John 13-15

• John 13:34-35 – Other people would know they were disciples because of the love they showed for each other.
• John 13:37
• John 14:21-24
• John 15:12-13
• Jesus taught us to love by setting the example.
• Laying down my life for others involves serving others.
• Sometimes, “laying down your life” means literally dying.
• Keeping Jesus’ commandments is part of laying down my life for Him.

I John 1-3

• John 2:15 – Don’t love the world.
• I John 3:4-10 – Every person is known by their deeds.
• I John 3:14-15
• I John 3:16 – We know what love is based on what God did.
• Love is action!
• I must walk in the light as God is light.
• If I don’t love my brother: I don’t belong to God, I don’t have redemption.
• God defined love: He laid down His life for us.
• Laying down my life for others involves: action and sharing physical resources.

Matthew 25:31-46

• How important is it that I lay down my life for God and others?
• To those who laid down their lives:
  • “Came, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
• To those who did not lay down their lives, Jesus says:
  • “Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels.”
• Showing compassion for others is laying down my life for them.

Galatians 6:1-10

• Working to bring a straying soul back to God.
• Bearing each other’s spiritual burdens.
• What I sow is what I will reap; invest wisely.

Matthew 18:21-22

• Giving grace

Applications

• Can you tell who is laying down their lives for others and who is not?

Challenges

• Open a dialog within your family about how each of you are laying down your lives for each other.
• Ask yourself and others: What am I not laying down in my life that I need to?
• Build the mindset: “Real living is laying down my life.”
• John 14:24-26

Update on work in Colombia

• Congregations tend to be small and spread out.
• Christians there tend to be very strong and knowledgeable.
• Nationally, there is not much desire to serve God. The government is indifferent to religion.

Recap of work in Mexico

• Several young men from Benchley went on the trip and preached their first lesson via translator.
• Several young women also went and taught classes for ladies and children, which were very well received.

Justice, Kindness, and Walking with God

• Micah 3:8
• Micah 6:1-2, 6-8
  • The people’s response is an insult to God. What did God want from them? Micah 6:8 gives the answer: justice, kindness, and walking humbly with God.
  • See Ephesians 4:28.
  • See Amos 3:3. To walk humbly with God, we must be in agreement with Him.

Part 2: The downward spiral of Israel’s apostasy (Judges 3:7-16:31), continued

Gideon (Judges 6:1-8:35), continued

Gideon’s first battle (Judges 7:1-8:3)

• Judges 7:5 – It is not stated exactly why this particular test was used. Possibly it was just an unusual behavior that would cut the size of the force drastically.
• Judges 7:9-15 – Gideon immediately worshiped when God strengthened his faith. God can also strengthen our faith when He deems it necessary.
• Judges 7:16 – The three hundred men would essentially be unarmed with torches and trumpets in their hands. This maneuver required faith!
• Judges 7:22 – God set the enemy against themselves, defeating themselves in the chaos.
• Judges 8:1-3 – Gideon wisely shows humility and quells the anger of the Ephraimites.

Gideon’s second (Judges 8:4-21)

Gideon’s apostasy (Judges 8:22-28)

• Judges 8:23 – This was a complete defeat of the Midianites.
• Judges 8:27 – Gideon’s ephod had catastrophic results – he facilitated idolatry.

Class 6 Takeaway

• We are tempted to think, like the Israelites, “My own hand has saved me” (Judges 7:2). Further, we may seek glory rightly due to God, like Gideon’s army did in shouting, “For the Lord and for Gideon” and “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon.” (Judges 7:18, 20).
• Let us always remember God delivered our souls from sin by his grace, not by anything we did (Ephesians 2:8-9). Our lives are meant to glorify him and not seek glory for ourselves (Matthew 5:16).

Let’s make Jesus our identity

Let’s be diligent in Bible study