Introduction

• Luke 24:13-35

They cared about Jesus.

• Luke 24:14-20 – They were interested in this story!
• Luke 24:13, 9 – These two were numbered with the disciples.
• Luke 24:21, 32 – They were starting to lose hope in Jesus the Messiah, but they cared about Him!
• Do we care about Jesus? Do we care about other things more? Are we involved and sincere?

They didn’t understand Scripture, so they were losing hope.

• Luke 24:25-26
• I Corinthians 15:3-4; Isaiah 53:12; Psalms 16:10; Luke 18:31-34; Matthew 27:63
• Luke 24:6-12
• Luke 24:20-24 – Cleopas detailed all the evidence that should have given him hope, but he didn’t understand.
• I Timothy 3:12 – Are we going to lose hope?
• I Peter 4:4, 12
• II Peter 3:3-4
• Luke 24:47

When they did understand, they were zealous to tell others about Jesus.

• Luke 24:31
• Mark 16:11-14
• John 20:29
• I Corinthians 15:5-8
• Acts 2:29, 32
• Can you make an opportunity to tell others about Jesus?

I Corinthians 9

I Corinthians 9:1-14 – “to get their living from the gospel”

• A preacher has the right to be paid for his work by a local church. Since preachers may be married, that support can be enough to support her as well.
• See II Chronicles 31:4; Nehemiah 13:10-11. The Levites were also supported so that they could devote themselves to serving God.
• Paul notes that he was not writing this for his own benefit (I Corinthians 9:12), but to improve their attitudes when dealing with other preachers.
• See Numbers 18:8-21, 31. The Levites were well supported in their work.
• See also Matthew 10:9-10.

I Corinthians 9:15-18 – “I am not writing these things so that it will be done so in my case”

• Paul felt that he had to preach, but he was happy to be able to do it for free in their case.

I Corinthians 9:19-27 – “I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more”

• Paul changed his approach depending on the circumstances so that he would be effective in preaching. He wanted to win by helping people be saved.

Introduction

• II Timothy 4:2
• Luke 10:16

We ought to honor Deity as the source of authority.

• Genesis 1:1, 26
• God’s authority is inherent as the Creator.
• Isaiah 45:8-11
• Romans 1:21
• I John 2:3-4; 5:3
• John 14:15
• To respect God’s authority, we must obey His commandments.
• Leviticus 10:1-3
• Matthew 28:18-20 – What gave Jesus the right to command this? The authority He had.
• Acts 2:36

We’ll be judged by what God has authorized.

• Ephesians 4:1-3
• When we disagree, it’s because we don’t have a standard to agree on.
• Matthew 26:19
• What if we just went to the standard of the Bible?
• Acts 23:8 – Why were there Pharisees and Sadducees? Just be Jews!

Background on Exodus

• The promise
  • First given to Abraham
• The covenant
  • Given to Abraham = Genesis 17
  • Permanent for his descendants
  • Birthright passed to successors of subsequent generations: Isaac, Jacob (Israel)
• The generations
• Humble arrival in Egypt
  • As a slave – sold by brothers
• Joseph’s ordeal
  • Refuses Potiphar’s wife
  • Jail time
• Joseph’s triumph
  • Dreams
  • Promotion
  • Purpose
• Family joins
  • Out of hunger
  • Joseph “master” of food
  • Revealed to his brothers and father
• Nation’s treatment
  • Israel given Goshen, treated well
• Dating of Exodus
  • Several dates speculated
  • Exodus even denied by some
  • Most accepted date – 1446 BC
• Support for the 1446 BC date
  • Primary source is I Kings 6:1
    • Solomon’s reign began about 970 BC
    • 480 BC + 970 BC – 4 = 1446 BC
  • Also, Acts 13:17-20

Pharaohs of Exodus

• Consider the following:
  • Psalms 83:3-4
  • Proverbs 10:7
  • God does not name Pharaoh
  • Egypt would not name Israel
• Contrast of Pharaohs
  • Genesis 47:5-6
  • Genesis 47:11
  • Exodus 1:6-11
• First Pharaoh (time of Moses’ birth)
  • Thutmose I or Amenhotep I
  • Both capable of issuing infanticide decree
• Pharaoh of the plagues
  • Amenhotep II
    • 7th Pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty
    • His successor (Thutmose IV) not the “true heir” (not firstborn son)
    • Firstborn would have died in tenth plague
• Answer could be “D – None of the above”
  • Consider Psalms 9:5-8
  • Also Psalms 109:15
  • It was normal for names and events to be blotted out
    • Not flattering to Pharaoh
    • Not convenient to his self-perceived glory

Who wrote Exodus?

• Exodus 17:14
• Numbers 33:2
• Exodus 24:4 (Exodus 20:21 – 23:33)
• Exodus 34:27 (Exodus 33:11 – 34:26)
• Familiarity with the ways and facts of Egypt – Acts 7:22
• Mark 12:26-27 (Exodus 3:6)
• Sounds like Moses is the author of Exodus

Was the Exodus real?

• Our faith says yes
• Many say no
  • No direct archaeological evidence
  • No direct writings
• Indirect evidence is there
  • Circumstances
    • Influx of Hyksos (Semites) some 400 years previous
  • Buildings requiring intense labor
    • Innumerable slaves working to build a treasure city
    • Bricks with too little straw
  • Records – not all the bad news was destroyed
    • Hapi (god of Nile) making waters undrinkable
    • Kermit (god of fertility) released frogs
    • Osiris (corn) would not hold back locusts
    • Ra (sun) refused to shine
    • Pharaoh had no eldest son to succeed

Why?

• Purpose of Exodus event
  • What was the point?
    • Goshen was nice
    • God defeated Pharaoh
    • Why not just stay
  • What was the promise?
    • Did it include a “where”?
    • Could He have given them Egypt?
• Remember the promise – Genesis 12:1-9
• Repeated Acts 7:2-5

Impact of Exodus

• God made Israel into a nation
  • Laws
  • Leadership
  • Led them to a country
• Nations would fear the God of Israel
• Exodus 15:14 – “The peoples have heard, they tremble”
• Remember Rahab? Joshua 2:8-11
• Constant reminder of God’s lovingkindness toward Israel
• Much of Chapter 13 reminds Israel during the Passover
• Feast of Unleavened Bread – Exodus 23:15
• Joshua 24:6; Judges 2:1; I Samuel 12:8; I Chronicles 17:21

I Corinthians 8

I Corinthians 8:1-3

• Paul starts by talking about love. Compare Romans 14:15. Love should be the guiding force behind our behavior.

I Corinthians 8:4-6

• Pagan sacrifices at that time often resulted in a good amount of leftover meat that was still fit for consumption. Paul points out that these idols were nothing, so it was not inherently sinful to eat the meat.

I Corinthians 8:7-9

• See I Corinthians 12:2; I Thessalonians 1:9.
• Regarding conscience, see Acts 23:1; 26:9. Paul did wrong with a clean conscience. Paul had a strong conscience at the time, but was weak in knowledge.
• I Corinthians 8:8 – See I Corinthians 10:25; 7:19. The meat was not an issue of sin, just like circumcision under the New Covenant.

I Corinthians 8:10-12

• I Corinthians 10:10 – See I Corinthians 10:19. The meat is fine, but avoid idol worship.
• I Corinthians 10:12 – See Romans 14:14. If you think you are sinning in your heart, you are!

I Corinthians 8:13

• It’s better to forego liberties than to cause a brother to stumble.
• Love is the common theme throughout this book.