Brother Al Foster's Sunday School lessons
Sunday
School
January
29th
2017
Luke
Chapter 10
As
we are here again I want to truly express my thanks for your
attention to the things I share that God has given me to bring to
you. I know that within myself I am so unworthy except through the
blood of Jesus. And I think of those of you who have followed Christ
for more years than I have been alive. Last week Dave shared a
comment and Randy and pastor also chimed in. As you sit and listen
and the spirit of God speaks to you and brings certain scriptures to
your mind as we study these passages, speak up. Don’t be bashful. I
need to learn as much as anyone, and we all benefit when we all
share.
Last
week we looked at the account of Jesus calling his 12 chosen
disciples, and he empowered them and he sent them out to preach the
kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
Read
Luke 9:6 And
they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and
healing every where
This
week we find again Jesus calls his disciples, and he sends them out
and he tells them to heal the sick and preach the kingdom of God
In
chapter 9 he sent the 12 chosen disciples. This time he sent out 70
disciples. We all know that numbers play an important part in the
scriptures.
I
don’t wish to develop that and have that numerical system as a part
of the lesson at this time but it may at a future date be a subject
we can look at together. What I do want to point out in regards to
the significance of numbers, is about this 70 people God has chosen
to go out. Why did he chose 70? Why not say 25, or 100. I believe the
# 70 has a message in it. What is the expression we us to express a
number without limit? When we are speaking to a teenager who just
won’t listen, and we again repeat ourselves in what we are telling
them, we say, I’ve told you 1000 times. NO!! Has any body ever used
that expression? Do you some where keep a log book 995, 996, 997,998,
of times we say the same thing? No. and the truth is we very rarely,
if ever, say the same thing 1000 times in our life. Or as my wife and
I sit at dinner and I am replaying the day in my mind she will say,
Your 1000 miles away Al. So why do we use this # 1000. It is simply
and expression of an unknown or immeasurable amount.
Read
Matthew 18:21-22 Then
came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin
against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
22
Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but,
Until seventy times seven.
What
is Jesus telling Peter here? Peter keep a log book and when they get
to 490 offences, you’ve done all you can, and from that point on
it’s ok to hold a grudge? No Jesus is using this #70 in the exact
same way we use the #1000. It is representative of an unknown or
immeasurable amount.
How
many did Jesus send out? 70. What’s the message he is conveying to
us? The # that he will be sending out is unknown and immeasurable.
This
time he did not send the 12 chosen disciples, but he did send
disciples. The 12 chosen disciples were disciples, but they were also
apostles.
Are
you a disciple? What do we mean when we say we are a disciple? That
means we have learned and teach others in the things we have learned.
This word is very close to the word discipline. We discipline our
children. That means we use a method to teach them. I have often
referred to it as pain association. I was taught smart back to mom or
dad and it hurts. It did not take long for the lesson to be learned.
If
you are a disciple of Jesus, you are one who has obtained a knowledge
of him and, learned obedience from him.
Read
Hebrews
12:8
But
if ye be without chastisement,
whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
If
you are born again you are a disciple of Jesus.
That
means you have obtained a knowledge of him and are learning obedience
from him.
And
he gave a very specific command.
Read
Go
ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:
and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
You
are a part of the 70, or 1 of the innumerable, that have been sent
out.
Where
have you been sent to? It is a place that Jesus will show up to. If
the spirit has lead you to a place, or a work, it is because that God
is going to be there, and there he will do his work. Jesus says that
the harvest is great but the laborers are few.
He
is looking for workers to work in his fields where he will go.
So
the 70 were obedient and went out and when they later returned they
spoke to Jesus of how even the demons were subject to them in his
name.
And
Jesus made a comment. I seen satan fall from heaven. I give you power
over serpents and scorpions. And greater power than the power of the
enemy. But that is not something that is worth being amazed about.
There is something that is greater than that. Your name is written in
heaven. Now that is something worth being excited about. How often do
we, just the same as these 70 forget about this?
We
feel defeated and discouraged as we fight the battles. It some times
seems like we are in a spiritual battle that lasts for years. And we
can grow tired. Oh we jump up and down and we get excited when we
overcome and we experience victories in our lives. But all to often,
while we are confronting the enemy, and struggles are encountered, we
lose sight of the greater miracle, our names are written in heaven.
Christ has already won that battle for us. Satan has been defeated a
long time ago. We have reason to rejoice even when we feel defeated.
It is not our efforts that have secured our victory, it is what Jesus
has done for us. We do have reason to rejoice. When we suffer
opposition in this world against this world, we can still rejoice. We
have our names written in heaven.
Next
we want to look at this account of what we refer to as the good
Samaritan.
Who
were the Samaritans? And why were they hated or despised by the Jews?
If
we go back and we think about King David and how he was the king that
really brought greatness to the nation of Israel, and his son Solomon
who followed in his foot steps and built on that greatness and added
wealth to the nation of Israel. And Solomon’s son Rehoboam took
the leadership of the kingdom when Solomon passed. He refused the
counsel of the elders and rejected their wisdom and as a result this
great kingdom of Israel was split. There was the nation of Israel,
who moved their capitol from Jerusalem to Samaria with Jeroboam as
king, and the new nation of Judah with king Rehoboam and this new
nation retained Jerusalem as the capitol. 10 tribes of the 12 that
made up the nation of Israel got upset over taxes and abandoned their
capitol, and under the advise of Jeroboam, claimed the capitol to be
Samaria. All of the government was moved from Jerusalem to Samaria.
We
must understand that these people had religion as part of their
government. There was no separation of church and state. The state
was the church, and church was the state. So when they moved the
capitol from Jerusalem to Samaria they were moving the church house
also.
Where
did God say the Temple was to located?
Read
1
Kings 11:36
And
unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a
light alway before me in Jerusalem,
the city which I have chosen
me to put my name there.
God
says his name will be at Jerusalem.
Jeroboam
knew this. If he did not do something at Samaria, the new capitol,
the people would go back to Jerusalem to serve God. And back to the
leadership under the authority of Rehoboam.
So
Jeroboam made Idols and placed them in the capitol of Samaria and had
the people come there and worship and serve God. False Gods.
Of
the 1 nation of Israel, 2 nations were now in existence. One, had
their name taken from them so they adopted the name of their
patriarch father Judah, and kept the capitol of Jerusalem. The people
of this nation were known as Jews.
The
other nation kept the name of Israel but had a different capitol,
Samaria. These people were known as Samaritans.
Every
Jew knew, that every Samaritan was an idol worshiper. The Samaritans
were looked at as people who had know God and had turned their back
on God and gone after idols. And how should they be treated for doing
such?
Read
Hosea
4:17
Ephraim
is joined to idols:
let him alone.
So
here we find a man who traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho and he
was robbed and beaten.
A
priest also went that way and seen the man. But he avoided the man.
Why? Fear? Maybe? He may have been on his way to a religious ceremony
and to touch a dead man would have meant that he could not perform
his duties, because he would have been considered unclean. Whatever
the reason, the priest did not help. And a Levite, one given the role
of religious leadership in Jerusalem, also came by. He also passed by
not helping. They did not just hurry past, they went to the other
side to avoid this man.
And
along can a Samaritan. You know one of those people who have left
God. And he helped the man and restored the man.
How
often do we find others who will not minister to the needs of people
for some reason or another?
Look
at where this man who was robed was from and where he was going. He
was from Jerusalem. That is the city of peace. He was going to
Jericho, That is the city of destruction. And as we watch a teenage
girl going astray,
That
Girl knows better than that. She better turn herself around before
its to late. Have you went to her? Have you sought to help her. No.
she knows. It’s up to her.
What
happens when someone travels from the city of peace to the city of
destruction? Goes from the fathers house to the pig pen? From church
to the world?
Read
1
Peter 5:8
Be
sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring
lion, walketh about, seeking
whom
he
may
devour:
They
end up hurt. They end up deceived. They find themselves half dead.
And they need to be ministered to. You won’t find them sitting in
the church pew. They are out in the world where we work, where we
live. There is where we should do our greatest ministry.
And
the last one I want to touch on is Mary and Martha.
These
2 women were serving God. One had peace in her service and one had a
burden in service.
Which
of the two do you find yourself in?
They
invited Jesus over for dinner. Lord I want to do something for you.
And Jesus came over.
Was
Jesus satisfied when he left? Sure. And what about those who had
invited him? When he left were they satisfied?
We
are much the same way. Lord I am going to something for you. I want
you to be satisfied. I want you to be happy with the things I am
doing. And we set out working and laboring. And the load is often
heavy. And we work and we do and we make it I, I, I. Me, Me, Me.
How
many of us invited Jesus into our hearts? And don’t we want him to
be satisfied? Happy with the things we do for him?
Are
you finding your Christian work a burden? Do you often feel like
Jesus is not seeing what you do for him? Are you tired in your
service?
Listen
to the words of the master.
Read
Matthew 11:28-30 Come
unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest.
29
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in
heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
We
all must work for the Lord. And as we work, take the time to find the
satisfaction that is found in the presence of Jesus. We invited him
in. He can and will give that peace and bring the prosperity to our
labors.
Sunday
School
February
19th
2017
Luke
Chapter 13
I
want to start today by asking the question, how many believe that we
get what we deserve in life? When I worked in the machine shops, the
worm will turn was how they described it. In church and around
religious people we say you reap what you sow.
Is
that statement true?
Read
Galatians
6:8
For
he that soweth
to his flesh
shall of the flesh
reap
corruption; but he that soweth
to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap
life everlasting.
Someone
approaches Jesus and asks him if he has heard about the people of
Galilee. There was a few of them that Pilot, when they went to the
temple and offered their sacrifice, he mixed the blood of the
sacrifice with their own blood. This was Pilots way of showing his
hatred of all Jews and their religion. So why were these few singled
out to receive the wrath he was attempting to express to God? Was it
because they were themselves evil?
And
what about those 18 who were shopping one day and the construction of
the tower at Siloam had an accident and they were killed?
This
reminds me of the account of Paul in Acts.
Paul
was in a ship wreck and nearly drowned at sea. None of those with him
died, but they were cold and wet and it was winter. They swam or
floated or were dragged to this island of Malta. Spared from the sea
and what should have been death to many if not all, Paul and the
others started a fire to warm themselves. The native peoples of the
island were showing great kindness to them. As Paul gathered sticks
to burn in the fire a snake bite him. It did not just strike at him.
It bit him and latched on.
Let’s
turn over there together and read this.
Acts
28 1-6 28
And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called
Melita.
2
And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they
kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present
rain, and because of the cold.
3
And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the
fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.
4
And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they
said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though
he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.
5
And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.
6
Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead
suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm
come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.
These
people were thinking just like those who were telling Jesus about
what Pilot had done, and about the tower falling and killing some;
And
just like many people today. You see when you don’t believe in God,
and you face the realities and complexities of life, somehow life has
to be explained. Why has Jerry Stine been afflicted with this
disease?
Why
did my Grandson Eli drown in the pool? Why did Buddy Pardon pass much
to early? And why is it that Pastor has been blessed with Great
health? At 80 years old I amazed at his strength of mind and body.
And we look at others that are blessed with the physical beauty. And
some have wealth and fame. And it just makes no sense. Why do some
prosper and others don’t?
When
we refuse to accept God and his influence in our lives we have only
one other alternative. They get what they deserve. I get what I
deserve.
Do
you understand the destruction that that can bring to a society? In
Jesus’ day in the Roman world, half of the people were slaves. The
other half was the ruling elite. And the ruling elite had no
compassion on the slaves. You see they were getting what they
deserve. And when some of the elite suffered, do you think the slaves
had compassion toward them? No. Again they are just getting what they
deserve. Where is it that we end up when we deny God and his
existence? As a society that rejects God, and refuses to acknowledge
his controlling influence in the daily lives of the people, where do
we find ourselves at the end of that road? We become a people with no
compassion. We begin to justify ourselves and pride rules our lives,
when we refuse to see that the blessings we have received come from
God. We turn a blind eye to the suffering of others and justify our
heard heartedness, They are getting what they deserve. I am more
blessed because I am more righteous then they are, and I am getting
what I deserve. And for those who are at a low point in life, what
kind of moral support do you suppose this offers. Where can they turn
for encouragement? What is the lesson being taught here? Jesus is
here telling us that we all are born in a world of sin. We all are
sinners. Rich and poor. Young and old. We all have a need of
salvation. And that is the reason that Jesus came into this world.
Read
John 3:16 For
God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting
life.
When
we face the difficulties of life, we can turn to Jesus who is our
strength and we can rejoice in our salvation that he has provided.
When we have received blessing from the hand of God, we can express
compassion toward others and thanks to God, and avoid pride as we
accept from his hand our salvation.
To
over simplify this passage, let me say it this way. Believe on the
Lord Jesus and be saved, or perish because of non-belief.
Read
John
3:18
He
that believeth on him is
not condemned:
but he that believeth not is
condemned
already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only
begotten Son of God.
The
next thing I want to look at is verse 6-9
Read
Luke 13:6-9 He
spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his
vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
7
Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three
years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it
down; why cumbereth it the ground?
8
And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also,
till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
9
And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt
cut it down.
Jesus
tells this story of the fig tree to the crowd. What truth was he
trying to communicate to them?
Fertilizer
on a tree makes better fruit? A tree that has no fruit should be cut
down, but only after 3 years?
What
was or is the real meaning of this parable?
Read
Mark 4:10-12 10
And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked
of him the parable.
11
And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of
the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things
are done in parables:
12
That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may
hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted,
and their sins should be forgiven them.
Jesus
is hiding a message here that he is delivering to the religious
rulers.
Every
educated Jewish leader knew that God referred to the nation of Israel
as a fig tree and the people as the figs.
Read
Hosea
9:10
the first ½ of the verse
I
found Israel
like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in
the fig
tree at her first time: but they went to Baalpeor, and separated
themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as
they loved.
So
knowing this, let’s see what he is saying to them.
He
tells them, There was a man who had a vineyard. That would be God. In
his vineyard he plants a fig tree. The earth is Gods vineyard. And
God planted in one place a fig tree. That is the nation of Israel.
After the fig tree was grown he comes to the tree and expects fruit.
None this year, next year the same, no fruit, and again on the third
year, no fruit. I should just cut this tree down. The care taker
asks, please let me work with this tree and see if I can get it to
bear fruit. If it doesn’t then we will cut it down.
How
long had Jesus been in the ministry at this point? 3 years. And what
is it that he is looking for from them? What is it that he would call
fruit?
Read
Luke
11:52
Woe
unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye
entered
not
in yourselves, and them that were entering
in ye hindered.
What’s
really the message he is delivering to these people? Jesus is saying
“I am God. I am expecting you to come to me and accept me. I am
expecting you to tell and teach others about me. And if you don’t,
you will be cut down.
My
father is patient and willing to work with you. But fruit is, and
will be, required from you”.
How
does this apply to us today? Well the nation we live in today is a
fruit tree that is also planted in Gods vineyard. We are not a fig
tree. That is Israel. We may be an apple tree or a plum tree. Or some
other fruit tree. I can only guess as to what type.
But
just the same, God is looking for fruit from every tree that he has
planted. Because the nation of Israel refused to submit to God, and
accept his messiah, in 70 AD she was cut down. Rome came in and
destroyed them. Rome leveled the city and killed or sold every person
into slavery. The nation of Israel was literally cut down. But God
left the stump in the ground, and we can see the fig tree has once
again sprouted. Do you think we are better than Israel? Israel was
Gods first choice. And he cut them off. We face the same if we as a
nation do not repent and summit to God and bear fruit of
righteousness. We must acknowledge God and accept Jesus, his messiah
and teach others the same. That is the fruit he is looking for from
you and I. We are at the point today of being worked with by God and
he is doing what ever is needed to get us to bear fruit for him, but
to bear fruit or not bear fruit is a choice we each must make. And as
a nation what is the direction we will chose to go? Look at the
battle we are in at this time. We are fighting for our very existence
as a nation. And it will be won or lost as we turn to God or away
from God.
The
kingdom of God. What does this phrase mean to you? How do you
describe the kingdom of God? What is it? Where is it?
We
as Americans have a hard time understanding this concept of a King
and a kingdom.
We
often say that a man is the king of his castle.
He
is the absolute ruler of his home. We understand that. Don’t be
coming into my home and telling me what to do or what not to do. A
mans home is his castle and he is the king of his castle.
So
what is the kingdom of God? It is the place that God calls his home.
It is the place where nobody tells God what he can and can not do. It
is the place where he owns everything.
Read
1
Corinthians 3:16
Know
ye
not that ye
are
the
temple
of God, and that the
Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
The
kingdom of God is your heart. The kingdom of God is my heart. It is
the place where God is allowed to be the king. What he wants, is what
he gets. It may be my heart, it may be your heart, but God is the
king.
How
hard is that for some to surrender to?
My
parents had a neighbor we called old man John. He was just an old
bachelor. I can remember as a kid I once asked him why he never got
married?
He
said, after my mom died, nobody’s the boss of me. I am my own boss.
Old
man John was never going to let anyone rule in his heart, but he
himself. And how many others do we all know who are the same? For
some pride is the issue. For others it is past wounds and deep hurts.
And the doors to our heart are closed. We sit on the throne and
refuse to allow entry. And give control? Never.
Where
is the kingdom of God? In every heart where he is the ruler.
Read
Luke
17:21
Neither
shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom
of God is
within
you.
Are
you a part of the kingdom of God? It is not church membership. It is
your heart. It is my heart. It is every heart where Jesus is the
king.
And
oh the joys of being in the kingdom. Do you know of a king that lives
in poverty? What is it that a king has need of? And for those in the
kingdom, those who’s heart are ruled by Jesus, peace. I can not
express the peace that resides in the heart of those who are in the
kingdom of God.
Are
you in the kingdom of God? I am not seeking church association today.
I am asking, is God the king of your heart? This is personal. Have
you shut him out because of past hurts and betrayals?
There
may be something in the past that has and is hindering you from
allowing God to have all of you. It may be something in the present
that is keeping you from enjoying the peace that comes from resting
in the strength of God rather than trusting in your own strength. Are
you in the kingdom?
You
can be. Ask God to be king of your heart, allow him to have his way,
and rest in his strength and peace.