Deep Bible Study #4, YD Camp 2019

Homework Report

Review

The story of the woman who took her vacation trip in Europe, asked for her husband’s approval and recieved the response, “No price too high!”

We looked at how important it is to take the time to consider what the passage we are studying means for the original author and audience.

We looked at how talks about Moses and how his face was glowing after he spent time with God.

Chapter 3 and beginning of 4 teaches us that we are ministers of the new covenant, which is even more glorious and bright with light!

Introduction

It seems that the Christians in Corinth believed in a sort of prosperity gospel.

What is the prosperity gospel?

The false idea that if you give your life to God and serve Him, he will make you rich and wealthy and prosperous.

You have these prosperity gospel preachers that say, “send me all your money, and God will bless you in return with wealth!”

That’s convenient for them isn’t it? They get rich and everyone else gets poorer but they say, “look at me, I’m wealthy, so it must be true!”

It seems that at least a some point, the Christians in Corinth bought into this idea that if you were really with God, then you would be well off.

When you accept Jesus, you won’t have suffering.

When you accept Jesus, you won’t have suffering.

Why do bad things happen to good people?

This is something people still believe today. Many ask, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”

The reasoning/assumption is, if you’re a good person, shouldn’t God reward you with good things?

They were exposed to other leaders that were well off, were great public speakers, and then they looked at Paul, and something didn’t add up.

They would compare these other leaders with Paul and there was a big difference. Was Paul wealthy and rich?

No. Paul was humble and simple and besides that, his life was filled with trials and hardship!

Paul was known for being poor, humble, and suffering.

To make matters worse, Paul’s opponents were undermining his work, claiming that Paul’s suffering proved he was not a true apostle.

They would say, “Look at Paul, what a mess! How can anyone believe that he is really an apostle! Clearly God has forsaken him.”

So how does Paul respond to these accusations?

Did Paul deny that his life had trials? No, instead he confirmed it did!

What kind of trials did he have? We don’t have to guess because he tells us directly.

2 Corinthians 11:24–28 NKJV

24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— 28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.

When Paul said, “We are troubled on every side,” did he know what he was talking about?

Troubled on every side, perplexed, persecuted, and cast down.

Would you rather follow someone who is poor and always going through problems, or would you rather follow someone who is seemingly successful, wealthy, and has their act together?

The Corinthians were tempted to believe these false teachers that were saying that Paul was not truly on God’s side.

But Paul responds in chapter 4, and he is basically saying:

My life may be filled with challenges, trials, adventure, but that doesn’t mean God has forsaken me! It means that God has chosen to use hardships in my life as an opportunity to attract others to Him! Instead of proving that I am forsaken, my hardships actually prove the exact opposite, that I am being used by God!

Paul was essentially saying this: To suffer for Christ is not shameful. To suffer for Christ is an honor, it is a privilege.

A complete flip in perspective.

So what did mean for Paul?

Establish his apostleship, reconcile with the Corinthian believers, to invite them to join him in mission, and to help them understand that God’s ways are higher than our ways by reversing their view of suffering.

For Paul, it meant that he was seeking to re-establish his apostleship in the minds of the Christians in Corinth, it meant that he was trying to reconcile with the Corinthian believers, to invite them to join him in mission, and to help them understand that God’s ways are higher than our ways by completely reversing their view of suffering.

What did it mean for the original audience? The Corinthian believers?

They can trust Paul and his ministry, and ultimately the gospel that he was preaching. The Corinthian believers are invited to join Paul in mission to reach those who are in darkness, and to be willing to share in Christ’s suffering so that they can share the fullness of Jesus.

They can trust Paul and his ministry, and ultimately the gospel that he was preaching. The Corinthian believers are invited to join Paul in mission to reach those who are in darkness, and to be willing to share in Christ’s suffering so that they can share the fullness of Jesus.

Can you see the power behind understanding the context? Can you see how this understanding informs our study of ?

Paul responds that his suffering highlights or proves his dependence on Christ.1 Corinthians - Uniting with each other2 Corinthians - Uniting with him in his ministry

Why do bad things happen to good people?

James 1:2–5 NKJV

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

James 1:2–4 NKJV

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Purpose

Now we’re ready to look at the 4th step: Engage with the Meaning

If you have Jesus and if you have mission, Satan’s attacks fuel the fire instead of quench the flame. What would hold you back pushes you forward.

Trials help you not be lukewarm. You either go hot or cold. Trials will either make you bitter, or they will make you better. You either run away from God or you run to Him.

God never promised a smooth ride, he promised a safe landing.

Handout Testimony

Lesson 4 – Engage with the Meaning (POWER)

How many of you are 16 years old?

When I was about 16 years old, I felt God’s calling on my life. I was already a professed Christian. But I had no personal relationship with Jesus.

As I studied the Bible and heard some powerful preaching, I sensed a strong conviction by the Holy Spirit.

I felt God calling me, saying, “Tim, why don’t you give your life completely to me? I have a plan for you.”

Deep Bible Study by Pastor Tim Taylor – Young Disciple Camp 2019

But there was something holding me back.

I had a misconception about God.

I had this idea that serving God would be boring.

And so I decided to test the waters with God. I said, I’ll give you a trial period.

I decided to sign up for just about any good opportunity to serve God I could find out about.

I was baptized

I signed up for the YD ME, 1st evangelistic series

I still remember, just a week or two before I left for the Philippines, I was baptized.

I went to AFCOE

I did another mission trip to the Dominican Republic with ShareHim.

I preached a third evangelistic series in Dallas, TX with ASI YFJ.

I signed up to be a Bible Worker in British Columbia, Canada.

I can tell you that it didn’t take long before I realized that my ideas about God were completely wrong.

Far from being boring, I was having the biggest adventure of my life!

Before I gave my life to God, I was addicted to video games and I needed those games to give me the thrill and sense of adventure I was looking for.

But I found that after I gave my life to God, I was finding such adventure, such satisfaction in serving Him, I didn’t even miss my video games.

Being used by God to bring others to Him, making an eternal and lasting impact in the lives of others, gave my heart more joy and fulfillment than anything else could have.

Maybe there’s someone here who can relate.

Maybe there’s someone here who, although you call yourself a Christian, you haven’t given your life completely to God.

Maybe there’s something holding you back. My question to you this morning is: what are you waiting for? Why not make a decision today to give your life to God? To serve him as long as you live?

Maybe there is someone here who has not been baptized. I want to ask you, “why not make a decision to be baptized today?”

Why not at least make a commitment to pray about the possibility of being baptized.

It was the best decision I ever made. To give my life to God and to serve Him! And my life has been full of adventure ever since!

Yes, hardships too, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

And I think that’s the message Paul is saying in 2 Corinthians. He wouldn’t trade his life of adventure and hardship for anything.

When you look at Paul’s life, his list of hardships, what do you see?

Do you see a man living a miserable life? No, you don’t.

I’ll tell you what I see.

I see a life of adventure and mission. Yes there were challenges, yes there were trials, but that was just part of the adventure!

Maybe there’s someone here who can relate.

STEP 4 – Engage with the Meaning

Now that you have a good idea of what this passage meant for the original author and audience, you’re prepared to begin thinking about how to apply that meaning for today. Ask yourself:

1. What is the relevance for Christians who are alive now?

2. What is the personal application for my context?

The Bridge of Timeless Truth

How do you apply the historical meaning for people today and for you personally? One effective method is to cross the “bridge of timeless truth” by asking yourself: What points in the meaning for the original audience could be understood as truths relevant for all time?

Once you have extracted timeless truths from the original meaning, then ask yourself:

1. How can this/these timeless truth(s) be applied for people living today?

2. How can this/these timeless truth(s) be applied in my personal life?

Example

A simple example to illustrate this concept might be the well-known passage containing the great commission in

Matthew 28:19–20 NKJV

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Engaging with the Meaning of the passage in: _Matthew 28:19-20__

For Original Audience

Christ’s disciples were called to spread the gospel and make disciples to the known world at that time.

For Christians Today

As modern-day disciples, we are also called to make disciples in our communities and around the world.

For Me

As a disciple, Christ has called me to make disciples within my personal sphere of influence and to be a missionary where He opens the doors for me to go.

Asking the Right Questions

There are many other great ways to apply the passage to your life. Another method is to use the acronym “JOY” which stands for Jesus, Others, Yourself:

1. What does this passage teach you about Jesus?

2. What does this passage teach you about Others?

3. What does this passage teach you about Yourself?

You might also consider asking yourself:

· Which character(s) in the passage or story do I identify or relate with most?

· What do I have in common with them, and how can I learn from their journey?

Activity

Engage with the meaning of by filling out the following worksheet:

Engaging with the Meaning of the passage in: ___________________________________

For Original Audience

For Christians Today

For Me

The invitation to join in mission is for us just as much as it was for the Corinthians. We ought to be willing to suffer and make sacrifices for the sake of the gospel. Christ made the ultimate sacrifice for us, out of love, with the purpose of salvation. We also can have the privilege of sacrificing for Him, out of love, with the purpose of the salvation of others.

Putting Your Faith into Action

It’s great to understand the Bible and apply it to our lives, but it’s even better to take action based on what we have learned and discovered. says that we ought to be “doers of the word, and not hearers only.” The book of James also says (in ) that faith without works is dead. Consider the following questions to decide how you can put your faith into action.

1. What is the next step in my journey with the Lord?

2. What is God calling me to do about what I have learned?

3. Is there a sin that God is calling me to confess and overcome?

4. How can I grow to be more like Christ in my character as a result of what this passage teaches me about Jesus?

Creating an Action Plan

Don’t just settle for theoretical application. As you feel called and convicted to take action based on what God has shown you through His word, consider making an action plan so that you can follow through on your commitments. To create an action plan, simply answer these questions:

1. What must be done?

2. Who must do it?

3. How must it be done?

4. When must it be done?

5. Where must it be done?

Homework Assignment

Create an action plan based on the passage we have been studying this week and/or perhaps another passage of scripture that is special to you. Be sure to make prayer central as you seek God’s will in each step of the action plan.

What?

How?

Who?

When?

Where?