Paul’s Request for Prayer

Introduction

The scriptures contain many of Paul’s prayers.  In this passage, Paul begins by asking for prayer.  Even as an apostle, Paul depends on the prayers of other believers.

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 NLT
Paul’s Request for Prayer
^3:1 Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we ask you to pray for us. Pray that the Lord’s message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes, just as when it came to you. ² Pray, too, that we will be rescued from wicked and evil people, for not everyone is a believer. ³ But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. ⁴ And we are confident in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we commanded you. ⁵ May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.                                                                    

Examine the Scriptures: 

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 NLT

Paul’s Request for Prayer 

^3:1 Finally,

• Paul is introducing the last major section of his letter. 

dear brothers and sisters, we ask you to pray for us.

• Paul requests prayer from the Thessalonians.

The Thessalonians needed the prayers of others as they were being tempted, but at the same time, Paul also requested prayer from them.

It was not uncommon for Paul to ask churches to pray for his ministry.

As we pray for others, we also need other believers to pray for us. 

All believers need prayer.

Ministry is not a solo effort—it depends on the prayers of others. 

 

Paul’s specific requests: 

Pray that the Lord’s message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes, just as when it came to you. 

• Pray that the Lord’s message will spread rapidly.

The apostles knew that the success of their missionary labors was due to the fact that God was working in the lives of the people hearing the Gospel.

Previous lesson:

¹⁴ He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News;

God calls people through the gospel message.

The initiative in salvation comes from God, not man.

God called the Thessalonians to salvation by using the Gospel spoken by Paul and his companions and the power of the Holy Spirit.

The apostles were the human instruments delivering that message.

Believers are called to pray that the Lord’s message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes.

• Pray that the Lord’s message will be honored.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 NLT
¹³ Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us, you didn’t think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God—which, of course, it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe.

God works in people’s hearts to prepare them to receive the Gospel.

Pray that God would honor His Word by causing others who heard it to believe it and obey it. 

Paul prays for transformed hearts. 

The members of the church in Thessalonica had heard the Gospel, they believed it, they respected it, and they desired to obey it.

The Thessalonians experience becomes a model of what Paul hopes will happen elsewhere.

• Pray for opportunities to share the Gospel with people who have receptive hearts. 

² Pray, too, that we will be rescued from wicked and evil people, for not everyone is a believer. 

• Pray that we will be rescued from wicked and evil people.

There are wicked and evil people all around us (people influenced and deceived by Satan).

The spread of the Gospel is opposed by Satan.

Opposition to the Gospel should be expected.

Ministry brings real danger—spiritual and physical.

This happened in Thessalonica:

Acts 17:5-9 NLT (Paul Preaches in Thessalonica)
⁵ But some of the Jews were jealous, so they gathered some troublemakers from the marketplace to form a mob and start a riot. They attacked the home of Jason, searching for Paul and Silas so they could drag them out to the crowd. ⁶ Not finding them there, they dragged out Jason and some of the other believers instead and took them before the city council. “Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world,” they shouted, “and now they are here disturbing our city, too. ⁷ And Jason has welcomed them into his home. They are all guilty of treason against Caesar, for they profess allegiance to another king, named Jesus.”
⁸ The people of the city, as well as the city council, were thrown into turmoil by these reports. ⁹ So the officials forced Jason and the other believers to post bond, and then they released them.

It happened in Corinth:

Paul was in Corinth when he wrote to the church in Thessalonica.  Corinth is one of the main cities of Achaia.

While Paul was ministering in Corinth, the Jews brought him before the Roman governor Gallio and accused him of persuading people to worship God in ways contrary to the laws of Rome.

Acts 18:12-13 NLT
¹² But when Gallio became governor of Achaia, some Jews rose up together against Paul and brought him before the governor for judgment. ¹³ They accused Paul of “persuading people to worship God in ways that are contrary to our law.”

Opposition to the Gospel is recorded in other passages of scripture:

2 Corinthians 6:5 NLT
⁵ We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food.

2 Corinthians 11:23-26 NLT
²³ Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. ²⁴ Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. ²⁶ I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not.

1 Thessalonians 2:2 NLT
² You know how badly we had been treated at Philippi just before we came to you and how much we suffered there. Yet our God gave us the courage to declare his Good News to you boldly, in spite of great opposition.

• Where God’s truth advances, resistance often follows. Prayer is needed both for sharing the Gospel successfully and for protection from the evil one. 

God’s servants need both boldness and protection . 

³ But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. 

Satan has been trying to destroy the Thessalonians young faith using the teachings from false teachers.

God is faithful.

1 Corinthians 1:4-9 NLT
Paul Gives Thanks to God
⁴ I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. ⁵ Through him, God has enriched your church in every way—with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge. ⁶ This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true. ⁷ Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁸ He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. ⁹ God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT
>¹³ The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

2 Thessalonians 1:4-6 NLT
⁴ We proudly tell God’s other churches about your endurance and faithfulness in all the persecutions and hardships you are suffering. ⁵ And God will use this persecution to show his justice and to make you worthy of his Kingdom, for which you are suffering. ⁶ In his justice he will pay back those who persecute you. 

Old Testament passage of encouragement.

 Isaiah 25:4 NLT
⁴ But you are a tower of refuge to the poor, O Lord,
a tower of refuge to the needy in distress.
You are a refuge from the storm
and a shelter from the heat.
For the oppressive acts of ruthless people
are like a storm beating against a wall. 

• The Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. 

⁴ And we are confident in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we commanded you.

Paul the Apostle expresses strong confidence, not primarily in the people, but “in the Lord”.

Because God is faithful (v.3), Paul can be confident they will remain faithful (v.4).

• Because God is faithful, Paul can be confident that the Thessalonians will remain faithful.

Paul was confident that the Thessalonians would do as he instructed them because the Lord would work in them, causing them to react favorably to Paul’s instructions. 

⁵ May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.

Paul now prays a short prayer for the Thessalonians.

May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. (ESV)

May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance. (NIV)

Two essential anchors for a church distracted by end-times fervor:

God’s love for them, and their love for God.

The patience endurance that comes Christ.

Paul knows that a heart grounded in God’s love produces perseverance like Christ’s.

• Pray for inner direction and endurance.

Other prayers we could pray.

1 Chronicles 29:18 NLT
¹⁸ “O Lord, the God of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, make your people always want to obey you. See to it that their love for you never changes.

Proverbs 23:19 NLT
¹⁹ My child, listen and be wise:
Keep your heart on the right course. 

1 Thessalonians 1:3 NLT
³ As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT
^12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. ² We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

 

 

Encouragement during Persecution (continued)

Introduction

Good news and bad news!

Good news:

In this passage, Paul is encouraging believers who are suffering persecution. He reassures them that God’s justice has not failed and that their present suffering will be addressed by God.

Bad news for the unrepentant sinner:

The justice of God brings punishment on unrepentant sinners.

2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 NLT
Encouragement during Persecution (continued)
⁷ And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, ⁸ in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. ⁹ They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power. ¹⁰ When he comes on that day, he will receive glory from his holy people—praise from all who believe. And this includes you, for you believed what we told you about him.

Examine the Scriptures:

Encouragement during Persecution (continued)

2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 NLT

Review 2 Thessalonians 1:6

⁶ In his justice he will pay back those who persecute you.

• God is just.

Galatians 6:7 NLT
⁷ Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.

• God’s judgment flows from His holiness.

God will not allow evil to go unjudged.

When God repays and how God repays are to be determined by Him.

Romans 12:19 NLT
¹⁹ Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,
“I will take revenge;
I will pay them back,”
says the Lord.

• The justice of God brings punishment on unrepentant sinners.

It may be in the here and now, but for many it will be on judgment day.

In his justice God will pay back those who persecute believers. 

⁷ And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted

Biblical rest can mean a lot of different things.

Here are a few meanings for rest:

Relief from suffering.

Peace and security.

Relief for the soul.

Eternity in God’s presence. (Heaven)

Relief or rest for the persecuted is certain, but for the most part this rest will come in the future.

God does not ignore suffering. He promises justice, but on His timetable.

Remember: Suffering is temporary — glory is permanent.

• Relief or rest for the persecuted is certain.

and also for us

Paul was suffering persecution just as the Thessalonians were.

Paul understands what the Thessalonians are experiencing.

Repeat (And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted) 

when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven.

Persecuted believers will get relief when Jesus appears from heaven.

1 Peter 1:6-8 NLT
⁶ So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.   ⁷ These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
⁸ You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.

• God does not ignore suffering. He promises justice, but on His timetable. 

He will come with his mighty angels, ⁸ in flaming fire,

Isaiah 66:15-16 NLT
¹⁵ See, the Lord is coming with fire,
and his swift chariots roar like a whirlwind.
He will bring punishment with the fury of his anger
and the flaming fire of his hot rebuke.
¹⁶ The Lord will punish the world by fire
and by his sword.
He will judge the earth,
and many will be killed by him.

• Christ’s return is portrayed as public, powerful, and authoritative, accompanied by angels—symbols of divine judgment and execution of God’s will.

bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. 

Bringing judgment on:

those who don’t know God

and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. 

• God’s judgment is real and unavoidable. 

⁹ They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power. 

They will be punished for rejecting the message about Christ.

John 3:18-21 NLT
¹⁸ “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. ¹⁹ And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. ²⁰ All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. ²¹ But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”

There are severe consequences for the unbelievers.

Matthew 25:41 NLT
⁴¹ “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.

The phrase “eternal fire” stresses the gravity and finality of judgment.

Revelation 20:15 NLT
¹⁵ And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire. 

Eternal separation. Forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power.

• The horror of the judgment for the wicked will continue throughout eternity. 

¹⁰ When he comes on that day,

• There will be a day of final judgment.

The final judgment:

Read the story about:

Sheep and goats
Right and left

Matthew 25:31-33 NLT
The Final Judgment
³¹ “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. ³² All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.

Read through:

Matthew 25:46 NLT
⁴⁶ “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.” 

 he will receive glory from his holy people—praise from all who believe. And this includes you, for you believed what we told you about him. 

John 3:16 NLT
¹⁶ “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

The event that brings judgment on the unbeliever brings wonder, joy, and honor for the believer,

• Believers are not passive spectators on the day Christ comes back; they are part of Christ’s glory.

Christ’s power and grace are put on display through the transformed lives and resurrected bodies of his followers.

Reflected Glory: Just as a mirror reflects the sun, the transformation of the believers serves as the primary evidence of Christ’s power. He is “marveled at” because of what He has done in and through flawed human beings.

 

 

 

Jesus, the True Vine

John 15:1-5 is a rich and deeply symbolic passage where Jesus uses the metaphor of the vine and branches to teach about the vital relationship between Himself and His followers.

This passage serves as both an encouragement and a warning to believers. It calls us to examine the depth of our relationship with Christ and to ensure that we are truly abiding in Him, drawing our life and nourishment from the “true vine” so that we may bear “much fruit” to the glory of God.

John 15:1-5 NLT
^15:1 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. ³ You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. ⁴ Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
⁵ “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

Examine the Scriptures:

John 15:1-5 NLT

Jesus, the True Vine 

^15:1 “I am the true grapevine,

This is the last of seven of Jesus’ “I Am” sayings in the book of John.

I Am the Bread of Life.

I Am the Light of the World.

I Am the Door of the Sheep

I Am the Good Shepherd.

I Am the Resurrection and the Life.

I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

I Am the True Grapevine.

Who in the Bible is not the true vine?

• The vine is a well-known Old Testament symbol for Israel, often portrayed as unfaithful (Psalm 80, Isaiah 5, and Jeremiah 2).

Psalm 80:8-9 NLT
⁸ You brought us from Egypt like a grapevine;
you drove away the pagan nations and transplanted us into your land.
⁹ You cleared the ground for us,
and we took root and filled the land.

Isaiah 5:1-7 NLT
A Song about the Lord’s Vineyard
5 Now I will sing for the one I love
a song about his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard
on a rich and fertile hill.
² He plowed the land, cleared its stones,
and planted it with the best vines.
In the middle he built a watchtower
and carved a winepress in the nearby rocks.
Then he waited for a harvest of sweet grapes,
but the grapes that grew were bitter.
³ Now, you people of Jerusalem and Judah,
you judge between me and my vineyard.
⁴ What more could I have done for my vineyard
that I have not already done?
When I expected sweet grapes,
why did my vineyard give me bitter grapes?
⁵ Now let me tell you
what I will do to my vineyard:
I will tear down its hedges
and let it be destroyed.
I will break down its walls
and let the animals trample it.

Jeremiah 2:21 NLT
²¹ But I was the one who planted you,
choosing a vine of the purest stock—the very best.
How did you grow into this corrupt wild vine?

Israel was God’s choice vine on which he lavished care and attention.
He longed for fruit but the vine (Israel) became degenerate and produced rotten fruit.

Israel’s failure to produce fruit, and its consequent impending divine judgment,
are evident whenever the vine represents Israel in the Old Testament.

Jesus distinguishes Himself from the Old Testament metaphor of Israel as a vine that often proved unfruitful.

• By calling Himself the true vine, Jesus positions Himself as the fulfillment of what Israel was unable to be—faithful, fruitful, and fully connected to God. Jesus would produce good fruit as God intended Israel should.

Jesus was able to do what Israel was unable to do.

Jesus is the true vine.

• Jesus presents Himself as the only genuine source of spiritual life and nourishment. 

and my Father is the gardener. 

• The Father is the gardener (or vinedresser), the one who cares for the vine (the plant) and ensures it bears fruit.

This establishes God the Father’s role as the one who cultivates and cares for the vine (the plant). The “gardener” tends to the vineyard, ensuring its health and productivity.

This highlights God’s active involvement in the lives of believers (branches), nurturing and guiding them.

No branch will produce good fruit unless someone who is competent cares for it.

* God, not us, does the work. 

² He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit,

• Unfruitful branches (symbolizing those who claim to be in Christ but are not truly connected to Him) are removed.

This seems to indicate that the person is not a true believer.

God does not “cut off” Christians.

 

Consider the following examples of branches that didn’t produce fruit.

Matthew 13:3-8 NLT
³ He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:
“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. ⁴ As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. ⁵ Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. ⁶ But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. ⁷ Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. 

⁸ Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!

John 6:66 NLT
⁶⁶ At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him.

Matthew 7:16-20 NLT (Trees and fruit)
¹⁶ You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. ¹⁹ So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. 

and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 

• Fruit bearing branches are pruned—that is, refined through trials, discipline, or correction—so they can bear more fruit. This process may be painful, but it is ultimately for growth and maturity.

Pruning represents trials or correction intended to deepen faith and increase spiritual yield. 

God’s pruning may be painful, but it has a purpose—our growth and His glory.

* God, not us, removes the things in a believer’s life that would hinder fruit bearing.  He cuts away sin and hindrances that would drain spiritual life.

³ You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 

This affirms their status as true branches, already grafted into the vine.

Jesus assures His disciples that they have already been cleansed through His teachings and their acceptance of Him. The “message” here refers to the message of truth and salvation that Jesus has been proclaiming. This cleansing is foundational for bearing fruit; it signifies a break from sin and a dedication to following Christ.

Salvation is a cleansing process.

John 13:10-11 NLT
¹⁰ Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” ¹¹ For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

Transferred from the kingdom of darkness.

Ephesians 5:8-9 NLT
⁸ For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! ⁹ For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. 

1 John 1:9 NLT
⁹ But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

Titus 2:14 NLT
¹⁴ He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds. 

⁴ Remain in me, and I will remain in you.

A branch gets its life from the vine.

This describes a daily ongoing, living connection. 

This is a continuous, active, and vital connection between the believer and Jesus. Just as a branch cannot survive or produce fruit if severed from the vine, believers cannot live a fruitful spiritual life apart from a constant relationship with Christ. This is not a passive state but an ongoing intimate, dependence and communion. 

The reciprocal nature (“I in you”) signifies the indwelling presence of Christ in those who abide in Him.

This is not a result of “works”.

John 6:29 NLT
²⁹ Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.” 

We remain in Christ through prayer, Scripture, obedience, and surrender. 

Galatians 5:22-23 NLT
²² But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

• Our life source, strength, and ability to produce spiritual fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control – Galatians 5:22-23) flow from Christ. 

For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

• A branch out of contact with the vine is lifeless.

Christian life is not self-powered.

The believer has no fruitfulness apart from his union and fellowship with Christ. 

⁵ “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit.

Producing fruit is the natural outflow of His life living in and through us.

• Fruit is a byproduct of abiding — not something we can produce on our own.

Fruit is what a plant produces that other people can see and benefit from.

• We are producing fruit when our lives are impacting others for Christ

We are producing fruit when we are good ambassadors for Christ.

We are producing fruit when we are acting as salt and light.

Philippians 1:11 NLT
¹¹ May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God. 

For apart from me you can do nothing.

• Without Christ, believers are spiritually powerless—”nothing” of eternal value can be accomplished apart from Him.

Jesus is the source; we are extensions of Him. The fruit (character, service, love, influence) comes naturally when we live in union with Christ.

The stark contrast is clear: “apart from me you can do nothing”—not “less,” but nothing of spiritual value or eternal significance.

 

This passage is a powerful call to cultivate a deep and abiding relationship with Jesus, recognizing our complete dependence on Him for a meaningful and fruitful Christian life. It offers both encouragement and a sober warning about the necessity of remaining connected to the “true vine.”

 

Living the New Life (Part 2)

Appropriate Christian conduct.

This study is for all of us here in this place.

But also, consider the fact that this study could also be used to encourage spiritual growth, wisdom, and character development in the lives of the people we relate to on a regular basis, including the parents of our students.

Proverbs 27:17 NLT
¹⁷ As iron sharpens iron,
so a friend sharpens a friend.

This passage includes some strong statements.

“put to death” – “Have nothing to do with” – “now is the time to get rid of”

What are these phrases communicating to you?

Colossians 3:5-10 NLT
Living the New Life (Part 2)
⁵ So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. ⁶ Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. ⁷ You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. ⁸ But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. ⁹ Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. ¹⁰ Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.

Examine the Scriptures:

Colossians 3:5-11 NLT

Living the New Life (Part 2)

Appropriate Christian conduct. 

⁵ So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. 

• Put to death sinful behaviors and attitudes that belong to your old way of life. 

Remove sinful behaviors and attitudes that belonged to your old way of life before knowing Christ.

• God has the major role in this transformation, but we also have a part to play in this.

In reality God has already done this for the believer, but as Christians we need to know this, count it to be true, and act accordingly.

Romans 6:6-7 NLT
⁶ We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. ⁷ For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.

• Our role is to make a conscious effort to “get rid of all the filth and evil in our lives” (James 1:21). This is not a passive process; it requires deliberate action.

Death to our sinful life must be made real in the way we live day by day. 

Paul lists some sinful behaviors and attitudes. 

Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires.

I don’t need to define these terms.  You know what they mean.

Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 

Greedy people pursue the objects of their greed (money, possessions, power, etc.) in the place of God, with the hope of finding satisfaction in those things,

Skip to verses 8-9a

⁸ But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 

Again, I don’t need to define these terms.  You know what they mean.

⁹ Don’t lie to each other,

Lying is incompatible with the new life in Christ. Honesty and integrity should mark the relationships of those who follow Jesus, reflecting the truthfulness of God.

Lying destroys relationships.

• Scripture lists sinful behaviors and attitudes that must not just be controlled but be “put to death”. These sinful behaviors and attitudes must be completely removed from our lives. 

⁶ Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. 

This is a just and holy response to evil.

• Sin has real consequences and God’s justice will ultimately prevail on those who persist in sinful behavior.

Some of the consequences for our sins.

Isaiah 59:2 NLT
² It’s your sins that have cut you off from God.
Because of your sins, he has turned away
and will not listen anymore.

*Sin creates a barrier between humans and God. While believers have salvation through Christ, unrepented sin can hinder the believer’s relationship with God.

Psalm 66:16-20 NLT
¹⁶ Come and listen, all you who fear God,
and I will tell you what he did for me.
¹⁷ For I cried out to him for help,
praising him as I spoke.
¹⁸ If I had not confessed the sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
¹⁹ But God did listen!
He paid attention to my prayer.
²⁰ Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer
or withdraw his unfailing love from me. 

Persistent sin can affect a believer’s prayer life, making it difficult to feel connected to God.

Galatians 6:7-8 NLT
⁷ Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. ⁸ Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.

Sin often has earthly consequences—broken relationships, emotional pain, or even legal consequences.

Psalm 32:3-4 NLT
³ When I refused to confess my sin,
my body wasted away,
and I groaned all day long.
⁴ Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.
My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. 

Unconfessed sin can result in physical and mental suffering. 

⁷ You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. 

Paul acknowledges that these sins were part of the believers past life, but they no longer define them as new creations in Christ. This is a call to remember their transformation and live according to their new identity.

A description of a person before they became a Christian.

Ephesians 4:17-19 NLT
¹⁷ With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. ¹⁸ Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. ¹⁹ They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT
¹⁷ This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

• Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 

Back to verse 9b

for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.

This is an event that has already taken place.

Colossians 1:11-14 NLT
¹¹ We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, ¹² always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. ¹³ For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, ¹⁴ who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

• Because believers have died with Christ, they can overcome sinful practices.

Romans 6:11 NLT
¹¹ So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.

Romans 6:18 NLT
¹⁸ Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living. 

¹⁰ Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.

This underscores the importance of embracing the new life offered in Christ and turning away from the destructive patterns of the old self.

Galatians 3:27 NLT
²⁷ And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes.

• The ultimate aim of the Christian life is to reflect the character of Christ and to be conformed to the image of God.

This verse commands an intentional action on our part, like putting on new clothes. It describes a conscious effort to embrace the new identity in Christ, leaving behind past sinful behaviors.

• Scripture tells believers to strip off their old life and put on Christ’s new life, allowing Him to be Lord and guide the way they live.

1 Peter 2:1 NLT
^2:1 So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech.

Hebrews 12:1 NLT
^12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

Ephesians 4:22-24 NLT
²² throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. ²³ Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. ²⁴ Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. 

We can’t do this on our own strength.

James 1:21 NLT
²¹ So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

• God’s word is powerful. It can transform our lives.

Hebrews 4:12 NLT
¹² For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. 

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT
¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. ¹⁷ God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

• The transformation of Christians is an ongoing process. As believers grow in understanding and obedience, they become more like Christ.
  

Introduction:

Pressing toward the Goal

Exhortation to Know Christ

Paul uses himself as an example (vs. the Judaizers).

Note: In this passage Paul is speaking about himself.

  In 1 Corinthians 11:1 Paul says:
 ¹ And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.

In this lesson we will only scratch the surface of the rich content of this passage.

Philippians 3:10-16 NLT
Pressing toward the Goal
¹⁰ I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, ¹¹ so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!
¹² I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. ¹³ No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
¹⁵ Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. ¹⁶ But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.

 Examine the Scriptures:

Exhortation to Know Christ
Philippians 3:10-16 NLT
Pressing toward the Goal 

Note: This is Paul speaking about himself.

In 1 Corinthians 11:1 Paul says:
 ¹ And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ. 

¹⁰ I want to know Christ

• Paul wants to know Christ (and become one with Him).

Refer back to verse 8.

Philippians 3:8-9 NLT
⁸ Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ ⁹ and become one with him. 

Discuss:

What does it mean to really know Christ?

Knowing Christ goes beyond mere intellectual acknowledgment or familiarity with His life and teachings; it involves a deep, personal relationship with Him.  (iAsk)

To know by experience.

This is a prayer of Jesus.

John 17:1-3 NLT
^17:1 After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. ² For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. ³ And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. 

Paul has a burning desire to know Christ more intimately as his Lord. 

and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead.  

• Paul wants to understand and experience the power that raised Christ from the dead.

Romans 8:10-11 NLT
¹⁰ And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. ¹¹ The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. 

Ephesians 1:19-20 NLT
¹⁹ I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power ²⁰ that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.

• The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in us.

• Paul wants us to understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for those who believe in him.

Philippians 4:13 NLT
¹³ For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. 

I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death,  

• Paul wants to suffer with Christ, sharing in His death.

Paul knows that when he shares in the death of Jesus a good thing happens.

2 Corinthians 4:10-12 NLT (Paul’s testimony)
¹⁰ Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.
¹¹ Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. ¹² So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.

Suffering for being a Christian is not a bad thing.

1 Peter 4:13-16 NLT
¹² Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. ¹³ Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.
¹⁴ If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. ¹⁵ If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. ¹⁶ But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! 

James 1:2-4 NLT
² Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. ³ For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. ⁴ So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

Paul wanted to become more like Christ. 

¹¹ so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!

• Paul is looking forward to experiencing the resurrection from the dead! 

1 Corinthians 15:23 NLT
²³ But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back. 

¹² I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection.

Paul knows that he is far from being perfect.

1 Corinthians 13:12 NLT
¹² Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

• Sanctification is a lifelong process. 

But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 

Galatians 6:9 NLT
⁹ So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. 

¹³ No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. 

Paul pursued Christlikeness with the enthusiasm and persistence of a runner in the Greek games.

• Paul is pressing on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling him.

• Press on. Forget the past and look forward to what lies ahead.

We can look forward to the heavenly prize of eternal life.

Colossians 3:1-2 NLT
^3:1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. ² Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 

¹⁵ Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things.

• If you are really perfect/mature, you will realize that you are not yet perfect/mature.

Eternal things are most important in life.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT
¹⁶ That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. ¹⁷ For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! ¹⁸ So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. 

If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you.  

¹⁶ But we must hold on to the progress we have already made. 

Press on.

Pursue Christlikeness.

Focus on the Biblical principles you understand.

Do the things you know you should be doing.

Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.

Living as Children of Light

Ephesians 4:17-24 NLT
¹⁷ With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. ¹⁸ Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. ¹⁹ They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.
²⁰ But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. ²¹ Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, ²² throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. ²³ Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. ²⁴ Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

Examine the scriptures:

Ephesians 4:17-24 NLT

Living as Children of Light 

¹⁷ With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do,

• God’s people are called to live in a way that is different from that of unbelievers.

Live differently than you did before you were saved.

1 John 2:15-17 NLT
Do Not Love This World
¹⁵ Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. ¹⁶ For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. ¹⁷ And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. 

for they are hopelessly confused. 

1 Peter 1:14 NLT
¹⁴ So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then.

¹⁸ Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. 

2 Corinthians 4:4 NLT
⁴ Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. 

Matthew 13:12-15 NLT
¹² To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. ¹³ That is why I use these parables,
For they look, but they don’t really see.
They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.
¹⁴ This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,
‘When you hear what I say,
you will not understand.
When you see what I do,
you will not comprehend.
¹⁵ For the hearts of these people are hardened,
and their ears cannot hear,
and they have closed their eyes—
so their eyes cannot see,
and their ears cannot hear,
and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
and let me heal them.’ 

• The minds of unbelievers are full of darkness.  Unbelievers are hopelessly confused.

1 Corinthians 2:14 NLT
¹⁴ But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. 

• Unbelievers are spiritually separated from God. 

¹⁹ They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

• Unbelievers are morally insensitive.

The hardness of unbelievers’ hearts is reflected in their moral insensitivity and sexual immorality.

Romans 1:18-32 NLT
¹⁸ But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. ¹⁹ They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. ²⁰ For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
²¹ Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. ²² Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. ²³ And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.
²⁴ So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. ²⁵ They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. ²⁶ That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. ²⁷ And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.
²⁸ Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. ²⁹ Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. ³⁰ They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. ³¹ They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. ³² They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too. 

²⁰ But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. ²¹ Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 

1 John 5:20 NLT
²⁰ And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life.

2 Corinthians 5:14-18 NLT
¹⁴ Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. ¹⁵ He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.  ¹⁶ …  ¹⁷ This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
¹⁸ And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.

John 8:36 NLT
³⁶ So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.

• Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.

²² throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 

Romans 6:6 NLT
⁶ We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 

• Our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.

²³ Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.  

• Spiritual renewal is an ongoing process in the life of the Christian. 

But remember, anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. 

²⁴ Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

• A believer has a new nature. God is at work in us and He is the one who brings about the change.

Colossians 3:10 NLT
¹⁰ Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.

• We put on the new nature as we pursue the things of Christ rather than the desires of the flesh.

Romans 12:2 NLT
² Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Galatians 5:22-25 NLT
²² But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. ²⁵ Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

• The transforming work of God’s spirit is part of the gift of salvation.

Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT
⁸ God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. ⁹ Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

A Feast at Joseph’s Palace

Review:

• • God is preparing Joseph’s brothers to be leaders of his chosen people.
  • God’s testing is having a significant impact on Jacob and his sons.
  • The brothers were terrified (again).

Lives are being changed.

Was it Godly Sorrow or Worldly Sorrow?

Genesis 43:19-34 NLT
A Feast at Joseph’s Palace
¹⁹ The brothers approached the manager of Joseph’s household and spoke to him at the entrance to the palace. ²⁰ “Sir,” they said, “we came to Egypt once before to buy food. ²¹ But as we were returning home, we stopped for the night and opened our sacks. Then we discovered that each man’s money—the exact amount paid—was in the top of his sack! Here it is; we have brought it back with us. ²² We also have additional money to buy more food. We have no idea who put our money in our sacks.”²³ “Relax. Don’t be afraid,” the household manager told them. “Your God, the God of your father, must have put this treasure into your sacks.
I know I received your payment.” Then he released Simeon and brought him out to them.
²⁴ The manager then led the men into Joseph’s palace. He gave them water to wash their feet and provided food for their donkeys. ²⁵ They were told they would be eating there, so they prepared their gifts for Joseph’s arrival at noon.
²⁶ When Joseph came home, they gave him the gifts they had brought him, then bowed low to the ground before him. ²⁷ After greeting them, he asked, “How is your father, the old man you spoke about? Is he still alive?”
²⁸ “Yes,” they replied. “Our father, your servant, is alive and well.” And they bowed low again.
²⁹ Then Joseph looked at his brother Benjamin, the son of his own mother. “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” Joseph asked. “May God be gracious to you, my son.” ³⁰ Then Joseph hurried from the room because he was overcome with emotion for his brother. He went into his private room, where he broke down and wept. ³¹ After washing his face, he came back out, keeping himself under control. Then he ordered, “Bring out the food!”
³² The waiters served Joseph at his own table, and his brothers were served at a separate table. The Egyptians who ate with Joseph sat at their own table, because Egyptians despise Hebrews and refuse to eat with them. ³³ Joseph told each of his brothers where to sit, and to their amazement, he seated them according to age, from oldest to youngest. ³⁴ And Joseph filled their plates with food from his own table, giving Benjamin five times as much as he gave the others. So they feasted and drank freely with him.

Examine the Scriptures

Genesis 43:18 NLT
¹⁸ The brothers were terrified when they saw that they were being taken into Joseph’s house. “It’s because of the money someone put in our sacks last time we were here,” they said. “He plans to pretend that we stole it. Then he will seize us, make us slaves, and take our donkeys.”

From the previous lesson.

• • The brothers are terrified (again).

Genesis 43:19-34 NLT
A Feast at Joseph’s Palace
¹⁹ The brothers approached the manager of Joseph’s household and spoke to him at the entrance to the palace. ²⁰ “Sir,” they said, “we came to Egypt once before to buy food.  

²¹ But as we were returning home, we stopped for the night and opened our sacks. Then we discovered that each man’s money—the exact amount paid—was in the top of his sack! Here it is; we have brought it back with us. 

• The brothers are completely vulnerable and feeling the weight of God’s judgment on their consciences.

• God’s testing is having an impact on Jacob and his sons.

The brothers displayed:
Honesty
Desire to settle their debt.

• Were the brothers experiencing Godly Sorrow or Worldly Sorrow?

2 Corinthians 7:10 NLT
¹⁰ For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. 

Psalm 51
For the choir director: A psalm of David, regarding the time Nathan the prophet came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.
¹ Have mercy on me, O God,
    because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
    blot out the stain of my sins.
² Wash me clean from my guilt.
    Purify me from my sin.
³ For I recognize my rebellion;
    it haunts me day and night.
⁴ Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
    I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
    and your judgment against me is just.
⁵ For I was born a sinner—
    yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
⁶ But you desire honesty from the womb
    teaching me wisdom even there.
⁷ Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;
    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
⁸ Oh, give me back my joy again;
    you have broken me—
    now let me rejoice.
⁹ Don’t keep looking at my sins.
    Remove the stain of my guilt.
¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God.
    Renew a loyal spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not banish me from your presence,
    and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and make me willing to obey you.
¹³ Then I will teach your ways to rebels,
    and they will return to you.
¹⁴ Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves;
    then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.
¹⁵ Unseal my lips, O Lord,
    that my mouth may praise you.
¹⁶ You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
    You do not want a burnt offering.
¹⁷ The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
    You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. 

• Worldly sorrow provides opportunities for teaching Godly sorrow.

²² We also have additional money to buy more food. We have no idea who put our money in our sacks.” 

²³ “Relax. Don’t be afraid,” the household manager told them. “Your God, the God of your father,

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was being active in this story, and that fact was recognized by the Egyptian household manager. 

must have put this treasure into your sacks.

This is a powerful statement.

Treasure (most translations) implies more than just a payment for a purchase.
Put the money in your sack as a gift. (ERV)

Isaiah 45:3 NLT
³ And I will give you (Cyrus) treasures hidden in the darkness—
secret riches.
I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord,
the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.

I know I received your payment.”

• The Egyptian household manager recognized that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was active in this narrative. 

Then he released Simeon and brought him out to them. 

²⁴ The manager then led the men into Joseph’s palace. He gave them water to wash their feet and provided food for their donkeys. 

Usual Eastern hospitality.

An act of courtesy to a traveler.

• The brothers are treated with courtesy by the Egyptian household manager.

²⁵ They were told they would be eating there, so they prepared their gifts for Joseph’s arrival at noon.

Guests of the governor of Egypt.

²⁶ When Joseph came home, they gave him the gifts they had brought him, then bowed low to the ground before him. 

Joseph’s boyhood dream (37:5-8)

²⁷ After greeting them, he asked, “How is your father, the old man you spoke about? Is he still alive?”

²⁸ “Yes,” they replied. “Our father, your servant, is alive and well.” And they bowed low again.

• Joseph was no longer treating his brothers harshly.

²⁹ Then Joseph looked at his brother Benjamin, the son of his own mother.

The son of his own mother. 

“Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” Joseph asked. “May God be gracious to you, my son.” 

“May God”

Elohiym – the supreme God – same name as in Genesis 1:1

A demonstration of favoritism.

An answer to Jacob’s prayer.

Genesis 43:14 NLT
¹⁴ May God Almighty give you mercy as you go before the man, so that he will release Simeon and let Benjamin return. But if I must lose my children, so be it.”

• Joseph recognized the fact that God played a significant role in this narrative. 

³⁰ Then Joseph hurried from the room because he was overcome with emotion for his brother.

Painful memories.

Joy and thanksgiving.

Joseph and not seen Benjamin for 20 years.

He went into his private room, where he broke down and wept. ³¹ After washing his face, he came back out, keeping himself under control.

Joseph was not ready to reveal his identity.

Then he ordered, “Bring out the food!” 

³² The waiters served Joseph at his own table,

Joseph’s rank was clearly displayed with a table set just for him.

Since Joseph was not ready to reveal his identity, he could not sit with his brothers since Egyptians would never sit with Hebrews.

 and his brothers were served at a separate table. 

The Egyptians who ate with Joseph sat at their own table, because Egyptians despise Hebrews and refuse to eat with them.  

• Egyptians normally despise Hebrews.

³³ Joseph told each of his brothers where to sit, and to their amazement,

he seated them according to age, from oldest to youngest.  

“to their amazement” indicates that the brothers took note of Joseph’s seating arrangement.

How could the Egyptian governor have known this?

More divine intervention?

Genesis 42:21 NLT
²¹ Speaking among themselves, they said, “Clearly we are being punished because of what we did to Joseph long ago. We saw his anguish when he pleaded for his life, but we wouldn’t listen. That’s why we’re in this trouble.” 

³⁴ And Joseph filled their plates with food from his own table, giving Benjamin five times as much as he gave the others.

A clear demonstration of favoritism.

The brothers were confronted with generous and gracious dealings from God through Joseph, who tested their tolerance by reenacting the favoritism toward Rachel’s son that had galvanized their earlier hostility.

• The brothers did not appear to react negatively to Joseph’s demonstration of favoritism toward Benjamin. 

So they feasted and drank freely with him. 

From terrified (verse 18) to feasting and drinking freely.

• The brothers appeared to experience some degree of comfort feasting and drinking with the governor of Egypt. 

• God is gradually preparing Joseph’s brothers to be leaders of his chosen people.

Spiritual Gifts

From the deplorable behavior of the Corinthians at the Lord’s supper to the Corinthians receiving and correctly using their unique spiritual gifts.

1 Corinthians 12:1-11 NLT

Spiritual Gifts
¹ Now, dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don’t want you to misunderstand this. ² You know that when you were still pagans, you were led astray and swept along in worshiping speechless idols. ³ So I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.
⁴ There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. ⁵ There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. ⁶ God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.
⁷ A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. ⁸ To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. ⁹ The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. ¹⁰ He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. ¹¹ It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

 Examine the scriptures:

Spiritual Gifts

1 Corinthians 12:1-11 NLT

¹ Now, dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. 

• Special abilities are given to us by the Holy Spirit.

 I don’t want you to misunderstand this. ² You know that when you were still pagans, you were led astray and swept along in worshiping speechless idols. 

• The special abilities given to us by the Holy Spirit can easily be misunderstood and misused.

Misused or abused.

The Corinthian church was strongly influenced by their surrounding culture and the presence of false teachers.

 

 2 Peter 2:1-2 (NLT)
The Danger of False Teachers
¹ But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. ² Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. 

• Paul wanted to encourage and disciple the Corinthians to use their spiritual gifts correctly.

• Christians need to learn how to use their spiritual gift(s) correctly to bring glory to God. 

³ So I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God (controlled by the Holy Spirit) will curse Jesus,

and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.

 It’s all about Jesus.

John 14:6 (NLT)
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

Acts 4:12 (NLT)
There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”

John 3:16 (NLT)
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

1 Timothy 2:5 (NLT)
For,
There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus.

John 10:9 (NLT)
Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures.

John 3:36 (NLT)
And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”

 Philippians 2:9-11 (NLT)
⁹ Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹ and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. 

No one can say from the heart Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

A simple test.

Luke 6:45 (NLT)
⁴⁵ A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.

Romans 10:9-10 (NLT)
⁹ If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

 1 Corinthians 12:3 (ERV)
³ So I tell you that no one who is speaking with the help of God’s Spirit says, “Jesus be cursed.” And no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” without the help of the Holy Spirit.

 What is coming out of your mouth?

• A simple test to determine what is in your heart: “What is coming out of your mouth?”

 

⁴ There are different kinds of spiritual gifts,

 but the same Spirit is the source of them all. 

 ⁵ There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. 

 ⁶ God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.

God works in different ways in each of us.

• Individuals serve the Lord and His Church in various ways.

⁷ A spiritual gift is given to each of us

Spiritual gifts were given to the Corinthians. 

• All Christians have at least one spiritual gift.

 so we can help each other.  

• Spiritual gifts are given to each of us so we can help others and bring glory to God.

⁸ To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. ⁹ The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. ¹⁰ He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. 

 Various gifts are listed in Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:28-31, Ephesians 4:11, 1 Peter 4:10-11.

• We don’t all have the same spiritual gifts. 

¹¹ It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

• We do not choose our spiritual gift(s).

Tell the Next Generation

What are you telling the next generation?

… we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord,  about his power and his mighty wonders.  ( Psalm 78:4 NLT)

Tell the next generation that God is the creator of the heavens and the earth.

 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1 ESV)

Tell the next generation that God created the sun, moon and the stars.

And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars.  And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, (Genesis 1:16-17 ESV)

Tell the next generation that God made the seas.

(God)  made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, … (Psalm 146:6 ESV)

Tell the next generation that God created the flowers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tell the next generation that God created everything.

Tell the next generation that God’s creation was (is) very good.

And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. (Genesis 1:31 ESV)

(Be sure to read future posts that will discuss more of the Lord’s glorious deeds, his power and his mighty wonders.)

… we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord,  about his power and his mighty wonders.  ( Psalm 78:4 NLT)

 Click here to view previous posts on the Seeking His Kingdom website.

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