Lesson Eleven
SET BACKS

Memory Text: ?And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us? (Romans 5:3-5, NKJV).

The lesson takes us through several Bible stories in which people have faced troublesome times and how this affected their relationship with God.

The question: how do we respond to trouble? Does it drive us closer to God, or do we let it discourage us and cause us to draw away from Him?

1. The story of the Storm in Mark 4
. Jesus was with them, but He was asleep in the boat. The storm was threatening their very lives as the winds howled and the waves washed over their boat.
The disciples seem to have forgotten HE was with them for a time as they frantically worked to keep the boat afloat. Finally they noticed HIM and cried out "?Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing??
--Do we sometimes forget HIM as we frantically try to solve our problems?
--Do we think HE has left us to perish in the storms of our lives?

Jesus says to them: ?Why are you so fearful? how is it that you have no faith? ?
--Do we realize the Creator and Sustainer of all things is with us. He can still the storm.
--Yes, He cares!

With Paul be persuaded
Romans 8:38-39 That neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Though the outer storm may not be "stilled" yet, He will give us peace, and "still" the turmoil inside our minds and hearts

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
16:33 in me you can have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

The second Bible story in this lesson, takes us to Mark 5.
There we see a "certain woman" who had been suffering for 12 years with a blood issue. For twelve years she had spent money on doctors who didn't give her any help. For twelve years she had lived in a society that shunned her, and used the scriptures (Lev. 15) to condemn her as unclean, unfit to mingle or socialize in society.
She was definitely "set back" physically and emotionally, not only in her health, but also in her emotional sense of being considered an outcast, a sinner, unclean.
Her condition was one highly capable to cause depression, resentment, and anger against God. Her life had become a burden, an existence of despair.
Yet someone told her about Jesus, the Great Healer, and hope sprung up in her heart. In spite of her weakness and social stigma, she determined she would see Jesus!
Unlike Jairus, she was far to shy to just walk up to Jesus and present her case, no she wanted it unnoticed, fearing rejection and the contempt from the crowds. But she believed! She believed that in Jesus was the power to heal and restore!

"

Jesus stopped and turned, and in a voice distinctly heard asked, "Who touched Me?"
An amazing question since the crowd was jostling Him all along. But Jesus could distinguish the touch of faith from the casual contact of the careless crowd.

All those people pressing close about Christ did not receive any vital power. But when the suffering woman reached out her hand to touch Him, believing that she would be made whole, experienced the healing virtue.

What made the difference. Touching Jesus' clothes was not some magic. She was reaching out in faith, fully believing Jesus had the power to heal her.



As she responded to His question, Jesus looks at her and says " "Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace."

Not only did Christ heal her health issue, He gave her the wonderful assurance that she was a daughter of God, loved and accepted as a child of God.

Jairus' story is also in Mark chapter five. Jairus was one of the rulers of the synagogue. His twelve year old daughter is dying. In desperation he runs to Jesus asking for His help. Jesus heads to Jairus' home, but is slowed down by the crowd, including the woman in our last story. When they finally get to the house, the young girl has died, and there is much mourning. But Jesus, the resurrection and the life, raises the girl back to life, in spite of the unbelief of the crowds.

In the context of "set backs" we see one that grips every parents heart -- the fear of their child dying. But there's also another set back. Jairus held a highly respected position as ruler of the synagogue. These rulers, along with the Pharisees, had not been all that kind to Jesus in the past. We read near the beginning of Jesus mission trip in Galilee, Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath, and the rulers of the synagogue thought to do Jesus harm, but Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea. (Mark 3:6),

Now here was Jairus, in his fine clothes, down in the dust, falling at Jesus feet and pleaded earnestly (v. 22-23). He's begging continually. All the bystanders must have been shocked. They had never seen a man of his high status display humiliation and desperate urgency like this before. But Jairus status could not save his child. He feared his own previous behavior might even cost his child her life. Humility drives him into the dust before the Messiah. Jairus? prostration evidences extraordinary conviction and humility.
With thanksgiving Jairus hears Jesus agree to come to his house, but then frustration mounted for the crowd was keeping Jesus from going anywhere.
Then the worst news came, "don't trouble Jesus anymore, she's dead," Did Jairus, overwhelmed start cursing the crowd -- if only they had let Jesus pass, if only Jesus would have pushed His way and hurried, if only.....
But Jesus turns and quiets the turmoil in Jairus heart:"Be not afraid, only believe. (5:36)

Only believe! There's nothing like death to discourage. Having begged Jesus to heal his daughter, only to be told she had died, that it was too late. It's easy to believe when everything is going well, but when we pray and the loved one dies anyway,
Have faith, Jesus says, "Be not afraid, only believe."
In this case Jesus does go to jairus home and raised the daughter back to life.
But in our lives things don't always resolve so soon or so obviously. Yet we too are admonished not to fear but to believe.

Stories of Setbacks --
Job had every setback we can think about, finances wiped out, all his children killed in one swoop, painful, debilitating sores.
He didn't understand why his whole life suddenly crashed.

Now we know, that in spite of suffering and discouragement, Job's faith in God remained steadfast. He knew his Redeemer was alive, and that even if he died and rotted away in the grave, he would stand in a resurrected body and with his own eyes, he would see God, his Redeemer! (See Job 19:25-27)

But let's look at Job's wife.
She gets a lot of bad press, but put yourself in her shoes.
She also lost all financial security, she also lost all her children, having her mother heart shattered, she had to watch the man she loved and depended on being stripped of dignity and strength.
It was a HUGE setback for her as well.

We shouldn't look at her to condemn her for we may be condemning ourselves as well. The fact us that many people would react just like Job's wife.
She gave in to utter discouragement, and hopelessness.
She did what so many do when overwhelmed with set backs.

Rather, we need to ask the question.
What gave Job the strength to endure, when most people would have given up.

Our memory verse zeros in on "hope" .

...tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us? (Romans 5:3-5, NKJV)

Job knew the love of God, which had been continuously poured into his heart, and somehow he knew it was there, and thus he found hope amidst trials. He had a deep-seated confidence in God?s promises and his trials only drove him to cling more firmly to these promises.

His wife's faith wavered, and yes, she sinned. It wasn't that she was evil, but she let the overflowing, terrible setbacks cause her to doubt and get angry at God. Much later as Job recovered, she is assumed she is still by his side and became the joyful mother of children once again. God had not forsaken her and we can hope that she felt the love of God with each new baby she once again held in her arms and that, having gone through that experience with Job, her faith in God matured into that deep-seated confidence in God's promises.

There are many who have reacted as Job's wife under severe trials, but there is hope for these as well.
Satan wants to control minds so that doubt and unbelief and darkness becomes their whole experience, and separates them from God, then it's easy for him to overcome them with temptation. We need to encourage them to exercise simple faith that takes God at his word. God's people must have that faith which will lay hold of divine power; "for by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.? [Ephesians 2:8.]

In our class this morning, the teacher came out with the statement that Jobs children were taken away to save them from falling from Satans snare. Much as many of the saints will be put to sleep to spare them the time such as never was. We were surprised, but after thinking about it, began to make sense especially looking at what Job did for them.

Job 1:5
And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually..

Lesson Twelve
Share Him


Memory Text: ?The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to hear as the learned? (Isaiah 50:4, NKJV).

We are encouraged to read certain passages for This Week?s Study: (what do we see in each of these readings?)
)
Matt. 28:18-20,
Jesus tells His disciples that "all authority has been given to Me in heaven and in earth."
Then he says: "Go, tell everyone, make disciples, and baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit."

1 Pet. 3:8-18,
Christ suffered once for sins.. so that He might bring us to God.
The just for the unjust.
Therefore let us have compassion for one another, love as brothers
Turn away from evil, sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and always be ready to give a defense to everyone.

2 Pet. 3:18,
Grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory now and forever.

Hosea 7,
Is a sad depiction of northern Israel, (Ephraim) God had redeemed them, brought them out of Egypt, but evil is flourishing in their midst, and growing like the heat in an oven, trusting and being destroyed by "aliens" (powers of surrounding nations). They call to Egypt, they call to Assyria for help, but do not cry out to God with their heart. They shall fall for the cursing of their tongues.

Zechariah 10
In the time of the latter rain, God will call forth His people. He will strengthen and save them. He will bring them back from Egypt, and deliver them from Assyria. They will "sow" (they will mingle) among the people and remember Me, they will live together with their children and they shall return.
There will still be affliction. So the Lord will strengthen them in the LORD, and they shall walk up and down in His name.

Matthew 28
All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you and lo I am with always even to the end of the age.

Jesus has all the authority and power, and He has promised to with us always.
Don't worry about having the power -- Jesus has all the power and He's there to give it to His followers.

What are we to teach?

To observe all things Jesus commanded us to do?!

So what are some of the main themes of things that Jesus commanded us to do?

Some New Testament commands from Jesus:

Matthew 3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Matthew 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

A man asked Jesus about divorce
Mark10:6-9 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Luke 15:17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.

Matthew 4:10 Then said Jesus Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Matthew 4:19 And he said to them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Matthew 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad.

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:24 first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Matthew 5:25-26 Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art in the way with him;

Matthew 5:34-37 I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God?s throne:... But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

Matthew 5:39-41 Resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. (41) And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

Matthew 5:42 Give to him that asks, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou
away.

Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you.

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.'

Matt. 6:19-20 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,

Matthew 6:32-33 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Lesson Thirteen
Into Eternity

"This week, let?s learn about the reward of heaven (Matt. 5:12, Rev. 22:12), what heaven will be like; and ultimately, how incredible it will be to finally be with One who created us, loved us unto death, has redeemed us from our sin, and is coming back soon. We need to just hold on in faith until then."

Memory Text: ?Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is? (1 John 3:2, NKJV).

Study for This Week?s Study:
Psalm 80,
O Shepherd of Israel, thou that...dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth...stir up Your strength, and come and save us...cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved....(we have suffered much)...cause thy face to shine; we shall be saved.
O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine; ...And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that you made strong for thyself.

Thess. 4:17, (When Jesus comes again) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them (who were raised from the dead) up into the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Rev. 21:2, 9-26, John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. .. And the structure of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones.

Isa. 25:8, He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.

Rev. 7:16-17 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

Rev. 21:23-25 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb [is] the light thereof.
21:24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
21:25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

John 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which recognizes the Son, and believes on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which has sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Do we think it costs too much to live for Christ and inherit heaven?

"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
But rejoice, inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy. (1 Peter 4:12-13)

Heaven will be cheap enough, if we obtain it through suffering. We must deny self all along the way, die to self daily, let Jesus alone appear, and keep His glory continually in view.

We tried to call up our greatest trials, but they looked so small compared with the far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory that surrounded us, that we could not speak them out, and we all cried out, "Alleluia! heaven is cheap enough!" and we touched our glorious harps and made heaven's arches ring. {CET 61.1}

Humble your heart before Him and in the simplicity of humble faith, take up your cross and your responsibilities and follow the Pattern given you. Heaven will be cheap enough. The precious immortal life will be given to all who choose the path of humble obedience. {LYL 54.7}

All this humiliation and anguish were endured (by Christ) to bring back the wanderers, guilty and thankless, to the Father's house. O the home of the blest--I cannot afford to lose it! I shall, if saved in the kingdom of God, be constantly discerning new depths in the plan of salvation. All the redeemed saints will see and appreciate as never before the love of the Father and the Son, and songs of praise will burst forth from immortal tongues. He loved us, He gave His life for us. With glorified bodies, with enlarged capacities, with hearts made pure, with lips undefiled, we shall sing the riches of redeeming love. There will be no suffering ones in heaven, no skeptics whom we must labor to convince of the reality of eternal things, no prejudices to uproot, but all will be susceptible to that love which passeth knowledge. Rest, thank God, there is a rest for the people of God, where Jesus will lead the redeemed into green pastures, by the streams of living waters which make glad the city of our God. Then the prayer of Jesus to His Father will be answered: "I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am." {Mar 318.4}