Participants:
Series Code: SSP
Program Code: SSP200025S
|
00:01 If you are student of the Bible,
00:02 then perhaps you have ran across those passages 00:05 that are just tough to deal with, 00:07 perhaps they seem contradicting in nature 00:08 or just simply hard to understand. 00:11 Well, this week on 3ABN Sabbath School Panel, 00:13 we're going to be taking on how to deal 00:15 with these tough passages. 00:17 We're on lesson number 12. 00:18 We're almost to the end 00:20 and we are talking again 00:21 about how to interpret scripture. 00:23 So please join us this week and you know what? 00:25 If you don't have a copy of the study, 00:27 please go to absg.Adventist.org 00:32 that stands for Adult Bible Study Guide 00:35 and there you can access a copy of this study for free. 00:39 So get your pencils, get your pens, get your iPads, 00:42 notepads anything that you need to take notes 00:44 because we're going to continue 00:46 on through this epic Bible study adventure 00:48 together. 01:23 Hello and welcome back 01:24 to another edition of 3ABN Sabbath School Panel. 01:28 We are continuing through our study 01:30 and this quarter of course is entitled, 01:32 "How to Interpret Scripture" 01:34 and we're actually approaching the end of this train. 01:37 We are on lesson number 12, 01:39 dealing with difficult passages 01:42 and this is a much needed study 01:44 because when you're trying to learn the Bible, 01:47 understand the Bible, read the Bible, 01:49 in your Christian walk with the Lord, 01:50 you're going to run across those difficult passages 01:52 from time to time 01:53 that you simply just don't understand, 01:55 might even seem contradicting, whatever the case may be, 01:58 we're going to talk about it during this lesson. 02:00 And before we go any further, 02:02 I just want to introduce this wonderful panel. 02:05 We have Brother Kenny Shelton to my left. 02:07 How are you, Brother? 02:08 I'm well and it's a blessing to be here today 02:10 and look forward to the study. 02:11 Amen. Praise the Lord. It's good to have you. 02:13 Brother John Dinzey, 02:14 it's always a pleasure to have you on the program. 02:16 It's a wonderful opportunity to learn from others 02:19 and to share God's Word. 02:20 I'm looking forward to it. 02:22 Amen. Good job. 02:23 And you did a phenomenal job last week with that tough, 02:26 investigative judgment topic. 02:27 That was really, really nice. 02:28 Pastor Lomacang, 02:30 it's always a blessing to have you, Brother. 02:31 Yes. 02:32 And I'm excited about the topic, 02:34 determination and patience. 02:36 Something very needed in studying the Bible. 02:38 Nice, absolutely. Praise the Lord. 02:39 And, of course, Miss Jill Morikoni. 02:42 She's holding down the ladies' fort 02:44 on the end of the table there 02:46 and throughout this entire program. 02:47 We appreciate your presence here always. 02:49 Always a privilege to open up the Word of God 02:50 and study together. 02:52 Amen. 02:53 Well, before we get started into our lesson here, 02:55 I'm going to ask Brother John Dinzey 02:56 if you would have a prayer for us. 02:58 Sure. 02:59 Our loving Heavenly Father, 03:01 we are grateful for Your kindness and mercy. 03:04 We come before Your throne of grace 03:06 in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 03:09 We ask for Your grace, 03:11 for Your Holy Spirit 03:12 that You through us will speak the words 03:15 Your children need to hear. 03:16 We pray that You will teach us all new things 03:19 and draw us close to you. 03:21 We ask in Jesus' name, amen. 03:23 Amen. Amen. 03:24 Praise the Lord. 03:25 Dealing with difficult passages, 03:27 if I have time, 03:28 I might tell a little bit of a personal testimony. 03:31 You know, I... 03:32 When I first came into the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 03:35 there were some passages, 03:36 some topics that I was running across 03:38 in the scriptures 03:39 that I just simply couldn't quite grasp 03:42 and understand 03:43 and it almost caused me to leave the faith, 03:45 leave the church, but praise the Lord, 03:48 I had a great pastor, I had a great teacher, 03:50 and we were able to study the scriptures together 03:52 to approach the topics from a relative 03:56 and a very responsible perspective, 04:00 a healthy perspective. 04:01 And that's what we want to talk about today. 04:03 Our memory text comes from 2 Peter 3:15 and 16. 04:08 We've heard these texts before. 04:10 And, of course, this is 2 Peter 3:15 and 16, 04:14 and the Bible says, 04:16 "And consider that the longsuffering 04:18 of our Lord is salvation, 04:21 as also our beloved brother Paul, 04:24 according to the wisdom given to him, 04:27 has written to you, 04:28 as also in all his epistles, 04:31 speaking in them of these things, 04:34 in which are some things hard to understand, 04:37 which untaught and unstable people 04:40 twist to their own destruction, 04:42 as they do also the rest of the scriptures." 04:47 I think that's a great foundation text 04:49 in the sense that, 04:51 you know, one of the major reasons 04:52 why many people leave the faith 04:56 or they simply approach Christianity in a different way 04:59 that's not necessarily in harmony with God's Word 05:01 it's because of a twisting, 05:03 or a misunderstanding 05:04 or misrepresentation of God's Word. 05:06 And so, I'm going to be talking a little bit about that 05:08 in my lesson today 05:10 which is Sunday's lesson entitled, 05:12 "Possible Reasons for Apparent Contradiction." 05:16 And I love this first text. 05:18 This is probably one of the texts 05:20 that I quote often 05:22 in my sermons and in my ministry, 05:24 because it's foundational, 05:25 it reminds me of my responsibility 05:27 as a student of Scripture. 05:29 2 Timothy 2:15, 05:32 we have referenced this text many times 05:34 throughout our study at 2 Timothy 2:15, 05:37 which Paul says, 05:39 and I'm reading from the King James Version. 05:40 I like how it's worded a little better. 05:42 It says, "Study to show thyself approved unto God." 05:47 The New King James Version says, "Be diligent." 05:50 And so, we want to study, 05:51 we want to be diligent 05:52 in studying to show ourselves approved unto God, 05:55 a workman that need us not to be ashamed, 05:58 rightly dividing 06:00 the word of truth and that is key. 06:02 We need to learn to be able to rightly divide 06:04 the word of truth. 06:06 Sunday's lesson brings this out. 06:07 It says, "No thoughtful and honest student of Scripture 06:10 will deny the fact that there are things 06:12 in the Bible that are difficult to understand." 06:15 The situation should not disturb us. 06:17 In fact, in a sense, 06:19 those difficulties are to be expected. 06:22 After all, we are impacted, we are, excuse me, 06:25 we are imperfect and infinite beings, 06:28 and no person has a comprehensive knowledge 06:30 of every area of learning, let alone of divine things. 06:35 Hence when ignorant and finite human beings 06:39 try to understand the wisdom 06:40 of infinite God of Scripture, 06:43 there is, there's bound to be some difficulty. 06:46 Such difficulty 06:47 in understanding biblical teachings, 06:49 however, does not in any way prove 06:51 that the Bible is untrue. 06:53 So we want to make sure that we are responsible 06:55 when we approach the study. 06:57 And there are multiple, multiple reasons 07:00 as to why someone might struggle 07:04 with a difficult passage 07:06 or consider it to be apparently contradicting. 07:09 In fact, even Ellen White brings out 07:11 one of those reasons in Selected Messages, book 1, 07:14 I'm not going to read the quote, 07:16 but in Selected Messages, book 1, page 16, 07:19 Ellen White has stated 07:20 that some discrepancies in Scripture 07:22 might be due to minor errors, 07:24 or copyists, of copyists or translators. 07:27 And I have seen this to be the case. 07:30 For the record, 07:31 there is no perfect translation. 07:32 And I want to say that, you know, 07:34 I tend to study more from the King James Version 07:36 and the New King James version of Scripture, 07:38 not that those are perfect translations, 07:40 because they're not in any way. 07:42 I just believe in my personal studies 07:43 that they are closer to the original text 07:45 than any other translation. 07:47 They're a word translation, 07:48 rather than a thought translation. 07:50 But still, even the King James and New King James 07:52 as well as every other Bible translation, 07:54 there's not a perfect translation out there, 07:56 and from time to time 07:58 you're going to run across some, 08:00 what appears to be a discrepancy 08:02 from the copyist perspective 08:03 or the person who translated a particular text. 08:06 And so that's why Paul tells us 08:08 study to show yourself approved. 08:09 Sometimes you got to dig in to the Greek and the Hebrew 08:12 and Aramaic, 08:14 which is what we studied in one of the previous lessons. 08:16 We have to put it in its context. 08:17 We have to study the text deeper 08:19 and understand what the Bible is telling us, 08:22 sometimes even from the original language. 08:24 Sometimes it's just a simple misunderstanding of the text. 08:28 Sometimes we can approach a text and read it. 08:31 And I find that many people try to isolate certain texts. 08:34 Jill, I think you mentioned or referenced this 08:37 in one of the previous lessons 08:38 where some people study the Bible, 08:39 literally, they'll just, you know, 08:41 wherever their eyes fall, 08:42 and they'll take that text out of context 08:44 instead of reading it in context. 08:46 And so, you simply have a misunderstanding of the text. 08:49 And, of course, another reason why someone might find 08:53 what appears to be an apparent contradiction, 08:56 or a problematic text in the Bible is simply 08:59 not studying the subject through thoroughly. 09:01 Sometimes we'll read a text and it's like, whoa, 09:04 this seems to be contradicting everything else 09:06 that I've read and that I've learned 09:07 and that I've studied in the Bible 09:09 instead of digging deeper 09:10 and trying to find what the Bible says 09:12 harmoniously across the board 09:14 on that particular topic or subject. 09:16 Some people just take it at face value, 09:18 they misrepresent the text, they miscalculate the text. 09:22 And, of course, simply just not studying it 09:24 through thoroughly can cause some interpretation issues. 09:29 I want to give a couple examples of this 09:31 because recently, 09:32 a prime example I think of this, 09:35 this misunderstanding 09:36 or misrepresentation of the Word of God 09:38 would be recently, 09:39 I'm not going to say the name of this particular person, 09:42 but there was a professional NFL 09:44 football player, 09:45 very well-known NFL football player 09:47 that came out recently. 09:48 And I want to read his quote here, 09:50 this is what he says. 09:51 He says, "I don't know how you can believe in a God 09:53 who wants to condemn 09:54 most of the planet to a fiery hell. 09:57 Like what type of loving, sensitive, omnipresent, 10:00 omnipotent being 10:02 wants to condemn most of his beautiful creation 10:04 to a fiery hell?" 10:06 Now, why did he make that statement? 10:07 And how did he come to that conclusion? 10:09 There could be a series of reasons, 10:11 but I'm sure probably some type of misrepresentation 10:14 that he might have heard from someone 10:16 about the God of the Bible or about a particular text, 10:19 perhaps maybe he himself has read scriptures 10:21 and he has maybe misunderstood or taken it out of context 10:24 without thoroughly studying it across the board 10:27 in harmony with the rest of Scripture. 10:29 Whatever it may be or just simply hearsay, 10:32 just hearing others say something and it's like, 10:34 you know what? 10:35 I don't want to serve a God like that. 10:37 And you know what? 10:38 I can actually say, I agree with him. 10:40 I don't want to serve a God either that's like that, right? 10:42 I don't want to serve some, you know, unloving, you know, 10:45 is supposed to be a sensitive, omnipresent, omnipotent being 10:48 that wants to condemn most of the beautiful creation 10:50 to the fiery hell. 10:51 He must have never read Ezekiel 33:11 10:54 in which God says again, 10:56 "As I live,' says the Lord, 10:57 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, 10:59 but that the wicked turn from his way and live.'" 11:02 God says, "Turn ye from your evil ways! 11:04 For why should you die, O house of Israel?" 11:06 That is evidence of a God who loves His people. 11:10 And when we study the Bible responsibly, 11:12 and we allow the scriptures to speak to us harmoniously 11:15 across the board, 11:17 we start to see a bigger more clearer picture 11:19 of what the Bible actually teaches on a subject. 11:22 You know, I can imagine that someone 11:23 who holds that position, 11:25 like this particular person that I just quoted, 11:28 perhaps they've read a text from Revelation 14:11, 11:31 it says, "And the smoke of their torment 11:32 ascendeth up for ever and ever: 11:34 and they have no rest day nor night, 11:36 who worship the beast and his image, 11:37 and whoever receives the mark of his name," or subjects, 11:41 prints or texts perhaps like Matthew 25:41 and 46, 11:45 where Jesus is talking about everlasting punishment, 11:48 everlasting fire, 11:50 Sodom and Gomorrah 11:51 being destroyed with eternal fire. 11:53 They're found in Jude Chapter 1. 11:55 These are texts that again, 11:56 you can read them 11:58 and without thoroughly investigating, 12:00 without thoroughly studying, 12:02 you could easily isolate those texts 12:03 and misunderstand or think that there's a contradiction 12:07 or a miscommunication, 12:09 if you do not thoroughly study these things. 12:10 That's why again, 12:11 our texts at the beginning study to show thyself approved. 12:14 We know that the Bible does not teach 12:17 such a thing about God, 12:18 that we do not serve this sick, sinister, evil God 12:21 that just finds pleasure 12:23 in seeing people roast and toast 12:24 in an eternal hellfire for all eternity. 12:27 When you study those texts, we find that, 12:29 you know, those words like you know, 12:31 forever and ever in the Bible, 12:32 the terms for forever and ever do not mean the same thing 12:36 in the biblical older days than they do today. 12:38 Forever can mean a definite period of time 12:41 if you do a proper research and study. 12:43 And, of course, it goes on everlasting punishment. 12:45 We know that it's not talking 12:47 about a continual ongoing forever and ever concept 12:50 or everlasting punishment is a definite period of time. 12:53 He didn't say everlasting punishing would, 12:55 which would communicate an ongoing thing. 12:57 We're just giving an example 12:59 of some text or some ways 13:01 in which someone might come to a conclusion like this, 13:04 because they read, hear of 13:06 or understand a text 13:07 that seems to be contradicting in nature. 13:10 Another thought that came to my mind is, 13:12 you know, on the concept of death, 13:13 I think of that text in 2 Corinthians 5:8 13:15 and I think, Pastor, 13:17 you referenced this in a previous study, 13:18 you know, being absent from the body 13:20 means to be present with the Lord, 13:21 even though the text 13:23 doesn't actually say it in that way. 13:24 There are a lot of people that take that text. 13:25 They isolate it, they pull it out of context, 13:28 as Peter said, they twist it to their own destruction, 13:32 because they take and say, see, 13:33 being absent from the body 13:35 means that I'm immediately present 13:36 with the Lord. 13:38 But that's not what the text actually teaches. 13:41 From Sunday's lesson I think 13:42 what we need to grasp from this overall, 13:44 and I really wanted to go into detail 13:48 in much greater detail here, 13:49 but I think the main thing 13:51 that we can take away from this is again, 13:53 study to show yourself approved just because you read a text 13:56 that seems to be contradicting 13:58 does not necessarily mean it is. 14:00 And you know what? 14:01 It's not necessarily a bad thing. 14:03 If you go and find a text and it's a hard text 14:05 that seems to be a difficult text 14:07 to comprehend or to understand, 14:09 that's a part of our growing process 14:10 as Christians, 14:11 that sometimes over time 14:13 the Lord wants to build our patience. 14:15 He wants us to build faith in Him 14:16 and to trust in His Word, 14:18 even though sometimes 14:20 we may not have all the answers. 14:23 So, Brother Kenny, on that note, 14:24 I'm going to turn it over to you. 14:25 Yeah, good foundation. Thank you. 14:27 And then we'll probably be using 14:28 some of those things 14:30 that you was talking about there 14:31 because it harmonizes with what? 14:32 Monday's lesson is, 14:34 "Dealing With Difficulties Honestly and Carefully." 14:37 Amen. You know, how do we do it? 14:38 Because sometimes when we think 14:40 you've got the truth on an issue. 14:42 Sometimes we just blurt it out. 14:45 Maybe you've never done that, I think I have. 14:47 And sometimes it's very offensive. 14:49 So if even though you have a beautiful truth, 14:52 you want to handle it right 14:53 because our purpose is to win a soul, 14:56 not lose a soul, not drive anybody away. 14:59 So we're going to look at this carefully as we can. 15:02 And it goes right into the beginning 15:04 in 1 Chronicles 29:17. 15:07 So get your Bible and look those things up 15:08 because there's a couple of the questions 15:10 I want to go over. 15:11 Our lesson starts out with several questions, 15:13 and it says this, 15:14 I think you hit on some of these. 15:16 Have you ever come across a text? 15:18 Notice this or a set of texts that you didn't understand? 15:22 Probably everyone here at least at one time, 15:24 say, yeah, I'm still going across those, 15:27 I find them all the time. 15:28 Number two. 15:29 Have you found a text 15:31 or text difficult to harmonize with other text? 15:33 What you were talking about. Yes, three. 15:36 So how did you respond? 15:38 That's probably the bigger, how did you respond? 15:39 And then number four, how should you have responded? 15:45 There could be a difference, you know. 15:47 So we start off 15:48 with three passages of Scripture. 15:49 I want you to look at 15:51 and then ask ourselves this right here. 15:52 How do we deal with difficult passages? 15:56 1 Chronicles 29:17, the Bible says and reads, 15:59 "I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, 16:04 and hast pleasure in uprightness. 16:06 As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart 16:09 I have willingly offered all these things: 16:13 and now have I seen with joy 16:15 thy people, which are present here, 16:18 to offer willingly unto thee." 16:21 Now, we're talking 1 Chronicles 29:17 16:24 tells us that David's going over his preparation 16:27 for the building of the temple here. 16:29 And he's like, I like this 16:31 because he's appealing for offerings. 16:34 Right. Is that okay to do that? 16:35 People say, they're always doing 16:36 is they never ask for. 16:38 He's a appealing for offerings here. 16:39 We have some biblical texts, isn't that right? 16:41 It's okay to do that for the temple. 16:44 And then listen, 16:45 because it's under the direction 16:46 of the Lord. 16:48 It's okay to do that. 16:49 And then David thanked God. 16:50 And then David acknowledged 16:52 that everything belongs to God. 16:53 That's right. 16:55 That's a good way to begin, ain't it? 16:56 Thank you God for what You give and why it all belongs to You. 16:59 What's the familiar, Psalms 50:10, 17:02 "Where every beast of the field is mine 17:05 and the cattle on a thousand hills. 17:08 God just making real clear 17:09 everything belongs to Me anyway, I just loan it to you. 17:11 My grandpa always said, when he gave me a shovel, 17:13 he said, "I'm going to see how you're going to act." 17:16 Did you get it? 17:17 That's good. Yeah. 17:19 How you're going to be able to see and act. 17:20 So God's loaning us things of this world to see 17:23 how we're going to act with them. 17:25 Are we going to do 17:26 what He's asked us to do with them 17:27 and that's simply to share 17:29 better to give than certainly to receive. 17:31 And so He said, you know, in Psalms 7:9, he says, 17:34 "For the righteousness God trieth the hearts 17:38 and the reins." 17:39 For the righteousness," notice, 17:41 God trieth the hearts and the reins. 17:45 So God calls for a religious heart 17:48 that will produce, I like the word fruit. 17:51 Always produce fruit in this life. 17:53 David is being honest with God in this passage, 17:56 and God appreciates. 17:58 Simply God appreciates honesty, 18:00 He appreciates integrity from His children. 18:03 And so He's listening to David, 18:05 and He's blessing David in a wonderful way, 18:07 which it gives us an example as we study this lesson here, 18:10 that we should follow in the footsteps, 18:12 footsteps of Jesus, but also in His people, 18:14 when they were doing the right thing 18:16 based upon Scripture. 18:17 It gives us a good example. We emulate His character. 18:20 So simply, you know, 18:22 be honest with difficulties in the Word. 18:25 So what do we do? 18:27 Run across something that's difficult, 18:29 be honest about it. 18:31 Don't try to hoodwink, don't try to skirt it. 18:33 We'll see that in a moment. 18:35 This will help to give us a correct answer to someone. 18:39 We hear a lot about cover ups nowadays. 18:41 Right. 18:42 Even in Bible study, 18:44 we need to be careful and be honest, 18:45 don't try to cover up something 18:47 because you just didn't know it, 18:48 little embarrassed. 18:50 That was one of the reasons I'm going to say 18:51 many years ago, 18:53 I was just a teenager 18:54 and had opportunity to give some Bible studies. 18:56 And I was afraid to give a Bible study 18:57 because I was afraid that they'd asked me 18:59 something that I didn't know. 19:01 Finally I came to my senses. 19:03 Finally I came to my senses, said, 19:04 they're going to ask me a lot of things I don't know. 19:07 But what is the best, the next best thing to knowing? 19:12 Is knowing where to find it. So you can always point. 19:18 I came to the point, I say, you know what? 19:19 I don't have the answer right now, 19:21 but I know where I can go to get that answer 19:23 or let's go there together and find that answer. 19:27 So, you know, again we want to be honest. 19:29 Let's go on. 19:30 Proverbs 2:7, here it goes on, it says, 19:32 "He layeth up sound wisdom," 19:34 I love this, "for the righteous: 19:36 he is a buckler to them who walk uprightly. 19:40 Now, so if we lack wisdom, where do we go first? 19:43 Didn't James tell us that in James 1:5, 19:45 if any of you lack wisdom, what do we do? 19:47 We go to what? 19:48 To God, and He gives to men, liberally and broadly. 19:51 He gives you all the wisdom you want. 19:53 You know, that's why we prayed for the mind of Jesus Christ. 19:57 Now again, where does this sound wisdom 20:00 come from that we need? 20:01 Now we're talking about wisdom, what? 20:02 When it's dealing with Scripture, 20:04 you're dealing with a soul 20:05 that you may turn toward God 20:07 or you may turn them away from God 20:09 by the way we handle questions, by the way we give a study. 20:14 And I've been asked, I've talked to a lot of people, 20:16 if that's, you know, 20:17 you're talking about a certain study, 20:19 so on and so forth, and if I didn't know better, 20:21 I'd probably turn away and never come back. 20:23 Because sometimes they hit you with a 12-gauge shotgun. 20:26 Now, some of you won't get that? 20:27 But you know what I'm talking about, 20:29 it's too much at once. 20:30 Didn't Jesus say that? 20:32 He said, I have a lot of things I want to what? 20:34 That I want to share with you, but what? 20:36 You're not able right now 20:37 that we weren't able and there's a time and a place. 20:40 And I always like to and it says right or wrong. 20:42 I always like to get to know the person where they're at 20:44 in their relationship with Christ. 20:46 And then you kind of know where to go and what to give 20:48 to encourage them along the way. 20:51 Earnest searcher of truth 20:52 will you'll never fail in receiving that truth. 20:55 You'll never, never find... 20:58 You'll always find wisdom if you go to God and you ask, 21:01 "I want this wisdom." 21:02 God will always give it to you. 21:03 Hebrews 11:6, he said, 21:05 "He is a rewarder of them who do, " what? 21:07 Diligently seek Him. 21:08 "Is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." 21:10 We need to be diligently seeking. 21:11 So as a people, 21:13 we need to love Jesus with all of our heart, 21:15 our soul and our mind, and we need to learn, 21:17 may I emphasize this, truth. 21:19 Amen. 21:21 Truth is very important 21:22 because we look as life and death issue. 21:23 2 Thessalonians 2:10, 11 speaking of them that perish, 21:27 they said those that are perishes 21:28 because they receive not a love of the truth. 21:31 People think that's not important, 21:33 truth's not important or love the truth. 21:35 You may know that I know a lot of people 21:36 who know the truth, 21:38 but man, the way they come across, 21:39 I'm not trying to quit, I just, 21:40 the way they come across sometimes, 21:42 and I'm sure I've done that too. 21:44 But it's consistent in their life, 21:45 that it's a turn off to people. 21:47 So we want to make sure 21:48 that we have a love for the truth. 21:50 You have a love for the truth, 21:51 that means you take it into your heart 21:52 and what does truth do inside? 21:54 Does it not change you? 21:55 It changes you to the image of Jesus Christ. 21:57 Receive a love of the truth 21:59 that it says that we might be saved. 22:01 So if we don't have a love for truth, pray, 22:02 O God help me to have a love for that truth 22:04 that I might be saved in the kingdom. 22:06 In verse 11 if you're going down, 22:07 it says there in 2 Thessalonians 2:10 and 11, 22:10 it says, "For this cause God shall send them 22:13 strong delusion, 22:16 that they should believe a lie." 22:18 Simply means if we don't accept what is truth is there, 22:20 turn our back on that. 22:21 God sends it again, 22:23 we turn our back on that, pretty soon, 22:24 we're just going to accept whatever's out there, 22:25 the enemy comes and takes control of the mind. 22:27 So always be careful 22:29 how we deal with difficult passages, 22:32 even truth. 22:33 Never present information in a context that you mentioned 22:37 about twisting it or doing whatever 22:39 and never take it like you say in rapid fire. 22:43 You know, there's a time 22:44 when you just don't do even though it's true. 22:45 You don't rapid fire someone with that. 22:48 We don't use, 22:49 can I use the word loaded language. 22:51 Lot of times it's loaded, it's fiery language, 22:53 it comes across and it comes across 22:55 maybe the wrong way to someone. 22:57 You meant was a passage, 22:59 2 Peter 3:16 and so on 23:02 is that we be careful, we don't twist the scriptures, 23:04 because it's going to lead to our own destructions. 23:06 We don't want to do that. 23:08 Again, we're wanting to seek and say, 23:09 by the grace of God, 23:11 those who maybe have lost their first love 23:13 or they're coming back 23:14 or they're trying to find that by the grace of God. 23:16 Better to wait, now remember, 23:18 never try to manipulate the evidence. 23:22 I think sometime I've been a manipulator 23:23 and I don't mean to be. 23:25 Have you ever, maybe in your life you think 23:26 as growing up and growing 23:27 and reading the Word we've got it manipulate, 23:29 kind of make it say something, 23:30 maybe it didn't or the evidence. 23:32 Better to wait and better to study some more, 23:35 better to get counsel, 23:36 nothing wrong with asking in order to be honest. 23:40 And this helps build trust 23:42 to with the one who we're studying with. 23:45 We won't have time to go into 1 Timothy, 23:46 but I'll just read that real quick 4:16 23:48 because you can do that study on your own. 23:50 It says to, "Take heed unto thyself, 23:53 and unto the doctrine, 23:54 continue in them: 23:56 for in doing thou shalt both save thyself, 23:59 and them that hear thee." 24:00 That's kind of a bottom line, 24:02 at least for me to say 24:03 those who you're studying with, and certainly is for our self. 24:06 Seekers of truth are not intended to think 24:09 I...Well, 24:11 I think so. 24:12 It seems like, 24:14 well the theory of this thing is, 24:15 we like to get insight. 24:16 This is what God's Word has said. 24:18 It really, really works. 24:20 And it solves many, many of the problems. 24:22 You know, praise God. 24:23 He's a problem solver. Praise God. 24:24 We get into His Word, find out what truth is 24:26 and love it and be gentle with our neighbor. 24:29 Amen. Praise the Lord. 24:30 Well Brother Kenny, thank you so much. 24:32 That was a powerful approach to that subject. 24:33 Thank you so much. 24:35 Hey, we're going to take a short break. 24:36 Don't go anywhere. We'll be right back. 24:43 Ever wish you could watch 24:44 a 3ABN Sabbath School Panel again, 24:46 or share it on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter? 24:49 Well, you can by visiting 3abnsabbathschoolpanel.com. 24:54 A clean design makes it easy 24:57 to find the program you're looking for. 24:59 There are also links to the Adult Bible Study Guide 25:02 so you can follow along. 25:04 Sharing is easy. 25:05 Just click share and choose your favorite social media. 25:09 Share a link, save a life for eternity. 25:16 Welcome back to 3ABN Sabbath School Panel. 25:19 We're going to move on to Tuesday's lesson entitled, 25:22 "Deal With Difficulties Humbly." 25:25 Pastor John Dinzey. Thank you very much. 25:27 And this is something 25:29 that is sometimes difficult for people to be humble. 25:33 But the scriptures tell us that it's wise to be humble. 25:35 Absolutely. 25:37 We are going to first define humble, okay, 25:40 you go to the dictionary and you find definitions, 25:43 not proud or arrogant, modest. 25:47 A person that is low in rank or importance. 25:51 That's another way 25:53 and there's another definition 25:54 called courteously and respectful. 25:57 Right, especially when you're dealing 25:59 with other people, 26:00 you can be courteous and respectful. 26:03 Now there is another definition that I like to bring out. 26:07 And that is meek. 26:09 Because this is another definition 26:11 that goes along with being humble. 26:14 And this means to be humbly patient, or docile. 26:19 Specially under provocation from others. 26:23 So, when you go into the Bible 26:26 and you'll find the word humble and meek, 26:29 there are definitions to consider. 26:31 In Hebrew, 26:34 it means to bend the knee, to humiliate, 26:37 to bring down, to be humble. 26:42 The Greek will bring out to make low or bring low. 26:46 So, I first like to point out a person 26:50 that is a great example of humility, Jesus Christ. 26:53 Amen. 26:55 So Philippians 2:3-8, 27:00 "Let nothing be done 27:01 through selfish ambition or conceit, 27:04 but in lowliness of mind 27:06 let each esteem others better than himself. 27:10 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, 27:14 but also for the interests of others. 27:16 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, 27:21 who, being in the form of God, 27:23 did not consider it 27:25 robbery to be equal with God, 27:27 but made Himself of no reputation, 27:31 taking the form of a bondservant, 27:33 and coming in the likeness of men. 27:36 And being found in appearance as a man, 27:39 He humbled Himself 27:41 and became obedient to the point of death, 27:44 even the death of the cross." 27:48 There's our example. 27:49 That's right. Yes. 27:51 Jesus Himself says, "I am low, 27:54 meek and lowly of heart" 27:56 is what the King James says, meek and lowly of heart. 27:59 So this is the attitude 28:01 we should have as we approach the reading of the scriptures. 28:05 This is an attitude we should have 28:06 as we're talking with others, be respectful. 28:09 In James 4:6-10, the Bible tells us, 28:12 "But He gives more grace. 28:15 Therefore He says: 'God resists the proud, 28:19 but gives grace to the humble.' 28:23 Therefore submit to God. 28:25 Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 28:29 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. 28:32 Cleanse your hands, you sinners, 28:34 and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 28:36 Lament and mourn and weep! 28:38 Let your laughter be turned to mourning 28:40 and your joy to gloom. 28:41 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, 28:44 and He will lift you up.'" 28:47 When we take that attitude, 28:50 when we humble ourselves before the Lord, 28:52 we are really opening a door for the Lord to bless us 28:56 and even to use us. 29:00 There's a passage that I really, really enjoy. 29:04 I'm blessed by is 2 Corinthians 7:14. 29:07 I'd like to ask, Sister Jill, to read for us 2 Corinthians, 29:10 2 Chronicles, I'm sorry, 2 Chronicles. 29:14 2 Chronicles 7:14. 29:17 Yes. A wonderful passage. 29:19 And it's really God talking to His people 29:22 and talking to His people back then 29:24 and talking to us today. 29:27 2 Chronicles 7:14. 29:29 "If My people who are called by My name 29:31 will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, 29:35 and turn from their wicked ways, 29:37 then I will hear from heaven, 29:38 and will forgive their sin and heal their land." 29:42 Amen. 29:43 These are the instructions from the Lord 29:45 to His people back then, and even for us today. 29:49 That's right. 29:51 Now considering this, 29:52 if My people, know He's willing, 29:55 God is willing to heal, 29:56 God is willing to give us messages. 29:59 God is willing to do so much. 30:01 But what do we have to do? 30:03 "If my people, which are called by my name, 30:06 humble themselves, pray and seek my face, 30:11 turn from their wicked ways, 30:12 then I will hear from heaven 30:14 and forgive their sin and heal their land." 30:15 So I encourage you to do that. 30:17 I would like to, that's what I like to do. 30:20 Go to the Lord, 30:22 humble myself before Him and I know, 30:24 if He wants to lift me up, He'll lift me up, 30:25 and if He doesn't, praise the Lord anyway. 30:29 Now, even when we're dealing with people 30:31 that have committed mistakes. 30:33 In Galatians 6:1-3, 30:40 we have a message that we need to consider. 30:43 "Brethren, if a man or woman be overtaken in a fault, 30:50 ye which are spiritual, 30:53 restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, 30:57 considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 31:01 Bear one another's burdens, 31:03 and so fulfill the law of Christ." 31:07 Verse 3, 31:08 "For if a man think himself to be something, 31:11 when he is nothing, he deceives himself." 31:15 So the place where we should be is at the foot of the cross. 31:21 The place where we need to be. 31:23 It's a need that we have is at the foot of the cross. 31:27 Humble before the Lord. 31:29 And we have heard you know, sometimes people take, 31:34 demand things of God. 31:36 They demand. 31:38 But we need to come home before the Lord 31:40 with confidence because He has promised, 31:43 He has invited us, 31:46 "Come, come." 31:48 There are many invitations to come, 31:50 ask and you shall receive. 31:53 These invitations do not have a time limit. 31:57 You know how sometimes you hear the sales, 31:59 for a limited time only. 32:02 God has these invitations for us. 32:05 And they are open to us today 32:07 because the door of mercy still open 32:09 and I praise the Lord for that. 32:10 That's good. 32:11 Now, as we are considering these things, 32:16 let's go to Ecclesiastes Chapter 7. 32:19 In Ecclesiastes 7:16, we have these words, 32:23 "Do not be overly righteous, 32:26 nor be overly wise: 32:28 Why should you destroy yourself?" 32:32 So these ideas of being, 32:34 "Oh, I am better than so and so. 32:37 I am wiser than so and so, 32:39 you know, we think ourselves better than others. 32:41 We are in danger." 32:43 As a matter of fact, it says here, 32:44 why would you destroy yourself? 32:47 And these things do us harm 32:49 when we see that our example is Jesus Christ. 32:55 Now, let's go to Matthew Chapter 18. 32:58 And I would like to ask Pastor Lomacang, 33:01 if you'll read us, 33:02 help us with Matthew 18:1- 4 33:08 And here we have Jesus 33:11 talking to His disciples with a wonderful message. 33:15 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, 33:17 saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" 33:22 And Jesus called a little child to Him, 33:25 set him in the midst of them, and said, 33:27 "Assuredly, I say to you, 33:29 unless you are converted and become as little children, 33:33 you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 33:37 Therefore whoever humbles himself 33:39 as this little child 33:41 is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 33:44 And whoever receives one little child like this 33:47 in My name receives Me." 33:50 Amen. Amen. 33:51 Thank you so much. 33:53 So we see here 33:54 that we must be as little children. 33:56 We're approaching these difficult scriptures 33:59 and you know, the scriptures, 34:02 the Bible is a treasure 34:05 waiting for people to discover wonderful things. 34:08 Now, the surface readers, 34:09 the ones that just read the surface, 34:11 they're going to be blessed. 34:13 But those that dig deep, dig deep, 34:15 they receive greater blessings because they, we should, 34:19 I like what Ellen G. White says, 34:21 we should tax our mind. 34:23 Put an effort 34:24 into trying to understand these things, 34:27 asking for the Lord to bless us 34:28 because He has promised the Holy Spirit 34:31 that will guide us into all truth. 34:35 God is willing, 34:37 God wants to reveal things to us. 34:39 But we must comply with these conditions 34:41 of coming to the Lord with humility. 34:46 I'd like to read this quickly. See if I have time. 34:49 It's from a Review and Herald article 34:52 in August 22, 1907 available, 34:55 anyone can find it online. 34:57 We need to humble our hearts 34:59 and with sincerity and reverence 35:02 search the word of life. 35:04 For that mind alone that is humble and contrite 35:07 can see light. 35:10 So if you want to receive light from the Lord, 35:13 come humbly before Him. 35:15 And he promises to open things to you 35:19 just like He was concerned about the disciples, 35:21 He opened their understanding. 35:23 Let us ask the Lord to open our understanding, 35:25 and we will be blessed. 35:27 Amen, thank you Pastor Dinzey. 35:28 Now mine is "Determination and Patience, " 35:31 have to be determined, have to be patient. 35:34 I want to give a couple of examples 35:36 why as the Bible writer points out 35:38 that if you really want to learn something, 35:40 determination and patience are very, very necessary. 35:43 Real achievement requires tenacity. 35:47 And they said what we obtain too easily 35:49 we often esteem too lightly. 35:52 Now what I've done when I studied the Bible, 35:54 is I often go through different translations. 35:56 Now three most common translations 35:57 used today, 35:59 King James Version, New King James Version, 36:01 and New International Version. 36:03 And then there are those who use the Amplified. 36:05 Now I want to show you, 36:07 just to show you the difference 36:08 between the King James and the New King James 36:10 and then the New King James and the NIV. 36:13 Now the King James Version, let's go to Genesis 3:5. 36:17 Pastor Kenny has a King James Version, 36:18 but I want to read it there. 36:20 And then I'm going to show you 36:22 why the New King James Version primarily came into existence. 36:27 The King James Version, Genesis 3:5, 36:30 "For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, 36:34 then your eyes shall be opened, 36:36 and ye shall be as gods," 36:39 lower g, plural, 36:41 "knowing good and evil." 36:43 Now the New King James corrected that 36:46 because this whole suggestion that Lucifer made to Eve was, 36:50 you're going to be just like God, 36:52 because later on in the passage 36:53 when they fell into sin, 36:55 the Lord said 36:56 they have become like one of us. 36:58 Now look 37:00 at how the New King James corrected that. 37:02 It put it in the proper context 37:04 and I'll tell you what the word in the Hebrew is. 37:06 Now the New King James, 37:08 "For God knows that in the day you eat of it 37:11 your eyes will be opened, 37:12 and you will be like God," 37:14 singular, capital G, 37:17 "knowing good and evil." 37:18 And that's the correct translation 37:19 because it's the word Elohim, God. 37:23 Later on, you find clearly 37:24 that the Bible is delineating that Eve was not, 37:28 Satan was not suggesting she'll be like gods plural, 37:32 but she's going to be like the very one 37:34 who warned her 37:35 about the consequences of disobedience. 37:37 Now one more, 37:39 before I give you the principles 37:40 I'm gonna send interpretation, 37:41 let's go to Romans 8:1 in the New King James Version 37:44 and then I'll compare it with the NIV. 37:46 Romans 8:1. 37:48 "There is therefore now no condemnation 37:50 to those who are in Christ Jesus." 37:52 Romans 8:1 NIV, 37:54 "There's therefore now no condemnation 37:56 to those who are in Christ Jesus, 37:59 who do not walk according to the flesh, 38:02 but according to the Spirit." 38:03 That's New King James Version. 38:04 That's the New King James Version. 38:06 So there is no condemnation 38:07 if you do not walk according to the flesh, 38:10 but according to the Spirit, 38:12 but NIV now, 38:13 let's read the NIV in the very same passage, 38:15 "There is therefore now no condemnation 38:18 to those who are in Christ Jesus." 38:22 And it ends right there. Oh, wow. 38:24 Where's the rest of it? 38:25 "Who do not walk according to the flesh, 38:27 but according to the Spirit," 38:28 has been completely taken out. 38:31 So it say to me, 38:32 there's no condemnation if you're in Christ Jesus. 38:34 It's not saying, wait a minute. 38:36 You've got to walk right? 38:38 You have to walk not according to the flesh, 38:41 but you have to now walk according to the Spirit. 38:43 And I believe in my own opinion, 38:45 I believe that's vitally important. 38:47 If I'm in Christ Jesus, I want to say, 38:49 "Be careful how you walk. 38:51 Avoid slippery places. 38:52 Be careful with the choices you make." 38:55 That's why the King James and New King James 38:57 left that latter part in, 38:59 but the NIV took 39:00 the latter part of the verse out. 39:02 Here are the principles 39:03 that I believe are very necessary 39:05 to find answers 39:06 to difficult questions in the Bible. 39:08 Let's go to Isaiah 28:10. 39:10 First one and, Jill, I must admit this is a list. 39:13 Yay! 39:14 The first one, leave nothing out. 39:17 Leave nothing out. 39:18 Isaiah 28:10. 39:20 For precept must be upon precept, 39:23 precept upon precept, 39:25 line upon line, line upon line, 39:28 here a little, and there a little, 39:31 leave it nothing out." 39:33 You want to find the answers? 39:34 Don't read the Bible for answers, 39:36 read it for information and the answers will come. 39:39 That's right. Second one, don't give up. 39:42 Galatians 6:9. 39:44 Don't give up. 39:46 You know, sometimes we give up too easily. 39:48 It's like running a race 39:50 and stopping inches short of the finish line. 39:53 Don't give up. 39:55 Galatians 6:9. 39:56 Go ahead, Jill read for us. 39:58 "And let us not grow weary while doing good, 40:01 for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." 40:04 Sometimes you got to fight with that scripture. 40:06 Sometimes you got to wrestle with it. 40:08 And then all of a sudden, one day the light comes on 40:10 because the Lord says, now you need to understand it. 40:13 Don't be weary. I'm tired. 40:16 And you know what happens in this generation today 40:18 where everything happens in nanoseconds 40:19 and milliseconds, 40:21 and we go to Facebook and people don't do homework, 40:23 they Google their answers. 40:24 That's right. 40:26 You know, in our day, 40:27 you couldn't just give the answer to the math problem, 40:28 you have to show the work. 40:30 That's right. 40:31 And I had math problems 40:32 that was sometimes the work alone was two pages. 40:35 Then the answer came. 40:36 Today quickly, don't give up easily. 40:40 Be not weary in doing well, 40:41 for in due time you will reap the answer will come 40:44 if you do not lose heart or if you do not faint. 40:46 The other one, be patient kind of along the same lines, 40:49 but James 1:4, be patient, 40:54 "But let patience have its perfect work, 40:58 that you may be perfect and complete, 41:01 lacking nothing." 41:02 That's what the Bible says 41:04 that the man of God may be perfect, 41:06 that you may be perfect. 41:08 In other words, you'll have all that you need, 41:10 if you are patient. 41:12 Let the Lord do it in His time. 41:14 The other one, 41:15 make it a matter of daily study. 41:17 I think you know where I'm going, Acts 17:11. 41:21 You study your Bible daily 41:22 and you'll see the answers will come 41:24 according to God's timetable. 41:26 The Bible says, Acts 17:11, 41:28 "These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, 41:32 in that they received the Word of God 41:34 with all readiness, and searched the scriptures," 41:37 how often? 41:38 "Daily to find out whether these things were so." 41:41 What would happen if churches today 41:43 search the scriptures 41:44 after the pastor preached the sermon? 41:47 Well. 41:48 I think more churches will be empty 41:49 than before. 41:51 People will start finding out what the Bible says 41:54 not just what the preacher says. 41:56 And that's what's missing today. 41:57 That's why many churches are set up like a show, 42:01 entertainment because they want to sidetrack 42:04 really examining what the Bible says. 42:06 The fourth one, make it, 42:07 I mean, the fifth one, be a servant of God. 42:11 This is powerful. 42:13 God does not just give answers, 42:15 but He does give answers to His servants. 42:17 Amos 3:7, 42:18 "Surely the Lord God does nothing 42:21 unless He revealed His secrets to His servants, the prophets." 42:25 Be a servant of God, and the answers will come. 42:28 That's why Jesus spoke in parables, 42:31 because He didn't want people that were going to do Him harm, 42:33 knowing what He was about to do. 42:35 That's why He called His disciples 42:37 aside privately and told them apart from the crowd, 42:41 what these things meant, be a servant of God. 42:44 Number six, live a Spirit led life. 42:47 How you live makes all the difference. 42:48 Yes. 42:50 1 Corinthians 2:14, 42:51 "But the natural man does not receive 42:53 the things of the Spirit of God," why? 42:55 "For they are foolishness to him, 42:57 nor can he know them, because they are," what? 43:00 "Spiritually discerned." 43:02 Some people want to read the Bible 43:04 to argue with Christians, 43:05 and they come up just as ignorant 43:07 as they went when they open the Bible. 43:09 Some people say, I don't read the Bible. 43:11 They want to argue with us, 43:12 but God will never give them anything 43:14 because they are carnal. 43:15 He does not receive the spiritual, 43:17 He does not give the spiritual to the carnal. 43:20 You got to be born again. 43:21 Unless you are born again, 43:23 Jesus said to Nicodemus, you cannot see. 43:26 He made it very clear. 43:28 Number seven, be obedient to God's commandments. 43:30 John 14:15-17, 43:33 "If you love Me, keep My commandments, " 43:36 and look at the promise. 43:37 This is why keeping God's commandments 43:39 is so vitally important, 43:41 and I will pray the Father 43:42 and He will give you another helper, 43:44 that He may abide with you forever. 43:47 Verse 17, "The Spirit of truth, 43:49 if you're obedient, 43:51 the spirit will bring more truth to you. 43:54 The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, 43:56 because they need to cease him nor knows him, 43:59 but you know him 44:00 for He dwells with you and will be in you. 44:04 My brother, my sister, 44:05 the only way to receive truth 44:07 is to be obedient to truth that has already been given. 44:09 That's right. 44:11 Number eight, nurture your walk with Christ. 44:14 John 8:12, 44:16 "Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, 44:19 'I am the light of the world.'" 44:21 This is powerful. 44:22 "He who follows Me shall not walk in," what? 44:25 "Will not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." 44:28 Nurture your walk with Christ. 44:31 Number nine, pray for the spirits leading. 44:37 John 16:13, 44:39 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, 44:43 He will guide you into," how much? 44:45 "All truth, 44:47 for He will not speak on His own authority, 44:49 but whatever He hears He will speak; 44:51 and He will tell you things to come." 44:54 And lastly, wait on the Lord. That's right. 44:59 God knows when you need to understand it, 45:01 wait on the Lord. 45:02 Habakkuk 2:3, 45:04 "For the vision is yet for an appointed time, " 45:08 wait on the time, 45:09 for it is yet for an appointed time, 45:12 but at the end it will speak and it will not lie, 45:16 though it tarries wait for it, because it will surely come." 45:21 It will not tarry, wait on the Lord, 45:24 when difficulty is there, 45:26 apply these principles and you will be blessed. 45:29 Amen. 45:30 Thank you so much, Pastor John. 45:32 I got to get my notes out. 45:33 I was so focused on what you were sharing. 45:35 I got to look at 45:36 what I'm supposed to talk about. 45:37 Thank you. That was powerful. 45:39 Thursday's lesson, that's what I'm talking about, 45:42 "Deal with Difficulties Scripturally and Prayerfully." 45:47 The lesson says 45:48 the best solution to Bible difficulties 45:51 is still found in the Bible itself. 45:54 Yes. 45:55 If you're having difficulty interpreting, 45:57 understanding a difficult passage 45:59 in Scripture, 46:01 the best way to find answers is in the Word of God. 46:04 We're going to look at six keys 46:06 to deal with these difficult passages 46:08 in Scripture, 46:10 both from a scriptural perspective 46:11 and a prayerful perspective. 46:13 And one of the keys actually overlaps. 46:15 Number one, 46:17 compare scripture with scripture. 46:19 Don't take scripture out of context. 46:23 Don't take one scripture in isolation 46:25 from the rest of the Bible. 46:27 Pastor Ryan, you talked about that, 46:28 Pastor Kenny, I think you mentioned that as well. 46:30 I think about the scripture on the Lord's Day. 46:33 And people take one scripture and say, 46:35 "Oh, we need to keep Sunday as sacred, " 46:39 and they ignore the rest of the evidence 46:41 in scripture 46:42 and just take one scripture out of context. 46:45 What about this scripture in Matthew 7? 46:46 Matthew 7:13 and 14. 46:50 Jesus speaking, he says, "Enter by the narrow gate, 46:53 for wide is the gate and broad is the way 46:55 that leads to destruction, 46:57 and there are many who go in by it. 47:00 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way 47:02 which leads to life, 47:04 and there are few who find it." 47:06 Some people could read that one scripture 47:09 and think Jesus is saying, 47:10 it's impossible to be saved, right? 47:12 Narrow is the way, 47:14 I can't even make it 47:15 so I might as well not even try. 47:16 And that's not at all the context 47:19 of what Jesus was saying in that passage. 47:21 He's saying many people were refused to follow Me. 47:26 Many people were refused to accept Me as their Savior. 47:29 That's why it seems like a narrow path. 47:32 And the path might be a bit difficult at times, 47:35 but it is not impossible. 47:37 Isaiah 28:9 and 10, you reference this. 47:40 We must study precept upon precept, 47:44 and line upon line, 47:45 we must compare scripture with scripture. 47:48 Principle number two, 47:49 keep Jesus central 47:52 as you study the difficult passages. 47:54 Always seek to keep Jesus central. 47:57 Acts 8:35. 48:01 And I think about Philip, 48:02 remember the Holy Spirit whisked him away 48:05 to the Ethiopian eunuch. 48:07 He was reading the scroll of Isaiah the Ethiopian eunuch 48:10 was reading that is, 48:11 and the Lord knew 48:13 that the Ethiopian needed a bit more understanding. 48:16 And we come to Acts 8:35. 48:18 It says, "Philip opened his mouth, 48:20 and beginning at this scripture, 48:22 preached Jesus to him." 48:25 Now remember, 48:26 the Ethiopian had difficulty understanding 48:28 and what did Philip do? 48:30 He kept Jesus central. 48:33 Number three, Pastor John referenced this, 48:35 so we won't look up the scripture. 48:36 Study the scriptures daily. 48:39 That was the scripture in Acts 17 48:40 speaking of the Bereans who studied every day. 48:44 They researched and study, 48:46 it's important to continue to study the Word of God. 48:49 Number four, 48:50 allow scripture to confirm theological decision. 48:56 Let's look at Acts Chapter 15. 48:59 This is what we call 49:01 the Jerusalem Council taken place in 1849. 49:05 Remember there was this whole concept 49:07 in the New Testament Church. 49:09 Once the Gentiles started accepting Christ 49:12 as Messiah, 49:13 started being baptized and joined the church, 49:17 there arose this dissension in the early Christian church. 49:20 Did the Gentile Christians 49:22 need to be circumcised in order to be saved? 49:26 So there were Judaizers who said, 49:28 "No, they have to be circumcised." 49:30 And then others in the church said, 49:31 "No, circumcision 49:33 is not essential for salvation." 49:36 So the church came together in AD 49 49:38 we'll just call it the Jerusalem Council. 49:40 And they gathered together to discuss this issue. 49:44 So we're in Acts Chapter 15. 49:46 And to me, it gives an outline 49:48 for how we handle theological issues 49:50 in the church, Acts 15 does. 49:52 We won't look at all of that, but a couple points. 49:54 Number one, 49:55 they brought the question to leadership. 49:58 The Judaizers came from Judah to Jerusalem 50:01 to settle this question. 50:02 They just didn't say, 50:03 we're going to have our own private meeting, 50:05 Pastor John over here. 50:06 And we're going to have a huddle. 50:07 And this is now what we're going to do. 50:09 No, there was an issue of discussion and dissension. 50:11 They brought it to the church leadership. 50:14 Then the leadership met in Acts 15:6, 50:17 we see that. 50:18 "The apostles and elders 50:20 came together to consider the matter." 50:23 Number three, we see that discussion is allowed. 50:27 You can see that in Acts 15:7, it says, 50:30 "When there had been much dispute, 50:32 Peter rose up and said to them," 50:34 so in other words, they didn't just stifle that. 50:36 They didn't say okay, no one's allowed to talk. 50:38 There was clearly much discussion 50:40 and much dispute. 50:42 Then we see that the leadership spoke 50:43 if you read it, you see, 50:45 Peter shared his experience with Cornelius. 50:47 He shared about how the Holy Spirit 50:50 had fallen upon Cornelius and his household 50:53 and yet he was a Gentile. 50:55 We see Paul and Barnabas stand up 50:57 and share the miracles 50:59 that God had done to the Gentiles. 51:02 We see James as leader of the council 51:04 stand up and this is where we see 51:07 that he allowed scripture 51:09 to confirm their theological discussion. 51:12 James stood up and he quoted scripture. 51:15 We see that in Acts 15:15 -17. 51:19 James quoted scripture, in order to say that yes, 51:23 the Gentiles should be saved as well. 51:26 We see that and verse 15, 51:28 "And with this 51:29 the words of the prophets agree, 51:31 just as it is written. 51:32 "Now this is James quoting scripture. 51:34 "After this I will return and will rebuild 51:36 the tabernacle of David, 51:37 which has fallen down, 51:39 I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up. 51:41 So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, 51:44 even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, 51:48 Says the Lord who does these things." 51:52 Principle number five, 51:53 be humble enough 51:54 to accept what the Scripture teaches. 51:57 Pastor Johnny covered that well. 52:00 Be humble enough to accept what Scripture says 52:01 even if it goes 52:03 against your preconceived ideas. 52:06 Now, that's a serious point 52:07 because many times we have a preconceived idea 52:10 or presupposition. 52:12 Now this is the way that it ought to be. 52:14 And then we are not willing to accept 52:17 what the scripture actually says. 52:19 Number six, pray before studying the Word. 52:25 This is where we come to the passage, 52:27 the section of the importance 52:29 of studying these difficult passages 52:31 prayerfully. 52:33 I want to look at a couple things 52:34 we're to pray for. 52:36 First, we pray for wisdom. 52:37 James 1:5, "If any of you lacks wisdom, 52:41 let him ask of God, 52:43 who gives to all liberally and without reproach, 52:46 and it will be given to him." 52:48 God is the one who gives wisdom 52:50 into those difficult passages of Scripture. 52:53 If you don't understand it, ask Him for wisdom. 52:57 The second key, pray for understanding. 53:01 Psalms 119:18. 53:03 Psalm 119 really focuses on the law of God, 53:07 the Word of God. 53:09 Psalms 119:18, 53:11 "Open my eyes, 53:12 that I may see wondrous things from Your law." 53:16 Ask God to open your eyes 53:18 to discern the truth in His Word. 53:21 Third, pray for focus on God's Word. 53:25 We're still in Psalm 119, but verses 35 and 36. 53:30 Psalms 119:35 and 36, 53:32 "Incline my heart to Your testimonies, 53:36 and not to covetousness. 53:37 Turn away my eyes 53:39 from looking at worthless things, 53:41 and revive me in Your way." 53:43 We can ask God to keep us from being distracted. 53:46 We can ask God to give us a desire for Him 53:49 and for His work. 53:51 Number four, pray to see and experience God's love. 53:56 Ephesians 3, I love the Book of Ephesians. 53:59 Ephesians 3:18 and 19, 54:03 that we, "May be able to comprehend 54:05 with all the saints 54:06 what is the width and length and depth and height, 54:10 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, 54:13 that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." 54:16 Ask God to show you His love 54:18 in each and every passage of scripture. 54:22 Number five, pray to practice what you learn. 54:26 James 1:22, 54:28 "We're called to be doers of the word 54:31 and not just hearers only, deceiving our own selves." 54:36 We're called to practice what the Word of God says. 54:39 And the sixth thing we pray for 54:41 is that we pray that what we learn 54:43 is going to help someone else. 54:47 We don't study for ourselves, 54:48 we study so that we can share that 54:50 with someone else. 54:52 1 Thessalonians 5:11, 54:54 "Therefore comfort each other 54:56 and edify one another, just as you also are doing." 55:01 So the Word of God is given for me to understand. 55:05 The Word of God is given for us to delight in Him. 55:08 The Word of God is given for us to focus on Him. 55:12 The Word of God is given for us to experience God's love. 55:16 The Word of God is given for us to practice. 55:19 And finally, 55:20 the Word of God is given for us to share with other people. 55:24 Amen. Praise the Lord. 55:28 This has been a powerful study, 55:29 it helps us to refocus our attention on, 55:32 you know, properly approaching scripture 55:35 in a responsible, spiritual way 55:37 in which, you know, we can be edified. 55:39 We can learn, we can grow, 55:40 I'm going to allow some time go ahead. 55:43 Tell us some little something about your day 55:45 or a final thought. 55:46 Okay, final thought is that 55:47 people who really want to know the truth 55:49 doesn't want someone 55:51 just to give you a hasty conclusion 55:53 based on I'm not really sure. 55:56 I don't know where to find it or flimsy evidence. 55:59 But every aspect, 56:00 every detail is very, very important. 56:02 Because God says Matthew 4:4, 56:04 every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. 56:07 Amen. Amen. 56:08 God gave us the scriptures, so that we may understand, 56:12 so we may learn from him. 56:13 But I like to share the scriptures 56:15 before I finished Psalms 25:8, 9, 56:20 Good and upright is the Lord, 56:23 therefore He teaches sinners in the way. 56:26 The humble He guides in justice, 56:29 and the humble He teaches His way." 56:32 That's right. 56:33 And a quote that was said earlier in my lesson, 56:36 which I really appreciate, 56:38 it's important that we understand 56:39 the value of what we are studying 56:42 and make the value of what we're studying 56:44 drive us to understand 56:46 that the Lord would not give us something valuable, 56:49 and have us handle it lightly. 56:51 What we obtained too easily, we often esteem too lightly. 56:57 It's good. 56:58 I think sometimes we look at these difficult passages. 57:00 And I know in my own experience too 57:01 in the past, 57:03 sometimes I'm afraid of them. 57:04 So I would just encourage you 57:06 don't be afraid 57:07 of difficult passages in Scripture. 57:10 The Holy Spirit wants to be your teacher. 57:12 God's Word can explain itself 57:14 and don't be afraid to dive in and study. 57:16 Amen. 57:18 Praise the Lord, you know, just considering all this, 57:20 a text came into my mind. 57:22 There may be passages 57:24 that are considered to be confusing or difficult. 57:27 But 1 Corinthians 14:33, 57:29 says God is not the author of confusion. 57:31 That's right. He doesn't want to confuse us. 57:33 And, you know, the text that came to my mind 57:36 also was Matthew 23:37, 57:39 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 57:41 the one who kills the prophets and stones 57:42 those who are sent to her! 57:43 How often I wanted to gather your children together, 57:46 as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, 57:48 but you were not willing!" 57:51 We have to be willing to receive the truth 57:53 when it comes and sometimes 57:54 that truth may not always be easy 57:56 to understand at first, but remember, 57:58 He is not the author of confusion. 58:00 He wants us to understand. 58:03 We are so blessed and thankful that you've joined us 58:04 this week for another edition of 3ABN Sabbath School Panel. 58:07 Join us next week 58:09 for the final study which is entitled, 58:12 "Living by the Word of God." 58:14 God bless. |
Revised 2020-06-18