Lenox Federated Church - Firm Foundations, Secure in Christ

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Firm Foundations

Secure in Christ

Lesson 2 - The Bible - God's Message for Us and

For the Whole World

Questions for the LFC Firm Foundations Coordinator may be emailed to firmfoundations@lenoxchurch.org

For this online lesson you may wish to open another window in your browser to view the Online Bible from the link above. A third window may be opened to view the Bible Dictionary as well. During your lesson you can toggle between the windows in your browser. Also, you can open a Word or WordPad/Notepad or other word processing program and use it to record answers to text questions or as a place to jot other questions that come into your mind during the study. Minimize your notes window while you are viewing pages in your browser and then maximize it to record more notes. You will see as you study that God has the marvelous ability to reveal His answers to us at just the right time and when He does, you may record this information into your notes.

REVIEW QUESTIONS:

1. Who is the owner and head of every group of believers? Jesus Christ.

2. Who gives us the power and ability to live our new lives as believers in Christ? Jesus Christ.

3. What is prayer? Prayer is talking to God.

4. Why do we pray “in Jesus’ name”? We pray in Jesus’ name because through His shed blood, He opened the way for us sinners to come to talk with our holy, righteous heavenly Father

5. God desires our worship. What are some of the things we can talk to Him about as we worship Him? We can worship Him for His character, and for what He has done for us in Jesus Christ.

6. What types of requests can we bring to God? (Answers vary ... you can bring any type of request to God)

7. Name some things for which you can thank God. (Answers vary, this is your own personal prayer of thankfulness.)

8. When we get together as believers, we can testify to one another of how God is working in our lives. What are some of the things we can share? (Answers vary)

10. God desires for all people to be saved. How can we pray for unsaved people? We can pray that the Holy Spirit will show them their sin and God’s holiness, and we can pray for opportunities to share God’s truth with them.

11. How do we continue to grow as believers in Christ? By reading and studying God’s Word.

12. Who helps us to understand God’s Word? God the Holy Spirit helps us.

13. Does God expect us to be instantly mature as believers in Christ? No, He knows that in order to grow, we need time in His Word and help from His Spirit and help from mature believers.

A. Introduction

As believers in Jesus Christ, we have been made permanent members of the family of God.

We were brought out of Adam’s family and into God’s family, when we heard and believed the truth about Jesus Christ, as recorded in God’s Word.

Just as we have been made new in Christ, so also we grow in Christ through continuing to study and believe God’s Word.

B. The Bible teaches us the wonderful things Jesus Christ has done to make us fully acceptable to God.

We have learned that because of Adam’s sin, all of us were sinners, separated from God.

- We had no hope of saving ourselves from eternal punishment.

- We, like Adam and Eve, were “shut out” from the tree of life.

- We were like the people of Noah’s day who were “shut out” of the ark.

We learned about God’s Law, and the fact that none of us is capable of perfectly keeping His Law.

- God gave His Law so that we might see our sinfulness.

- He wanted us to see our inability to save ourselves from the judgment we deserve for our sins.

- Consider:

Do you recall the thoughts and feelings you had when you realized that you were a sinner, separated from God and condemned to die? Do you recall the joy God gave you when you realized that Jesus Christ did all that was necessary to forgive your sins and give you eternal life?

You are no longer separated from God.

- Instead, you are a member of God’s family.

- Because of Jesus Christ, God fully accepts you.

Are we accepted into God’s family because of the good things we have done?

- No!

- The only way God accepts us is through Jesus Christ.

As we look back over the Old Testament and New Testament, we will rejoice together because of all that the Lord Jesus has done to make us completely acceptable to God.

- As we study God’s Word together, we will see more and more clearly that we are no longer condemned by God.

- We never need to fear eternal punishment.

- We have everlasting life.

All of this is because of what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross.

C. People need foundational teaching.

Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He commanded His disciples to go to every country in the world to teach the good news. The word gospel means good news.

Read Mark 16:15.

What is this good news that we call the Gospel?

Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.

- Jesus died, was buried, and rose again.

- Those who believe in Him are forgiven their sins and have eternal life.

Jesus also commanded His disciples to teach new believers to know and do everything that He had told them.

Read Matthew 28:20.

How do we find out these things that Jesus has commanded us to teach?

We learn them from God’s Word.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we have the privilege and responsibility of telling others about Him.

We need to be wise in how we share with others.

Just as we have been taught the foundational truths from the Old Testament, we should also build this foundation for others.

- Compare:

Can you build a house without first laying a foundation? No, the building simply will not stand.

So it is with teaching unbelievers about Jesus Christ. How can a person understand that he needs a Savior if he doesn’t understand first that he is a sinner?

Some people already have some basic understanding of God’s truth.

- Before you decide what to teach someone, spend time with that person and ask questions.

- Listen carefully to his answers.

- Learn what he already understands and what is still unclear to him.

Teach clearly from God’s Word.

The Gospel is a simple message that even a child can understand. Unfortunately, many adults already have many false ideas of what God is like.

- Our culture is centered on man, not God.

- So foundational teaching is very important—to expose and tear down false ideas and to build up a solid foundation of truth.

D. God’s Word gives us the pattern for teaching unbelievers.

You have been taught about God, beginning in Genesis 1. This is an excellent way to teach others. Even if you have limited time with an unbeliever, you can build the basic foundations:

- First, tell about God, the Almighty Creator.

- Explain that He created everything perfect and created the spirits to serve Him.

- Tell about Lucifer’s rebellion.

- Then tell about the creation of Adam and Eve, about the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and about Satan’s deceitful temptation.

- Explain that Adam and Eve followed Satan, and their disobedience separated them from God.

- Tell about the results of Adam’s disobedience—that all people are born sinners, separated from God.

- Explain that God put Adam and Eve out of the Garden, away from the tree of life.

- Tell about Cain and Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, and the judges, kings and prophets.

As you tell what happened, remember that God is the main character of the Bible-it is His Story!

- Emphasize God’s character.

- Point out His faithfulness to keep His promises.

- And present man’s sinfulness.

- Sin separated man from God, and the penalty for sin is death.

- Continually present the fact that only God can make a way for sinful man to be saved.

- Mention that God continually promised to send a Deliverer, who would save man from Satan and sin and death.

Having taught these foundational truths through the Bible stories, present Jesus Christ: His miraculous birth, His perfect life, and His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. By doing this, you will be giving a firm foundation for understanding God’s character, man’s need, and God’s provision of a Savior. Taught in this way, just as it is presented by God in His Word, the Gospel will have meaning.

E. God’s will and plan for believers is written in His Word.

We have looked at the Old and New Testament and have seen God’s gracious plan for saving sinners. But how does God teach us, His children, what He wants us to know and to do?

- In the past, before all of God’s Word was written down, God spoke to men through dreams or even in an audible voice.

- But now, He speaks to us through His written Word.

Read 2 Timothy 3:16-1 7.

GOD’S WORD (Doctrine) — Instruction in righteousness

God’s Word corrects us, that is, guides us back onto

His path for our lives

God’s Word clearly shows us

where we are off track

We live in a world where we are constantly bombarded by lots of communication.

- How do we know what is right?

- How do we know what is wrong?

Consider:

Many people today think that there are no absolutes. They say that a person can think and behave as he wishes. This is totally opposite of what God’s Word says. God’s Word is like a plumb line—it is always straight and true. We can measure everything against God’s truth.

- If we rely on our own understanding (as Eve did), we will be deceived.

- But if we know and believe God’s Word, we cannot be deceived. We can measure our own thoughts, words, and actions by God’s Word. God wants us to test everything against His Word, so we can know and live by His truth.

F. God has clearly communicated and preserved His Word.

God spoke His words to approximately 40 different men who wrote down His exact messages.

About 1,600 years passed from the time God gave His first message until the last message was written down. The Bibles we have today are translated from extremely old manuscripts which were copied from the originals. We can know for sure that we have accurate copies of God’s Word.

- God enabled men to hand-copy the originals with extreme accuracy.

- There are more manuscripts of the Bible than of any other ancient book.

- Example:

The earliest copies of the Old Testament date back to before the time of Jesus Christ. Before the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947, the oldest manuscripts dated to about 1000A.D.. But the Dead Sea Scrolls date back before the time of Christ. The text matches the copies that were made 1000 years later. So, today, we can look back at manuscript evidence that is over 2,000 years old. God has faithfully preserved His Word.

In Evidence that Demands a Verdict, Volume 1, Josh McDowell records that over 24,000 ancient manuscripts of the New Testament still survive today. The earliest copy dates back to 125A.D.

The Bible is completely reliable. We know it is the Word of God. And, the details in the Bible are supported by an overwhelming amount of verifiable evidence:

- The Bible manuscripts

- Matching details from other documents written in Bible times

- Archeological discoveries.

G. Here is the basic layout of the Bible.

The Old Testament is the first main section of the Bible.

- In Genesis, the first book of the Bible, God tells us the story of the beginning of all things.

In Genesis, God gives us the record of creation.

In Genesis, God also gives us the record of man’s sin and the resulting separation and curse.

And He tells us of His promise to one day send a Deliverer for sinful mankind.

In Genesis, God also records the beginning of the people of Israel.

- The rest of the Old Testament tells the history of the Israelites, who are now called Jews.

- The last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, was written about 400 years before the birth of Jesus Christ.

The New Testament is the second major section of the Bible.

- Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are books known as the Gospels.

God chose these four men to write detailed, firsthand accounts of the life of the Lord Jesus Christ.

These four books together give us a clear picture of all the things God wants us to know about the earthly life of our Savior.

- The Acts of the Apostles is the next book after the four Gospels.

The book of Acts is a firsthand account of the exact details of the events that took place after the Lord Jesus ascended into heaven.

- Next in the sequence of the Bible are letters written by God’s chosen messengers.

Most of these letters are titled by the name of the man who wrote, or by the name of the group of people to which they were written.

The letters are filled with God’s encouragement and instructions to believers in Jesus Christ.

- Last of all is the book of The Revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the book of Revelation, God tells us about things that will happen in the future.

The books of the Bible and the text itself are God’s Word. For convenience in referring to Bible passages, chapter and verse numbers were added by men.

- Your Bible may also have various notes and other helps.

- Although some of these notes can be very helpful, remember that these notes are not God’s Word.

We need to be careful not to confuse men’s ideas with God’s Word.

H. Conclusion

The Bible is God’s personal message to each one of us.

- Through the Bible, we have learned what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross.

- He is the One who has saved us and given us new life.

- And He is the One who gives us the power to live the Christian life.

- As believers in Him, the Bible is our source of daily communication with God.

- Jesus Christ wants us to know Him!

I would encourage you to read the Bible every day.

- Ask the Lord to open your heart and your mind to understand more about Him.

- You will find that God’s message is fresh and alive—and very practical.

- Here in the Bible, we can find all that we need for every circumstance in life.

Let’s thank the Lord together for the blessings of His Word.

REVIEW QUESTIONS:

1. How is a person made acceptable to God?

2. Before a person can desire to be saved, what must he first understand about himself and God?

3. How does God teach us, His children, what He wants us to do?

4. When we are faced with some new teaching or idea, how can we learn if it is true or false?

5. Is our faith just a “blind faith” or is it based on solid, historical facts?

Notes for Disciples:

1) Memorize 2 Timothy 3:16-17.

2) Begin reading the Gospel of John. (See note 3, below.)

3) The Lord wants us to pray continually about everything, but He also knows that we need to take special time each day to talk to Him alone and to read His Word.

To help you establish the habit of a daily time in God’s Word and in prayer, it is good to set aside a regular time and place. This will not always be possible—travel, family needs, etc. can interfere. Ask the Lord for wisdom regarding what will be most helpful in your life in establishing a daily time with Him. Then, during those times of travel or other interruption, God can show you ways to use the moments you do have available to read and pray.

Basically, you need a time and place when you are the least interrupted. This may mean spending time with the Lord before or after the regular routine of your day.

Habits, good and bad, take time to establish. Spending time with God is a wonderful habit, and well worth whatever sacrifices you may need to make in order to do it!

If you miss a day in the Word, just resume your reading on the next day. Remember, you are not under the Law, but you are living in the grace given through Jesus Christ. He wants fellowship with you. That means that He wants you to take the time to get to know Him through His Word and through prayer.

He is more eager for this than you are, so depend on Him to help you establish the habit of a regular time with Him.

No matter how you “feel,” go ahead and start reading God’s Word. The important thing is not how much you read, but the fact that you are seeking to know the Lord and that you are learning to depend upon Him through reading His Word and through prayer.

4) Continue to make notes of praises and prayer requests and answers.

As the weeks and months pass, you will be amazed at what your notebook will reflect. You will see that God is working in your life in a very personal way.

Prayer, praise, and reading God’s Word are habits that will become increasingly meaningful to you. Remember, His love toward you is constant and unfailing. He wants you to know Him.

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Questions for the LFC Firm Foundations Coordinator may be emailed to firmfoundations@lenoxchurch.org

This Bible Course is a gift from Lenox Federated Church

Helping every person possible pursue Christ more completely and consistently

Lenox Federated Church is a Non Denominational Bible Teaching Church

we are located at 2610 Lenox-New Lyme Road, Jefferson, Ohio 44047 (440)576-9932

website: www.lenoxchurch.org; email: firmfoundations@lenoxchurch.org

Lesson content compliments of New Tribes Missions. Adaptations done by permission.