Rich Nelson Uncategorized

1: A living hope – 1 Peter 1:1-25

Get Ready

Have you ever purchased tickets or made plans for an exciting event in the future – and then had to wait for the actual event to happen? How did you deal with the waiting? Did you go over the details often? Did you talk about the event with other participants? Did you think about not going?

The Word

1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ.
To the exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 who have been chosen and destined by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ and to be sprinkled with his blood:
May grace and peace be yours in abundance.

A Living Hope

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, 7 so that the genuineness of your faith—being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
8 Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that was to be yours made careful search and inquiry, 11 inquiring about the person or time that the Spirit of Christ within them indicated when it testified in advance to the sufferings destined for Christ and the subsequent glory. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things that have now been announced to you through those who brought you good news by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look!

A call to Holy Living

13 Therefore prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when he is revealed. 14 Like obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires that you formerly had in ignorance.
15 Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; 16 for it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

17 If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile. 18 You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. 20 He was destined before the foundation of the 21 world, but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God.

22 Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart. 
23 You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.  24 For “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.” 
That word is the good news that was announced to you. NRSV

Get into the Word

1.  How does Peter present himself? Who is he writing to? How does he describe his audience? Who organized this group?

2.  What does Peter talk about first? How does he introduce this subject? How does he describe it? Who is responsible for this? How does Peter expect his readers to respond? What is the result when they do respond?

3.  How does Peter explain the development of this gift? Who is involved in its history? How did they learn about it? What did they learn about it? Who revealed these things to them?

4.  What does Peter tell his readers to do as a result of this gift? Who does he compare them with? Who does he say is the model for this kind of behavior? How should believers live according to Peter? What does he remind them about their former situation? What about their current lives as followers of Jesus?

5.  What is the result of Christ’s resurrection? How does this affect Peter’s readers? How should they relate to one another? How does Peter distinguish this new life from the former?

Get Personal

What is your confidence level that God raised Christ? Does it vary from time to time? How does God help you live as a “new creation”? How does this affect your relationships with other Jesus-followers?

Notes . . .

1:1. Apostle – a Greek word for “one who is sent on behalf of”
Exiles of the dispersion – by this time Christians were living throughout the Roman Empire. The countries named are all part of modern Turkey.
1:2. Chosen – Peter involves the father and Holy Spirit as well as Jesus Christ in the process of identifying his readers.
1:3. New birth – Salvation is such a radical change in a believer’s life that Peter uses this phrase to include all aspects of their lives.
1:6. Various trials – even thought the Roman Empire did not prohibit Christianity (or Judaism), believers were targeted by others, including the local Jewish leaders. And because believers did not support idol worship they were cut off from much of the local economic activity, especially if they openly opposed idol worship.
1:7. Tested by fire – precious metals are refined or purified using fire to remove the impurities. Peter us uses this metaphor to

describe strengthening one’s faith by persevering through suffering.1:10. Prophets – Peter reminds his readers that Judaism is the story of God’s actions with his people, leading up to Jesus. Christianity is not a new religion; it is the culmination of God’s promise to Abraham almost 2,000 years earlier [Genesis 17]. 
1:15. Holy – Peter repeats God’s commandment to the Israelites: I am the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt, to be your God; you shall be holy, for I am holy, [Lev 11:45].
1:17. Without defect or blemish – the Old Testament sacrificial system required the offering to be without blemish [Lev 22:17-25]. Jesus was the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” [John 1:29]. 
1:22. Love one another – Jesus’ single command to the disciples: This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you, [John 15:1].
1:24. All flesh . . . Peter quotes Isaiah 40:6-8.

Memory Verse
For all flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord endures forever, [1 Peter 1:24]

Next Lesson
The living stone and a chosen people – 1 Peter 2

Rich Nelson Uncategorized

5: Warnings and Encouragements — James 5:1-20

Get Ready

How many times do you let a phone ring (assuming there is no voice mail)? How long do you like to wait for someone at a drive-up window? How well do you deal with a full “Express Line” in a store? How about the driver going 38 mph in your lane?

The Word

5Come now, you rich people, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming to you. 2 Your riches have rotted, and your clothes are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you, and it will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure for the last days. 4 Listen! The wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous one, who does not resist you.

7 Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.a  9 Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors!
10 As an example of suffering and patience, beloved, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Indeed we call blessed those who showed endurance. You have heard of the endurance of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

12 Above all, my beloved, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “Yes” be yes and your “No” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.

The Prayer of Faith

13 Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. 14 Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. 17 Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth yielded its harvest.

19 My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, 20 you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.  NRSV

Get into the Word

1. Who is James’ next target for warning? What is their problem? How does James feel about them? 

2. What images does James use to describe selfish people? How do you suppose his readers reacted? How do you think selfish people responded?

3. What is James’ next topic? How does he describe this virtue? What example does he use? Where else is this image in the Bible? [see notes] Why are these good examples for his readers? What is the goal of our patience?

4. What does James say about oaths? What rationale does he give his audience? Who else had a problem with taking oaths? [see notes]

5. How does James respond to people who are suffering? Who are joyful? What is similar about these choices?

6. How should believers deal with people who are sick? How do we know this response will work? What else can we expect to happen?

7. What advice does James close with? Why is prayer important for Christians? What example does James give? What is his final encouragement? What is the result?

Get Personal

Even though it is a list of “oughts” what is the common thread that ties all James’ ideas together? How does your recent walk with Christ compare to James basic point about a vital faith? 

Notes . . .

5:1.  Wail — often translated “howl,” which is closer to the Greek meaning of “cry out.”
Miseries — the Greek word is very strong: “calamity” or “wretchedness.”
5:2.  Rotted — also “corrupted.”
5:3.  Last days — James’ usage echoes Old Testament prophecies of the end times or “Day of the Lord.”
5:4.  Fraud — the Bible is consistent about paying fair wages: Never take advantage of poor laborers, whether fellow Israelites or foreigners living in your towns. Pay them their wages each day before sunset because they are poor and are counting on it. Otherwise they might cry out to the Lord against you, and it would be counted against you as sin, [Deut 24:14-15].  Also check Lev 19:13, Prov 3:27-28, Jer 22:13 and Mal 3:5.
Lord of hosts — the original Hebrew word is “Sabaoth” which means “Leader of Armies.” Paul quotes Isaiah using the term in Romans: ‘If the Lord Almighty had not spared a few of us, we would have been wiped out as completely as Sodom and Gomorrah,” [9:29]. 
James is consistent with both the prophets and the apostles in his picture of the end times. Check Isa 13:5-10, Amos 8:3, Matt 8:12 and 2 Tim 3:1-3.
5:7.  Rains — rains are a familiar symbol in the Bible of God’s love and promises: Rejoice, you people of Jerusalem! Rejoice in the Lord your God! For the rains

he sends are an expression of his grace. Once more the autumn rains will come, as well as the rains of spring, [Joel 2:23-24]. Also check Gen 8:22 and Jer 5:24.
5:8.  Strengthen your hearts — the literal meaning is to “resolve to face in a certain way.” The King James used “stablish your heart, “ – perhaps a short version of “establish.”
5:9.  Grumble — the King James uses “grudge” as in “don’t hold a grudge against a person.”
5:12.  Oath — James is echoing Jesus’ warning: But I say, don’t make any vows! . . . Just say a simple, `Yes, I will,’ or `No, I won’t.’ Your word is enough. To strengthen your promise with a vow shows that something is wrong, [Matt 5:33-37]. 
5:16.  Confess — the Greek word means “say the same thing” or “agree that a statement is correct.”
5:19.  Brought back — literally “change back to the original.”
5:20.  Cover — the Greek word literally means “cover over,” but the intent is not to hide them, but to deal with them, like covering a debt by paying it. Compare: Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins, [1 Peter 4:7-9] and Oh, what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! [Ps 32:1].

Memory Verse
Above all, my beloved, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “Yes” be yes and your “No” be no, [James 5:12]

Next Lesson
Peter’s Letters