DOCSLIB.ORG

Study Guide, Sept. 13, 2020

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Study Guide, Sept. 13, 2020 Week of September 13, 2020 Theme: Shepherd I. Scripture Focus - Psalm 23 What image comes to your mind when you hear the word “shepherd?” Stop and think about this. If you hear the words pastor, doctor, nurse, or teacher, likely the image of a person comes to mind, along with some knowledge of their responsibilities in our culture. Most of us do not know any shepherds. What most of us know about shepherds comes from a knowledge of the Bible. As we read the 23rd Psalm we must remember that the original target audience (Jews, c.1000 BC) understood the responsibilities of a shepherd well. Exercise #1 Read Psalm 23, then list the responsibilities of a shepherd. Consider the specific example of David as a shepherd. Read I Samuel 17:34-37. Notice what David describes as some of his responsibilities. Did you include the killing of lions and bears in your list of responsibilities? The job of a shepherd was relentless and difficult. If a shepherd was irresponsible, what happened to the flock? Sheep are not very smart animals (no insult to the sheep). They need constant nurturing, constant direction, and constant protection. If the shepherd was irresponsible the sheep would starve, become lost, and could be injured or killed. Exercise #2 How are you like a sheep? Take a moment to consider the ways in which you need nurturing, guidance, and protection. Now personally apply Psalm 23 to your life. Take one verse at a time and consider how Jesus is your shepherd. Psalm 23 truly depicts every season of our lives. We have times lying in green pastures, times enjoying rest by still waters. We also have times when we walk through the deepest, darkest valleys of life. The psalm ends by stating that God’s goodness and love will follow us (literally will pursue us) all the days of our lives. There will come an end to our days on earth. We even need our shepherd to take us to his home where we will dwell forever. Take some time and pray/mediate on each verse. Digging Deeper Psalm 23:1 in the original Hebrew states, “Yahweh is my shepherd, I shall not want.” This is God’s covenantal name, the name that God used to establish His covenant relationship with Abraham in Genesis 12, 15, and 17. As part of the establishment of the Abrahamic Covenant, the gospel of Jesus Christ was proclaimed to Abraham (see Galatians 3:6-8). So as we put our faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven, and we are declared righteous just like Abraham. Read Psalm 23 as a letter of God’s covenantal commitment to care for you in every season for life, a commitment by Yahweh your shepherd to be with you through good times and the times of suffering. It is Yahweh’s covenant commitment that he will bring you to live with him in his house for all eternity. Have you placed your faith in the finished work of Christ? II. Scripture Focus - John 10:1-18 Consider John 10:1-18. Like Psalm 23, this passage describes some the responsibilities of a shepherd. Jesus describes himself as a good shepherd in contrast to thieves and robbers. Exercise #4 How is Jesus described as a good shepherd in John 10? How intimate is the relationship between Jesus and his sheep? Notice that Jesus compares his relationship to his sheep to his own relationship to God the Father! What is the end goal of the thief? What does it mean in John 10 that Jesus “knows” his sheep and his sheep “know” him? Consider that the implication of “to know” means much more than just an intellectual attachment. It is a term of full relationship. Digging Deeper Read Isaiah 53:1-6 and note how we are described as sheep in this text. We humans do not see ourselves as sheep, especially in our modern western culture. We have been taught to be self-sufficient and that we can conquer any problem by ourselves. We are a very prideful, arrogant people. Isaiah also highlights another problem of the sheep - their sin (iniquity). To what extent is our shepherd Jesus willing to go for His sheep? Notice that in John 10, Jesus says that he laid down his life for his sheep. III. Scripture Focus - 1 Peter 5:1-4; Ezekiel 34:1-16 The scriptures say that God has set men and women in both the Old Testament and New Testament as shepherds over his people. Ezekiel 34 describes the failures of the shepherds, while 1 Peter 5 lists qualities of good shepherds. Exercise #5 In contrast to what we learned about good shepherds in Psalm 23 and John 10, consider what these shepherds did to dishonor God in Ezekiel 34. In contrast, 1 Peter 5 commands the elders of the church to be good shepherds of God’s people. What are the characteristics of good elders? Please pray for our new and current elders at Threshold, that they would faithfully execute the responsibilities that they have been called to by Jesus Christ. .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • L'équipe Des Scénaristes De Lost Comme Un Auteur Pluriel Ou Quelques Propositions Méthodologiques Pour Analyser L'auctorialité Des Séries Télévisées
    Lost in serial television authorship : l’équipe des scénaristes de Lost comme un auteur pluriel ou quelques propositions méthodologiques pour analyser l’auctorialité des séries télévisées Quentin Fischer To cite this version: Quentin Fischer. Lost in serial television authorship : l’équipe des scénaristes de Lost comme un auteur pluriel ou quelques propositions méthodologiques pour analyser l’auctorialité des séries télévisées. Sciences de l’Homme et Société. 2017. dumas-02368575 HAL Id: dumas-02368575 https://dumas.ccsd.cnrs.fr/dumas-02368575 Submitted on 18 Nov 2019 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution - NonCommercial - NoDerivatives| 4.0 International License UNIVERSITÉ RENNES 2 Master Recherche ELECTRA – CELLAM Lost in serial television authorship : L'équipe des scénaristes de Lost comme un auteur pluriel ou quelques propositions méthodologiques pour analyser l'auctorialité des séries télévisées Mémoire de Recherche Discipline : Littératures comparées Présenté et soutenu par Quentin FISCHER en septembre 2017 Directeurs de recherche : Jean Cléder et Charline Pluvinet 1 « Créer une série, c'est d'abord imaginer son histoire, se réunir avec des auteurs, la coucher sur le papier. Puis accepter de lâcher prise, de la laisser vivre une deuxième vie.
    [Show full text]
  • Opening Scripture: Psalm 27:1-3 –
    (Devotional #1) An Introduction to Psalm 23 The Psalm of the Great Shepherd INTRODUCTION – Opening Scripture: Psalm 27:1-3 – The LORD is my light and my salvation Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Whom shall I dread? When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, My adversaries and my enemies stumbled and fell. Though a host encamp against me, My heart will not fear; Though war arise against me, In spite of this I shall be confident. Proposition: Yahweh, the Great Shepherd, Directs the Lives of His People. This will be the theme we will emphasize in our treatment of Psalm 23. On the morning after his Mother’s death, the Commentator, John Phillips found her Bible near the bedside where she had died. It was open to the 23rd Psalm –– Written in the margin of this great Psalm were these words: ‘THE SECRET OF A HAPPY LIFE, A HAPPY DEATH, AND A HAPPY ETERNITY.’ As our church faces the unique challenges of the next few weeks, we (Rocky and Jeff) want to encourage you with the words and the teachings of this wonderful Psalm. This first lesson or devotional, or whatever the appropriate term is, will put this wonderful Psalm in the context of the Book of Psalms, then in three successive installments, we will view the Psalm as it addresses ‘THE SECRET OF A HAPPY LIFE, ‘THE SECRET OF A HAPPY DEATH, AND THE SECRET OF A HAPPY ETERNITY.’ Psalm 23 was written by David. We know this because at some time in the distant past, the Rabbis wrote two Hebrew words above this psalm.
    [Show full text]
  • Ezekiel 33-34
    Ezekiel 33-34 • Our long-anticipated start to the second part of Ezekiel has fnally arrived ○ Today we begin studying prophecies concerning the future glory and blessings the Lord has planned for His people, Israel • This is a welcome change from Chapters 1-32, which were a series of oracles pronouncing judgment • In those chapters the Lord told Israel that the nation was on the verge of complete destruction • The city, the walls and the temple were going to be destroyed by Babylon • The Leadership would be removed, the people would be taken out of the land, and their exile would last for some time • Finally, at the end of those chapters the Lord spoke judgment against Israel’s enemies that surrounded her ○ But now we’ve come through all that, and the Lord is ready to show His people that better things awaited them in the future • Now remember, the calamity Israel has just experienced in Ezekiel’s day came as a result of the Mosaic covenant • In that covenant the Lord gave His people a law that came with strict requirements and harsh penalties for disobedience • The nation agreed to those terms, and now the Lord has acted to hold them accountable to that covenant ○ But before the Lord gave His people the Old Covenant through Moses, He had previously given them a very different covenant through Abraham • The Abrahamic covenant, unlike the Mosaic Covenant, promised Abraham’s descendants only blessings • And also unlike the Mosaic Covenant, the Lord’s promises to Abraham were unconditional • God asks absolutely nothing of Abraham and his descendants © 2019 – Verse By Verse Ministry International (www.versebyverseministry.org) May be copied and distributed provided the document is reproduced in its entirety, including this copyright statement, and no fee is collected for its distribution.
    [Show full text]
  • LOST with a Good Book
    The Lost Code: BYYJ C`1 P,YJ- LJ,1 Key Literary References and Influ- Books, Movies, and More on Your Favorite Subjects Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad CAS A CONR/ eAudiobook LOST on DVD A man journeys through the Congo and Lost Complete First Season contemplates the nature of good and evil. There are several references, especially in relation to Lost Season 2: Extended Experience Colonel’s Kurtz’s descent toward madness. Lost Season 3: The Unexplored Experience Lost. The Complete Fourth Season: The Expanded The Stand by Stephen King FIC KING Experience A battle between good and evil ensues after a deadly virus With a Good Book decimates the population. Producers cite this book as a Lost. The Complete Fifth Season: The Journey Back major influence, and other King allusions ( Carrie , On Writing , *Lost: Complete Sixth & Final Season is due for release 8/24/10. The Shining , Dark Tower series, etc.) pop up frequently. The Odyssey by Homer FIC HOME/883 HOME/ CD BOOK 883.1 HOME/CAS A HOME/ eAudiobook LOST Episode Guide Greek epic about Odysseus’s harrowing journey home to his In addition to the biblical episode titles, there are several other Lost wife Penelope after the Trojan War. Parallels abound, episode titles with literature/philosophy connections. These include “White especially in the characters of Desmond and Penny. Rabbit” and “Through the Looking Glass” from Carroll’s Alice books; “Catch-22”; “Tabula Rosa” (philosopher John Locke’s theory that the Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut FIC VON human mind is a blank slate at birth); and “The Man Behind the Curtain” A World War II soldier becomes “unstuck in time,” and is and “There’s No Place Like Home” ( The Wonderful Wizard of Oz ).
    [Show full text]
  • The Good Shepherd John 10; Psalm 23; Ezekiel 34
    Brian Fisher Grace Bible Church Southwood The Good Shepherd John 10; Psalm 23; Ezekiel 34 If you belong to God, you are safe because He is strong. When we think of sheep... • Not the brightest animals on the farm We think of “shepherds” in romantic terms – kind, gentle, a bit soft • It takes a strong person to care for them because sheep get themselves into trouble and can’t get out on their own Throughout the Bible God revealed Himself as the shepherd of His people. • Ps 23. The Lord is my shepherd • Gen 48:15. Jacob: God has been my shepherd all my life to this day • Ps 100:3. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture • Prophets: Is 40:11. Like a shepherd he tends his flock; he gathers up the lambs with his arm; he carries them close to his heart; he leads the ewes along. Caring for, loving His sheep is part of that image • Strength is the dominant theme. Safety, security, provision that flows from the shepherd’s strength and loving commitment to his sheep. • Gen 49:24 (NET). Joseph’s bow will remain steady, and his hands will be skillful; because of the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel. As we continue our study of God our Father, I want us to keep in mind our heavenly Father is the perfect Father. He is a personal God; He loves us; He has adopted us into His family, and we are safe in His family because He is strong.
    [Show full text]
  • June 2009.Indd
    TTHEHE GGENEVAENEVA SSCHOOLCHOOL TTHEHE COURIERCOURIER NNEWSLETTEREWSLETTER JJUNEUNE 110,0, 22009009 The Geneva School Class of 2009 Back Row Middle Row Front Row Joel Baumgarten Elizabeth Schaffer McKenzie Fletcher Jonathan Seneff Ryan Delk Taylor Fletcher Raymon Garcia Luis Perez Caroline Mitchell Zachary Schutz Christopher Bonarrigo Samantha Cowan James Calhoun Neely Patton Rebecca Lopdrup Kyle Barker Damian Campbell Katherine O’Driscoll Ryan Killoran Josiah Nethery Lauren Padgett Stephen Wilkes Veronika Nyberg Lindsey Warner Jonathan Spilman Ashley Yates Abigail Pugh Return of the Kings Revelation 4:8–5:10 Baccalaureate Address delivered by Rev. Michael Francis on Th ursday, May 21 It’s a great privilege for me to be with you this evening, and I thank Reverend Ingram and the Board for entrusting me with the responsibility of issuing the charge to you, Geneva’s largest graduating class (thus far). It boils down to this, my friends: the world won’t lift a fi nger to help you learn the things you most need to know. Th e sooner you realize this, the safer and wiser you will be. But take heart: God is not like the world; He is eager for you to know these things, which is why He throws open the doors to His heavenly throne room for us in Revelation 4 and 5, to show us three Kings who are central to the Christian world- view. God willing, I will charge you tonight to build a vision for your life on the true identities of these three kings: (1) God (the Father); (2) Jesus Christ; and (3) Man.
    [Show full text]
  • The Fall of Jerusalem Lesson 14: Ezekiel 33‐34 December 1, 2019 Ezekiel Outline
    The Fall of Jerusalem Lesson 14: Ezekiel 33‐34 December 1, 2019 Ezekiel Outline • 1‐33 The wrath of the Lord GOD • 1‐24 Oracles of wrath against Israel • 1‐3 Revelation of God and • 25‐32 Oracles of wrath against the commission of Ezekiel nations • 4‐23 Messages of wrath for Jerusalem • 24‐33 Messages of wrath during the • 33‐48 Oracles of consolation for siege of Jerusalem Israel • 34‐48 The holiness of the Lord GOD • 33‐37 Regathering of Israel to the land • 34‐39 The Restoration of Israel • 38‐39 Removal of Israel’s enemies • 40‐48 The restoration of the presence from the land of the Lord GOD in Jerusalem • 40‐46 Reinstatement of true worship • 47‐48 Redistribution of the land Then they will know that I am the LORD 4.5 • Distribution 4 • Significance 3.5 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 0.5 1.5 2.5 3.5 4.5 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 11Israel 12 13 14 15 16 17 20 22 23 24 25 26 28 29 30 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 Israel Then they will know that I am the LORD Israel Israel Israel Israel women of Israel Israel Israel Israel Israel nations Israel Israel Israel Israel Ammon Moab Philistia Tyre Israel Sidon Israel Egypt Egypt nations Egypt Israel Israel Edom Israel nations Israel nations nations Israel nations Gog judgment restoration Chapter 33 Outline • 1‐6 Watchman for the people • 7‐20 Watchman application • 21‐29 Abraham and those still in the land • 30‐33 The response to Ezekiel Watchman for the people • The watchman is put in place by Ezekiel 33:1‐4 the people 1And the word of the LORD came to me, • The watchman is to watch and saying, 2“Son of man, speak to the sons of your people and say to them, ‘If I warn bring a sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one man from • among them and make him their The people are to heed the watchman, 3and he sees the sword watchman coming upon the land and blows on the trumpet and warns the people, 4then he who hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, and a sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be on his own head.
    [Show full text]
  • First Reading: Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 Hear the Word of God As It Is
    Readings for November 23rd, 2014 – Last Sunday after Pentecost First Reading: Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 Hear the Word of God as it is written in Ezekiel chapter 34 verses 11 to 16 and 20 to 24. Thus says the Lord GOD: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. As shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited parts of the land. I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord GOD. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice. Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD to them: I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you pushed with flank and shoulder, and butted at all the weak animals with your horns until you scattered them far and wide, I will save my flock, and they shall no longer be ravaged; and I will judge between sheep and sheep.
    [Show full text]
  • Familiarity with the Shepherd Ps. 23; John 10:22-30; John 13
    FAMILIARITY WITH THE SHEPHERD PS. 23; JOHN 10:22-30; JOHN 13: I’m curious, what’s it feel like to read the 23rd psalm? It is so familiar to so many people I’m afraid we lose the power of the words. It is vaguely familiar even to those who rarely go to church. It is often requested as the scripture choice at a funeral. Why has it stuck in our heads or our hearts so well? It might be in our heads because it was required to memorize in some bygone day. It might be in our hearts because a phrase or two has claimed special meaning at a time when we needed certain comfort or strength or hope or assurance. Psalm 23 is a poem. It is a love poem to God, written by King David, who used to be a shepherd himself. David begins by identifying God and himself. The LORD. He’s writing to the God whose name is so holy that people used to not dare to say it. Yahweh. The LORD was substituted. David is not writing to or about just any god, but the LORD, Yahweh. The Jewish God who is above all other gods. David claims his relationship by saying the LORD is… The word is means right now, and always right now. As I thought about this, I was happy to realize that it is a way to use another name for God. I Am. Remember when Moses …(Exodus 3) I Am. Not I used to be, or I will be some day, but I Am.
    [Show full text]
  • Psalm 23: a Shepherd's Psalm Art Workshop Written by Jaymie Derden, State Street UMC, Bristol, VA
    Psalm 23: A Shepherd's Psalm Art Workshop Written by Jaymie Derden, State Street UMC, Bristol, VA. Adapted for Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Olympia, WA, by Beth Tobin 2017. Summary of Lesson Activities: Children will use the technique of "wet felting" to create felted illustrations of the psalm. K-1 graders will use cookie cutters to make their wet-felted sheep. Scripture References: Psalm 23 (Using the NIV Adventure Bible) The Picture Bible: "The Chosen One" pages 278-280 (for younger students) Memory Verse: Psalm 23 (Encourage the children to learn as much as possible of this psalm) The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; For you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil My cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Note: This is not the translation found in our Bibles, rather it is NRSV with a bit of New King James – a version more familiar to most people. Theme: • God loves us and cares for us like a shepherd cares for his sheep. Page !1 of !12 Rotation Objectives: • Children will define psalm: a song or poem in the Bible.
    [Show full text]
  • Ezekiel Chapter 34
    Ezekiel Chapter 34 Ezekiel 34:1 "And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying," This again is a brand new prophecy. Ezekiel turns from the people, to their leaders who have the greatest guilt. From this chapter on, Ezekiel’s messages are mostly comforting, telling of God’s grace and faithfulness to His covenant promises. Ezekiel 34:2 "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe [be] to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?" “Prophesy against the shepherds of Israel”: The reference was to pre-exilic leaders such as kings, priests, and prophets (their civil leaders), as well as their spiritual leaders. Meaning those false ones who fleeced the flock for personal gain (verses 3-4), rather than fed or led righteously. This stands in contrast to the Lord as Shepherd. These Scriptures have a meaning for the Jews and the Christians, as well. We will try to look at both, as we go along. The very beginning of these verses is a reprimand for not caring for the sheep. The kings then, and the preachers now, must be careful to feed the sheep. That is the primary job of a shepherd. Ezekiel 34:3 "Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: [but] ye feed not the flock." This speaks of those who take from the sheep and give nothing. We see in some churches today, that ministers are living far above the conditions of their people and are not teaching them true doctrine or the dangers of not living according to God’s holy word.
    [Show full text]
  • Psalm 23 • Part 1
    The Lord is My Shepherd I Shall Not Want PSALM 23 • PART 1 Baxter T. Exum (#1593) Four Lakes Church of Christ Madison, Wisconsin May 2, 2021 **COVID-19 SPLIT SERVICE** It is a great blessing to be with you this morning! I hope all of you have the elements for the Lord’s Supper, either from home or from the table in the entryway. John/Aaron will be leading us in the prayers for the Supper right after our study this morning. And then we hope to sing “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less” (#438). And, as usual, most of us are giving either online or through the mail, but there is a basket on the back table as well. This morning we would like to express our thanks to Al Ovadal for his service as a deacon over the past several years. He recently stepped down, and we are very thankful for his service. We remember what Paul said in 1 Timothy 3:13, when he said, “Those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.” If this verse applies to anybody, it applies to Al. We are also thankful that Victor Glover has safely returned to earth this morning. Victor is a Christian brother who traveled to the International Space Station last November, and he has finally returned home, splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico about 3 o’clock this morning. We praise God for his safe return. As our custom has been, we are starting today with a brief summary of God’s plan for saving us.
    [Show full text]