible Lessons for Christian Teaching, copyright 2014 by the Committee on the Uniform Series and used with permission. Edited and published quarterly by The Incorporated Trustees of the Gospel Worker Society, Union Gospel Press Division, 2000 Brookpark Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44109-5812. Mailing address: P.O. Box 6059, Cleveland, Ohio 44101-1059. www.uniongospelpress.com
The Weeks Ahead This winter quarter of study takes us to a variety of passages about faith in action. The topic of faith will be examined in scrupulous detail, and your students will encounter excellent examples of faithful servants of God. Such lessons are especially crucial considering that senior high students are in a continual battle against false ideas that come from all sides. Whether it is the school curriculum, the television set, or the dinner table, a variety of sources are communicating ideas to your students. They are likely struggling to understand which ideas are worth accepting. Keep this reality in mind as you present these lessons on faith. It could be that you are one of the few people in their lives communicating the truth of God and how His servants in Scripture lived their lives for Him. Explain to your class that a life of faith and humble servitude to Jesus was not simply meant to be lived thousands of years ago; it is a necessity for people today. These important lessons in faith begin with the first unit, titled Faith in Christ. Here we examine the faith of the early apostles in lessons 1 through 3. The first of these lessons shows Peter declaring the gospel to Jewish people in Jerusalem. Lesson 2 helps us learn how to more effectively understand the importance of Jesus in messages we hear through Paul s confrontation with Bar-jesus, the false prophet. Lesson 3 focuses on the ministry of Paul and Barnabas as they encouraged early Christians to maintain their faith in God in light of troubles and tribulations. The fourth lesson of our study is the celebration of Christmas. The faith of the Magi is in view here, as they traversed miles upon miles to see the young King Jesus. Lesson 5 ends the first unit by exploring Paul s words to the church at Ephesus, in which the apostle called for a genuine faith that centers around the essential truths of Jesus Christ. The second unit examines what it means to have a living faith in God. Lesson 6 begins a short series in the book of Daniel, starting with Daniel s faith in rejecting the unclean food of Babylon. The seventh lesson features the testimony of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Daniel s friends who boldly refused to worship anyone except the one true God. Lesson 8 highlights Daniel s obedient faith as he cried out to the Lord to secure a peaceful deliverance for His people Israel. The second unit ends with the Lord s answer to Daniel s prayers. The third unit explains what it means to have a godly faith, beginning with the tenth lesson s emphasis on genuine faith that is evidenced by works of righteousness. This lesson from James s epistle is followed by another one from James, admonishing believers to exercise the faith necessary to discipline their tongues. The twelfth lesson returns to Acts and features faithful disciples witnessing a miracle through the Apostle Peter. Finally, our study on a life of faith ends with the Apostle Paul s first letter to Timothy, in which he exhorted his young protégé to fight the good fight of faith (6:12). 2 PLEASE NOTE: Fundamental, sound doctrine is the objective of the Incorporated Trustees of the Gospel Worker Society, Union Gospel Press Division. The writers are prayerfully selected for their Bible knowledge and yieldedness to the Spirit of Truth, each writing in his own style as enlightened by the Holy Spirit. At best we know in part only. They received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so (Acts 17:11).
EDITORIAL As some believers approach the subject of faith, they can find it somewhat confusing. Society seems to have many definitions for the word faith, and the way the word is used is not always consistent with Scripture s overall use of the term. For example, you may have heard faith attached to a particular religious designation, as the Christian faith or the Islamic faith. This essentially refers to the idea that any religion is based on belief in something, so the word is used to categorize various world religions. Faith is also used as a way to encourage optimism or trust, as in the phrases have a little faith in me or just have faith in this plan. You may have also heard faith used to describe loyalty, as in a good faith effort or keeping faith with someone. The aforementioned uses are fairly straightforward and easily understood. Confusion occurs, however, when faith is used to communicate false ideas. When sharing the gospel with a friend, neighbor, family member, or stranger, you may have heard a response much like, You have your faith, and I have mine. So why is there anything to talk about? Such an objection essentially means that someone would rather allow mutually exclusive ideas to go unresolved than to discuss the important issues at hand. In other words, instead of talking through the realities of Jesus, sin, redemption, and eternity, the person would rather just discuss other, less controversial things with the believer in Faith in Context Christ. It is sad to encounter someone who refuses to even discuss the weighty matters of Scripture, but by the grace of God, Scripture might one day pierce the darkness of that person s heart to show the dangers of unresolved spiritual matters. Scripture presents its own definition of faith, as we shall see shortly. A refusal to conform to that definition bears eternal consequences. Another misleading idea that employs the term faith is seen in the axiom All faiths lead to God. Here, the word is used much as a substitute for the word religion. The assumption is that all kinds of religions across the world worship the same being and that it is inaccurate and even rude to assert that only one kind of belief system has the right answer for knowing God. At its foundation, this idea is simply a way to justify the existence of contradictory ideas while avoiding the inner conflict and conviction brought by an examination of one s need for forgiveness of sin. Certainly, it is naive to assume that when the Bible proclaims, He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life (I John 5:12), it somehow leaves room for someone else to declare Allah as the only true God or for another to worship a whole pantheon of gods. Another use of the word faith comes in the following statement: It doesn t matter what you have faith in. All that matters is that you just have a lot of faith in something. This means that the strength of your faith is more Senior High Bible Teacher 3
important than the object of your faith. In other words, all that matters is that you believe in something very strongly that you are committed to something, regardless of what it is. As we shall see in this quarter s study, God s Word has much to say regarding faith, and it has an answer for each of the above ideas. First, consider the attitude of simply having one s own faith and leaving mutually exclusive ideas unresolved. Jesus declared, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (John 14:6). This is a very exclusive statement. To simply leave such a statement unresolved or to treat it as irrelevant is to ignore some eternally significant consequences. Bible-based faith demands exclusive dedication and submission to Jesus Christ. Second, consider the concept that emphasizes a person s intensity of faith over the object of faith. Again, Jesus declaration that He is the exclusive way to the Father overrides this idea. Moreover, Scripture gives a unique example in the Old Testament that proves such a notion to be false. In a well-known passage, we see Elijah, a prophet of the Lord, in a contest with the prophets of Baal. It was agreed that whoever s god answered by igniting a sacrifice on an altar would be acknowledged as the true God. The prophets of Baal were the first to call on their deity, and their zeal was intense indeed: And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made (I Kings 18:26). Scripture goes on to describe the prophets of Baal cutting themselves and Elijah mocking them for their fruitless efforts. After hours upon hours of calling to Baal, they finally gave up. 4 When it was Elijah s turn, he called for water to be poured over the altar so that no one would credit even an unlikely natural spark as the reason for a fire. He cried unto the Lord: Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench (I Kings 18:37-38). No hours-long zealous cries were necessary. Only a humble yet firm faith in the Lord God was necessary to elicit God s response, revealing that He alone is the one true God. What is true for a prophet s sacrifice is also true for a sinner s salvation. Only faith alone in Christ alone will bring salvation. Romans 10:9 says, If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Third, consider the assertion that all religions actually worship the same God. Perhaps the most obvious refutation of this idea is that the Old Testament shows the Lord punishing Israelites who worshipped any other deities (cf. Exod. 32; II Kings 17:6-20). In addition, Jesus again declared Himself to be the only one who truly brings salvation and forgiveness of sin: I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly (John 10:9-10). In Scripture, the topic of faith is indeed an important one. It is a challenge to consider the necessity of faith in Jesus alone and what it means to live out that faith throughout one s life, but the rewards for exploring and applying this truth are great.
LESSON 1 DECEMBER 3, 2017 Scripture Lesson Text ACTS 3:11 And as the lame man which was healed held Pe ter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Sol o-mon s, greatly wondering. 12 And when Pe ter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Is ra-el, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? 13 The God of A bra-ham, and of I saac, and of Ja cob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Je sus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pi late, when he was determined to let him go. 14 But ye denied the Ho ly One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; 15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. 16 And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. 17 And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. 18 But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. 19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; 20 And he shall send Je sus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. NOTES Senior High Bible Teacher 5
TIME: A.D. 30 Faith in Jesus Lesson: Acts 3:11-21 Read: Acts 3:1-26 PLACE: Jerusalem GOLDEN TEXT Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord (Acts 3:19). Studying the Text The book of Acts is the Bible s account of the apostles ministry following Jesus earthly ministry. Acts begins directly after the Gospels and opens with Jesus leaving His disciples as He ascended to heaven. They wanted to know more about His plans for the future, but the Lord told them to wait and commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence (1:4-5). Even though Jesus was leaving them, He would not leave them alone. The Holy Spirit would empower them and guide them, giving them every kind of spiritual competency needed to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. That divine power from the Lord was crucial for the apostles, for it is evident that the Holy Spirit was speaking through them to convict the hearts of a Jewish audience. Acts 2 tells us that many who heard Peter s preaching gladly received his word [and] were baptized (vs. 41). It may be easy to simply sit back casually and judge the guilty Jews of Jesus time, but we must never forget our own guilt and need for a Saviour. 6 GOD S PLAN OF REDEMPTION Acts 3:11-15 Only moments before the opening words of this week s lesson text, the Lord used Peter and John to heal a man who had been lame from birth. Naturally, the apostles were soon surrounded by shocked and astounded onlookers. Peter used this as an opportunity to explain how the Lord had provided the healing and how the gospel message connected to the Jewish audience. Peter began by addressing the crowd as men of Israel (Acts 3:12). This was not to say that women in the audience were excluded from this message; rather, it was meant to address the people of Israel as a whole. This is made clear by Peter s subsequent references to Old Testament history. After initially addressing his audience, Peter asked them to consider whether it was really such an astounding thing that the lame man was walking in light of the incredible power of God. Peter used the familiar phrasing of Exodus 3:6 in identifying God as the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers (Acts 3:13). The Jewish listeners at Solomon s Porch on the temple mount were thus encouraged to consider the