Chapter 14 / 15 - God Helps Those Who Help Themselves? / The End of the Road (Genesis 24 and 25:1-18)

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

and do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make straight your paths.

(Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV)

We see in this week's lesson that Abraham sends his servant to the land of his father to find a wife for Isaac. From the text, we do not see that he had any revelation from God in this matter, but notice that Abraham nevertheless trusts that God will provide:

"The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me and swore to me, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there."

(Genesis 24:7 ESV)

Abraham's faith had grown from the self-reliance we saw in his attempt to fulfill the promise of God through Ishmael in Genesis 16 and 17, to unflinching obedience towards God in his willingness to offer Isaac upon the altar in Genesis 22. In this chapter, notice from the passage above--and from the servant's responses throughout the remainder of the chapter--the dependency upon God's providence and acknowledgement of God's faithfulness:

"And he said, “O LORD, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham.""

(Genesis 24:12 ESV)

"The man bowed his head and worshiped the LORD and said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the LORD has led me in the way to the house of my master's kinsmen.”"

(Genesis 24:26-27 ESV)

When Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the earth before the LORD.

(Genesis 24:52 ESV)

And in Genesis 25:1-18 we see the end of Abraham's life. God had been faithful to keep the promise he made to Abraham of providing him a son through whom God would bless the nations. Abraham would not live to see the complete outworking of that promise, but he died at "a good old age" and was buried in the land of the promise with his wife, Sarah.

In Christ, we are the offspring of Abraham, heirs of the promise. (Galatians 3:29) But like Abraham, we are living in the gap between what God has promised to ultimately bring about and the realization of that promise. Note what the author of Hebrews says regarding the Old Testament saints:

These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

(Hebrews 11:13-15; Hebrews 11:16 ESV)

The road to the better country and to our Lord is not without toll. Christ paid the inestimable price on our behalf. But neither are we free to live our lives as we choose, according to our own plan and purpose. Having been declared citizens of Heaven, we must travel the straight path that comes only from acknowledging God, denying ourselves and following Christ, who will one day close the gap as history ends and eternity begins:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

(Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV)

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

(Revelation 22:1-5 ESV)

Chapter 13-Funeral for a Friend (Genesis 23)

...[S]hare in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel...

(2 Timothy 1:8-10 ESV)

When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”

“O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

(1 Corinthians 15:54-58 ESV)

In our text for this lesson, we see Abraham burying his beloved wife, Sarah. She who was with him from the beginning of his journey out of Ur was laid to rest in a cave in the land of promise. In verse 2, Abraham mourns and weeps for the loss of Sarah. And this is as it should be. Our Lord wept upon arriving at the tomb of Lazarus, even though he was about to raise him from the dead. As Dr. Duguid alludes to in our chapter, death is a result of sin; there is a sense in which death is not "how things are supposed to be." Death is profoundly saddening, on many levels, and it is right for us to grieve.

But consider the texts above. Christ has won the victory over sin and death. Therefore, we do not grieve as those who have no hope (1 Thess 4:13). This is not the end. As Christians, we have been born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Christ (1 Peter 1:3), and we know that not only will we see those whom we love that die in the Lord again, but that we will one day be with them in the presence of Him who set His love upon us from before the foundation of the world.

Chapter 12-Faith Put to the Test (Genesis 22)

"...through Isaac shall your offspring be named."

This is the last time Isaac is mentioned in the text prior to chapter 22, where God then tells Abraham to sacrifice him on Mount Moriah. How do we then see Abraham respond to God's command? Do we see hesitancy on Abraham's part, as we saw Lot lingering in Sodom prior to its destruction? If we were not privy to the entire story from our perspective, we might not be surprised to see Abraham delay the journey to Moriah, or even intercede on behalf of Isaac, much like he did when he asked God to spare Sodom if ten righteous men could be found there; however, we see no trace of hesitancy or reluctance on Abraham's part in carrying out God's command.

He rose early. He cut wood for the burnt offering. He built the altar. He bound Isaac. He took the knife to slaughter his son.

Genesis 22 does not tell us what was going on in Abraham's mind during this time, but in Hebrews 11, we see that it was by faith that he offered up Isaac:

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

(Hebrews 11:17-19 ESV)

Abraham did not rely primarily on the promise, but on the God of the promise. He did not focus on his current circumstances in a manner that caused him to be rapt with doubt about the outcome. Only because Abraham understood Who it was that was asking him to sacrifice the son through whom the promise was to be fulfilled, did he unflinchingly set out to do so.

As Christians, we have been promised eternal life through our union with Christ. What things come our way that might make us shift our focus from the God of the promises to the "promises in jeopardy"? Illness? Job loss? Death? Consider what Paul states in Romans 8 regarding the God of the promise, our circumstances, and the assurance of our relationship with him through Christ:

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;

we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(Romans 8:32-39 ESV)

God has provided a sacrifice in our place. We who deserve wrath and fury have received mercy and grace. And by faith in Christ, we can know that God will never leave us or forsake us, and we can do whatever we have been called to do, not focusing on the present circumstances, but upon Christ and his finished work.

Chapter 11-Crossing the Rubicon (Genesis 21)

Gentlemen,

My apologies, but there will be no formal entry this week. Please read the lesson and the text in preparation for your meetings.

Blessings

Richie

Chapter 10-Two Steps Forward, One Step Back (Genesis 20)

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

(2 Corinthians 3:18)

In our text this week, we see Abraham once again lying to protect himself from danger. To be sure, the danger was certainly real, for it was not uncommon for those in a position of power to take from others in a weaker position. However, had not Abraham just served a meal to the Creator of the Universe? And hadn't God just shared with Abraham his plans for Sodom? How could Abraham have acted in this manner after all that God had said and done?

I have posed the same question to myself more times than I wish to recall. Do we, despite God's faithfulness and goodness to us, falter and fail at times?

Keep in mind, in Romans 4:19-21 Paul states that Abraham did not "weaken in faith" and that "[n]o distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God." How do we reconcile this with what we read in Genesis 20? It is important to remember that while Abraham was chosen by God, and was considered righteous, he was not perfect. However, the attitude of his heart was not that spoken of in James 1:6-8, the "double-minded man" who is "unstable in all his ways." While Abraham had his moments of weakness as a sinful human, he "believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness." By God's grace, the trajectory of his heart followed the path of the promise that ultimately led to the cross.

What we see here should be both sobering and comforting. Despite God's promises to us in his word, we sin. But because of God's faithfulness and our union with Christ, we can be assured that not only is God working in and through our failures for our good and his glory, but he is also working in us by the Holy Spirit to accomplish our transformation into the likeness of his Son.

Concerning our progressive sanctification and ultimate glorification, know this: "He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it." (1 Thessalonians 5:24)

Chapter 9-The Titanic Sinks (Genesis 19)

...but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. (Romans 2:8)

We live in a world that deals in compromise. Compromise in itself is not evil. We all make compromises at some point, whether it be on the negotiated purchase price of a home or car, or giving up a Saturday afternoon of reading in order to stain a deck (that's mine, by the way). There are, however, compromises that are sinful and lead to sin. In our passage this week, we see the final outworking of Lot's compromise with the wicked city of Sodom.

Although Lot was considered righteous (2 Peter 2:7-8), he was 'in the world' and 'of the world.' He was a man of authority in the city, and may have been involved in some aspect of the city's government. He also refers to the men of the city as 'brothers'. He had compromised by living with the wicked inhabitants of Sodom, and we know from 2 Peter that what he saw tormented his soul.

What a study in contrast between these two righteous men! Lot sits in the gate of Sodom with the wicked, as Abraham stands in the presence of God. To be sure, both Abraham and Lot are far from perfect, but note at least one difference. As Abraham intercedes for the righteous in Sodom (i.e., Lot), read again what Lot did after having been told by the angels that he and his family needed to flee for their very lives from the impending destruction of Sodom: He lingered. (v. 16) God's messengers had to drag Lot and his family from the coming doom. And our text says that this was due to God's mercy.

Do we linger in our own 'Sodom'?

How can we remain friends with the world when God has befriended us in Christ?

Do we realize that our being transferred from death to life by our union with Christ requires a response of gratitude and obedience?

Praise God for his mercy in dragging us away from situations that we linger in when we should flee! Even so, as we see with Lot, there are still consequences for our having remained where we should not, and for not having ran away when we should. But our Covenant God is faithful, and he will never leave us or forsake us. Romans 8:39 says that nothing in all creation (including our own ignorance, foolishness, and sin) will separate those of us who are in Christ from the love of God. That is a great comfort, and one that should drive us headlong into a life of praise, gratitude, and obedience to Almighty God, who has set his love upon us in Christ Jesus.

Chapter 8-God's Friend (Genesis 18)

...and he was called a friend of God (James 2:23)

In Genesis 18, we again see that God appeared to Abraham. In this passage, the appearance is specifically in the form of a man. But note that LORD is rendered in capitals, which means that the word could be translated YHWH ("I Am"), the name God reveals to Moses at the burning bush. And not only does God appear to Abraham in person, but indeed shares a meal with him. As Dr. Duguid states in our chapter, this is the only time Scripture records God eating food set before him prior to the incarnation of Christ. And given that no one has ever seen God the Father (John 6:46), many consider this to be an encounter with the pre-incarnate Christ. What a tremendous privilege to share a meal and be considered a friend of God, despite Abraham's faults and failures!

But consider this: While we were still enemies of God, he befriended us in Christ through his life, death and resurrection. (Romans 5:10-11) And furthermore, because of our union with Christ, we are called sons of God. (Romans 8:14, 9:26, Galatians 3:26) What unmerited favor! We who deserve eternal punishment for our sin against The Most High have been graciously given the gift of God himself! Do we too often neglect to remember that the same God who fashioned our bodies, and who keeps them functioning from moment to moment, dwells within us by his Spirit? Even our failure to keep the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37) has been forgiven through the sacrifice of Christ!

As we see in Genesis 18:16 and following, God includes Abraham in the discussion of his plans for Sodom and Gomorrah. The intimacy of the covenant extends beyond Abraham's current and future part in God's plan, to include even God's plans for those who "sin is very grave." We then see that Abraham asks God to spare Sodom and Gomorrah if ten righteous men can be found in the city. We should not underestimate what God can do with a few righteous people in the midst of the unrighteous. Is this not what we see unfolding in the New Testament with the growth of the early Church? We must not forget whose righteousness the righteous have, and by whose power the gospel of Christ goes forth and bears fruit.

Colossians 2:8-15 encapsulates many of the themes we have been discussing over the past few weeks in a way that hearkens back to the covenant made with Abraham and its sign of circumcision, the futility, ignorance and evil seen in Sodom and Gomorrah, and the grace-filled majesty and sufficiency of the life, death and resurrection of Christ, by which the promises and purposes of God are fulfilled, in whom we are redeemed, and by whom evil is conquered.

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

And viewing this present world--in which the sons and daughters of disobedience follow the prince of the power of the air and their own desires--as analogous to that of Sodom and Gomorrah, we can apply Redeemer's own vision: God's reason for tomorrow is our mission today--and as friends, sons, and daughters of God in Christ, we can boldly proclaim the good news with full confidence that our Covenant God will be faithful.

Chapter 7-Our Covenant God (Genesis 17)

In our text for this week, we see that God appears to Abram and declares, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” Abram promptly falls on his face, and God proceeds to expound upon the covenant promise He had previously made to Abram, including the changing of his name to Abraham, which was a common practice in ancient times following the the establishment of a covenant between a greater king and a lesser king. He then states the reason for changing Abram's name: "...[F]or I have made you the father of a multitude of nations." Not only is God sovereign in His establishment of the covenant, but He ensures that the covenant will be fulfilled according to His plan and purpose.

This is not the only instance in which God speaks of future fulfillment in the past tense. In Romans 8:29-30, Paul states, "For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified." God decrees His plans from eternity past, and carries them out in time (history). He declares the end from the beginning, from times past things not yet done. Scripture shows that He will accomplish all that He has purposed to do. (Isaiah 46:10)

As spiritual descendants of Abraham, recipients of the blessings promised to him, we are God's covenant people; ours is a circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit. (Romans 2:29) We are obligated to recognize that God has called us and set us apart from the world. We are to live our lives in a manner accordant with the God who did not spare His own Son, but gave him up for us that we might have eternal life through union with Him. We have been made alive together in Christ, and we are to direct others (spouses, children, friends) who have received the sign of the covenant to remember the God who called us into the covenant, in whom we can put our full confidence and trust, and by whom we will finally be brought into the resplendent presence of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Chapter 6-Faith Stumbling (Genesis 16)

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
for my hope is from him.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
On God rests my salvation and my glory;
my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah

--Psalm 62:5-8

In this week's text, we see that Abram did not wait on God, but rather tried to move the promise of God toward fulfillment by his own means. And as is regularly the case, the outcome is less than desirable.

The temptation to lean (and act) upon our own understanding instead of trusting the Lord may sometimes come from those closest to us. In a strikingly similar picture of the temptation in the Garden of Eden, Sarai tells Abram to take Hagar as his wife, in order that Sarai might obtain children by her servant. Abram obeys, Hagar conceives, and strife follows.

However, it was God alone who had signified that He would fulfill the promises to Abram, and that He would bear the curse should the covenant be transgressed. His word alone is upright, and He alone is always faithful. While there were consequences for Abram and Sarai's disobedience, God would--in a very real and final manner, through Jesus Christ--be cursed on our behalf and fulfill His promises to Abram.

As stated on page 72 of our book, all of our sin, failure, and faithlessness has been poured out upon and punished in Christ our Redeemer. And his perfect righteousness and faithfulness has been credited to us. God has worked in and through the sin and failures of his people throughout history, culminating in His reconciling us to Himself in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Here is love, despite our stumbling faith: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Chapter 5-Faith Laying Hold of God (Genesis 15)

Do you ever doubt the promises of God? On the one hand, it seems to be a ridiculous question to ask of people who believe in the infallibility (incapability of error) and sufficiency (providing everything needed for life and godliness) of Scripture. But on the other hand, what happens when we are in the midst of trials and temptations? Do we always respond in a way that accords with our beliefs?

In our text, we see that Abram had fears and doubts. He had no offspring to inherit the promised land, and furthermore, the promised land was not yet his! But what does Abram do? He brings his concerns to God. And in response, God further reveals His plan to make of Abram a great nation, pointing Abram to the night sky and stating that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars he sees.

What God does next was quite spectacular, both for Abram, and for us. God 'cuts a covenant' with Abram, but what is unique about this particular covenant is that it is God Himself who walks between the animals that had been cut, symbolizing that God would bear the curse on behalf of Abram and his descendants if the covenant was broken.

Indeed, in Christ, we see the curse associated with the breach of the covenant pronounced and carried out. God the Son bore the wrath that was rightly ours, so that we might be reconciled to Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 perhaps states it best: "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." And because of this, even in the midst of fear and doubt, we can lay our concerns at the feet of Christ, and by faith lay hold of God's promise, knowing with certainty that He Who Is Faithful will surely bring His people to the eternal promised land.

Chapter 4-In the Days of Good King Abram (Genesis 14)

In this week's text, we see that Abram gathers his trained men to rescue his nephew, Lot, who was captured by foreign forces. Lot's decision to live in Sodom had reaped its reward, and this would not be the last time he would need rescuing.

After the successful rescue, Abram was met by two kings, the King of Sodom, and Melchizedek, King of Salem. These two kings offered Abram quite different rewards, from quite different motives. The King of Sodom offered Abram material goods, while Melchizedek bestowed a blessing on Abram on behalf of God as His priest. Abram rejected the material posessions, and in gratitude for God's blessing, he gave ten percent of all that he had to Melchizedek. Abram's faith enabled him to trust God's provision and not his own or any other's.

Hebrews 7 speaks of the Levitical (Old Testament) priesthood submitting to a superior priesthood, through Abram's submission to Melchizedek. The writer of Hebrews goes on to state that the Levitical priesthood was inferior to the priesthood of Melchizedek, in that there was necessarily a continuous succession of priests because death prevented them from continuing in their office as priests. However, Jesus Christ, as a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek, is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

The outworking of the promised inheritance God made to Abram was fulfilled in Christ, and we are the recipients of that eternal inheritance through our union with Christ. How then should we respond when tempted to take a shortcut around the promises of God? When we are offered the "riches" of this world in their various forms? Like Abram, we should submit to our High Priest, recognizing that only through Christ will we be presented to God as righteous and acceptable.

Chapter 3-Take the Money or Open the Box (Genesis 13)

“And he journeyed on from the Negeb as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place where he had made an altar at the first. And there Abram called upon the name of the Lord.” Genesis 13:3,4.

As we saw in our last lesson, Abram had journeyed to Egypt during a famine, and subsequently lied about his wife in order to save his own skin. Abram failed to fully rely upon the promises that God had made.

However, God has plans even for our failures, and we see from the passage above that Abram responded to his failure by going back where he began, and there he called upon the name of the Lord.

What do we do when we fail? How do we respond when we realize that we have not relied upon the promises of God? Do we understand that God will work through our circumstances--no matter how desperate the situation may seem, no matter how we may have botched it--to accomplish His purposes? He works all things together for good, for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28). All means all. As a very dear and godly friend of mine says, “God is not on coffee break.”

Because of the great love of God, He has made us alive in Christ Jesus. We are His children, and as His children, we live by faith and not by sight. But our faith is not blind, it is well-attested by God’s Word and the Holy Spirit. When we fail--and we will--we can "go back" and call upon the name of the Lord, resting assured in the fact of our salvation by grace through faith, which was purchased by the very wrath of the Father poured out on the Son, so that we would be forgiven and united to Christ.

“The steps of a man are established by the Lord,
when he delights in his way;
though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
for the Lord upholds his hand.”
--Psalm 37:23,24.

Chapter 2-Believing the Unbelievable (Genesis 12)

"Now the Lord said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you'...So Abram went, as the Lord had told him." (Gen 12:1, 4a)

In our text, we see that God told Abram not only would his offspring possess a vast area of currently occupied land, but that through him, all families of the earth would be blessed. Upon arriving at Shechem, Abram built an altar to God and called upon His name, as other godly men in his line had done before him.

God called Abram, and he heeded the call without question, and without knowledge of how God would accomplish His purposes. But Abram had the promises of God upon which to cling. Of course, we see shortly thereafter that fear and doubt caused him to loosen his grip upon those promises, as so many of us have done. Nevertheless, how does Paul refer to Abraham in Galatians 3:9? The man of faith. Praise God that our very faith is a gift given to us by the Father, at the highest price of the death of His Son, and applied by the Holy Spirit, so that--though still imperfect and prone to wander off to our own 'Egypt'--we could be forgiven and become the righteousness of God.

How then should we respond to our own trials and tribulations, our fears and 'famines'? We should believe the unbelievable, thanking God that all of His promises find their 'Yes' in Christ. And because of the finished work of Christ and our union with Him, we can assuredly state with Paul, "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." (2 Cor 4:16-18)

Week 9: God's warriors March 15th

See p. 37 for the full lesson.

Consider your your working life—your family life—your church life. Where would you like to see yourself in 10 years' time? What are the greatest threats to your growth in these areas?

The Apostle Paul warns that the Christian life will not be a nice, safe walk in the park, but rather, a deadly battle. According to the following passage, what kind of battles do we face? What are our weapons?

Ephesians 6:10-20 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Week 8: The faithful worker

See page 31

Think about the different facts of your life where you have obligations or responsibilities. Which duties are the hardest to fulfill? How does the teaching of Ephesians 6:5-9 challenge your attitudes and behavior?

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. 9Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.

Study 7 : The lost art of fatherhood

See page 47

The Bible says that—
Fathers generate and sustain life.
Fathers are responsible for the lives of their children.
Fathers have authority over their families.

Fatherhood is our responsibility, and we need to take decisive, thoughtful action … what action are you going to take, in order to be a father to your family?

Week 6: The humble disciplinarian

See page 27.

In your opinion, what is the hardest thing about being a father? Does raising children in the discipline of the Lord tend to make them angry? Why do you think the writer of Proverbs warns against provoking your children to anger?

Ephesians 6:4 “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

Week 5 - The selfish man

see page 24

Are men really the selfish sex, as women sometimes claim—self-absorbed and immature? If so, how do you tend to display that?
Now that we are 'in Christ' (study 2) and have received God's calling (study 3), how are we to think and behave in marriage? How does this apply to you if you are single?

Ephesians 5:21-33
… 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
 22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30because we are members of his body. 31 "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." 32This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Week 4 - Making the Most of Church

Appendix A - See page 41.

"We go to church, not in order to get something out of it, but to put something into it ... of course, we too will be encouraged and taught and stimulated to good deeds, and we need this encouragement to keep going in the Christian life."

What are you supposed to put into church? How can you encourage and stir up others? Read Appendix A for specific, helpful suggestions.

Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Study 3: Friends and brothers

See Page 17

Do most men that you know have good, close friends, with whom they  share their joys and problems? How does God want us to live together as brothers in Christ?  Take some time to think about how you can make a difference (question 4 in the lesson).
 
Ephesians 2:11-22; 4:1-6  11Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
 
1I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Study 2: The Man who makes a difference

What is the solution to men’s problem? The solution—the remedy—is the subject of this week’s study. See page 13

Ephesians 2:4-7 4But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved— 6and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.…”

Study 1: The problem with men

What’s the problem with men??? Read the quote in the study book. What do you think—is he right? (See Page 9)

What does God say?
Ephesians 2:1-3
 1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

Study book: The Man who makes a difference, by Tony Payne. Matthias Media, 2001
Available at bookstore.