God's People in Hard Times
Lesson 2

Lesson Two

A Basic Awareness That Must Not Be Forgotten

Texts: Ephesians 6:10-20; Hebrews 11:13-16

We began with our potential for good and evil.  When our earliest forefathers knew only good in a world that knew only good, they choose that which was evil—rebellion against God that questioned God's commitment to our good (Genesis 3:1-7)  The humanity that began being and knowing only good became people who chose only evil (Genesis 6:5-8).  Even then were it not for God's grace, humanity's potential for evil surely would have destroyed humanity!  Our ability to "self destruct" in our pursuit of evil is evident in the actions and behavior of every generation.

The battle between good and evil perverted humanity when in greed people yielded to deception.  Truth begins with people's understanding that God seeks our good.

 

The truth that God seeks our good is hard to understand and accept!  In fact, the older we get, the more challenging that understanding becomes.   We "see" more and more evil in ourselves and in our world as we become older.  As an example, consider the responsibility of being a caring parent.  A "good" parent is a parent who cares for and about the child he or she brought into this world.  If the person who brought you into this world cannot be "good" to you, then who will be?  Yet, (in our society) the parents who are apathetic about their children may outnumber the parents who are good to their children.  In our society, the parents who are abusive (through all means of abuse) may equal the parents who are good to their children.  For an adult who had an apathetic or abusive parent as a child, it may be difficult to believe that anyone could seek a person's good when the person "sees" actual imperfections in himself or herself.  That is especially true when the person is convinced that someone would be good to a person only if the person "deserves" good treatment.  Why should anyone seek your good when you are imperfect?

 

Because God is greater than Satan does not mean that Satan is powerless to cause a person suffering or grief.  Consider our texts.  In Ephesians, Paul affirmed that in Christ God made available to them every spiritual blessing available in this world (Ephesians 1:3).  Even though that was true, Paul prayed that the Christians at Ephesus would spiritually mature by grasping what God did in Christ (Ephesians 1:18-21).  The deficiencies of the Christians are quite evident in Ephesians 2:11-17 and 4:17-32.  In the first scripture, they did not grasp the fact that Christ destroyed the past barrier between Jews and gentiles.  In the second, they were still behaving like unconverted idol worshippers. In Ephesians 5, Paul made it evident that Christians imitated God and not their unconverted past.

 

Read carefully Ephesians 6:10-20.  Note these things.  (1) Spiritually, Christians were to put on God's full armor.  Even though God had provided them all the spiritual blessings of Ephesians 1:3-14, they still needed to wear God's full armor.  (2)  Why?  (a) So they could successfully endure the devil's schemes (6:11).  (b) So they would function in the full awareness of the nature of their struggles (6:11).  (c) So they could stand firm (6:13).  (d) So they could ward off the evil one's flaming missiles (6:16).  (e) So they could be alert (6:18).  Though Paul was a model Christian who was mature, Satan made his life and his work miserable (6:19, 20)!

 

In the text in Hebrews 11:13-16, note these things: (1) Even the early people of faith realized that God had a purpose that could not be achieved by any material accomplishment or means.  (2)  Therefore, their purpose could not be defined by material things or material existence.  (3) They viewed themselves as strangers and exiles on earth.  (4) They did not belong to an earthly existence—they simply did not belong to this earth.  (5) They had the choice to belong to the earth, but they wanted a superior existence.  It was for these reasons God was not ashamed to be their God.

 

A huge deception that will inflict many unnecessary wounds on any Christian is for that person to believe that belonging to Jesus Christ means that the convert is beyond Satan's reach to inflict physical suffering, pain, and disappointment.  Satan, who could cause the death of Jesus Christ, who could cause the suffering of apostles, and who could cause many early Christians to be martyrs, can surely harmfully touch (physically) Christians today!  Never be deceived into thinking that belonging to Jesus Christ removes you from Satan's touch in this world!  A Christian always has the choice of returning to an ungodly or godless existence (2 Peter 2:20-22).  Endurance involves resisting evil in your life and evil in the world.  Such resistance is not limited to "adopting a cause," or "making a donation," or "marching with placard in hand."

 

"Following Christ" is not a matter of setting conditions you impose on the God who gave us Jesus Christ and saying, "I will follow Christ IF . . ."  "Following Christ" is a commitment that is explained in the words, "I trust him because . . ."

 

FOR THOUGHT AND DISCUSSION

 

1. Discuss our potential for good and evil.  (Realize some matters are beyond our comprehension.)

 

2. Truth begins with what understanding?

 

3. The truth that God seeks our good is hard to what?

 

4. The older we get, what happens?  Why?

 

5. Because God is greater than Satan does not mean what?

 

6. What did Paul affirm in Ephesians 1?

 

7. What did Paul pray for the Christians in Ephesus in Ephesians 1?

 

8. What deficiency existed in the Christians in Ephesus that Paul discussed in Ephesians 2?

 

9. What deficiency existed in the Christians in Ephesus that Paul discussed in Ephesians 4?

 

10. What did Paul make evident in Ephesians 5?

 

11. What were you asked to note in Ephesians 6:10-20?

 

12. Though Paul was a model, mature Christian, Satan did what to him?

 

13. In Hebrews 11:13-16, what were you asked to note?

 

14. Discuss the huge deception that inflicts unnecessary wounds on Christians.

 

15. What does spiritual endurance involve?

 

16. Following Christ does not involve what?  Instead, it involves what?


Link to Teacher's Guide Lesson 2

Copyright © 2009
David Chadwell & West-Ark Church of Christ

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