Readings from the Apocrypha - Lesson 11

Here are the readings for Days 4 & 5 from the Apocrypha. They are also available as .pdf downloads for printing on the JITG webpage.

Wisdom of Solomon 1:16-2:11

But the ungodly by their words and deeds summoned death;d considering him a friend, they pined away and made a covenant with him, because they are fit to belong to his company.

2 For they reasoned unsoundly, saying to themselves, “Short and sorrowful is our life, and there is no remedy when a life comes to its end, and no one has been known to return from Hades.

2 For we were born by mere chance, and hereafter we shall be as though we had never been, for the breath in our nostrils is smoke, and reason is a spark kindled by the beating of our hearts;

3 when it is extinguished, the body will turn to ashes, and the spirit will dissolve like empty air.

4 Our name will be forgotten in time, and no one will remember our works; our life will pass away like the traces of a cloud, and be scattered like mist that is chased by the rays of the sun and overcome by its heat.

5 For our allotted time is the passing of a shadow, and there is no return from our death, because it is sealed up and no one turns back.

6 “Come, therefore, let us enjoy the good things that exist, and make use of the creation to the full as in youth.

7 Let us take our fill of costly wine and perfumes, and let no flower of spring pass us by.

8 Let us crown ourselves with rosebuds before they wither. 9 Let none of us fail to share in our revelry;

everywhere let us leave signs of enjoyment,

because this is our portion, and this our lot. 10 Let us oppress the righteous poor man;

let us not spare the widow

or regard the gray hairs of the aged. 11 But let our might be our law of right, for what is weak proves itself to be useless. 1

  

Tobit 4:5-11

5 “Revere the Lord all your days, my son, and refuse to sin or to transgress his commandments. Live uprightly all the days of your life, and do not walk in the ways of wrongdoing; 6 for those who act in accordance with truth will prosper in all their activities. To all those who practice righteousnessb 7 give alms from your possessions, and do not let your eye begrudge the gift when you make it. Do not turn your face away from anyone who is poor, and the face of God will not be turned away from you. 8 If you have many possessions, make your gift from them in proportion; if few, do not be afraid to give according to the little you have. 9 So you will be laying up a good treasure for yourself against the day of necessity. 10 For almsgiving delivers from death and keeps you from going into the Darkness. 11 Indeed, almsgiving, for all who practice it, is an excellent offering in the presence of the Most High.1

Sirach 29:8-23

8 Nevertheless, be patient with someone in humble circumstances, and do not keep him waiting for your alms.

9 Help the poor for the commandment’s sake,

and in their need do not send them away empty-handed. Lose your silver for the sake of a brother or a friend,

and do not let it rust under a stone and be lost. Lay up your treasure according to the commandments of the Most High,

and it will profit you more than gold. Store up almsgiving in your treasury,

and it will rescue you from every disaster; better than a stout shield and a sturdy spear,

it will fight for you against the enemy.

On Guaranteeing Debts

A good person will be surety for his neighbor, but the one who has lost all sense of shame will fail him.

Do not forget the kindness of your guarantor, for he has given his life for you.

A sinner wastes the property of his guarantor, and the ungrateful person abandons his rescuer.

Being surety has ruined many who were prosperous, and has tossed them about like waves of the sea;

it has driven the influential into exile, and they have wandered among foreign nations.

19 The sinner comes to grief through surety; his pursuit of gain involves him in lawsuits.

20 Assist your neighbor to the best of your ability, but be careful not to fall yourself.

Home and Hospitality

21 The necessities of life are water, bread, and clothing, and also a house to assure privacy.

22 Better is the life of the poor under their own crude roof than sumptuous food in the house of others.

23 Be content with little or much, and you will hear no reproach for being a guest.d1

Elijah - John the Baptist Question & Sirach Reading

During our Jesus in the Gospel's Class a question was asked about the relationship between Elijah and John the Baptist.

Was John (the Baptist) in the same ancestral line as Elijah?

What a great question!

I hadn't considered that before and didn't remember reading anything like this in my studies so here is what I've discovered...

John was the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth (Luke 1:5-7)
Zechariah was from the priestly order of Abijah (Abijah was the 2nd son of Samuel the priest)
Elizabeth was a descendent of Aaron (the brother of Moses, from the priestly tribe of Levi)

Elijah was a Tishbite, from Tishbe in the land of Gilead. (in the map below it's in the middle of Israel (pink) just east of a point between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea.

Because there is no actual biblical genealogy of Elijah, we have to trust in the traditions about him. He was said to be of priestly descent (i.e. Tribe of Levi or a descendent of Aaron) but Tishbe being in the land of Gilead, east of the Jordan River, was originally the tribe of Gad (and Manasseh). While it's possible there were Levites living all throughout the land of Israel, most of them settled in and around Jerusalem, where the Tabernacle was set up and eventually the Temple was built.
So, other than the tradition, we have no direct family link between Elijah and John. Rather it is a spiritual one which is the one Jesus makes clear later in the Gospels.


Sirach 48:1-14

Then Elijah arose, a prophet like fire,

and his word burned like a torch.

² He brought a famine upon them,

and by his zeal he made them few in number.

³ By the word of the Lord he shut up the heavens,

and also three times brought down fire.

⁴ How glorious you were, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds!

Whose glory is equal to yours?

⁵ You raised a corpse from death

and from Hades, by the word of the Most High.

⁶ You sent kings down to destruction,

and famous men, from their sickbeds.

⁷ You heard rebuke at Sinai

and judgments of vengeance at Horeb.

⁸ You anointed kings to inflict retribution,

and prophets to succeed you.^a

⁹ You were taken up by a whirlwind of fire,

in a chariot with horses of fire.

¹⁰ At the appointed time, it is written, you are destined^b

to calm the wrath of God before it breaks out in fury,

to turn the hearts of parents to their children,

and to restore the tribes of Jacob.

¹¹ Happy are those who saw you

and were adorned^c with your love!

For we also shall surely live.^d 

Elisha

(2 Kings 2.9—13)

¹² When Elijah was enveloped in the whirlwind,

Elisha was filled with his spirit.

He performed twice as many signs,

and marvels with every utterance of his mouth.^e

Never in his lifetime did he tremble before any ruler,

nor could anyone intimidate him at all.

¹³ Nothing was too hard for him,

and when he was dead, his body prophesied.

¹⁴ In his life he did wonders,

and in death his deeds were marvelous. 

10-10-10 Enough #1 Book excerpt

When Dreams Become Nightmares
Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith, and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:10b, NIV)

The lover of money will not be satisfied with money; nor the lover of wealth, with gain. This also is vanity. (Ecclesiastes 5:10)

For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life? (Matthew 16:26)

^{I. The American Dream}

<sup>A. What Characterizes the Greatest Hopes, Desires, and Dreams of Most Americans?

For most people, the American Dream has to do with a subconscious desire for achieving success and satisfying the desire for material possessions. It is the opportunity to pursue more than what we have, to gain more than what we have, and to meet success. We tend to measure our success by the stuff that we possess.

B. The Pursuit of Immediate Material Pleasure

The love of money and the things money can buy is a primary or secondary motive behind most of what we Americans do. We want to consume, acquire, and buy our way to happiness—and we want it now.


II. The American Nightmare

The American Dream has become an American Nightmare due to two distinct yet related illnesses that impact us both socially and spiritually.


A. Affluenza

Affluenza is the constant need for more and bigger and better stuff—as well as the effect that this need has on us. It is the desire to acquire, and most of us have been infected by this virus to some degree.


· The average American home went from 1,660 square feet in 1973 to 2,400 square feet in 2004.
· Today there is estimated to be 1.9 billion square feet of self-storage space in America.1


B. Credit-itis

Credit-itis is an illness that is brought on by the opportunity to buy now and pay later, and it feeds on our desire for instant gratification. Our economy today is built on the concept of credit-itis. Unfortunately, it has exploited our lack of self-discipline and allowed us to feed our affluenza, wreaking havoc in our personal and national finances.



· Average credit card debt in America in 1990 was around $3,000. Today it’s over $9,000.2

· The average sale is around 125 percent higher if we use a credit card than if we pay cash, because it doesn’t feel real when we use plastic instead of cash.

· Credit-itis is not limited to purchases made with credit cards; it extends to car loans, mortgages, and other loans. The life of the average car loan and home mortgage continues to increase, while the average American’s savings rate continues to decline.</sup> 

<sup>III. The Deeper Problem Within

A. There Is a Spiritual Issue Beneath the Surface of Affluenza and Credit-itis.

Our souls were created in the image of God, but they have been distorted. We were meant to desire God, but we have turned that desire toward possessions. We were meant to find our security in God, but we find it in amassing wealth. We were meant to love people, but instead we compete with them. We were meant to enjoy the simple pleasures of life, but we busy ourselves with pursuing money and things. We were meant to be generous and to share with those in need, but we selfishly hoard our resources for ourselves. There is a sin nature within us.


B. The Devil Plays Upon This Sin Nature.

Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). The devil doesn’t need to tempt us to do drugs or to steal or to have an extramarital affair in order to destroy us. All he needs to do is convince us to keep pursuing the American Dream—to keep up with the Joneses, borrow against our futures, enjoy more than we can afford, and indulge ourselves. By doing that, he will rob us of joy, make us slaves, and keep us from doing God’s will.



· Matthew 4:8-10

· Luke 8:14

· Mark 8:36

· 1 Timothy 6:10


IV. The Bible’s Solution

A. We Need a Heart Change

Although we receive a changed heart when we accept Christ, in a sense we need a heart change every morning. Each morning we should get down on our knees and say, “Lord, help me to be the person you want me to be today. Take away the desires that shouldn’t be there, and help me be single-minded in my focus and my pursuit of you.” As we do this, God comes and cleanses us from the inside out, purifying our hearts.


B. We Must Allow Christ to Work in Us

Christ works in us as we seek first his kingdom and strive to do his will. As this happens, we begin to sense a higher calling—a calling to simplicity and faithfulness and generosity. We begin to look at ways we can make a difference with our time and talents and resources. By pursuing good financial practices, we free ourselves from debt so that we are able to be in mission to the world. A key part of finding financial and spiritual freedom is found in simplicity and in exercising restraint. With the help of God, we can:



· simplify our lives and silence the voices constantly telling us we need more

· live counter-culturally by living below, not above, our means

· build into our budgets the money to buy with cash instead of credit

· build into our budgets what we need to be able to live generously and faithfully</sup>
  

---

1 “Self-storage Nation: Americans Are Storing More Stuff Than Ever,” by Tom Vanderbilt, July 18, 2005; http://www.slate.com/id/2122832/.

2 “Credit Card Debt Statistics,” by Mark Brinker, August 2008; www.hoffmanbrinker.com/credit-card-debt-statistics.html.

Week of October 25

Pastor’s Class Notes:

Ownership
Read: Leviticus 25:23; Haggai 2:1-9; Isaiah 32:1-8; Psalm 37, 50:7-15; John 1:1-5

Is all creation God’s?
What can God do with it? (Genesis 6:5-8)
If the earth and all that is within it belongs to God, then what should be our reaction and response to the creation?

Tithe
Read: Genesis14:17-24; Lev. 27:30-34; Numbers 18:21-28
(See also: Deut. 12:6-17, 14:22-28, 26:12; Malachi 3:8-10; Matthew 23:23)

What is a Tithe?
Why was it important?
Why is it still important?
Is it Law?
How would you describe the practice of Tithe today?

Generosity
Read: 2 Corinthians 9:1-15; Luke 6:37-38
(See also: Philemon 4-7; 1 Timothy 6:15-17; Is 32:8)

Why is generosity so important?
How is generosity related to wealth? (2 Cor 8:1-15; Luke 21:1-4)
What happens when a person becomes generous?
What happens when it spreads to community? and beyond?

Week of October 18th

Weekly Bible Readings
Sunday: Romans 12:1-8
Luke 10:25-37
Monday: Acts 3:1-10
Tuesday: John 2:1-12 (13:1-15)
Wednesday: John 16:4b-15
1 Timothy 4:14
Thursday: Ephesians 4:1-16
2 Timothy 1:6
Friday: 1 Peter 4:10-11
Hebrews 2:1-4
Saturday: Luke 8:16-18

Pastor’s Class Notes:

Read: Luke 10:25-37

Discussion Questions:
What do you find interesting about his passage?
What was context of the discussion that led Jesus to tell the story?
What do you think a religious law expert was after from Jesus?

Note: An expert in religious law is often referred to as a “scribe” in the New Testament. They are not priests, and can be from a variety of Jewish backgrounds. (i.e. Pharisee, Zealots, Sadducee, Sicarii, etc.) These scribes are not only teachers of the law but are focused on how to understand, interpret, and apply the law to their people.

He could have been testing Jesus, but he could also have been seeking truth.
What impact does Jesus’ interpretation have on the laws of Moses?
See: Leviticus 19:18; 21:10-12

So, who is our neighbor? And what changes to our behavior should we make to hold to Jesus’ call to love the neighbor as yourself?

Read: Romans 12:1-8
What are the Spiritual Gifts?
How are they to be used?
What are your Spiritual Gifts? (If you don’t know, consider CORE 3 Class.)
See Ephesians 4:1-16 & 1 Corinthians 12:1-31

What benefits do the Spiritual Gifts offer the Church?
How do the gifts work together?
Identify what the “weaker” or “less honorable” gifts might be? (1 Cor 12:22-26)
How do they fit into the “body of Christ?”
What happens when the “body” doesn’t work together?

These two ideas, Doing good deeds and Spiritual Gifts, were tied together into one key idea in Pastor Chris’ message. What was that idea?

What is your role in the life of the Church?
What are you called to do? Desire to do? Love to do?
If you are not doing it, why not?
If you are doing it, how’s it going?


Be a LEGO, built together into the Kingdom of God.

Week of October 11th

Bible Readings:
Sunday Matthew 17:1-9
Monday Hebrews 10:19-25
Tuesday Colossians 1:15-21
Wednesday Ephesians 3:10-12
Thursday Luke 12:1-12
Friday Romans 13:13-14
Saturday Acts 3:19-20

Inside #1 - Commune (Week of October 4th)

Pastor’s Class Notes:
How do you commune with God?
What are the steps? What is your perfect environment?
How often do you pray?
What do you pray?
How could you pray better? (If you knew ...)

Read Matthew 6:5-13
Jesus’ prayer teaching has some key aspects that are based on the negative prayer practices of the Pharisees. (whom Jesus called hypocrites. Why?)
Identify those positive prayer practices.
What is the most powerful part of the Lord’s Prayer for you?
How often do you use it in your prayers?
Create a prayer outline using the Lord’s Prayer as a guide:
What is it Jesus is trying to teach us?

Read Luke 11:1-13
What is different about this version of the Lord’s Prayer?
Jesus concludes this prayer with a parable about perseverance.
Is your practice to pray with such fervor? What happens when you do?
If we have experienced an answer to such prayers, what keeps us from praying like this all the time?
Verses 9-13 - What is an appropriate request?
What can we pray for? should we pray for?

What about Holy Communion? How often would you like to receive it?
Is it a part of your Communing practice with God?
What other practices do you use?
These are called Spiritual Disciplines. What are others you might use to connect with God?

Great References: “Celebration of Discipline” by Richard Foster; “Soul Feast” by Marjorie Thompson

Week of October 4th

Daily Readings
Sunday Matthew 6:5-13
Monday Matthew 14:22-23
Tuesday Matthew 21:22-23
Wednesday Luke 11:1-13
Thursday Luke 18:1-8
Friday Philippians 4:6-7
Saturday 1 Timothy 2:1-8