Week 18 Strength Like No Other
“The physical presence of other Christians is a source of incomparable joy and strength to the believer.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Passage
28Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable.
29He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power.
30Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly,
31Yet those who wait for the Lord Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.
Isaiah 40:28–31 (NASB95)
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Background
Quote- Dietrich Bonhoeffer (German: [ˈdiːtʁɪç ˈbɔnhøːfɐ] 4 February 1906 – 9 April 1945) was a German Lutheran pastor, theologian and anti-Nazi dissident who was a key founding member of the Confessing Church. His writings on Christianity's role in the secular world have become widely influential; his 1937 book The Cost of Discipleship is described as a modern classic. Apart from his theological writings, Bonhoeffer was known for his staunch resistance to the Nazi dictatorship, including vocal opposition to Adolf Hitler's euthanasia program and genocidal persecution of the Jews. He was arrested in April 1943 by the Gestapo and imprisoned at Tegel Prison for one-and-a-half years. Later, he was transferred to Flossenbürg concentration camp.
Bonhoeffer was accused of being associated with the 20 July plot to assassinate Hitler and was tried along with other accused plotters, including former members of the Abwehr (the German Military Intelligence Office). He was hanged on 9 April 1945 during the collapse of the Nazi regime.
Passage-The book of Isaiah is Narrative History, Prophetic Oracle, and even a Parable. The prophet Isaiah wrote it at approximately 700 B.C. Isaiah is the first book in the section called Major Prophets. They are called Major Prophets because of the large amount of material they wrote.
Isaiah contains some of the most incredible prophecies of any book. It contains foreknowledge, in incredible details about the Messiah, and the future reign of Jesus Christ. The purpose of the book of Isaiah was to call God’s nation, back to faithfulness and to declare the coming Messiah “Immanuel”. God calls and commissions His prophet to declare to Judah and Israel condemnation, conviction, and ultimately great hope.
Lesson Notes
Ask: Do you friends, other people, and fellowship bring you strength, joy, and hope?
Point: Why or why not?
Ask: Introverts do not find strength from being around other people. Why do you think that is?
Point: Because they feel they must wear a mask to hide who they are.
Ask: Why do some people feel they cannot be themselves around other people?
Point: Please read the following:
1“Do not judge so that you will not be judged.
2“For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.
3“Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
4“Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?
Matthew 7:1–4 (NASB95)
Ask: What does that mean for the extrovert?
Point: The same thing it means for the introvert.
Ask: What does that passage mean for the introvert?
Point: Perhaps there is something that needs self-examination and should be removed if it is something to be ashamed of.
Ask: So, what is the answer then for the one wearing the mask afraid of being judged, and the one looking at the mask in danger of hypocritically judging someone else?
Point: Please continue reading from Matthew 7 below:
5“You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
Matthew 7:5 (NASB95)
Ask: “But I don’t do that thing. It’s not a problem for me, so I can make that call, right?”
Point: Please continue reading from Matthew 7 below:
6“Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
Matthew 7:6 (NASB95)
Ask: How does Matthew 7:6 answer the question if it’s okay to judge someone else when I don’t do the thing they do?
Point: If the person has not asked you for help, they will react negatively to your input into their life. No, they are not a pig or a dog. That’s not the point. The point is people get defensive seeing your comments as an attack and not the helpful advice in love it was meant to be.
Ask: What does this introvert/extrovert judgment have to do with drawing joy and strength from Christians around us?
Point: Acceptance.
Ask: How am I supposed to accept someone I think is so wrong about God, life, and what is good and evil?
Point: Please read the following:
1Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions.
2One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only.
3The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him.
4Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
Romans 14:1–4 (NASB95)
Ask: How do we know who someone else serves?
Point: Please read the following:
16“You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?
17“So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.
18“A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.
19“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20“So then, you will know them by their fruits.
Matthew 7:16–20 (NASB95)
Ask: Then where does this “strength like no other” come from and how do I get it?
Closing Statement
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly, Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Isaiah 40:28-31 &Matthew 7:7–8 (NASB95)