Ezra 7:1, 6-10

Ezra 9:1-4, 6

Spend time in the Bible

• Psalms 119:161-168 – We should be happy to spend time in the Bible!

• Colossians 4:16

• I Thessalonians 2:13

Live the Bible

• Matthew 7:15-23 – People are known by their actions.

• Am I living the Bible in my home?

• Fathers need to be taking the lead in this.

• Genesis 12:11-13; 2:2; 26:6-7 – Isaac did just as Abraham did!

• I Kings 12:28-29; 15:25-26 – Jeroboam set a terrible example of idolatry.

Plan with the Bible

• Genesis 17:7-9; 18:19

• Deuteronomy 6:7

• Psalms 78:6-7

• II Timothy 2:2

• II Peter 3:18

Doesn’t Numbers 14:18 show that everyone is born inheriting the sin of their parents? (continued)

• Conclusion from the context

  • God will surely punish those who continually sin against Him.

  • God is longsuffering and merciful.

  • The person who sins shall die for His own sins.

• Other Bible principles on the subject

  • Jeremiah 31:29-30

  • Ezekiel 18:

    • Ezekiel 18:1-4 – The soul that sins shall die.

    • Ezekiel 18:5-9 – The righteous man shall live.

    • Ezekiel 18:10-13 – If a just man’s son is evil, the son shall die.

    • Ezekiel 18:14-17 – If an evil man’s son is righteous, that son shall live.

    • Ezekiel 18:24 – It’s not once-saved, always saved!

  • Romans 5:12

  • II Corinthians 5:10

What does God think about observing special religious holidays?

• Attitude check: Acts 18:23-28

• Is it possible to worship or perform some religious act and be unapproved by God?

  • Genesis 4:3-5; Hebrews 11:4; Romans 10:17

  • Exodus 32:5

  • Leviticus 10:1-2

  • I Kings 12:28, 32

  • Mark 7:6-8

  • Galatians 5:2-4

  • John 4:24; II John 1:9 – God has always cared about how He is worshiped!

• Christmas and Easter are not authorized as religious observances in the Bible.

  • The Bible records the birth of Jesus, but never authorizes us to make a religious memorial of His birth.

  • The Lord’s Supper has been authorized as a weekly memorial of His death and resurrection (I Corinthians 11:18-34; Acts 20:7).

• Hopefully we can use these holidays to stir up people’s interest in the truth!

  • Acts 17:22-24 – These holidays give us an opportunity to speak about Jesus.

• We may engage in cultural practices that do not involve unauthorized worship or religious service.

  • Circumcision

    • Galatians 2:3-5

    • Acts 16:3

  • Eating of meats

    • I Corinthians 8:1-8

• Let’s honor Christ the ways He wants to be honored, remembering the Bible’s repeated warnings not to go beyond Divine authority for religious practices (Colossians 3:17; II John 1:9). But like Paul, let’s also use whatever opportunities we have to teach and practice the truth!

• Apostles – disciples, but more than that
• Where they came from
• Their selection
• What and how they learned
• What was their function?
• Where did they go?
• What we know and what we don’t know
• Apostolic succession
• Veneration of apostles and saints

• Apostle or disciple? Matthew 10:1-2; 20:17; 26:20
  • Squares and rectangles
    • Apostle = ambassador (apostle: one chosen and sent)
    • Apostles were disciples
    • Not all disciples were apostles
    • Not all apostles were apostles – Acts 13:1-3; 14:14
      • Barnabas and Paul were listed as apostles here because they were specifically sent on a limited commission to preach the gospel. This does not mean that Barnabas was now one of the twelve apostles.
• Where did they come from?
  • Humble or despised means
    • Fishermen
    • Tax collectors
    • Political radicals
  • From where did the wise come?
    • Jerusalem
    • Babylon – Matthew 2:1-2
  • Why did God not choose the wise?
    • Luke 10:21-24
    • Most of the apostles not from Jerusalem or Babylon
    • Not from among the rabbis or scribes or other scholars
    • What can I teach a scholar?
    • What can I teach an infant?
• Really, where from?
  • Don’t know physical origins of all
    • Peter, Andrew, Phillip, Bartholomew (Nathanael) – Bethsaida (John 1:43-51)
    • Peter, Andrew – Capernaum (WHAT?) (Mark 1:21-22, 29; Luke 4:31-32, 38)
    • Where was Jesus from?
      • Bethlehem? Nazareth? Capernaum? Matthew 4:13
    • James and John, sons of Zebedee – by the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 4:18-22)
    • Matthew – Capernaum (Matthew 9:9)
    • Paul (Saul) – Tarsus
    • Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Judas (not Iscariot), Simon the Zealot, Judas Iscariot, Matthias – Unknown

• When the apostles were just disciples
• Choosing the apostles
• Schooling the apostles
• Duties of the apostles
• Tradition and history
• Veneration of apostles and saints
• Apostolic succession

• Malachi 1:6-7 – The real topic here is their hearts.
• Malachi 1:8-14 – It would have been better for them to not worship than to worship so poorly. God demands the best from us!
• Psalms 51:16-17 – God is most pleased with a broken and contrite heart.
• Mark 12:32-34
• I Peter 2:4-5 – We are to be living stones, offering up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God.

• Hebrews 13:15-16
• Philippians 2:17
• II Timothy 4:6
• Where is God in our list of priorities?

• Ephesians 5:1-2
• Galatians 2:20
• Romans 12:1 – “By the mercies of God”: everyone deserves God’s wrath, but we can be justified by faith.
• I owe it to God to sacrifice myself for Him!

• Similar statements occur four times in the Bible: Exodus 20:5; 34:7; Numbers 14:18; Deuteronomy 5:9
• Exodus 20:5-6
  • Context: Israelites fleeing Egypt with a shaky faith. God works miracles to build their faith. God makes a covenant with the people.
  • God was jealous for the Israelites, and he has every right to be!
• Exodus 34:6-7
  • Context: Moses returns to Mount Sinai to replace the tablets of the law. God allows Moses to see His glory.
  • God wanted to show love and mercy, but the people sinned, separating them from God.
• Numbers 14:18
  • Context: The twelve spies are sent to spy out Canaan. Only two say they can take the land. God wants to reject Israel and make a new nation from Moses.
  • Moses reminds God what He has said before and pleads with God to not destroy the people. God punishes only those who rebelled against Him.
• Deuteronomy 5:9
  • Context: Recounting of the law of Moses and the story of the twelve spies.
  • None of the faithless generation would be allowed to enter the land, but the children would be allowed to go in.
• Summary
  • God is jealous for devotion of His people – and has a right to be so.
  • God is patient and willing to forgive but will punish.
  • The soul that sins will be held accountable. Innocent people may sometimes have to deal with the physical consequences of their parents’ sins.