Jun26-Jul2: Paul and Rome

Teaching Points

1. Who is the author of Romans and who was he writing to? 

ANSWER:

• Rom. 1:1—Paul
• Rom. 1:6, 7—Jews and Gentiles in Rome

2. How does Paul introduce himself?

ANSWER:

• Romans 1:1— Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God. 

3. Why does Paul describe Himself as “separated unto the gospel of God?”

ANSWER:

• Acts 13:2—The Holy Spirit said to separate Barnabas and Saul (Paul) for the work He had called them to—mainly working for the Gentiles. 

4. What was promised afore time?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 1:1, 2—Paul was to preach the gospel to the Gentiles—this preaching of the gospel was promised before (Isa. 65:1, Matt. 21).

5. What was Paul’s purpose in writing this letter? 

ANSWER:

• Rom. 1:14, 16—Jews and Gentiles—Gospel (righteousness by faith) is for everyone.
• Rom. 2:28, 29—Jews inwardly.
• Rom. 3:23—All have sinned.
• Rom. 4—circumcision—Abraham, a Gentile, was a Jew inwardly before circumcision.
• Rom. 5:17, 18—judgment came on all, free gift for all men.
• Rom. 9:6—Not all Israel who are biologically Israel.
• Rom. 10:12—No diference between Jews and Greeks
• Rom. 11:11--Salvation to the Gentiles.

6. What does this letter tell us about Paul?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 1:1—He is a servant of Christ, called to be an apostle, and separated to give the gospel especially to the Gentiles.
• Rom. 1:9-12—He is praying earnestly because He wants to visit the Roman Christians. 

OBSERVATION:

• Paul is the author of the Book of Romans and he is writing to Jews and Gentiles in Rome.
• God regards all humans the same—Jew or Gentile—God gives salvation to all! This is the purpose of Romans—showing there is no difference between Jew and Gentile for salvation and explaining righteousness by faith.  
• God promised through prophecy that the gospel would be preached to the Gentiles.
• Paul has a great burden to preach the gospel even in Rome.

7. Why did Paul devote his whole life and so much energy into preaching the gospel?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 1:16—The gospel is the power of God unto salvation.
• Rom. 1:14—He felt the debt of sharing the knowledge of salvation that he had been entrusted with.
• Paul had an understanding of the infinite gift of Christ and His power to save man from the horrible pit of sin. This drove Paul to sacrifice all for Christ because Christ had sacrificed all for him.

8. What message does Paul give in Chapter 1?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 1:17-32—there is no excuse for rebellion but there is power through faith in Christ’s righteousness for salvation. 

OBSERVATION:

• Paul had experienced the gospel and dedicated His life and energy into saving those who did not know Christ.
• Paul shows that there is no excuse for rebellion and that God will judge but that God also extends salvation to those who will listen and repent.

SOP

• …The Lord told Paul that he must preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. Light was to be given to the Gentiles. This is a mystery which had been hidden for ages.  {Signs of the Times, March 25, 1897 par. 5} 
• The Jews had grown into a belief that everything pertaining to the Gentiles was cursed and unclean. Prejudice had built up the wall of nationality and religious seclusion. But God himself instructed Paul that his work was to present Christ to the Gentiles. The great work of redemption was to be brought before all nations, kindreds, tongues, and peoples. Because of their disobedience, the Jews were broken off from the olive tree, and those among the Gentiles who would accept Christ as their Saviour were to be grafted into the good olive tree, and made one with the original branches. But in no case are they to boast because of this, lest they be broken off as were the natural branches.  {Signs of the Times, March 25, 1897 par. 6} 
• It is to this class that Isaiah referred in his prophecy, "A remnant shall be saved." [See Isaiah 10:20-22.] From Paul's day to the present time, God by His Holy Spirit has been calling after the Jew as well as the Gentile. "There is no respect of persons with God," [Romans 2:11] declared Paul. The apostle regarded himself as "debtor both to the Greeks, and to the barbarians," [Romans 1:14] as well as to the Jews; but he never lost sight of the decided advantages possessed by the Jews over others, "chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God." [Romans 3:2.] "The gospel," he declared, "is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." [Romans 1:16, 17.] It is of this gospel of Christ, equally efficacious for Jew and Gentile, that Paul in his epistle to the Romans declared he was not ashamed.  {Gospel Workers 397.3}

CONCLUSION:

• Paul is writing to the Jews and Gentiles showing that there is no difference between them but that all need salvation and righteousness by faith.
• Paul’s mission is especially for the Gentiles. His passion is that all might be saved.
• He clearly shows that no one has an excuse for rebellion but that all could be saved by the gospel.

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:

• What work has God separated you for—Are you doing it?
• Are you realizing that power of God’s salvation in your life enabling you to live righteousness by faith?
• Do you have knowledge of truth and yet are rebelling against God?

Jun19-25: Social Support: The Tie That Binds

Teaching Points

1. What did God say about man being alone at creation?  

ANSWER:

• Gen. 2:18—It was not good in God’s sight for man to be alone. God knows we need community and fellowship for full development this is why God gave marriage and family.  

2. What did God set in place at creation that protects family social time together as well as time with our Creator?

ANSWER:

• Exo. 20:8-11—The Sabbath.

3. Meeting with family on the Sabbath can help bond the family spiritually and socially to God and each other. How important is this meeting together?  

ANSWER:

• Heb 10:24, 25—Don’t forsake assembling together. This is even more important as Christ’s coming gets closer.

4. Families make up our church. How is the church family described and why?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 12:5—We are one “body” in Christ.
• 1 Cor. 12:27—We are the “body” of Christ.

OBSERVATION:

• God gave family at creation. He knew that we need each other.
• God instituted the Sabbath to remind us of our Creator and also to protect our time with our Creator and our families.
• God wants us to meet together as Christians. We need this social-spiritual support especially as we are nearing Christ’s return!  
• The church family is described as a body—dependent on each part to function properly.

5. Can the body be comprised of only one part and function properly?

ANSWER:

• 1 Cor. 12:14-20—the body must be composed of many parts or members in order to function properly. 

6. If one part of the body is sick or hurt what happens and how does this relate to the church?

ANSWER:

• 1 Cor. 12:26—Each member (or person) in this body is vital for the function of the church. When one part suffers the whole body suffers. 

7. Why did God create us with different needs, skills, and gifts like the parts of a body?

ANSWER:

• 1 Cor. 12:22-25—that there be no schism or division or splitting in the body that we would care for each other.

8. Who is to lead and direct this church body?

ANSWER:

• Eph. 5:23—Christ is the head and savior of the church.

OBSERVATION:

• The church is to function like a body—each part dependant on another and helping another.
• God created us with different skills and gifts so that we would work together and not cause division and splitting because we are all trying to do the same thing.
• Christ is the leader of His church. He’s wisdom is to be sought for the decisions of the church.

SOP

• The Lord desires his church to be a perfect body,--not all arms, not all body without arms, but body and arms together,--and every member working as a part of the one great whole. As the right arm is connected with the body, so the health reform and medical missionary work is connected with the third angel's message, and is to work efficiently as the right arm, for the defense of the body of truth.   {Review and Harold, June 20, 1899 par. 10} 
• The order that was maintained in the early Christian church made it possible for them to move forward solidly as a well-disciplined army clad with the armor of God. The companies of believers, though scattered over a large territory, were all members of one body; all moved in concert and in harmony with one another. When dissension arose in a local church, as later it did arise in Antioch and elsewhere, and the believers were unable to come to an agreement among themselves, such matters were not permitted to create a division in the church, but were referred to a general council of the entire body of believers, made up of appointed delegates from the various local churches, with the apostles and elders in positions of leading responsibility. Thus the efforts of Satan to attack the church in isolated places were met by concerted action on the part of all, and the plans of the enemy to disrupt and destroy were thwarted.  {Acts of the Apostles 95.3} 

CONCLUSION:

• God created humans with social needs.
• God instituted the Sabbath as a special protection to fill those social needs with time for our Creator and time for family.
• Family time is important but also our church family time is important.
• The church is to function like a body—each part dependant on another and helping another.
• God created us with different skills and gifts so that we would work together and not cause division and splitting because we are all trying to do the same thing.
• Christ is the leader of His church. He’s wisdom is to be sought for the decisions of the church.

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:

• Are you taking time with your Creator and family and church family?
• Are you seeking to work together as a family and as a church so that each member has his part and there is not division?
• Are you seeking wisdom from Christ to lead the home and church?
• Are you letting God be in control of your life and develop your gifts and skills to be a blessing to others?  

June12-18: Nutrition in the Bible

Teaching Points

1. What diet did God give to man at creation? 

ANSWER:

• Gen. 1:29—seed bearing herbs and fruits. All plant based foods: vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains, legumes.

2. When did God allow flesh eating?

ANSWER:

• Gen 9:3—after the flood.

3. What are the standards God set for eating flesh? 

ANSWER:

• Gen. 9:4—no blood.
• Lev. 3:17—no fat or blood should be eaten.
• Lev. 11—only clean animals should be eaten. 

4. What are the risks of eating flesh?

ANSWER:

• Ex. 16:3; 15:26—diseases of the Egyptians.
• Gen. 6:3—God used the results of the flood and permission to eat meat to drastically shorten life span: 900+ to 120—if we make it. 

OBSERVATION:

• God gave mankind the best diet for optimal health at creation.
• After the flood God allowed man to eat animals because of the shortages of vegetation.
• God gave specific instruction: no blood, fat, or unclean animals—God is not being arbitrary, these things are unhealthy for us! 
• Eating flesh foods contributes to higher risk of disease and shortened lifespan.

7. What will God’s people be eating in heaven?

ANSWER:

• Rev. 2:7; 22:2—Fruit from the tree of life.
• Isa. 11:9—there will be no hurting and destroying.
• Isa 65:25—even the animals: wolf and lion will be vegetarian.  

8. What does God promise to those who obey His health rules and trust Him?

ANSWER:

• Ex. 23:25—God will take sickness from us. 

OBSERVATION:

• God’s redeemed people will be eating a plant based diet in heaven.
• God wants the very best for us. If we will follow God’s counsel and eat for strength we will be healthy. 

SOP

• … Our Creator has furnished us, in vegetables, grain, and fruits, all the elements of nutrition necessary to health and strength. Flesh-meats composed no part of the food of Adam and Eve before their fall. If fruits, vegetables and grains are not sufficient to meet the wants of man, then the Creator made a mistake in providing for Adam.  {ST, January 6, 1876 par. 19} 
• No one is to be indifferent in this matter. Life, eternal life, is presented to all as a gift of God, if they will receive it. Will they show wisdom, as did Daniel and his fellows, to refuse the meats and the wines which, if used, will spoil the Lord's wonderful and beautiful machinery? Will they reason from cause to effect? They -- yes, the supposedly wealthy men -- need wisdom as to how to conduct themselves so as to preserve their powers of mind and body. They are ignorant in regard to the effect of their eating and drinking, and do not know what a temperate diet will do for them.  {RH, January 7, 1902 par. 4}
• In the study of hygiene, students should be taught the nutrient value of different foods. The effect of a concentrated and stimulating diet, also of foods deficient in the elements of nutrition, should be made plain. Tea and coffee, fine-flour bread, pickles, coarse vegetables, candies, condiments, and pastries fail of supplying proper nutriment. Many a student has broken down as the result of using such foods. Many a puny child, incapable of vigorous effort of mind or body, is the victim of an impoverished diet. Grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables, in proper combination, contain all the elements of nutrition; and when properly prepared, they constitute the diet that best promotes both physical and mental strength.  {Ed 204.3} 

CONCLUSION:

• Our creator gave us the optimal diet for health-fruits, grains, nuts, and vegetables.
• After the flood God gave permission to eat flesh because of a lack of food available.
• If meat is eaten it should be clean and free of blood and fat.
• Flesh eating shortens life and causes many diseases.
• We—if we are saved—will be vegetarians in heaven.
• God wants us to be in health and He will keep us healthy by following His health laws.
• Eating flesh foods is not wrong as long as it is clean, fat and blood free. But if we truly want better health and avoid the diseases, then limiting or avoiding meat entirely would be a healthier choice. 

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:

• Are you seeking to obey God’s health laws?
• Are you seeking to come as close to God’s ideal diet as possible?
• If you are eating meat are you choosing only clean meats and avoiding the fat and blood in the meat?
• Are you letting God be in control of your nutrition choices and seeking to honor Him with what you eat?

June5-11: Optimism: Happiness and Healing

Teaching Points

1. Do key leaders of God sometimes face discouragement? After one of the greatest demonstrations of God’s power in answer to prayer what happened to Elijah and how can this be an encouragement to us? 

ANSWER:

• 1 Kings 19:2-4—He fled from Jezebel and wanted to die.
• After such a great victory Elijah suddenly loses heart and fails to trust God.
• He actually feels like a failure—“no better than my fathers.” 

2. How did God show His mercy and understanding to Elijah in his down state?

ANSWER:

• 1Kings 19:5-7—An angel gave him water and food.
• Perhaps his depression was caused in part from dehydration, low blood sugar, and exhaustion.
• Even in this weak, low time, God took care of him and gave him evidence of His presence.

3. What lesson did God try to teach Elijah after this experience? 

ANSWER:

• 1 Kings 19:11-12—God’s chosen method of communication is not through great display but through a still small voice.
• 1 Kings 19:14-16—God is working though one may not see the evidence right away.

OBSERVATION:

• Even some of the greatest men of God have become discouraged.
• God does not leave us when we are discouraged. But He tenderly seeks to send us the help we need to overcome our discouragement. 
• God wants us to learn to recognize His still small voice and recognize that God is still at work though we may not see the results as soon as we think we should.
• We are not alone. Just as God is working with us, He is also working with others. 

5. What counsel helped Elijah and could also help us in hard situations?

ANSWER:

• Psa. 46:10—Be still and know God. He will be exalted in the earth.

6. What state of mind will we have if we keep our minds on God?

ANSWER:

• Isa. 26:3—We will have complete peace.

7. How should we feel about God when we trust Him?

ANSWER:

• Psa. 5:11—we should rejoice and shout for joy.
• Psa. 16:11—In God’s presence is fullness of joy. 

8. What should we remember about God that will keep us positive and joyful?

ANSWER:

• Psa. 103—God’s amazing, tender mercy toward us.

OBSERVATION:

• God wants us to be still and realize that He is with us and that He is working.
• When we keep our minds trusting in God and not let ourselves get distracted from Him we will have complete peace.
• This trust relationship brings joy to our hearts.
• Remembering God’s goodness to us will help keep our minds on God and keep us joyful and positive.

SOP

• Those who work for God will meet with discouragement, but the promise is always theirs: “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Matthew 28:20. God will give a most wonderful experience to those who will say: “I believe Thy promise; I will not fail nor become discouraged.” {The Colporteur Evangelist 85.1}  
• From Elijah's experience during those days of discouragement and apparent defeat, there are many lessons to be drawn,--lessons invaluable to the servants of God in this age, marked as it is by general departure from right. The apostasy prevailing today is similar to that which in the prophet's day overspread Israel. In the exaltation of the human above the divine, in the praise of popular leaders, in the worship of mammon, and in the placing of the teachings of science above the truths of revelation, multitudes today are following after Baal. Doubt and unbelief are exercising their baleful influence over mind and heart, and many are substituting for the oracles of God the theories of men. It is publicly taught that we have reached a time when human reason should be exalted above the teachings of the Word. The law of God, the divine standard of righteousness, is declared to be of no effect. The enemy of all truth is working with deceptive power to cause men and women to place human institutions where God should be, and to forget that which was ordained for the happiness and salvation of mankind. Yet this apostasy, widespread as it has come to be, is not universal. Not all in the world are lawless and sinful; not all have taken sides with the enemy. God has many thousands who have not bowed the knee to Baal, many who long to understand more fully in regard to Christ and the law, many who are hoping against hope that Jesus will come soon to end the reign of sin and death. And there are many who have been worshiping Baal ignorantly, but with whom the Spirit of God is still striving.--Prophets and Kings, pp. 170, 171

CONCLUSION:

• Even God’s people can get discouraged but God is faithful even in this time of need.
• God is right there beside us when we’re at our lowest points.
• Elijah needed to be still and realize that God was at work and cared for him. Elijah was not alone.
• We need to be still and listen to God, realizing that we are not alone too and that God is at work even though we don’t see it.
• Perfect trust in God brings joy and peace to us.
• Remembering what God has done and can do for us can keep us praising Him. 

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:

• Are you being still to listen to God’s voice?
• Are you developing complete trust in Him and blessing Him for what He has done for you?
• Are you taking time to rejoice in God’s presence?
• Are you letting God be in control of your life, realizing that He is working and in His time will accomplish what is best?