We touched briefly on Ephesians 5:33 today. I have copied the link below around sermon notes that were given describing this verse and what it means.
At this point the plan is to go through Dr. Eggeriech's book - Love and Respect after we finish Daniel. If you are interested in getting a jumpstart purchasing the book or looking over the link may be helpful.
Take care! Andy
http://www.cornerstonebaptistch.org/sermons/notes/2006-02-26_Love%20%20Respect%20in%20Marriage.pdf
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Notes and Questions for January 18, 2009
Notes and Questions for January 18, 2009
We learned last week that Daniel was evidently the leader and chief spokesperson for the four young Hebrew believers (1:8). The record suggests that he was the first to make up his mind (wayyasem al-libbo – lit. “and he placed on his heart”) to refuse food from the king’s table and then to communicate his settled resolve to the other three. What he sought to avoid was being defiled by contact with unclean meats – or even clean meats that had become contaminated with heathen worship.
1) What do you do to steer clear not just of obvious things that would defile yourself but even things that are tainted? Give a specific example to your spouse.
Read Daniel 1:8-16
2) Who is in control in verse 9? What does this mean to you and in your current situation either at work or at home?
It is highly significant that Daniel enjoyed good rapport with his “guard” (melshar, “overseer”) and, according to v 11, even with Ashpenaz himself, the “chief official” (sar hassarisim) who was in charge of the whole academy (v 9). He had found “favor” (hessed implies a love or loyalty based on a relationship of mutal commitment) and “sympathy” (rahmim) with Ashpenaz and felt he could confide in him. Daniel must have shown an attitude of sincere good will and faithfulness to duty toward those over him.
3) Where have you been placed by God (family, employment, friendships)? What do you do with those relationships and how are you a witness for God?
4) What is your priority? Do you see following God and going away from sin as something that you will do anything or risk anything to do? What is an example of where you have done that?
5) Did Daniel ever eat from the King’s table?
Read Daniel 1:17-21
6) When did God give “knowledge and understanding” to them (before or after they believed His laws and followed them)?
7) How long was it between verse 1 and ver 18?
8) Why did the King want to have these guys around? (v 19 and 20)
9) Who gave them what they had (reference v 17)
Verse 17 makes it clear that Daniel and his friends were granted special intellectual ability by the Lord, not because of their diet, but because of his approval of their faith and commitment to His word. Not only did they master ever branch of Akkadian and Sumerian scholarship, but they – or at least Daniel himself – even master oneiromancy (the interpretation of dreams), in which Joseph had excelled in the court of Egypt.
Verses 18 to 20 show us when the time for the final examinations came, Ashpenaz was proud to present his students before Nebuchadnezzar himself, who apparently was in charge of the oral exams. Out of the entire group of brilliant young men, the king found that these were the four highest. He was so impressed with them that he decided to give them responsible posts in his government.
10) Were the four involved in the occult arts?
The term for “magicians” (v 20) is hartummim, a hartom was probably a diviner, one who used some sort of inscribed chart or magical design in oorder to arrive at an answer to the questions put to him. “Enchanters” (assapim) is derived from the Akkadian asipum (“soothsayer). Observe in this connection that the test does not state that the four Hebrews actually engaged in the practice of divination or conjuation themselves, which would, no doubt, have been forbidden them by Deut 18:10-12. It simply states that ehy attained hokmat binah (lit, “the wisdom of understanding”. This implies that the attainment of results, the securing of a knowledge of the future or what would have been the best decision to make on the part of the government in view of unknown future contingencies, or the like, Daniel and his three colleagues far excelled the professional heathen diviners and conjurers.
More examples of Daniel’s superiority appear in Chapter 2, where he alone could reconstruct Nebuchadnezzar’s dream about the fourfold image, Chapter 4, where he alone could interpret the warning dream of the felled tree, etc. In none of these instances is there any indication that Daniel resorted to occult practices; he simply went to God directly in prayer, and God revealed the answer to him. Nevertheless Daniel was at least “ten times better” than all the pagan magicians and conjurers in the realm, who for all their incantations and sorceries could not come up with the answer the king was looking for.
11) How simple is the message from God to unbelievers?
12) What is the message from God to unbelievers?
13) When do you go to God in prayer? Is it for small things or just big? Is it for positive or just for ‘bad’?
14) When your boss or family needs a decision from you or a view forward who do you look to? Do you look to God or to the latest show on t.v. or even horoscope?
15) Are you a “soothsayer” or a “prayer”? Give a specific example.
In verse 21 we see the fact about the length of Daniel’s career in public service. Since Babylon fell before the Persian onslaught in 539B.C. the first year of Cyrus might be computed as 539-538. But since we are informed by verse 31 in chapter five that the rule of Babylonia was at first entrusted to Darius the Mede by King Cyrus, and since Daniel 9 is dates in the “first year” of Darius (9:1), it is fair to assume that Darius remained as titular king till 538 or 537. If so, the “first year” of Cyrus as king of Babylon would have been 537-536B.C., which is probably the year when the forty-two thousand Jews returned to Palestine under Zerubbabel and Jeshua. If Daniel was put into the Royal Academy for three years, his first governmental appointment might have been around 601B.C. Thus his whole term of service (with, apparently, a temporary retirement during the reign of Belshazzar) would have been about sixty-five years (601 to 536B.C.) Daniel’s retirement must have taken place some years before his death, for he spoke of receiving his revelations in “the third year of Cyrus” (10:1), or two years after his retirement.
16) How long will you be on the earth?
17) What will you be doing and who will you be doing it for?
18) What is your number one assignment during that time?
We learned last week that Daniel was evidently the leader and chief spokesperson for the four young Hebrew believers (1:8). The record suggests that he was the first to make up his mind (wayyasem al-libbo – lit. “and he placed on his heart”) to refuse food from the king’s table and then to communicate his settled resolve to the other three. What he sought to avoid was being defiled by contact with unclean meats – or even clean meats that had become contaminated with heathen worship.
1) What do you do to steer clear not just of obvious things that would defile yourself but even things that are tainted? Give a specific example to your spouse.
Read Daniel 1:8-16
2) Who is in control in verse 9? What does this mean to you and in your current situation either at work or at home?
It is highly significant that Daniel enjoyed good rapport with his “guard” (melshar, “overseer”) and, according to v 11, even with Ashpenaz himself, the “chief official” (sar hassarisim) who was in charge of the whole academy (v 9). He had found “favor” (hessed implies a love or loyalty based on a relationship of mutal commitment) and “sympathy” (rahmim) with Ashpenaz and felt he could confide in him. Daniel must have shown an attitude of sincere good will and faithfulness to duty toward those over him.
3) Where have you been placed by God (family, employment, friendships)? What do you do with those relationships and how are you a witness for God?
4) What is your priority? Do you see following God and going away from sin as something that you will do anything or risk anything to do? What is an example of where you have done that?
5) Did Daniel ever eat from the King’s table?
Read Daniel 1:17-21
6) When did God give “knowledge and understanding” to them (before or after they believed His laws and followed them)?
7) How long was it between verse 1 and ver 18?
8) Why did the King want to have these guys around? (v 19 and 20)
9) Who gave them what they had (reference v 17)
Verse 17 makes it clear that Daniel and his friends were granted special intellectual ability by the Lord, not because of their diet, but because of his approval of their faith and commitment to His word. Not only did they master ever branch of Akkadian and Sumerian scholarship, but they – or at least Daniel himself – even master oneiromancy (the interpretation of dreams), in which Joseph had excelled in the court of Egypt.
Verses 18 to 20 show us when the time for the final examinations came, Ashpenaz was proud to present his students before Nebuchadnezzar himself, who apparently was in charge of the oral exams. Out of the entire group of brilliant young men, the king found that these were the four highest. He was so impressed with them that he decided to give them responsible posts in his government.
10) Were the four involved in the occult arts?
The term for “magicians” (v 20) is hartummim, a hartom was probably a diviner, one who used some sort of inscribed chart or magical design in oorder to arrive at an answer to the questions put to him. “Enchanters” (assapim) is derived from the Akkadian asipum (“soothsayer). Observe in this connection that the test does not state that the four Hebrews actually engaged in the practice of divination or conjuation themselves, which would, no doubt, have been forbidden them by Deut 18:10-12. It simply states that ehy attained hokmat binah (lit, “the wisdom of understanding”. This implies that the attainment of results, the securing of a knowledge of the future or what would have been the best decision to make on the part of the government in view of unknown future contingencies, or the like, Daniel and his three colleagues far excelled the professional heathen diviners and conjurers.
More examples of Daniel’s superiority appear in Chapter 2, where he alone could reconstruct Nebuchadnezzar’s dream about the fourfold image, Chapter 4, where he alone could interpret the warning dream of the felled tree, etc. In none of these instances is there any indication that Daniel resorted to occult practices; he simply went to God directly in prayer, and God revealed the answer to him. Nevertheless Daniel was at least “ten times better” than all the pagan magicians and conjurers in the realm, who for all their incantations and sorceries could not come up with the answer the king was looking for.
11) How simple is the message from God to unbelievers?
12) What is the message from God to unbelievers?
13) When do you go to God in prayer? Is it for small things or just big? Is it for positive or just for ‘bad’?
14) When your boss or family needs a decision from you or a view forward who do you look to? Do you look to God or to the latest show on t.v. or even horoscope?
15) Are you a “soothsayer” or a “prayer”? Give a specific example.
In verse 21 we see the fact about the length of Daniel’s career in public service. Since Babylon fell before the Persian onslaught in 539B.C. the first year of Cyrus might be computed as 539-538. But since we are informed by verse 31 in chapter five that the rule of Babylonia was at first entrusted to Darius the Mede by King Cyrus, and since Daniel 9 is dates in the “first year” of Darius (9:1), it is fair to assume that Darius remained as titular king till 538 or 537. If so, the “first year” of Cyrus as king of Babylon would have been 537-536B.C., which is probably the year when the forty-two thousand Jews returned to Palestine under Zerubbabel and Jeshua. If Daniel was put into the Royal Academy for three years, his first governmental appointment might have been around 601B.C. Thus his whole term of service (with, apparently, a temporary retirement during the reign of Belshazzar) would have been about sixty-five years (601 to 536B.C.) Daniel’s retirement must have taken place some years before his death, for he spoke of receiving his revelations in “the third year of Cyrus” (10:1), or two years after his retirement.
16) How long will you be on the earth?
17) What will you be doing and who will you be doing it for?
18) What is your number one assignment during that time?
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Daniel - Week 1 - Notes and Questions for January 11, 2009
Notes and questions for January 11, 2009
This week we plan to work through the first verses of chapter 1 in Daniel.
This week we plan to work through the first verses of chapter 1 in Daniel.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Notes from November 30, 2008
Here are the notes from this morning's study. Have a great week.
What we believe the Church is:
Headed by Christ
Fellowship
Building Each other Up
United
Evangelistic
Devoted to God’s Purpose
All are priests
Church is married to Christ / One with Christ
Disciplined to pure doctrine
Provides service to the community
What do we base this belief on?
Headed by Christ – Gal 3:28 and Ephesians 5:23-24
Fellowship – Luke 22:19 and Acts 12:5
Building Each other Up – Ephesians 4:12 and Galatians 6:10
United as One Body – 1 Cor 12:12 and 12:25-26
Evangelistic – Matthew 28:19-20 and Acts 1:8
All are priests – 1 Peter 2:5
Church is married to Christ / One with Christ – 2 Cor 11:2 and Ephesians 5:25-27
Disciplined to pure doctrine / Accountability – 1 Cor 5:7
Provide service – Acts 10:38
Joined together by God – Eph 1:22-23
Based on this – who should NOT be accepted into the CHURCH? What would you base your answer on?
In a prior class we described Christian Fellowship as the ‘gathering together to glorify God’ – our purpose is to Glorify Him.
What should we DO based on this?
One Body – Headed by Christ -
Read Ephesians 5:30 – Why does Christ care about the Church?
The reason why Christ cares for the church is made clear in verse 30. It is because Christians are living parts of His body. In Ephesians 4:25 (remember the start of last Sunday’s lesson) Paul has dealt with the relationship of the member to one another individually. Here he is concerned with their relationship as a whole. Earlier in the letter he has spoken about the church as a body whose head is Christ (1:22, 23; 4:12; 16). Here he stresses the closeness of the Christian’s communion with Christ as a part (mele) of Himself, just as the branches are part of the vine.
Do we see our church family as part of our own body?
Do we let our hand on our own body wither or do we take care of it?
How should we take care of our own body (our family and especially our spouse)? - What SPECIFIC things can you site about how you ensure the love for your family helps the family live?
Read Genesis 2:24
Paul introduces the verse from Genesis at this point to substantiate his argument from Scripture, as did Jesus himself. It had already been shaping his thought in this section.
“For this reason” (anti toutou) is not a preface to the quotation but part of it. When Adam recognized that Eve was part of himself (“bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh” Gen 2:23), Genesis 24 adds: “Therefore a man leaves his father and mother and cleaves to his wife and they become one flesh”. The marriage tie takes precedence over every other human relationship and for this reason is to be regarded as inviolable. Nevertheless, what is basically a divine ordinance is graciously designed for mutual satisfaction and delight. “United” means closely joined (proskollesthesetai, literally, “will be glued”). It is because of this exalted biblical view of marital relations that the church has taken its stand on the indissolubility of the marital bond.
Why is it important that Christ would be the head of the church?
What would happen if Christ was not the head of the church? Who or where would we look for guidance – (systems of church government have been stood up as we look elsewhere for guidance)?
Study Notes and Questions for November 30, 2008
- We will cover what we believe the Church is
- We will cover what we base our belief on
- We will cover what we do based on this belief
What we believe the Church is:
Headed by Christ
Fellowship
Building Each other Up
United
Evangelistic
Devoted to God’s Purpose
All are priests
Church is married to Christ / One with Christ
Disciplined to pure doctrine
Provides service to the community
What do we base this belief on?
Headed by Christ – Gal 3:28 and Ephesians 5:23-24
Fellowship – Luke 22:19 and Acts 12:5
Building Each other Up – Ephesians 4:12 and Galatians 6:10
United as One Body – 1 Cor 12:12 and 12:25-26
Evangelistic – Matthew 28:19-20 and Acts 1:8
All are priests – 1 Peter 2:5
Church is married to Christ / One with Christ – 2 Cor 11:2 and Ephesians 5:25-27
Disciplined to pure doctrine / Accountability – 1 Cor 5:7
Provide service – Acts 10:38
Joined together by God – Eph 1:22-23
Based on this – who should NOT be accepted into the CHURCH? What would you base your answer on?
In a prior class we described Christian Fellowship as the ‘gathering together to glorify God’ – our purpose is to Glorify Him.
What should we DO based on this?
One Body – Headed by Christ -
Read Ephesians 5:30 – Why does Christ care about the Church?
The reason why Christ cares for the church is made clear in verse 30. It is because Christians are living parts of His body. In Ephesians 4:25 (remember the start of last Sunday’s lesson) Paul has dealt with the relationship of the member to one another individually. Here he is concerned with their relationship as a whole. Earlier in the letter he has spoken about the church as a body whose head is Christ (1:22, 23; 4:12; 16). Here he stresses the closeness of the Christian’s communion with Christ as a part (mele) of Himself, just as the branches are part of the vine.
Do we see our church family as part of our own body?
Do we let our hand on our own body wither or do we take care of it?
How should we take care of our own body (our family and especially our spouse)? - What SPECIFIC things can you site about how you ensure the love for your family helps the family live?
Read Genesis 2:24
Paul introduces the verse from Genesis at this point to substantiate his argument from Scripture, as did Jesus himself. It had already been shaping his thought in this section.
“For this reason” (anti toutou) is not a preface to the quotation but part of it. When Adam recognized that Eve was part of himself (“bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh” Gen 2:23), Genesis 24 adds: “Therefore a man leaves his father and mother and cleaves to his wife and they become one flesh”. The marriage tie takes precedence over every other human relationship and for this reason is to be regarded as inviolable. Nevertheless, what is basically a divine ordinance is graciously designed for mutual satisfaction and delight. “United” means closely joined (proskollesthesetai, literally, “will be glued”). It is because of this exalted biblical view of marital relations that the church has taken its stand on the indissolubility of the marital bond.
Why is it important that Christ would be the head of the church?
What would happen if Christ was not the head of the church? Who or where would we look for guidance – (systems of church government have been stood up as we look elsewhere for guidance)?
Saturday, November 29, 2008
References for 'The Church'
Here is an excerpt from the Baptist Faith and Message - Doctinal information from the Southern Baptist Convention. The great part here is the bible references used.
References for Ordinances and Sunday Worship
Here is an excerpt from the Baptist Faith and Message - Doctinal information from the Southern Baptist Convention. The great part here is the bible references used. I will post one on 'the church' in the next few minutes.
Notes for December 7, 2008
The last chapter of Paul Little's book - Chapter 10 - includes discussion on 'Things to Come'. Certainly prophecy in the bible has been shown to be accurate as we look back on these. That said, it is also true that most all of those involved in the prophecy at the time it was being given had no idea what it meant (Ref Isa or Daniel). Even more interesting is that they didn't know when it was going to happen. As we discussed two weeks ago, the angels don't even know when things will happen and instead of wrestling with that, consistently follow and look to God.
All of the above said, our last study in the book should raise interesting and important questions about what is to come. I am sure that as we look back (when we are in heaven) on what did occur we will more fully see what God was telling us in the bible about what is to come for us. I do encourage you to concentrate on the section 'what is certain' in the book as it is a fundamental teaching important to both those that have been saved and those that have not. The remainder of the book gives great and concise information about what we believe and scholars think with regard to end times. I also know that the great mysteries of God and His prophecies (not ours!) have been thought to be understood in the past and have shown to be His timing and His meaning, not ours.
It will be a great overlay to begin the book of Daniel at the end of this book and right before we celebrate the one and only gift of God incarnate. At the end of Daniel the prophetic information will certainly lead us into continued discussion around our future and the glory of Jesus Christ.
Only one question of the week for this chapter - Do YOU desire to depart and be together with Christ? Phil 1:23?
All of the above said, our last study in the book should raise interesting and important questions about what is to come. I am sure that as we look back (when we are in heaven) on what did occur we will more fully see what God was telling us in the bible about what is to come for us. I do encourage you to concentrate on the section 'what is certain' in the book as it is a fundamental teaching important to both those that have been saved and those that have not. The remainder of the book gives great and concise information about what we believe and scholars think with regard to end times. I also know that the great mysteries of God and His prophecies (not ours!) have been thought to be understood in the past and have shown to be His timing and His meaning, not ours.
It will be a great overlay to begin the book of Daniel at the end of this book and right before we celebrate the one and only gift of God incarnate. At the end of Daniel the prophetic information will certainly lead us into continued discussion around our future and the glory of Jesus Christ.
Only one question of the week for this chapter - Do YOU desire to depart and be together with Christ? Phil 1:23?
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