I Samuel 3

• I Samuel 3:8 - Why did it take Eli three times to realize this was a message from God? Eli had received word from God in the past. I Samuel 3:1 says that word of the Lord was rare in those days.
• I Samuel 3:10 - Samuel slept every night near the ark of the covenant. Getting direct word from God was a big deal!
• I Samuel 3:15 - Samuel was not given a fun message to deliver. This was legitimately scary for a young man. Eli had already been warned by God about the behavior of his sons, but we are not told Samuel was party to this. By giving this warning to Samuel to take to Eli, God was warning Samuel also. This may have also been a bit of a test for Samuel to see if he would be able to take bad news to people in high places. God would require this many more times in the future.
• I Samuel 3:18 - To his credit, Eli accepted the judgment. However, Eli also did not act to repent and restrain his sons. We have examples in the Bible of God relenting from judgment He had planned to bring down on people because they acted swiftly to change their ways (Ninevah, for example).

I Samuel 4

• I Samuel 4:3 - The Philistines assumed God was with Israel, but Israel did not consider this.
• I Samuel 4:10 - Because Israel did not consult with God, they lost 4,000 men (I Samuel 4:2), then another 30,000 men.
• I Samuel 4:4 - Hophni and Phineas thought God had to be with them if they had the ark of the covenant with them. This was a grace misunderstanding of how God works (not to mention a violation of God’s laws about the ark).
• I Samuel 4:18 - As if the death of his sons was not enough, it seems to have been the capture of the ark that truly stunned Eli, resulting in his death.

Introduction

• Ecclesiastes 12:1; 11:9-10

Challenge yourselv to be a good learner and thinker.

• I Corinthians 14:20
• Sometimes, learning isn’t so much about the subject itself but about learning how to learn and think.
• Matthew 18:12
• Matthew 21:28-32
• Matthew 22:42
• Jesus was always trying to get people to think.

Develop a good work ethic.

• Nehemiah 1:1; 4:1, 6, 11, 17
• Nehemiah 6:9, 15 - Enemies tried to trick and frighten Nehemiah, but he would not be deterred.
• Get to work! Have a good attitude!
• Colossians 3:23-24

Manage your time well.

• Matthew 6:25, 33
• Who is the most important?
• Can you do your homework and your Bible lesson?
• You may have to reduce school stuff to make room for God.

Be kind.

• Ephesians 4:31
• Acts 9:36; 10:32
• Job 4:4
• Younger people are looking up to you!
• Even a small act of kindness goes a long way.

Learn humility.

• I Corinthians 13:4-7
• Proverbs 16:18
• We compare ourselves with others in school, and that can lead to pride.
• Romans 12:16
• James 4:6
• Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

What does “church” mean? (continued)

The Bible’s use of “ekklesia”: universal spiritual group (continued)

• Matthew 16:13-20 (Acts 2:36-41)
• The term “universal church”
  • The word “catholic” means “universal.”
• One single Savior ➡️ one, single group of saved people (church)

The Bible’s use of “ekklesia”: local spiritual group

• I Corinthians 1:2
• I Thessalonians 1:1

The Bible’s use of “ekklesia”: local church assembly

• I Corinthians 14:4, 5, 12, 19, 23, 28, 33, 34, 35
• I Corinthians 11:18, 22

The Bible’s use of “ekklesia”: Christians in certain regions

• Acts 9:31

The difference between “church” and “churches”

Number

Salvation

Scope

Entrance and removal

Beginning and ending

Oversight

Treasury

Work

• Examples of the work of local churches:
  • Help needy saints in the local church (Acts 6:1-6)
  • Help needy saints in other churches (Romans 15:26)
  • Add/subtract members (Acts 9:26-28; I Corinthians 5:13)
  • Assembly to worship God and edify each other (I Corinthians 14:23-26)
  • Have overseers and deacons (Philippians 1:1)
  • Make decisions (I Corinthians 16:3)
  • Help sinners repent (Matthew 18:17)
  • Partake of the Lord’s Supper (I Corinthians 11:17-24)
  • Sing spiritual songs (I Corinthians 14:26)
  • Pray (I Corinthians 14:15)
  • Teach God’s word (I Corinthians 14:26)
  • Collect money (I Corinthians 16:2)
  • Sound forth the word (I Thessalonians 1:8)
  • Support preachers in other places (Philippians 4:15-16)
• Romans 16:16 - This verse is sometimes cited as authority for collective action.

Introduction

• Acts 18:23
• Acts 15:3
• Acts 21:19-20

Disclaimers

• Primarily my point of view
• Generalizations
• A unique situation
• I may be slightly off on a few details, but the general observations hold true.
• Pronunciation

Overview

• Our work
• A few names
• 4 key experiences

Churches visited

• Based in San Cristobal
• Thursday through Saturday, traveled to the Jahuaca region and stayed two nights as we visited churches in the area.
• Each church told us who they wanted to speak.
• Worship services were similar as you would expect, with tweaks to the order.

Larráinzar

• Change in locations
  • Acts 17:16
• Jady preached
• Brooklyn taught the girls’ class
• First taste of fellowship and hospitality with the Mexican brethren.
  • Acts 2:46

What God is doing in Chiapas

Experience #1: Sharing stories from the field

• Sheily’s work in sharing the gospel
• A heritage
• One decision - to seek first the kingdom
  • Matthew 6:31-33
  • Dary changed jobs so he could have more time with his family and the evidence was obvious.

San Cristobal

• First Sunday
• Wednesday
• Second Sunday

What God is doing in Chiapas

Experience #3: “I have two questions for you”

• After the World Cup match ended, Dari came and said he had two questions for me.
  • Jesus’ prophecies in Luke 21
  • The gift of the Holy Spirit
• One of the most fun Bible studies I’ve had.
• Dari and I barely knew each other, but this is what he wanted to talk about.
• GOD DID THAT.

San Julian

• Our first rural church visit.

Comitán

What God is doing in Chiapas

Experience #2: I was sick, and you visited me

• On our way to Comitán some started feeling sick.
• Two bread bags and a roll of toilet paper
• JESUS DID THAT.

Jahuaca

• Francisco and Fermina hosted the Americans
• They built a house to host visitors.

What God is doing in Chiapas

Experience #4: 10,000 years

• As In Larráinzar, we sang after eating.
• One of the last songs - Amazing Grace

Jahuaca - Gracias a Dios

• Matthew 19:14

Notas y saludos

• Romans 16:16

I Samuel 1

I Samuel 1:1-18

• I Samuel 1:1 - I Chronicles seems to indicate that Samuel was a Levite.
• I Samuel 1:6-8 - Favoritism is very destructive in a family! This also shows how God’s original plan for one man and one woman in marriage is the best.

I Samuel 1:19-28

• Hannah had promised she would give the boy to Him and God granted her request. Hannah kept her promise! She also named her son Samuel, meaning “heard by God.”

I Samuel 2

I Samuel 2:1-11 - Hannah’s prayer

I Samuel 2:12-36

• Eli was both a priest and a judge in Israel (I Samuel 4:18). Eli’s sons were also priests, but did evil.
• Eli ended up raising Samuel and Samuel would later make the same mistake with his own sons in I Samuel 8, which is part of the reason Israel cried out for a king.