a GROW lesson

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
Forgetting Faith (Gal. 3:1-3)
Pursuing a Religious Checklist (Gal 3:10-14)
Embracing Faith in Christ (Gal. 3:19-26)

Background Passage:
Galatians 3:1-26

Focal Passages:
Galatians 3:1-3,10-14,19-26

What This Lesson Is About:
This lesson looks at the dangers of a legalistic approach to the Christian life and the superiority of grace.

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson can help you understand the benefits of grace and avoid legalism in your walk with Christ.

Background Passage: Ephesians 3:1-13
Lesson Passage: Ephesians 3:1-13

LESSON PASSAGE OUTLINE
1. Recognizing God’s Grace (Eph. 3:1-2)
2. Receiving God’s Revelation (Eph. 3:3-6)
3. Responding Through God’s Power (Eph. 3:7-10)
4. Rejoicing with Reason (Eph. 3:11-13)

BIBLICAL TRUTH
Through His grace and as an expression of His power, God gives His people opportunities to serve Him.

LIFE GOAL
To help adults accept opportunities to serve God

Background Passage: Ephesians 2:1-10
Lesson Passage: Ephesians 2:1-10

LESSON PASSAGE OUTLINE
1. The Depth of Our Sin (Eph. 2:1-3)
2. The Power of God’s Grace (Eph. 2:4-7)
3. The Place of Our Works (Eph. 2:8-10)

BIBLICAL TRUTH
Believers experience the power of God in salvation.

LIFE GOAL
To help adults teach others how they can receive salvation

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
Treachery Intended (1 Sam. 24:20-22; 26:1-2)
Trust Applied (1 Sam. 26:7-12)
Loyalty Rewarded (1 Sam. 26:21-25)

Background Passage:
1 Samuel 24:1–26:25

Focal Passages:
1 Samuel 24:20-22; 26:1-2,7-12,21-25

What This Lesson Is About:
This lesson is about David’s sparing the life of Saul, despite Saul’s attempt to kill David.

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson can help you know that there is a reward for righteousness and loyalty to God, and it can help you commit to living such a life.

Background Passage:  Leviticus 23:1–27:34
Lesson Passages:  Leviticus 25:10-22,35-38

LESSON PASSAGES OUTLINE
1. Share Freedom! (Lev. 25:10-12)
2. Exhibit Fairness! (Lev. 25:13-17)
3. Manage Blessings! (Lev. 25:18-22)
4. Extend Kindness! (Lev. 25:35-38)

BIBLICAL TRUTH
The Lord expects His people to treat one another graciously, remembering always the grace He showed in redeeming them.

LIFE GOAL
To help adults consistently treat others with godly grace

Leviticus 6:2-5

6:2. “If a person sins and commits a trespass against the Lord by lying to his neighbor about what was delivered to him for safekeeping, or about a pledge, or about a robbery, or if he has extorted from his neighbor,
6:3. “or if he has found what was lost and lies concerning it, and swears falsely in any one of these things that a man may do in which he sins:
6:4. “then it shall be, because he has sinned and is guilty, that he shall restore what he has stolen, or the thing which he has extorted, or what was delivered to him for safekeeping, or the lost thing which he found,
6:5. “or all that about which he has sworn falsely. He shall restore its full value, add one-fifth more to it, and give it to whomever it belongs, on the day of his trespass offering.
–NKJ

In this key passage, the key point is in the last two verses. In the first part we have an outline of some finer points of doing things that defraud your fellow man. It contains a nasty mixture of lies, theft, trust, extortion, and other such things. The main point of these few verses is to point out that there are consequences for our actions. Sometimes the punishment for breaking a law are serious, and get the death penalty. Most have a lesser punishment such as this one about lieing and stealing Crime and sin have consequences, and deserves punishment.

We are told of these harsh things because unfortunately, in our society there are some people out there who just don’t abide by the ethical and moral teachings of either God’s law, or any law. The punishments need to be fair and fit the crime. The punishments also serve to protect the guilty party to a degree. Maybe the person will consider it a wake up call and learn to reform his ways. It should at least be fair based on the extent of the crime that was done. From the victim’s point of view, there might be a large amount of emotional sentiment attached to the item lost, or devastation at being violated. The punishment is to regulate the punishment and not punish the guilty person beyond the real weight of the crime.

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Genesis 12:1-3

12:1. Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.
12:2. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing.
12:3. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
–NKJ

God is good. He has a plan. Maybe Abram didn’t fully know what it was to be, but he knew that God was about to use him, and bless him in a big way. I like the way it appears in the original Hebrew grammar. Using double words to show the emphasis on the actions that Abram is to do, and the actions that God will do.

GEN 12:1 And said, Yahweh to Abram, “to walk to walk from your land, and from your birthplace,
and from house of your father, unto the land which I show you.
GEN 12:2 And I’ll make you into a nation great, and I’ll bless you,
and I’ll enlarge you, your name, and you’ll be a prosperity.
GEN 12:3 And I’ll bless you, and from blessing you, and from you acutely curse,
and please to bless them, in you, all, families, of the earth.

Now you can appreciate your nifty, easy to read, English translation a little better.

Because of the context that this incident takes place, and the grammar style, the English version comes out slightly different. Here’s why. Abram was told to leave, or walk and walk, away from his country and family. Literally the word can mean birthplace, but the land where Abram was living was not the place where he was born. Several years earlier, he and his entire family transplanted themselves there. So the correct sense this word means is to leave the country that he was living, and to leave the family who he was born among. Abram was being commanded to strike out on his own. Abram was to leave his father’s household because God wanted his entire blessing to be channeled through Abram alone.

For that total dedication, God would do a few things for Abram. He would be made into a great nation. The word nation is actually a borrowed word. It was normally used to indicate a foreign nation, because the Hebrew people at the time were so small, it was inconceivable that they might have numbers so large as some of the neighboring, foreign nations. Abram was to become a great name, and be blessed. The words for great and enlarge come from similar root words. Also the words for bless and prosperity come from similar root words. But wait, there’s more words about blessing.

Although the actual phrase reads, “And I’ll bless you, and from blessing you, and from you acutely curse,” the thing that God is really saying here is that he is bestowing a tremendous blessing on Abram, one that will spill out from him and bless all those around him. Then if anybody should hold a grudge and deserve a curse poured out on their head, it is given to Abram to have authority to do so. The follow up phrase, “and please to bless them,” shows that it is actually Gods pleasure and desire to bless all the families of the earth.

When we follow the will of God, we also are granted blessings, even to the point of being a blessing to those around us. The source of those blessings come from God.

Have you ever been in a situation where your world seemed to be falling apart, yet your life reflected joy? So much so that other people noticed and had to stop and ask, “How do you do it? With all that is happening to you, you don’t seem to let it ruffle you. I’d be falling to pieces if it were me?” Maybe you have never been the joyful person in that scene. Maybe it’s been you who have asked that question to someone else. The answer is simple. That joyful person isn’t doing it. They aren’t strong. There is no joy except what comes from God. You follow and do his will, and he carries you. You focus on him and he outshines the troubles of the world. It’s his joy pouring into you, and overflowing out of you to others.

There’s one more concept here. I’ll be as brief as possible. In English versions it seems to state that God will bless any others who bless Abram, and curse any who would curse him. The original language seems to be saying that God is a one way channel of blessing. A source from where only blessings can come. The mention of cursing others seems to make Abram the source of the curse that might come. It is almost as if God is saying, “I’m going to bless and bless, and there will be so much overflow that others will be blessed. But if in all this blessing, if somebody crosses your path who you feel deserves a sharply bitter curse, go ahead and I’ll back you up.” The source of curses towards other humans comes from other humans.

Using Abram’s example, he found himself in various conflicts. After traveling to his promised lands he continued to Egypt where his wife was taken from him. He never broke down and claimed a curse upon the land or people. He had conflict with his nephew Lot and between their shepherds. Abram chose to resolve the conflict in a peaceable way and not to place curses. Take time to look for other events in Abram’s life and notice the lack of curses when he might easily have done so. God gives us that same set of blessings, curses, and the choice to make our own decisions.

Just because a power is within our ability, doesn’t mean we have to act that way. Show grace and choose to not curse others. God’s preference is to be a blessing to all the wworld, keep his preference and keep extending grace and blessing to others.

Background Passage:  Isaiah 55:1–66:24
Lesson Passage:  Isaiah 55:1-13

LESSON PASSAGE OUTLINE
 1.  Awesome Bargain (Isa. 55:1-5)
 2.  Amazing Grace (Isa. 55:6-7)
 3.  Astonishing Power (Isa. 55:8-11)
 4.  Abiding Glory (Isa. 55:12-13)

BIBLICAL TRUTH
Only the Lord can satisfy people’s spiritual hunger.

LIFE IMPACT
To help adults extend the Lord’s invitation to those who are spiritually hungry

1 Peter 1–11

Summary:
He blesses God for his manifold spiritual graces;
shewing that the salvation in Christ is no news, but a thing prophesied of old;

1:1. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
1:2. elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
1:3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1:4. to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
1:5. who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1:6. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
1:7. that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
1:8. whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
1:9. receiving the end of your faith the salvation of your souls.

1:10. Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,
1:11. searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.

Comments:

In this salutation, or greeting, that Peter writes is a snapshot of what Godly living looks like. A model that any outside observers should see in our personal lives. Does it fit you? I know I need some work.

Peter writes to a list of churches. Church, not the brick and mortar structure, but the human body of Christ that is made up of people. People who are believers and followers, and strive to abide in the morals that Christ taught. These were body parts that didn’t have the cheescake job of living in the seat of all things religious, the traditional place of the nation of God’s chosen people, Israel. They weren’t Jews, living in Jerusalem, but the gentile body parts, trying to cut out a place in an unfriendly world. Peter had good wishes for them, and to keep on recieving God’s good graces.

He touched on the promised inheritance. He touched on the assurance that God’s power will protect them. The purpose of our salvation will be revealed at that last time. When people ask the question, “Saved from what?” The answer is, ‘I don’t know, but it’s more an issue of being saved to something, than saved from something.’ We have a sealed mission, and we won’t know until we get to that last time. But can bet it’ll be something amazing.

The body of Christ that is being addressed, and our model for life is rejoicing, even though they have experienced trials. God gives “assurance”, not “insurance”. We are not set apart and heldout of the touch of bad things. Christians will go through all the regular strife that anybody else goes through. Sometimes special torments, just because we believe. God assures us that our place with him is protected. Even if we are required to give up our earthly life, we have a life in his kingdom that is protected.

Precious metals are refined. They are purified by harsh environments. Without passing through high temperature, fine porcelain, or even clay pots are useless. Intricate machines are a mix of raw materials that have been processed by heat, purifying, hacking up in pieces, pressed, squeezed, cut, stamped, and any number of harsh treatment, then assembled in a way that turns the parts into a car, a plane, a sewing machine, or whatever. Hard times will come, some worse than others. Keep the end goal in mind and draw strength on God, and his purposes to endure.

You know you are walking with God when you can still give him honor and praise through grief and hard times.

We can know him, and love God even without the need to see him. Explode with joy because we are saved, set apart. There is a bookmark in heaven, holding our place open. The old time prophets knew it. Christ made it happen. It’s a done deal. Strive on, abide in him. When others give you a hard time, pray for them, that they might come to also understand his massive amount of love as well.

Romans 5:12–21

Summary:
As sin and death came by Adam;
so much more righteousness and life by Jesus Christ.
Where sin abounded, grace did superabound.

5:12. Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned
5:13. (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
5:14. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
5:15. But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.
5:16. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification.

5:17. For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
5:18. Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.
5:19. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

5:20. Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,
5:21. so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Comments:

Here’s another recap of the depth of sin, and the gift of grace.

Some basics: From the first man, he sinned. Sin can only lead to death. We all inherit that sinful nature. Death was the reigning factor from Adam to Moses. The law defines what sin is. There were prophecies of a new world order.

There is a new, free gift to come, but it is different from the old burden of sin. A similarity is that through one man, many were led to death, and that by the free gift of grace, introduced by one man, many would recieve life.

All it takes is a look back at history to see all the inhumanity done to others. In the course of history there is one sure thing, everybody is dead, and those of us now living will eventually be there too. As much as that fact is evident, the new life that has been made available will not only be as abundant, but even more so. The evidence we have that sin is in control is the dath of everybody. The evidence we have of this new grace is right living that leads to an eternal life. Jesus is the door that we go through to enjoy that life.