Copr. 1997, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D.
INTRODUCTION: THIS WEEK OUR LESSON STARTS RIGHT WHERE WE LEFT OFF
LAST WEEK: THE FAITH OF THE SAINTS AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO WORKS.
SO LETS GET INTO IT BY OPENING OUR BIBLES TO REV 14:12.
I. COMMANDMENTS AND FAITH
A. READ REV 14:12. WRITE DOWN:
1. OBEY COMMANDMENTS
2. HAVE FAITH OF JESUS (OR REMAIN FAITHFUL TO JESUS)
B. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS MEANT WHEN THE BIBLE SAYS, "THIS CALLS
FOR THE PATIENT ENDURANCE ON THE PART OF THE SAINTS?" (THE
GREEK WORD TRANSLATED "PATIENT" IS "HYPOMONE" (HOOP-OM-ON-AY')
WHICH MEANS CONSTANCY, CHEERFUL, HOPEFUL OR STEADFAST
ENDURANCE.)
C. WHY DO YOU THINK OBEDIANCE AND FAITH IS INTRODUCED BY THIS
IDEA OF STEADFASTNESS? (THIS IS CONSTANT PURPOSE. IT IS NOT
AN IN AGAIN, OUT AGAIN, SOMETIMES THING. THAYER'S DEFINITION
SAYS THIS IS "THE CHARACTERISTIC OF A MAN WHO IS NOT SWERVED
FROM HIS DELIBERATE PURPOSE AND HIS LOYALTY TO FAITH AND PIETY
BY EVEN THE GREATEST TRIALS AND SUFFERINGS.")
D. LAST WEEK WHEN WE DISCUSSED FAITH AND WORKS YOU SAID THAT
AT A MINIMUM FAITH HELPS YOU TO KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS. IF
THAT IS RIGHT, THEN WHY DOES THIS TEXT LIST KEEPING THE
COMMANDMENTS FIRST? (THE NIV DOES SOMETHING THAT I DO NOT
UNDERSTAND. IT DROPS "HERE" FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS VERSE.
THE GREEK WORD "HODE" (HO'-DEH) MEANS "IN THE SAME SPOT." SO
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT SAYS THAT THESE THINGS ARE ALL BUNDLED
TOGETHER: STEADFASTNESS, OBEDIANCE, FAITH. BUT SINCE YOU
CANNOT SEE STEADFASTNESS OR FAITH, YOU SEE THE WORKS -- SO
THAT IS HOW YOU KNOW WHETHER SOMEONE IS AT THE RIGHT SPOT.)
II. THE PERSISTANT WIDOW
A. LETS TURN TO LUKE 18:1-5. READ.
B. DID THIS WOMAN HAVE FAITH THAT THE JUDGE HAD THE POWER TO
GRANT HER RELIEF?
C. WAS THE WOMAN RELUCTANT TO ASK? DID SHE SAY TO HERSELF,
THIS IS HARD WORK, AND DON'T THINK I WILL ASK ANYMORE? (SHE
WAS, AS REV 14:12 SAYS, "STEADFAST." PATIENT ENDURANCE)
D. LETS READ WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT THIS SHOW OF FAITH: READ LUKE
18:6-8.
1. IS GOD SUGGESTING THAT WE HAVE TO WEARY OURSELVES WITH
ASKING? THAT HE IS LIKE THAT JUDGE? (NO. HE IS NOT LIKE
THE UNJUST JUDGE AT ALL. WE KNOW THAT HE CARES AND THAT
HE WILL ANSWER. AND IT EVEN TELLS US HE WILL ANSWER
"QUICKLY.")
2. SO I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS FOR YOU:
a. WHY DOES LUKE SAY THAT THIS PARABLE WAS GIVEN SO
THAT WE WOULD PRAY AND NOT GIVE UP? AND,
b. WHY DOES JESUS END UP ASKING, "WHEN THE SON OF
MAN COMES WILL HE FIND FAITH ON THE EARTH?"
(PERHAPS WE WILL NOT THINK THAT OUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
QUICKLY. THAT IN THE END, THOSE WHO HAVE FAITH ARE THOSE WHO ARE
PATIENT, STEADFAST IN THEIR FAITH. TRUSTING GOD EVEN THOUGH IT MAY
TAKE LONGER THAN WE THINK.)
E. DOES FAITH MEAN THAT WE WILL GET AN ANSWER FROM GOD WITHIN
A REASONABLE TIME? WHAT DOES GOD MEAN WHEN HE SAYS HE WILL
ANSWER QUICKLY. (LOOK AT HEB 11:13. FAITH IS A CONDITION THAT
CAN BE APART FROM A CLEAR AND PRESENT ANSWER.)
III. FAITH AND WORKS
A. IF YOU WANT TO BE ONE OF THE SAINTS AT THE END OF TIME
DISCUSSED IN REV 14:12, THEN HAVE THE KIND OF FAITH THAT KNOWS
GOD WILL BE JUST EVEN THOUGH IT DOES NOT SEEM THAT HE IS
ANSWERING WHEN THE END TIMES COME.
1. DOES HOLDING ON IN FAITH SEEM LIKE WORKS TO YOU? IS
FAITH ONE THING AND WORKS ANOTHER?
2. LET ME HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE READ TEXTS SO WE CAN LOOK
AT THIS.
a. SOMEONE READ GALATIONS 5:6 (THE ONLY THING THAT
COUNTS IS FAITH EXPRESSING ITSELF THROUGH LOVE.)
b. SOMEONE READ 1 JOHN 5:2 (YOU LOVE GOD BY KEEPING
HIS COMMANDMENTS.)
c. JAMES 2:21-22. (FAITH WAS MADE COMPLETE BY WHAT
HE DID.)
3. DRAW A CIRCLE OF THIS: FAITH->EXPRESSING LOVE->OBEY-
>FAITH.
4. TURN TO ROMANS 3:20-22. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE
LAW?
a. DOES THIS FIT WITHIN OUR CIRCLE?
b. HOW?
IV. FAITH v. PRESUMPTION
A. IT SEEMS THAT THE ENTIRE CIRCLE WE HAVE DRAWN IS NECESSARY
IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. LETS LOOK AT ONE OF THE MORE
INTERESTING AND FRIGHTENING EXCHANGES BETWEEN GOD AND MAN IN
THE NEW TESTAMENT. TURN TO MATT 7:21-24.
1. WHAT IS MEANT IN v.22, "ON THAT DAY?" (THE DAY OF
JT.)
2. WHAT DOES THE FACT THAT THE PEOPLE IN THIS STORY CALL
JESUS "LORD, LORD" MEAN? (THEY BELIEVE HE IS THE
MESSIAH.)
3. ARE THESE PEOPLE SELF-DECIEVED? DO YOU THINK THEY
WOULD LIE ON JT DAY TO THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE? (MUST
BE DECIEVED.)
4. THESE PEOPLE HAD WORKS. DRIVING OUT DEMONS TAKES THE
BAD GUYS ON DIRECTLY. (LUKE 10:17). SO WHAT IS THE
PROBLEM? (JESUS SAYS THAT HE NEVER KNEW THEM. SO
APPARENTLY THEY DID THESE "WORKS" THROUGH THE POWER OF
THE DEVIL. ACCORD, REV. 13:13-14; BUT SEE MARK 3:23-26.)
5. SO JUST HAVING WORKS IS NOT ENOUGH OF A TEST. WE MUST
CAREFULLY LOOK AT WHAT KIND OF WORKS AND THE RESULTS OF
THOSE WORKS.
V. NEXT WEEK: EARTH'S FINAL HARVEST. REV 14. (NO INTERNET LESSON)