Introduction

• II Samuel 7:5-16 – A temple was not something God has asked for. God was the one taking care of David, not the other way around. Got turned it around and gave David a house and great promises. Can you imagine being David and receiving these promises?
• I Chronicles 22:7-13
• I Kings 2:1-4 – David’s parting message to Solomon.
• I Kings 3:10-14 – God makes promises to Solomon. Can you imagine being Solomon?
• I Kings 6:11
• I Kings 9:3-5
• I Kings 4:20-25 – The promises had already started to happen!
• I Kings 9:4; 3:14 – There were conditions for these promises.

Can you imagine turning your back on all this?

• I Kings 11:1-8 – Solomon was drawn away to idols by his foreign wives.
• I Kings 9:3-9 – Israel would become a byword to other nations. Idol-worshipers couldn’t imagine the Israelites turning from God after what God had done being them out of Egypt!
• Hebrews 6:1-8 – We also have these amazing promises! Why would we turn from these?

What should we do instead?

• II Samuel 7:18-24 – The nation belonged to God. All things come from God.
• We need to let others see what God has done for us.
• II Corinthians 6:16-7:1 – We need to cleanse ourselves.
• We need to perfect holiness in the fear of God.
• II Peter 1:3-9
• Hebrews 6:9

Genesis 19

• Genesis 19:26 – We are not told exactly why Lot’s wife looked back, but we know God didn’t approve since she was struck dead.
• Genesis 19:34-38 – Bad choices can affect our family for generations.

Genesis 20 – Abraham and Abimelech

• Genesis 20:1-2 – Abraham has a relapse of faith. Abraham assumes Abimelech is evil. Abimelech takes Sarah. Sarah must have been pretty good looking for a 90+ year old woman!
• Genesis 20:3-7 – We see another example of God keeping His promise to protect Abraham. God also respects Abimelech’s heart. Think of Uzzah.
• Genesis 20:8-14 – Abimelech approaches Abraham and restores Sarah.
• Genesis 20:15-18 – Abraham prays for Abimelech and his people.

Genesis 21 – God keeps his promise

• Genesis 21:1-6 – Isaac is born. God keeps his promise. They name him “he laughs” as God commanded. It would remind them of when they doubted God. Abraham follows God’s instruction to circumcise Isaac.
• Genesis 21:7-21 – Sarah has a bad attitude against Hagar. Abraham is distressed but he trusts God. Hagar leaves, then God saves and blesses them. Was this fair?
• Genesis 21:22-34 – Abimelech and Abraham make a covenant. They place is called Beersheba. Why is this story in the Bible?

Genesis 22 – Abraham finally lives up to the hype

• Genesis 22:1-2 – In light of sending Ishmael away, God tells Abraham to offer Isaac.
• Genesis 22:3-8 – Abraham travels about 40 miles to obey God and prepares to worship. Isaac understands what worship was.
  • Where is Mt. Moriah?
    • II Chronicles 3:1; Matthew 26:36
    • This is where Solomon built the temple and where Jesus prayed before His crucifixion.
  • Genesis 22:8 – “God will provide for Himself the lamb” – this was prophecy about Jesus! In the case of Isaac, God provided a ram for the sacrifice.
• Genesis 22:9-14 – Abraham attempts to go through with offering his son. God provides a ram.
• Genesis 22:15-19 – God blesses Abraham and all people forever because of Abraham’s obedience. God knows the hearts of men.
• Genesis 22:20-24 – God sets the stage for Isaac’s future wife.

The Holy Spirit taught a lot of truth through PEOPLE.

• Could you summarize the Bible without using any names?
• Leviticus 19:18
• Luke 10:25-37 – Jesus taught this truth through people. Here’s what is looks like to be a neighbor.
• For example:
  • I Corinthians 10:1-13
    • Exodus 32:4-6 – quoted from I Corinthians 10:7
    • Numbers 25:1-9 – referenced from I Corinthians 10:8
    • Numbers 21:4-6 – referenced from I Corinthians 10:9
    • Numbers 16:41-49 – possibly what is being referenced from I Corinthians 10:10
    • These stories are written as examples! God does not look kindly on grumbling and complaining.
  • Genesis 4:2-7
    • Genesis 4:4-5 – This showed that God expected to be worshiped in the way He commanded. Just because we have a talent doesn’t mean that we can use it to worship God. Abel worshiped from faith (Hebrews 11:4).
    • Genesis 4:7 – Cain had a choice!

We’ll notice some unique things about the Holy Spirit’s descriptions.

• He’s absolutely honest about the good and the bad.
  • II Chronicles 25:2
• He writes about people differently than we probably would.
  • I Kings 11:4
  • The Holy Spirit is much more concise than we would be!
• He knows more about us than we know about ourselves.
  • John 12:42-43

Acts 9

• Acts 9:1-2 – Persecuting Christians was Saul’s goal in life at this point!
• Acts 9:3-5 – From other references, we find this happened about noon and the voice Saul heard was in a Hebrew dialect. Saul was persecuting Christians, but he is rebuked for persecuting Jesus Himself.
• Acts 9:6-9 - Acts 9:27; 26:16; I Corinthians 15:38 – Just as other apostles saw the resurrected Jesus, so did Paul.
• Acts 9:10-16 – Ananias went to Saul and restores his sight. Saul is immediately baptized. Paul took food and went through a time of refreshing.
• Acts 9:20-22 – Saul began preaching Jesus immediately!
• Acts 9:23-25 – Now Saul is under attack from the Jews. The disciples help him escape by letting him down from the wall in a basket.
• Acts 9:26-31 – Saul saw the need to join a local church, but they were scared to allow him in. Barnabas vouched for Saul.
• Acts 9:32-35 – Peter healed a paralytic man in front of the residents of Lydda and Sharon.
• Acts 9:36-43 – Peter restores Tabitha (Dorcas) to life. Peter then stays in Joppa with Simon, a tanner.

Introduction

• Matthew 23

Go back and build the foundation: my heart.

• Acts 8:21-22 – The root problem was Simon’s heart.
• Luke 6:43-45 – Actions come from what is in the heart. You can’t skip the heart and go straight to the actions.
• Matthew 22:37 – The greatest command: love.
• I John 4:19
• It may be helpful to sit and think (meditate) about love.

Be humble enough to remember that I’m a work in progress.

• Romans 12:3
• I need to have an accurate view of myself and be humble enough to see where I need work.
• Stop faking and start learning!
• Luke 18:13-14 – The humble will be exalted.
• I John 1:8-9 – If we say we have no sin, we lie!

Build a faith that is my own.

• Matthew 22:36-38 – Our priority must be loving God.
• I Corinthians 1:12-15 – Paul was correcting misplaced allegiance.
• Our actions must be motivated by a heart that wants to serve God.
• John 7:46-52
• Romans 10:17