|
NEW BIBLE QUIZZES
AVAILABLE FOR
SOUL-SAVING SERIES
In the May 29, June 12, and October 20 editions of our newsletter, we announced the addition to our Website of twelve Bible quizzes (out of a total of sixteen) to accompany our Soul-Saving Series of lessons. In this newsletter, we would like to bring to your attention the fact that the last four of those quizzes are now available. Included in this offering are quizzes on: (1) "Power in the Blood"; (2) "Acts—The Genesis of the New Testament"; (3) "What Is Your Life?; and (4) "The Joy of Salvation." These four new quizzes can be found on our Website at www.thegospelofchrist.com/quiz.
TGOC ANNOUNCES
LESSONS NINE AND TEN
IN ITS MOTIVATIONAL SERIES
In the April 4, April 17, May 1, and May 15 editions of our newsletter, we announced the availability of eight lessons in our new Motivational Series. In this newsletter, we are pleased to announce the availability of lessons nine and ten ("The Eternal Kingdom" and "Dare to Be a Daniel") in that series. In our next newsletter, we will be announcing lessons eleven and twelve.
In "The Eternal Kingdom," James Gravelle uses both the Old and New Testaments to weave a fascinating and powerful account of how God's kingdom, the church, was planned, prophesied, and produced. James begins his remarks by referring to a statement made by the writer of the Book of Hebrews, who said, "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear" (Heb. 12:28). James then concentrates on the portion of that statement which affirms that the Christians of the first century "were receiving" (during their lifetimes!) the kingdom that God had predicted and promised. The Old Testament prophet Daniel had prophesied that "in the days of these kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever" (Dan. 2:44).
Another Old Testament prophet, Joel, had predicted essentially the same thing (Joel 2:28-32)—which is why, when the announcement about God's kingdom (the church) was made on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2, Peter said, "This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel..." (vs. 16). When Jesus Himself spoke of the end of the Jewish system (Mt. 24:34) and its subsequent replacement with the kingdom that "shall stand forever," He said, "Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place." Thus, it should have come as no surprise that Peter would announce to people of his generation that the church had, in fact, become a present reality. Nor should it have been any surprise to read the words of the writer of the Book of Hebrews to the Christians to whom he wrote, stating that "we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken...."
Each of these events—Jesus' prediction in Matthew 24 concerning the imminent collapse of the Jewish economy, Peter's bold affirmation in Acts 2 that Joel's prophecy concerning a coming of "the day of the Lord," and the Hebrews writer's reference to the same kingdom of which Daniel spoke ("a kingdom that shall stand forever")—was taking place before the very eyes, and within earshot, of the Jews of the first century. When the apostle Paul penned his epistle to the Galatians, he made the following observation: "But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth his Son..." (4:4). While we may not presume to know with certainty all that the apostle Paul had in mind when he spoke of "the fullness of time," one thing is certain: the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ left this planet and its inhabitants reeling. Christianity did not come into the world with a whimper, but a bang. For millennia, Old Testament prophets (Daniel, Joel, and others) had sent forth their predictions about a coming Messiah. Suddenly, those predictions were being fulfilled. Even Christ's worst enemies recognized the impact that He was having. When the Pharisees and chief priests sent their officers to seize Him on one occasion, those officers returned empty handed. When asked why they had failed in their quest, the only answer they could offer was, "No man ever spoke like this Man!" (Jn. 7:46).
Little wonder. The Man doing the speaking was none other that God incarnate—Jesus Christ—the very One Who had been prophesied to establish "the eternal kingdom." As Jesus Himself said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here" (Jn. 18:36). That kingdom, the church, was Heaven sent, blood bought, and Spirit filled. Christ and His Gospel message turned the world of the first century "upside down" (Acts 17:6). And, as James is quick to point out in his lesson, today, people from all over the world can become members of that kingdom and have their names written in the Lamb's Book of Life (Rev. 21:27)—if they will but obey the Lord.
In his lesson, "Dare to Be a Daniel," James recounts the Old Testament account of how Daniel and three of his friends (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) unexpectedly found themselves as captives in the royal court of Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Babylonian Empire. Interestingly, Daniel 2:48 records that "the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon." After calling attention to that verse, James then asked the obvious question: "How was Daniel able to reach these positions of power and influence without compromising his position as a godly man?" James then remarked: "A close look at the Book of Daniel reveals his secret, and shows how we, too, can be successful without selling our souls to the devil."
Using those comments as his springboard, James delved into what made Daniel—even as a slave in a foreign land—so successful in a pagan king's court. As James investigated Daniel's life and actions, he uncovered the reasons for Daniel's success. First, Daniel was a man of purpose. Daniel 1:8 informs us (surely, not coincidentally!) that "Daniel purposed in his heart" how he would act. And he steadfastly refused to veer from his soulful determination. Second, Daniel was a man of principle. In Daniel 6 we learn that Darius, king of the Medes and Persians, had conquered Babylon and had issued a decree that no citizen of his kingdom could pray to anyone but him. Daniel abjectly refused to obey that edict, and, true to his principles, prayed instead to God (Dan. 6:10)—not once, but three times a day (not in secret, but with his window open!). Daniel would not compromise—and the Lord blessed him because of it.
Third, Daniel was a man of purity. Daniel 6:3-4 records: "Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm. So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him." Try though they might, Daniel's enemies were unable to repudiate the purity that he consistently displayed in his life. And, fourth, Daniel was a man of prayer, as his refusal to obey King Darius' decree makes clear. As James went on to point out in this lesson, Christians today would do well to follow Daniel’s example of a prayerful life. As Paul wrote to the Christians in Thessalonica, we are to "pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thess. 5:17-18). In Colossians 4:2, Paul wrote, "Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving."
James ends his comments in this lesson by observing, "Even today there are many Christians who demonstrate that when they dare to be a Daniel, they can succeed in the affairs of men without selling their souls to the world. How about you? Will you dare to be a Daniel by being a person of purpose, principle, purity, and prayer?" Good questions, those.
Both of these lessons are now available on our Website, where you will find them in video, audio, and written transcript formats. We invite you to examine them for yourself, and to share them with others. |
