Week 33 How Are You Shining
“When you are in the dark, listen, and God will give you a very precious message.”
Oswald Chambers
Passage
24And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides.
25“For whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.”
Mark 4:24–25 (NASB95)
Background
Quote-First Oswald Chambers (24 July 1874 – 15 November 1917) was an early-twentieth-century Scottish Baptist evangelist and teacher who was aligned with the Holiness Movement. He is best known for the daily devotional My Utmost for His Highest.
Born to devout parents in Aberdeen, Scotland, Chambers moved with his family in 1876 to Stoke-on-Trent. Sailing back to the United States in 1908, Chambers became better acquainted with Gertrude Hobbs. They married in May 1910; and on 24 May 1913, Gertrude (whom Chambers affectionately called "Biddy") gave birth to their only child, Kathleen.[13] Even before they married, Chambers considered a partnership in ministry in which Biddy—who could take shorthand at 250 words per minute—would transcribe and type his sermons and lessons into written form.
Chambers was stricken with appendicitis on 17 October 1917, but resisted going to a hospital on the grounds that the beds would be needed by men wounded in the long-expected Third Battle of Gaza. On 29 October, a surgeon performed an emergency appendectomy; however, Chambers died 15 November 1917 from a pulmonary hemorrhage. He was buried in Cairo with full military honors.
Passage-The book of Mark is a Gospel that contains Narrative History, Sermons, Parables, and some Prophetic Oracles. The key word in Mark is "Immediately" which is used 34 times. Mark is the shortest of the synoptic gospels and was written about 64 A.D.
It was written by John Mark who was one of the missionaries who accompanied Paul and Barnabas on their mission trips. The purpose of the Gospel of Mark is to show that the Lord Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God who was sent to suffer and to serve in order to rescue and restore mankind.
"In the Shadow of the Cross" by Art4TheGlryOfGod by Sharon is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0.
Lesson Notes
Opening Statement
If you say it is “good,” is it? Do you agree with everything you hear? Do you hear everything that is said around you or do you listen politely and ignore some things? What measure do you use to determine what you take in from what you hear so that it has an effect on your life from those things you can ignore? Who gets to decide what is right to listen to and what is not?
Ask: Do we know everything?
Point: No, we don’t.
Ask: What do we do when we have a question we don’t know the answer to?
Point: We ask someone we believe has experience on that subject who might be able to tell us what to do.
Ask: What is it called when we ask someone for advice? What are we seeking from them?
Point: It is said, we are seeking counsel.
Ask: How does seeking counsel relate to today’s scripture?
Point: Re-read verse twenty-four.
Ask: Why should we be careful who we listen to?
Point: First Reading Luke 7:30–35 (NASB95).
Ask: Why didn’t they like John the Baptist’s message?
Point: Second Reading Luke 3:7–9 (NASB95).
Re-read verse 35 of the First Reading.
Ask: What are the “…children of wisdom?”
Point: Re-read the Second Reading.
Ask: This is all very dire. What does it have to do with the light we are shining?
Point: Re-read verse 24 from Today’s Passage.
Ask: This has come full circle. Who should we listen to?
Point: God.
Ask: How do we hear God?
Point: Third Reading 1 Corinthians 2:11–13 (NASB95)
Ask: Can we listen and not hear?
Point: Yes.
Ask: How do we listen with ears to hear?
Point: Pray, study, and grow.
Closing Statement
If we listen to God but nothing changes, did we hear? If we hear what the words of Jesus through the scriptures but no fruit is produced, did we have ears to hear? If the Holy Spirit smacks us over the head and we still don’t set our feet on God’s path for our lives, how do we actually know we heard what God had to say? Who knows better, God or human beings? If we say God does, then are we really willing to make the hard admission that His ways are not our ways and we have some things to change? Only time will tell, but that time is limited to the length of our lives. He who has ears let him hear.
Questions for the Week
Question 1 Read all of John The Batptist’s message in John chapter 3 (included at the end of the lesson).
Question 2 What aspects of John’s announcement are difficult for most people to take?
Question 3 Does it apply to us all?
Question 4 If John’s message resonates with you, write in your journal as much or as little as you are lead to write concerning what aspect of John’s message speaks to you.
Scripture
First Reading
30But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John.
31“To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like?
32“They are like children who sit in the market place and call to one another, and they say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’
33“For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’
34“The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’
35“Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”
Luke 7:30–35 (NASB95)
Second Reading
7So he began saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8“Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham.
9“Indeed the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; so every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
Luke 3:7–9 (NASB95)
Third Reading
11For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.
12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God,
13which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.
1 Corinthians 2:11–13 (NASB95)
Definitions
Counsel
koun-suhl
noun
Advice; opinion or instruction given in directing the judgment or conduct of another.
Interchange of opinions as to future procedure; consultation; deliberation.
Law.(used with a singular or plural verb) the advocate or advocates engaged in the direction of a cause in court; a legal adviser or counselor: Is counsel for the defense present?
Deliberate purpose; plan; design.
Theology. one of the advisory declarations of Christ, considered by some Christians as not universally binding but as given for aid in attaining moral perfection.
Archaic. a private or secret opinion or purpose.
Obsolete. wisdom; prudence.
verb (used with object), coun·seled, coun·sel·ing or (especially British) coun·selled, coun·sel·ling.
To give advice to; advise.
To urge the adoption of, as a course of action; recommend (a plan, policy, etc.):He counseled patience during the crisis.
verb (used without object), coun·seled, coun·sel·ing or (especially British) coun·selled, coun·sel·ling.
To give counsel or advice.
To get or take counsel or advice.
The Message of John The Baptist
1Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,
2in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.
3And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins;
4as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight.
5‘Every ravine will be filled, And every mountain and hill will be brought low; The crooked will become straight, And the rough roads smooth;
6And all flesh will see the salvation of God.’ ”
7So he began saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8“Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham.
9“Indeed the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; so every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10And the crowds were questioning him, saying, “Then what shall we do?”
11And he would answer and say to them, “The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise.”
12And some tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”
13And he said to them, “Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.”
14Some soldiers were questioning him, saying, “And what about us, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages.”
15Now while the people were in a state of expectation and all were wondering in their hearts about John, as to whether he was the Christ,
16John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
17“His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
18So with many other exhortations he preached the gospel to the people.
19But when Herod the tetrarch was reprimanded by him because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the wicked things which Herod had done,
20Herod also added this to them all: he locked John up in prison.
21Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened,
22and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”
23When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, the son of Eli,
24the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,
25the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Hesli, the son of Naggai,
26the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda,
27the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,
28the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,
29the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,
30the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,
31the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,
32the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,
33the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,
34the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,
35the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Heber, the son of Shelah,
36the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,
37the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan,
38the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
Luke 3:1–38 (NASB95)