Apr. 26, 2020

What If?

Primary Text:  Hebrews 12:5-11                                                                 April 26, 2020

Last Week’s Teaching: What Happened?

1)  Did God Send the Virus?

Numbers 14:36-38:  So the men Moses had sent to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble against him by spreading a bad report about it--these men responsible for spreading the bad report about the land were struck down and died of a plague before the LORD.  Of the men who went to explore the land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived.

Ezekiel 14:21:  "For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem my four dreadful judgments--sword and famine and wild beasts and plague--to kill its men and their animals!"

Amos 4:10-12:  "I sent plagues among you as I did to Egypt.  I killed your young men with the sword, along with your captured horses.   I filled your nostrils with the stench of your camps, yet you have not returned to me," declares the LORD.   "I overthrew some of you as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.  You were like a burning stick snatched from the fire, yet you have not returned to me," declares the LORD.  "Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel, and because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel."

Revelation 15:1:  I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues--last, because with them God's wrath is completed.

DQ 1) Has God used plagues in biblical history to judge people and nations?

DQ 2) Is God unjust or unloving for bringing judgment upon evil?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

2)  The Worst Case Scenario

Revelation 20:6:  Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection.  The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

Revelation 20:14-15:  Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.  The lake of fire is the second death.  If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

DQ 3) Why is spiritual death far worse than physical death?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

3)  God at Work

Romans 8:28-29:  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

DQ 4) How is God working globally, nationally, and in your personal life to bring forth good in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

This Week’s Teaching:   

1)  What if it’s Judgment?

John 16:8-11:  When he [the Counselor] comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

Romans 8:1-2:  Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

DQ 1) What does the Scripture mean when it says the Holy Spirit “will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment”?

 DQ 2) How has Christ removed condemnation for those who are in Him?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

2)  But What About?

1 Corinthians 11:29-32:  For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.  That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.  But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment.  When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.

1 John 5:16-17:  If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life.  I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that.  All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.

DQ 3) What differences exist between God’s judgment of the unsaved versus His judgment of the saved?

DQ 4) What is the sin that leads to death?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

3)  What if it’s Love?

Hebrews 12:5-11:  "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."  Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons.  For what son is not disciplined by his father?...  Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.  No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.  Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

DQ 5) What is God desiring to remove from your life at this time so that you might be more holy and thus more like Him?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________