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God’s Judgment on Irreverence
“And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them; and he departed” (Numbers 12:9)
Last Christmas, my manger scene took center stage on top of my piano. Joseph is about 10 inches tall and carries a lamp and staff. The baby rests in a manger of hay, while a lamb and a donkey lie nearby. Everyone is overshadowed by a watching angel. Mary kneels, hands crossed over her heart, gazing on her baby. But what always stands out to me is that the Mary depicted in this scene is blonde.
You do not have to look long in our world to see that mankind in his natural, sinful state is prejudiced. We see the world from one viewpoint (ours), which of course must be the best. Now, perhaps the artist who created my manger scene set was simply uninformed, since it isn’t likely that a Jewish girl was blonde-haired and blue-eyed, but it still illustrates my point.
It’s even worse to find prejudice among God’s people. I have to wonder how long Miriam and Aaron had allowed their racism against Moses’ Cushite wife to fester until finally it displayed itself in an ugly show of disrespect.
But the same God who created an unfathomable amount of variety in plants and animals in our world, also loves the variety and diversity of humanity. He heard Miriam and Aaron’s complaints spoken out of prejudice against one of his own and judged them. (Ashlee Englund)
Where can prejudice be found in your life?
This devotional is the Tuesday, July 12, 2016 entry of Opening the Word.
Project a positive, caring atmosphere.
When you teach Sunday school, what kind of attitude do you project? Such a question may seem to suggest that we should act hypocritically, but that is not the intention. Rather, this question is meant to recognize that we all have a "public" face and a "private" face.
With this understood, what kind of public face do you show? Is it all business? Do you demonstrate such a great passion for presenting the lesson material that you do not show a concern for people? Obviously, both are important. As the teacher, you give an example to your students of being serious about interpreting and applying God's Word. But if you are so focused on the text that you don't take time for the people, you will miss out on a great opportunity for ministry. It should also be noted that some may take caring for people to an extreme with the result being little or no study of God's Word during the class time.
Is your attitude positive or negative? One preacher was once asked by his wife why he was so unhappy when he was preaching. The preacher didn't know what she was talking about - he wasn't unhappy or mad about anything. But he did not have a pleasant smile on his face, so it appeared to his congregation as if he was upset about something.
Does your class know you care? How do they know this?
The Judgments of God
Lesson 7 - July 17, 2016
Focus Text: Revelation 6:8-17
Central Truth: God will one day judge those who persist in wickedness.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to list elements of God's coming judgment.
Lesson Outline:
- The Severity of God's Judgment (Revelation 6:1-8)
- The Justice of God's Judgment (Revelation 6:9-11)
- The Fear of God's Judgment (Revelation 6:12-17)
Prayer – Lesson 6, Our Worthy Redeemer
Heavenly Father, as our classes study this lesson today, help us to understand the privilege we have in worshipping You. Give us creative ideas about how to express their love to You. Most of all, help us to actively worship You day by day. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
Why have we lost the sense of worship?
In "Doctrinal Discussion" Don Englund answers this question, at least in part, with the following thought:
Decades ago, the Christian writer G. K. Chesterton observed that our world does not lack wonders, but a sense of wonder. Our generation has witnessed the destruction of human lives on a scale unimaginable a century ago. We have learned to view social and technological change as routine. And the culture has met a great deal of this phenomena of social upheaval and change with cynicism. The deadly infection eats away at our built-in, God-given capacity to wonder in childlike delight and amazement, and most serious of all, it corrodes our channels of worship. Like John, we must raise our eyes higher than the unworkable solutions of this world!
Discussion: With this thought in mind, how can we regain a worshipful spirit?
Source: Christ, the Triumphant Lord: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 37.
What happens when Christians take salvation for granted?
In "God's Word for Today" Steve Oliver writes:
Especially if we have been in church our entire lives and have heard the message of salvation repeatedly, it is easy to take salvation for granted. Being saved can just become a “normal” part of life, and we may lose the freshness of the experience. We may also forget the incredible cost of salvation and perhaps never realize the vital part that redemption plays in God's plan for world history. One of the dangers of this complacency is that we fail to value our salvation sufficiently, so sin can become “no big deal.” We also forget that redemption proves beyond any doubt God's love for us, the central place that the atonement holds in His plan, and the lengths to which He is willing to go to provide for our salvation.
Discussion: How have you seen such complacency affect the spirituality of Christians?
Source: Christ, the Triumphant Lord: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 33.