WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

An international Sunday school lesson commentary

For Sunday May 29, 2016

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JOYOUS FAITH

(JESUS came to seek and save those who are lost)

(Luke 19:1-10)

   The office of “Chief Jewish Tax Collector” was one that was won by the highest bidder for the job. The cost incurred by the winning bidder was then made up by charging the Jews excessive rates, even on those who were poor. The person who held that position usually became the most hated person in any Jewish community.

    In Luke 19, taking up at verse 1, Luke chronicles the “Jericho stop” on JESUS’ final missionary circuit in route to Jerusalem, and HIS appointment with death on a cross at Golgotha (Cavalry Hill). As HE made HIS way through the town, HE encounters just such a hated Tax Collector, by the name of Zacchaeus.

    Zacchaeus was one of the richest and most influential Jews in the tax collectors business. He had come there to get a glimpse of the man, JESUS, WHOM he had heard so much about. Being a man short in physical stature, Zacchaeus was not able to see over the pressing crowd, and so he ran ahead and climbed up in a sycamore tree beside the road to get a better look at the, now famous, healer, exorcist, and preacher and teacher of the Gospel, from Nazareth.

    Here we see unfolding, a wonderful lesson on how to reach people with the Gospel while they are in their own comfortable setting, as opposed to always seeking to reach them in a church setting, where it is considerably more difficult to get them to accept an invitation. When we really think about it, most of a Christian’s successes at converting people from the world, come while we are in settings that are familiar and comfortable to those whom we are trying to convert to CHRIST.

    In verse 5, as JESUS reached the spot of the sycamore that was now occupied by Zacchaeus, HE looked up and called on the curious tax collector to come down and get to know HIM over dinner at his home that same day. And even though Zacchaeus was excited at JESUS’ request, the crowd of people who were gathered around were stunned and displeased at JESUS’ proposal to eat with their most hated enemy, a sinful, cheating, notorious tax collector. They felt that, to “break bread” with a person was a significant sign and expression of fellowship and acceptance between the guest and the host, and many still feel that way today.

    However, hate will always hinder a person from receiving what GOD has to offer us. When we harbor hatred for one another, it makes it impossible to do the work that CHRIST calls us to do. In fact, in such cases, just as the “unsaved” person who needs to be converted is blocked from CHRIST, so too, is the person who hates his fellowman, and yet, somehow, thinks that they themselves are “saved”. Whenever we seek to block someone we don’t like from GOD, it is usually a sign that we ourselves are not saved.

    On the other hand, one of the great indicators that a person is saved, is that, he or she not only does that which is required by the law of GOD, but rather, they are willing to go beyond that and into the territory of “sacrificial offerings”. In verse 8, we see just such a sign from the repentant tax collector, Zacchaeus. There he stands before the our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, and tells HIM, “I will give half my wealth to poor, LORD, and if I have overcharged people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!”

     In Leviticus 5:16, the payment for such an offense of thievery that was committed by Zacchaeus, is restitution, plus, 20%. However, here Zacchaeus is willing to go way beyond the limits proposed by the Law of Moses. Here his genuinely repentant heart dictates to him that he gladly and sacrificially give back “four times more” than is required by the law.

    And so here we see a lesson learned about how we are to seek and save not only our relatives and friends, but also strangers and those who may have an unsavory reputation in our communities. Here JESUS is able to save the most hated sinner in town from eternal damnation, and in verses 9-10 HE expresses HIS joy to do so, to the people of Jericho when HE proclaims, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a son of Abraham. And I, the SON of Man, have come to seek and save those like him who are lost”.

A Sunday school lesson by,

Larry D. Alexander

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WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

An international Sunday school lesson commentary

For Sunday May 22, 2016

Over 103,000 readers worldwide

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CHILDLIKE FAITH

(JESUS blesses the children)

(Mark 10: 13-16)

   The healthy attitude of a child toward his or her parents should be one of trust and dependence upon them for their daily needs, their needs for, at least, the near future, their protection from hurt and harm, and, their teaching and training in those things that are right and pleasing to GOD. JESUS says that it is that same trust and attitude of faith that any responsible adult must have toward GOD, if, they are to be able to make their way into the Kingdom of Heaven.  For Scripture says that, “without faith, it is impossible to please GOD”, and that, “GOD will keep in perfect peace the mind that stays on HIM, because it trusts in HIM”, and that holds true, even while one still exists in this life, here on earth.

    In Mark chapter 10, verses 13-16, sandwiched between JESUS’ teachings on divorce and marriage, and HIS encounter with the rich young ruler, we find the account of when several parents were bringing their children (paidia) to JESUS so that HE could lay hands on them and bless them.

    JESUS, not being one who endorses a “boy’s club mentality” was indignant when HIS disciples, who were obviously feeling that children weren’t important enough to merit personal attention from HIM, tried to impede, or block the little ones from receiving their blessings from the LORD. We can also recall on another occasion (Luke 9:49-50) when these same disciples wanted to stop others, who weren’t in their “imagined clique” (boy’s club), from casting out demons in the name of JESUS. There JESUS reminded them that anyone who is not against you is for you.

     In other words, JESUS was trying to communicate that Christianity is not meant to be “exclusive”, but rather, it must be “all inclusive”, and anyone who chooses, of his or her own free will, to leave behind, the temporal things and attitude of this world, and partake in the eternal things of GOD, are indeed welcome to enter into the true family of CHRIST JESUS.

    In verse 14b JESUS tells HIS mistaken band of men to “allow the children to come to ME. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of GOD belongs to such as these. I assure you, anyone who doesn’t have their kind of faith will never get into the Kingdom of GOD.” Here JESUS is saying that, if a person does not divest themselves of “the pride of life” that has so separated them from GOD, and repent, and humble themselves back to the state of what a child exists in, which is one of total dependence and trust (come to the end of “self” where JESUS is waiting), one can’t possibly enter into the greater life, which is in Heaven, where GOD can take us into HIS arms and bless us, just as JESUS does with the children in this passage (v.16), forevermore.  

    It is the humble ones who are in position to be received by GOD into Heaven. It is foolish to place our emphasis on people who seem to be most important, and are well received by the world that they try so hard to be like and impress, and then totally ignore the “little ones” (those who are meek and humble) who are important to GOD, and take pride only in their dependence on, and faith in, GOD.

A Sunday school lesson by,

Larry D. Alexander

Larry D. Alexander - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Larry Dell Alexander (1953–) - Encyclopedia of Arkansas

LARRY D. ALEXANDER'S BOOK BY BOOK BIBLE STUDY

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WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

An international Sunday school lesson commentary

For Sunday May 15, 2016

Over 103,000 readers worldwide

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HUMBLE FAITH

(Prideful prayers are not honored by GOD)

(Luke 18:9-14)

   Prayer time should be a time when we set our lives beside the life of JESUS CHRIST, and be humbled, and not beside the life of other people, where we think we can be exalted. No one who rates his or her life above the life of others can utter a prayer that is honored by GOD. Unless we pray in the power of the HOLY SPIRIT, we put ourselves in danger of lifting ourselves above our fellowman. The gates of Heaven are low, and the only way to enter through them is on our knees, both physically and spiritually.

    In Luke chapter 18, taking up at verse 9, JESUS shares the story of two men who simultaneously went into the Temple to pray one day. The Scriptures says that JESUS was telling this story to an audience who had great self-confidence in their petitions before GOD, and that, normally they would scorn those whom they thought were religiously inferior to themselves. In other words they were proud, eloquent, and arrogant.

    Now, one of the men was a Pharisee, and the other was a hated, dishonest tax collector whom few people liked or respected. In the first century devout Jews observed three prayer times each day (9 am, 12 noon, and 3 pm), and they felt that their prayers would be especially effective if they prayed them in the Temple.

    The Pharisee, was a man who took great pride in his ability to pray long, eloquent prayers, and was actually, whether wittingly or unwittingly, giving himself a great testimonial before GOD. In this passage JESUS says that this man stood by himself and prayed this particular prayer; “I thank YOU, GOD, that I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don’t sin, I don’t commit adultery, I fast twice a week, and I give YOU a tenth of my income”.

    In those days, not only did devout Pharisees fast twice a week, they made sure that the “little people” in town saw them doing it. They did this by putting on their most used-looking, tattered robes, that they saved for occasions of fasting, and they would go down to the marketplace on its busiest days (Mondays and Thursdays) so that as many people could see them as possible. They were also careful to tithe of the money that they would regularly steal from the poor, the orphans, and widows in the church.

    Contrastingly, standing at a distance from this prideful Pharisee was the ostracized tax collector, who dared not even so much as, lift his eyes up to Heaven before GOD, but rather, JESUS says that this humble man “beat his chest in sorrow”, saying, “O GOD, be merciful to me , for I am a sinner”.  This was the right reaction for a person who chooses to set themselves before GOD in order to petition for HIS mercy and help.

    When we set ourselves beside, what we consider to be, “the worst of society”, odds are, we stand to look pretty good, especially to ourselves. However, when we set ourselves beside the life of CHRIST JESUS, as we must do when we are in prayer (if we want GOD’s attention), we all can see quite clearly that we fall short of the glory of GOD. We can then put ourselves in the proper position of humbleness that is needed to receive mercy and forgiveness from the only SOURCE that can provide it, which is GOD.

    And so, in the end we see that it was the sinful tax collector, one of the most hated men in Israel, who returned home from that prayer session that day, being justified by GOD. And, as for the pride-laden Pharisee, he returned home unchanged, still too proud to request any special favors from GOD. He would, instead, have to continue to pray, useless, eloquent, arrogant prayers to himself, and, to men who enjoyed listening, but could not in any way help him with his issues. And to end this passage JESUS assures us that, when dealing with GOD, “…the proud (the Pharisee) will be humbled, but the humble (the tax collector) will be honored”.

A Sunday school lesson by,

Larry D. Alexander

Larry D. Alexander - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Larry D. Alexander's Books and Publications Spotlight

Legendary Locals of Grand Prairie - Google Books Result

Larry Dell Alexander (1953–) - Encyclopedia of Arkansas

LARRY D. ALEXANDER'S BOOK BY BOOK BIBLE STUDY

larrydalexanderbiblestudies.blogspot.com

      

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

An international Sunday school lesson commentary

For Sunday May 8, 2016

Over 103,000 readers worldwide

larrydalexander.blogspot.com

GRATEFUL FAITH

(The rarity of man’s gratitude toward GOD)

(Luke 17:11-19)

   In Luke 17, verses 11-19, as JESUS and HIS faithful disciples move on toward HIS final visit to Jerusalem, and HIS appointment with death on the cross at Golgotha, somewhere near the border where Samaria meets Galilee, they meet up with a group of ten men that had all fallen prey to the dreaded disease called “leprosy”.

    As they entered into this certain village, the ten men, who were standing at a distance, shouted out to JESUS, saying, “JESUS, MASTER, have mercy on us!” JESUS then turned and looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests” (go to church). As the ten men walked along going to show themselves to the priests, the leprosy that had overtaken their bodies suddenly began to disappear from them until it was completely gone.

    Of the ten men that had cried out to JESUS for help that day, at least one was a Samaritan, and ironically, it was only he, who saw fit to return and thank the LORD for what HE had done for him. It was the Jews who always felt special and privileged about being “GOD’s chosen people” here on earth, however, sadly, few of them ever grasped the duty of responsibility that came with the assignment of being a light to the world, and showing the world, through their behavior, that Christianity really does produce the best men and women.

     “Responsibility” will always be the obverse of “privilege”, and we won’t ever be able to have one without the other. When we enjoy the privilege of being GOD’s children we must remember that we have a responsibility that begins with being “thankful” and “obedient” to GOD for the blessings that HE bestows upon our undeserving lives every day.

     GOD blesses us, with and through, provisions for our daily needs, despite our disobediences and sin against HIM (GOD the FATHER), and furthermore, HE forgives us for past, present, and future disobediences and sins, through the sacrificial blood of HIS only SON, JESUS CHRIST (GOD the SON), and finally, HE leads and guides us into a future of obedience to HIM through the power of HIS SPIRIT (GOD the HOLY SPIRIT).

    The Samaritan man who returned, showed through his actions, that he was more so, “a child of GOD” than those of the “chosen nation” of Israel. He came back to thank JESUS for what he had done for him, and he fell prostrate to the ground at JESUS’ feet, and he praised GOD for his healing.

    JESUS then inquired of the righteous man, saying, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Does only this Samaritan return to give glory to GOD?” These were all questions that the Samaritan man couldn’t answer of course, but JESUS, WHO knew the wickedness and lack of faith in the hearts of most men, even the Jews, said to the grateful man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has made you well”.

    JESUS healed, not only the Samaritan man who returned to thank HIM, but HE also healed the less deserving Jewish men who didn’t. However, none of us really ever deserve the goodness and mercy of GOD, no matter how good we think we are. We as Christians must all strive to stay focused on the greatest and only perfect “human example” that ever lived in this world, JESUS CHRIST, WHO can deliver all those who desire to “overcome” our carnal state of existence, and claim our place in the Kingdom of Heaven, that JESUS says, has been prepared for us, since the very foundation, of this world.

A Sunday school lesson by,

Larry D. Alexander

Larry D. Alexander - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Larry D. Alexander's Books and Publications Spotlight

Legendary Locals of Grand Prairie - Google Books Result

Larry Dell Alexander (1953–) - Encyclopedia of Arkansas

LARRY D. ALEXANDER'S BOOK BY BOOK BIBLE STUDY

larrydalexanderbiblestudies.blogspot.com