Clothed and Ready

                                          Sunday School Lesson

                                            

Lesson: Ephesians 6:10-20                                                                                                 
Golden Text: “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11).
I.  INTRODUCTION.  When a new recruit is inducted into the military, he’s issued the clothing and special equipment that he will need to carry out his duties.  No soldier is expected to bring his own rifle and ammunition from home.  Whatever he needs is provided by the government.  Christians are soldiers in the army of the Lord.  God does not expect us to wage spiritual warfare using our own weapons.  In fact, the battles we fight cannot be won in our strength.  We need to use the resources that Christ has provided for us.  This week’s lesson reveals the strength that is available to us in Christ.
II. BACKGROUND FOR THE LESSON.  The church at Ephesus was founded in 53 A.D. on Paul’s return to Jerusalem from his Second Missionary journey.  He returned a year later on his Third Missionary trip, and stayed there for three years, preaching and teaching with great effectiveness (see Acts 19:1-20).  As a result, he became very close to them.  A few years later, Paul was sent as a prisoner to Rome.  While in prison, mainly under house arrest, Paul wrote this letter to the church and sent it by Tychichus.  The letter does not address any heresy or confront any specific problems; instead it is a letter of encouragement.  In chapter 1, Paul outlined God’s purpose in choosing a people for Himself, a people that might be to the praise of His glory.  He then related the steps by which God is fulfilling that purpose (see chapters 2-3).  In chapter 4:1through 5:20, Paul discussed practical aspects of the believer’s walk with Christ; this was followed by instructions in personal relationships (see chapter 5:21-6:9).  He then turned to the spiritual battle believers are engaged in which begins our lesson text. 
III. OUR CHALLENGE (Ephesians 6:10).  Our first verse says “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”  With the word “Finally,” Paul reached the conclusion to his letter and points back to all that he had admonished earlier in the epistle.  He begins the final section of this letter with a general exhortation to his readers: “my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”  The words “my brethren” indicate the closeness Paul shared with these believers. The phrase “be strong in the Lord” is in the Greek present tense and has the meaning of “be made strong.”  It’s clear that the believer cannot strengthen himself.  Our own strength is totally inadequate for the challenge, or battle that lies ahead.  Therefore, we must constantly draw upon the Lord for strength.  Each of us must find our strength daily “in the Lord.”  When we constantly seek the Lord’s strength daily, we also receive “the power of his might.”  Paul literally told the Ephesians to be empowered by the Lord rather than try to fight the battle on their own.  The almighty God is the infinite source of power for His people. 
IV. OUR ENEMIES (Ephesians 6:11-12)
A.  Prepare for combat (Ephesians 6:11).  Paul continued to say in this verse “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”  Christians are not called to comfort, but to combat.  The spiritual battle that we fight is real so Paul indicated the urgency to be prepared for it with the command to “Put on the whole armour of God.”  The words “put on” mean to “make use” of the complete armor that God provides for His people in their struggles against the devil.  Note:  Paul may have gotten the imagery of putting on armor from the Roman soldiers while he was in prison.  He used this well-known picture to illustrate the spiritual armor that God provides for His people in their struggles against the devil.  But it’s also possible that Paul may have gotten the imagery of the armor of God from the Old Testament.  In Isaiah 59:17, God Himself is described as putting on “righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation upon his head.”  The point here is that the spiritual conflict going on in the world is God’s battle before it’s ours.  God battles against the forces of evil; we are merely enlisted in His army.  If God Himself can be described as wearing armor, how much more do we need to make use of it!   Paul went on to say that we put on the armor supplied by God so that we “may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”  The “devil” is cited as the specific enemy we face.  The word “devil” means “slanderer” or “false accuser” (see Revelation 12:10).  The devil or Satan, is an angel who in pride rebelled against God (see Isaiah 14:12-17).  As a supernatural being, supernatural help is needed to fight him and his army of fallen angels.  The devil’s arsenal is called his “wiles” which refers to his schemes and cunning craftiness.  He is both strong and crafty and very often attacks us in subtle ways like spreading suspicion, disharmony, and false doctrines among Christians.  Sometimes the devil uses deceit, as he did with Eve (see Genesis 3:1-6; I Timothy 2:14), to snare unsuspecting believers.  For this reason, God’s people need to be equipped with God’s armor to stand against all such devices.     
B. Know your enemy (Ephesians 6:12).  In this verse, Paul said “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”  One of the basics of military readiness is an accurate knowledge of the enemy.  We can’t stand our ground effectively unless we know who the enemy is.  In the same sense, we can’t stand against the devices the enemy uses unless we are aware of those devices.  First, Paul was clear about who the believer’s enemy was not.  He said “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood.”  Although Paul’s readers no doubt faced hostility from human authorities and others, they needed to know that their real battle was not “against flesh and blood” or human beings.  If we focus on human beings as the source of our struggles, we will end up fighting the wrong enemy and play into the hands of the real enemy.  Our main enemies are not evil people, but evil spiritual beings.  Paul gives a summary of the menacing forces gathered against us.  Both “principalities” and “powers” refer to authoritative figures within the demonic realm.  The word translated “rulers” was often used for those who desired world control.  Paul’s description of these demonic forces as “rulers of the darkness of this world” may serve as a reminder for  believers to be alert against demonic forces pretending to be messengers of light (see II Corinthians 11:14).  Unfortunately, Christians can be suckered into seemingly worthy causes that cover up a hidden agenda of evil.  The phrase “spiritual wickedness in high places” probably refers to those demons who affect people in high places to commit the vilest acts of immorality.  All of these evil forces are to be considered our enemies, but they cannot take control of people’s lives without receiving God’s permission (see I John 4:4).
V. OUR DEFENSE (Ephesians 6:13-17)
A. The purpose for the armor (Ephesians 6:13).  Having issued the challenge to God’s people to be strong and describing who the enemy is, Paul here says “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”  The apostle essentially repeated his exhortation he gave in verse 11, saying “take unto you the whole armour of God.”  The only way to triumph in the battle is to take and put on the entire armor of God.  Each believer has to “take” the whole armor of God for himself.  God gives this responsibility to each believer.  He won’t put the armor on for us.  Neither can anyone else put it on for us.  The fact is that if we don’t put this armor on ourselves, it won’t be put on.  The purpose of putting on the armor was so that we “may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”  The words “withstand” and “stand” are used here as military terms that speak of holding one’s position.  “Withstand” has the idea of standing one’s ground against an onslaught.  This onslaught comes “in the evil day” which seems to refer to any time Satan’s attack become most severe.  The phrase “having done all” refers not only to being prepared for Satan’s attacks, but also how much resistance we show during the attacks.  When we have done all we can, and made our preparations by putting on the armor of God, we are then ready “to stand” or hold our position.
B. Equipped to stand (Ephesians 6:14-15).
1. (vs. 14).  In this verse Paul says “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.”  Paul repeated the command to “stand” their ground and then went on to describe the preparations needed to do this.  He would now explain the armor he had already mentioned.  Notice that the spiritual armor is not merely an attitude adjustment; it includes definite elements or qualities that we are to take hold of.  Each quality of spiritual armor is illustrated by a specific item of armor from a Roman soldier’s equipment that is needed for Christian warfare.  The Roman soldier put on his gear for combat in an orderly fashion and Paul described each piece in the order in which they would normally be put on.  First, Paul said we are to have our “loins girt about with truth.”  This refers to the girdle or belt to which everything else was attached.  It was tightly worn around the “loins” or waist.  A roman soldier’s belt held his tunic in place and gave him freedom of movement.  Throughout Scripture the idea of girding is seen as a preparatory work for anything that must involve much action (see Luke 17:8; Acts 12:8).  Paul calls this belt “truth” which can refer to both the truthfulness and integrity of the Christian as well as the truth of God’s Word.  In both cases, a commitment to truth is crucial if the believer is to stand against the attacks of Satan.  Note:  In one sense the girdle or belt was not really a part of the armor, and yet it was so very essential to the armor that warfare was really impossible without it.  The girdle was the belt to which everything else was attached.  It was worn tightly around the waist.  The second piece we are to put on is the “breastplate of righteousness.”  Many understand this righteousness to refer to practical righteousness or doing what is right that should characterize the believer’s life.  But no person can stand against Satan in his own righteousness.  Therefore, righteousness here more likely refers to the righteousness of God, which is imputed to believers as a result of Christ’s sacrifice (see II Corinthians 5:21).  Those who stand in the righteousness of Christ are protected in the battle.          
2. (vs. 15).   In this verse Paul goes on to say “And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.”  The third piece of armor is the footgear.  Roman soldiers wore leather sandals designed to be lightweight, but at the same time they had spike-like nails in the soles that provided good traction even in difficult conditions.  Likewise, believers are to have secure footing spiritually by having their “feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.”  In order for a soldier to stand firm against an enemy, he must have firm footing.  It’s called the “gospel of peace” because it’s the good news of Christ’s salvation and brings us peace with God (see Romans 5:1).  Resting in the peace God gives us, allows us to remain calm in the midst of satanic assaults.   As Christian soldiers go into battle, they have the secure footing of the gospel message that they have experienced and now proclaim that Christ’s death has provided the means for peace with God.  God’s peace also allows us to stand firm when we share the “gospel of peace” with a lost world.
C.  Equipped to resist (Ephesians 6:16-17).
1. (vs. 16).  Now Paul says “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”  The shield carried by the Roman soldier was about four feet high and over two feet wide.  It was designed to protect the whole body.  Paul likened the “shield of faith,” the fourth piece of Christian armor, to the Roman soldier’s shield used for overall protection against the arrows of the enemy.  Among the many tactics military commanders used in first century warfare was having their archers launch flaming arrows in an attempt to start fires and to spread panic among the opposition.  In a similar way, the devil turns up the heat on Christians trying to make them turn back from advancing the gospel.  But remember, there is no armor for the back because the believer should never retreat.  To quench the fiery darts, God has given Christians the “shield of faith.”  As Hebrews chapter 11 teaches, faith takes God at His word, despite discouraging circumstances.  Faith in God deflects and extinguishes the doubts hurled at us by the devil.  By faith, Christians can proceed steadfastly in the cause of Christ with full confidence that the Lord will bring to pass what He has promised.
2. (vs. 17).  Continuing, Paul said in this verse “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”  The fifth piece of God’s armor is “the helmet of salvation.”  Roman helmets were made of bronze with leather attachments, providing complete protection for the head.  Christians are to “take” or receive the “helmet of salvation” from God.  For the Christian, salvation must be received from God because it cannot be gained by human effort or works.  Satan never stops trying to cause us to question our commitment to God and His commitment to us.  When we are convinced that we are truly saved and cannot be eternally harmed by the enemy, our salvation becomes a helmet for the head in times of spiritual battle.  The sixth and final piece of God’s armor that we are to take is “the sword of the Spirit.”  Paul, most likely had in mind the short, two-edged sword used by a Roman soldier for cutting and thrusting.  It was an ideal weapon for close combat.  “Sword of the Spirit” means the sword provided by the Spirit.  Of course this is true since the Bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit (see II Timothy 3:16).  The sword itself is identified as “the word of God.”  The Roman soldier was trained in the expert use of his sword, so the believer must also become an expert in the Scriptures so that he can use them as God intended.  Just as Christ used the Word of God to counter the temptations of Satan (see Matthew 4:1-11), so Christians must use the Bible as we confront the attacks of the evil one.  Note:  The Greek term for “word” here is not logos which speaks of God’s Word as a whole, but rhema which speaks of individual words or statements.  Therefore, the emphasis here is on the specific use of applicable scriptural statements.  In other words, when we are under spiritual attack we must be ready to use specific truths and promises of the Bible to combat the enemy.  Whatever way Satan attacks us, we must do as Jesus did and use a specific Scripture against him that addresses the attack Satan is bringing.  Then we can with confidence say “It is written…”
VI. OUR DUTY (Ephesians 6:18-20)
A. Praying and watching for each other (Ephesians 6:18).  In this verse Paul went on to say “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”  Having completed his description of the believer’s spiritual armor, Paul now focused on the action a spiritually equipped Christian must take.  The action believers are to take after putting on the whole armor of God is “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.”  This is important because prayer puts us in touch with our Heavenly Father, the commander of His army.  A well-equipped soldier is doomed to fail if he has no communication with his commanding officer in order to receive instructions.  For the Christian soldier, this means “Praying always” or being engaged in persistent, continual prayer.  The term “always” refers to praying at every occasion.  The phrase “with all prayer and supplication” indicates being thorough in praying for different needs.  “Prayer” is a general word for addressing God and “supplication” refers to specific requests made to Him.  However, in order for prayer to be effective in the struggle against evil, it must be done “in the Spirit.”  This means that effective prayer must be done with the Holy Spirit’s help and in agreement with His will.  The Bible is true, we really don’t know what we ought to pray for on our own; we need the help of the Holy Spirit, who makes “intercession for us” (see Romans 8:26-27).  Paul also said that in our prayers we also need to be “watching thereunto with all perseverance.”  The word “watching” means that we are to be alert and aware not only of the enemy and his schemes, but also of the needs of other “saints” or believers when we pray.  The word “perseverance” means that we must never let anything hinder our prayers or cause us to stop entering “supplication (special requests) for all saints.”  Prayer should not be self-centered.  We are called upon to pray for “all saints.”  Like soldiers who are each part of an army, believers are each part of a larger body, the church.  Victory cannot be achieved in spiritual warfare without the support, encouragement, and especially the prayers of our fellow believers.  There should be no limits to the areas of our prayer concerns. 
B. Praying for Paul (Ephesians 6:19-20).
1. (vs. 19).  In this verse Paul said “And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel.”  Paul singled himself out as one who was in special need of prayer.  The words “And for me” are a continuation from the previous verse when the apostle appealed to his readers to pray for all saints.  He too, was in the heat of spiritual battle and wanted to be included with those who needed prayer.  Paul was waiting for his appeal to be heard by the Roman emperor (see Acts 25:11).  He was well aware that it was possible for him to be intimidated when he came before the emperor.  Notice that Paul didn’t ask prayers for his release.  He requested that the saints pray that “utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly.”  In other words, he wanted to be able to speak boldly when he was given the opportunity to declare his commitment to Christ.  He desired boldness so that he would be able “to make known the mystery of the gospel.”  The phrase “mystery of the gospel” was the revelation that salvation by grace would bring everyone, Jew and Gentile alike, into one body, the church (see Ephesians 3:1-7).  Until apostolic times the idea that both Jews and Gentiles would make up the body of Christ was a mystery.  A “mystery” was something that was once hidden but now revealed in God’s Word.  Paul knew that he would have a golden opportunity to make the gospel known to Caesar.  He needed prayer support to strengthen him so that fear would not cause him to squander the opportunity.
2. (vs. 20).  Paul continued to say in our final verse “For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”  The words, “For which” refers back to the mystery of the gospel mentioned in the previous verse.  Paul was saying that because of the gospel, “I am an ambassador in bonds.”  As a prisoner, he was “in bonds” or in chains.  But at the same time, in reality he was “an ambassador” or special messenger for Christ sent on God’s official business (see Acts 19:21).  God had called Paul to share His message of the gospel to the world, even to the emperor himself.  Although the Roman government treated him as a mere criminal, Paul knew that God had actually given him a high calling (se Galatians 1:1; Ephesians 1:1).  The phrase “that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak” was Paul’s way of saying that as a messenger for God, who was in chains, he needed the prayers of the saints to be able to speak boldly as he should speak.  Note:  No doubt Paul was here referring to his upcoming trial at which time he desired to make a clear presentation of the gospel of Christ.  Despite his “bonds” he was an ambassador for the gospel.  He saw his trial as an arena to defend his claims that Jesus Christ is Lord.  For that reason he repeated his desire to be able to speak boldly as he should.  We should follow Paul’s example, using whatever opportunities God gives us to present His message of reconciliation to lost sinners with boldness.  We should also follow his instruction in persistently praying for fellow believers in their opportunities to speak up for Christ.  If we are faithful in these things, we will see victory.     
                                 
VII. Conclusion.  This week’s lesson has presented a very familiar text to most Christians.  It’s the wonderful word picture of the armor of a Roman soldier prepared for battle.  Everyone to whom Paul wrote would have known what Paul was talking about.  Today, we know from pictures how the Roman soldier was clothed, and the truths this passage teaches are precious to anyone who has gone through any battles in life. We already have this armor of God.  It was given to us by the Lord Jesus when we trusted Him as our Saviour and Lord.  When the Scripture says we should put it on, this means that we become aware that we have it, claim it as our own, and face our demanding life situations knowing we have God’s provision and protection for victory. Yes, the whole armor of God will protect us from the enemy of our souls.

the Least of His Brethren

                                                                  Sunday School Lesson

                                            

Lesson: Matthew 25:31-46
                                                                                                 
Golden Text: “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matthew 25:31-46).
I.  INTRODUCTION.  The people of Israel have a special place in God’s heart.  God told Abram many years before the nation of Israel came into existence that those who would bless his seed would be blessed and that those who would curse his seed would be cursed (see Genesis 12:3).  In this week’s lesson, the Lord Jesus picked up on this principle given to Abram and applied it to the time of His return.  This week’s passage refers to Christ’s return to the earth at the end of the Great Tribulation to judge the Gentile nations.
II. BACKGROUND FOR THE LESSON.  Our lesson this week is part of the great discourse Jesus gave His disciples on the Mount of Olives concerning the last days.  They had asked Him questions about future things, so He outlined the characteristics of the tribulation period and His return in glory (see Matthew 24:3-35).  He then emphasized the need to be ready and gave three parables to illustrate it (see Matthew 24:36-25:30).  He ended His discourse with the judgment scene presented in our lesson text which focuses on the judgment of the “nations” upon Christ’s return to earth.  
III. THE KING’S COMING (Matthew 25:31).   Our first verse says “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.”  Immediately following the rapture, the seven year tribulation will take place.  The last three and a half years are called the Great Tribulation (see Revelation 7:14) because it will be a time of great evil coming from false christs and false prophets (see Mark 13:22) and natural disasters will occur throughout the world (see Revelation chapters 6-16).  After the tribulation period is completed, the judgment that our lesson describes will begin “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him.”  The term “Son of man” is often used by Jesus of Himself and it identifies Him with humanity.  It also signifies His messianic office (see Daniel 7:13; Matthew 24:30).  When Jesus makes His return “all the holy angels” will accompany Him.  They won’t rule with Christ, but will obey Him in their usual roles as messianic messengers and servants.  Christ will bring the Great Tribulation to an end and establish His rule over the earth (see Revelation19:11-16) when He will “sit upon the throne of his glory.”  Christ will begin His millennial rule over the earth just as the prophets foretold (see Isaiah 2:1-4; 11:1-9; Micah 4:1-7) and it was reiterated in Revelation 20:1-6.  The judgment that our lesson describes will occur at the outset of Christ’s millennial reign. 

IV. THE KING’S SEPARATION OF MANKIND (Matthew 25:32-33)      

A. (vs. 32).  This verse goes on to say “And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.”  When Christ is seated on His throne all the nations of the world will stand before Him.  Apparently the angels will do the gathering (see Matthew 13:39-41).  The word “nations” here refers to all living humanity at that time or specifically “Gentiles” to distinguish them from Jews (see Romans 3:29; 9:24: 11:13).  We should not understand from the wording here that Christ will judge nations as a whole.  The Gentiles gathered before Christ won’t be judged as whole nations, but instead as individuals.  This has always been God’s method of dealing with men.  The Lord will judge living individual Gentiles at the end of the tribulation to determine which of them will enter His kingdom.  At that time, individual Gentiles will be separated into two groups.  Christ will “separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.”  Shepherds often pastured sheep and goats together, but at the end of the day they were separated into different folds or groups.  Jesus used imagery that His hearers would understand.  Goats brought considerable income and could be used as sacrifices.  However, sheep always had more value and seem to have been preferred for sacrifices over goats.  The goat didn’t signify evil, but it signified lesser worth.  
B. (vs. 33).  This verse continues to say “And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.”  Christ, the King will place the sheep on His right and the goats on His left without a question being asked.  In Scripture, the right hand signifies the place of honor (see Genesis 48:17-19; Matthew 26:64; Mark 14:62; Acts 2:33).  The sheep clearly represent the righteous or believers, as we shall see in the following verses, who have come out of the Great Tribulation (see Revelation 7:9-14).
V. THE KING’S INVITATION (Matthew 25:34-40)
A. The invitation to enter the kingdom (Matthew 25:34).  This verse says “Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”  The “King” will first address those individual Gentiles on His right side saying “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”  The word “blessed” comes from a root word meaning “to speak well of.”  Those on Christ’s right hand will be well spoken of by the heavenly “Father.”  The term “inherit” indicates that these persons will also be regarded as heirs obtaining an inheritance that is rightfully theirs.  The inheritance is the “kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”  What’s striking here is that this kingdom was prepared for them from eternity past.  It is very true that their decisions will gain them entrance into the kingdom, but God’s sovereignty will have directed their paths to the kingdom (see Romans 8:29-30).
B. The invitation justified (Matthew 25:35-36).
1. (vs. 35).  The King continues to say to the believers on His right side “For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in.”  The Messiah’s reason for including those on His right side in the kingdom is the good deeds they did for Him personally.  When He was hungry they fed Him. When He needed water, they supplied it.  When He was a stranger, they treated Him as if He wasn’t.  Jesus uses His own principle here that people are known by their works (see Matthew 7:16-20).  The works or deeds that the sheep performed reveal that they were genuine believers in Christ.  They know Him and He knows them and He welcomes them into His glorious kingdom.
2. (vs. 36).  In this verse the King continues with the reasons why He has invited these believers into His kingdom.  He said “Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.”  Jesus tells them that when He was naked they gave Him clothing.  When He was sick, they came to see Him.  When He was in prison they did the same.  Such acts of compassion reveal their character as true children of God.  Note:  A serious problem can arise here.  How can the same Lord who taught salvation by faith in Him (see John 3:16; 5:24; 6:47) seemingly accept persons into His kingdom on the basis of good works?  Will a different way of salvation prevail at the time of the tribulation?  Many people have taught, on the basis of these verses that even in our day we are saved by charitable deeds and social actions.  Jesus was not teaching salvation by works here.  Instead, He was pronouncing the principle that good deeds are the evidence of salvation.  Without them there is good reason to question a person’s faith and love (see James 2:14-26; I John 3:16-18).  The outward sign of discipleship is love (see John 13:34-34) that reaches out to the needy in practical ways.
C. The invitation questioned (Matthew 25:37-39).
1. (vs. 37).  After giving those on His right the reasons why they were being invited into the kingdom, this verse says “Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?”  In response to the King’s gracious words, those on His right, now identified as “the righteous,” will ask with some surprise, when had they done those good deeds to Him.  They had never seen Christ before.  Such a reaction and response is typical of godly, unselfish people who give of themselves without looking for thanks or reward.  Their love for Christ and their neighbor overflows in spontaneous good deeds, and they are really unaware of having done any good deeds.  That’s exactly what made these deeds so good! These believers are the opposite of the Pharisee who kept a mental list of his deeds and recited them back to God (see Luke 18:11-12).  Note:  This reaction of the believers at the judgment will be positive proof that these saints have not been saved by good works, for if they had been saved by works they would have swelled with pride when the King mentioned their good deeds.  The example of these people of God should challenge us to examine our motives for service.  Those who are self-conscious about their contributions and disappointed when they are not recognized are serving for the wrong reasons.  The service God delights in comes from a desire to glorify Him and edify others (see Matthew 5:16; Romans 14:19).
2. (vs. 38).  The righteous went on to ask “When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?”  They continued to repeat to Christ the list of deeds that He gave them credit for.  These righteous were still unaware of when they saw Jesus as a stranger and took Him in or when they saw Him without clothing and gave Him some.
3. (vs. 39).  They concluded their question to Christ saying “Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?”  Again, they had no recollection of doing any of these things for Christ simply because it was now their nature to do these things for anyone.  These righteous people have been transformed and empowered by the Holy Spirit which caused them to consider practical concern for others as a normal part of life.  Their ministry to the needy is produced by God living within them; so they see no reason to boast.
D. The invitation explained (Matthew 25:40).  This verse says “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”  The King will explain to those on His right hand, the sheep or the righteous, how they had ministered to His needs.  The word “verily” means truly and introduces Jesus’ declaration that “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”  It’s clear that they will have shown great compassion toward Jesus’ “brethren” and Jesus will see those acts as done unto Him personally.  The words “my brethren” apparently introduce a third group of people present at this judgment.  But who are they? 

VI. THE KING’S JUDGMENT (Matthew 25:41-46)

A. The judgment declared (Matthew 25:41).  This verse says “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.”  After having addressed the sheep, or the righteous in verse 34, here the King turns and addresses those on His left, the goats.  He will say to them “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire.”  Jesus said to the righteous “come” (see vs. 34).  But to those on His left, the unbelievers He says “Depart from me.”  This phrase indicates an eternal banishment from Jesus’ presence.  He and the unbelievers are completely incompatible, so they cannot enter His kingdom.  When we consider all that God’s presence means, joy, peace, protection, justice, and sympathy, then separation from Him is the most horrible part of eternal punishment.  Jesus experienced that same fate, separation from the Father Himself (see Matthew 27:46) so that men wouldn’t have to face it.  He addresses the sheep as “ye blessed of my Father” (see vs. 34), but He calls the goats “ye cursed.”  Notice, the King does not say “ye cursed of my Father” because whatever curse that rests on them they will have brought on themselves.  Whereas those on the right will “inherit the kingdom” (see vs. 34), those on the left will be banished “into everlasting fire.”  Some people understand the words “everlasting fire” to be metaphorical language, but it appears so often in the Scripture that it certainly must be literal (see Matthew 18:8-9; Mark 9:43-48).  While the righteous were told that the kingdom was “prepared for (them) from the foundation of the world” (see vs. 34), the wicked will learn that “everlasting fire” was “prepared for the devil and his angels.”  However, the tragedy here is that the “everlasting fire” or the lake of fire (see Revelation 20:14-15) was not prepared for humans, yet because of disobedience and failure to trust Christ as Saviour, many humans will go there.  This is the final place of eternal conscious suffering and it is the destiny of the unsaved of all ages.  Satan and his angels made their choice and determined their own end.  Likewise, when people persist in living under Satan’s rule, they also voluntarily consign themselves to the same end.  Note:  Let no one believe the popular myth that Satan is the ruler of hell.  Jesus Christ holds the keys to hell (see Revelation 1:18), and His judgment alone will determine who must go there.  Satan and his followers, both angelic and human will inhabit hell as fellow sufferers.
B. The judgment justified (Matthew 25:42-43).
1. (vs. 42).  In this verse the King continues to say to those on His left hand “For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink.”  The King will condemn the unbelieving Gentiles on the same grounds that He will accept those who believe.  The King will declare that they did nothing to help Him in His time of suffering and need.  Just as the righteous will be recognized by their good deeds, the wicked will be known by the absence of those deeds.  Christ will say to the unbelievers that when He was hungry, thirsty, in need of shelter and clothing, sick and imprisoned, they didn’t even offer to help.  Again, when we fail to minister to Christ’s followers we fail to minister to Him which reveals a heart that has not been regenerated by the work of the Holy Spirit.  In other words, the outward actions of the unbelievers will indicate the spiritual condition of their souls.  Note:  These unbelievers are not condemned for committing the more hideous sins like murder, sorcery, or immorality.  Instead, they are condemned for sins of negligence and omission.  Sins of omission are those things we had the opportunity to do for others but chose not to do anything. In other words they were indifferent to the crying needs of others.
2. (vs. 43).  In this verse Jesus continued to give the unbelieving Gentiles the grounds on which their judgment will be based.  He said “I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.”  Again, the King will condemn the unbelieving Gentiles on the same grounds that He will accept those who believe (see vss. 35-36).  
C.  The judgment questioned (Matthew 25:44).  This verse says “Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?”  Just like the righteous in verse 37, the unbelievers or wicked will ask the King when did they ever see Him suffering in the ways He described.  These condemned unbelievers will question the King’s verdict to send them into the lake of fire.  In essence they were asking how could they have neglected His needs if they had never seen Him before.  They are suggesting that they never had the opportunity to help Him in times of need.  The wicked in their pride will fail to remember any point in their lives where they had fallen short of ministering to Jesus.  There are many such self-righteous people like that today.  They declare that if they had opportunities to serve Christ they would.  The opportunities were all around them, but they were too selfish to notice.
D. The judgment explained (Matthew 25:45-46).
1. (vs. 45).  This verse says “Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.”  In response to their question, Christ will explain to the unrighteous that failing to help “one of the least of these” was the same thing as failing to help Him.  The goats, or unbelievers who survive the tribulation will have had the same opportunities to aid the godly Jewish remnant during the tribulation period that the sheep or righteous had, but they won’t even have the desire to take advantage of those opportunities. 
2. (vs. 46).  Our final verse says “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”  Jesus concluded His description of the judgment with the solemn declaration that each group would go to its eternal destiny.  The eternal state of the goats or the unrighteous is mentioned first.  Jesus said that “these shall go away into everlasting punishment.”  He left no possibility for future repentance and release.  Not only will they be excluded from the messianic kingdom here on earth, but they will also be separated from God’s presence throughout eternity.  On the other hand, Jesus said the sheep or the righteous who cared for His people during the tribulation will go “into life eternal.”  They will enter the messianic kingdom and continue to live with the King forever.  Of course a person receives eternal life when he or she accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour (see John 5:11-12).  But here in this verse “life eternal” refers to the final abode of believers in the presence of God.  Notice that the existence of the condemned is called “eternal punishment” not eternal life in punishment.  The terms everlasting and eternal translate the same word.  “Eternal life” is a term always reserved for believers.  It denotes a supreme quality of life as well as an unending quantity.  “Eternal life” is the very life of God given as a gift to those who receive Christ by faith (see Romans 6:23; I John 5:12).  Note:  The teaching of Scripture is clear: works don’t earn salvation (see Ephesians 2:8-10).  However, works do reveal the heart of a person (see James 2:18).  In fact, our works or deeds are an objective test of our relationship with God.  Although the judgment in our passage involves those who will live in a future generation, the principles of God’s judgment are as eternal as His nature.  Everyone will someday stand before Him.  The first judgment will involve those who are caught up in the rapture and will stand before the judgment seat of Christ where we will be judged on our works (see II Corinthians 5:10), and receive or lose rewards (see I Corinthians 3:13-15).  The second judgment is presented in our text.  It involves those who are left behind and survive the tribulation.  The third and final judgment will be the Great White Throne judgment where the wicked unbelievers of all generations will stand before God to be cast into the lake of fire (see Revelation 20:11-15).  The external issue that will determine the fate of those who stand before the King in the judgment presented in our lesson, will be how they treated Jesus’ brethren, godly Jews testifying for Him under great trial.  However, the real issue will be their personal relationship with the King Himself.  This same issue will determine the eternal destiny of all of us.

              
VII. Conclusion.  By interpretation, our lesson this week concerns the believers and unbelievers who survive the tribulation period.  However, by application, the text applies to us today.  We are to give extra care to the needy and helpless because helping them is the same as helping Jesus.  So what can we do to help troubled people?  We may need to give money.  We may need to offer a ride to someone, or to spend time with a lonely person.  Such help may be given to believers or unbelievers, since we really don’t know who is saved and who is not.  Only God knows that.  But caring for unbelievers can create an excellent opportunity to share Christ with them.  Contrary to some interpretations, helping the helpless or needy does not save us.  We are saved through faith in Christ.  However, our faith should lead us to help people, because in helping them we are actually helping Christ.  But the biggest hurdle we face is our own selfishness.  We may have to sacrifice our personal pleasures to be able to give time to someone in need.  Let’s all commit to doing what is sometimes inconvenient and make an effort to help the least among us.



































      

           

Serving Neighbors, Serving God

                                                                  Sunday School Lesson

                                            

Lesson: Luke 10:25-34
                                                                                                 
Golden Text: “And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself” (Luke 10:27).
I.  INTRODUCTION.  One serious problem in our fast paced society is the loss of individual identity.  People become anonymous faces in a crowd, statistics for a census or poll, or names on a computerized mailing list.  They are often valued only as voters, customers, clients, suppliers, workers, church members, or taxpayers.  But worse than that, some people are seen as hindrances, nuisances, and liabilities in our efficient and neatly ordered way of life.  The mentally disabled child, the physically handicapped, the poor, and the helpless elderly too often suffer ostracism, neglect, or worse.  It’s time for Christians to remind themselves of the value of individuals.  Jesus moved among the crowds, but He saw the individuals in them.  They were not objects to be used, but persons loved and redeemed.  Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan reveals His values.  Through the sad incident by the roadside and the compassionate act of the ethnic outcast, Jesus answered a crucial question: Who is my neighbor?
II. A HOSTILE QUESTION (Luke 10:25-29)
A. The lawyer’s intent (Luke 10:25).  Our first verse says “And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”  On an unspecified occasion, “a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted” Jesus.  Jesus may have been teaching in a synagogue with this man seated in the audience.  At an appropriate time, the man rose to state his question.  Jesus’ questioner is identified as a “lawyer.”  The term here doesn’t indicate a trial attorney but instead one who was an expert in Jewish law.  He was a scribe.  The lawyer “tempted” Jesus meaning he put Jesus to the test.  He asked, “Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”  Taken at face value, the question seemed to be a sincere one.  But the lawyer was an expert in the law and should have known the answer to such a basic question.  The question was not sincere.  It was designed to test Jesus’ teaching to see if it conformed to the law.  He addressed Jesus as “Master” meaning teacher which gives us a clue that he was not asking because he was personally seeking eternal life, but because he wanted to discuss a theological point with One who taught regularly.  The fact that he used the words “what shall I do” appear to indicate that the lawyer assumed that some work was required in order to gain life.  In the New Testament “eternal life” is commonly used to mean the same thing as being saved or entering God’s kingdom.  However, the lawyer wasn’t looking for information.  He was looking for a chance to turn Jesus’ answer against Him.  Note:  We should ever be grateful for people who study and share God’s truth, but that truth must never become a mere subject for discussion.  God gave it to transform lives.  If we treat it as simply textbook material we are making God’s eternal truths trivial and robbing people of spiritual development.
B. Jesus’ question (Luke 10:26).  This verse says “He (Jesus) said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?”  Jesus didn’t answer directly but turned the question back to the lawyer.  He asked the legal expert “What is written in the law?  By referring back to the law, Jesus was showing His respect for the law to which this man had dedicated his life.  Jesus then asked “how readest thou?”  In other words, “how do you understand it?”  Jesus knew that the man already had an answer to his own question so He allowed him to express it.  Note:  Answering a question with another question was one of Jesus’ favorite teaching techniques.  He could have given an extended exposition on the subject and silenced His questioner, but Jesus wanted the lawyer to think more deeply about his own question.  Jesus knew that the lawyer’s question assumed that eternal life could be earned by good works.  He seemed to have no sense of sin which requires atonement. That had to be corrected.
C. The lawyer’s knowledge (Luke 10:27).   This verse says “And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.”  The lawyer undoubtedly had an answer ready.  He immediately answered Jesus by quoting Deuteronomy 6:5.  This was part of the Shema which means “to hear.”  It’s the Jewish profession of faith which begins, “Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (see Deuteronomy 6:4).  The complete Shema is found in Numbers 15:37-41; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; 11:13-21.  Every devout Jew knew and recited this every day.  An expert in Jewish law would be expected to give this answer.  It is a command to love the Lord with all one’s “heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength.”  These terms put together refer to directing a person’s entire being toward God, including the inner person, emotions, and physical strength.  But the lawyer went one step further and added “with all thy mind” which would include one’s intellect also directed toward God.  The lawyer also combined this quotation from Deuteronomy 6:5 with one from Leviticus 19:18, which demands that a person’s love for his neighbor should be equal to his or her love for self.  Both of these quotations were later declared by Jesus to be the greatest commandments in the law (see Matthew 22:37-40).    
D. Jesus’ comment (Luke 10:28).  In this verse Jesus said to the lawyer “Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.”  Jesus’ comment probably surprised the lawyer for at least two reasons.  First, Jesus agreed with him.  He said “Thou hast answered right.”  There was no reason for an intellectual debate between them.  Second, Jesus applied the lawyer’s answer to him personally when He said “this do, and thou (you) shalt live.”  But the word translated “do” here is in the present tense and means “to keep doing it.”  The lawyer may have assumed that knowing the right answer would insure eternal life, but only constant obedience would be enough.
E. The lawyer’s self-justification (Luke 10:29).  This verse says “But he (the lawyer), willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?”  The lawyer was not ready to accept Jesus’ simple answer.  So he “willing to justify himself” asked another question.  The phrase “to justify himself” means to show himself that he was righteous.  If he was convinced that he had perfectly kept the commands to love God and his neighbor constantly, he never would have asked this question.  He knew that he didn’t really love all people, just those he considered to be his neighbors.  Being a lawyer, Jesus’ questioner looked for a loophole asking Him “And who is my neighbour?”  If he could get Jesus to admit that certain persons were not his neighbors, he could save his conscience regarding his lack of love.  Note:  It’s clear that the lawyer had an ulterior motive in asking who his neighbor was.  He didn’t really want to know how far his circle of love should extend.  The Jewish leaders had already determined that.  Their circle of neighbors excluded Samaritans and Gentiles.  However, his question gave Jesus the opportunity to teach a great truth.
III. A POWERFUL ILLUSTRATION (Luke 10:30-34)
A. A desperate situation (Luke Luke 10:30).  This verse says “And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.”  To answer the lawyer’s question, who is my neighbor, Jesus told a parable: an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.  This story may well have been factual or at least based on fact.  Jesus’ stories were designed to make a point or to teach a truth, but there was always reality involved.  The story concerned a man travelling “down from Jerusalem to Jericho.”  The trip from Jerusalem to Jericho went downward and covered about seventeen miles.  Note:  To show how much Jews despised Samaritans, in order to avoid them, many Jews when travelling from Jerusalem to Galilee in the north would take the road south to Jericho, cross the Jordan River, and then  turn back north through Perea and on to Galilee.  They would take the same path back to Jerusalem.  However, the more direct route to Galilee would have been through Samaria, but Jews would do all they could to avoid those people.  The road down from Jerusalem to Jericho was winding and rocky and was an ideal place for robbers and murderers.  Jesus’ listeners could easily have imagined the situation of the man in the story.   He said that this “certain man” probably a Jew, “fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.”  This man was attacked by thieves who stripped him of everything he had including his clothing.  They beat him and left him to die by the road.
B. Selfish responses (Luke 10:31-32). 
1. (vs. 31).  This verse goes on to say “And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.”  Jesus said that it was only “by chance” or by coincidence that a priest came by while the man was lying there wounded.  Since Jericho was the home of many priests, it’s likely that this priest was returning home after serving his appointed time at the temple in Jerusalem.  Jesus goes on to say that “when he (the priest) saw him (the wounded man), he passed by on the other side.”  The word “saw” signifies more than a passing glance.  It indicated that the priest got a good look at the man, but still intended to avoid him by crossing over to the other side of the road.   We can speculate that the priest thought the wounded man was close to death or already dead, and he didn’t want to defile himself ceremoniously by touching a dead body (see Leviticus 21:1-4).  But this was no excuse not to help for James 2:9-10 says “But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.  For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”
2. (vs. 32).  In this verse Jesus said “And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.”  The Levite, like the priest might have been expected to show compassion since he was also a religious professional (see Numbers 1:47-54) assisting the priests in the temple.  He did show some curiosity for he went to the man “at the place” meaning where he was, and “looked on him.”  But even the Levite crossed the road and “passed by on the other side.”  Note:  The response from these two religious leaders was inexcusable.  Their law had taught them to rescue even a friend’s or an enemy’s animal of burden if it was in trouble (see Exodus 23:5; Deuteronomy 22:4).  So how much more should they have cared for a person in need.  Showing mercy to those in need is one of the most basic requirements of the law of God (see Micah6:8).  If Israelites were required to show mercy even to strangers (see Leviticus 19:34) and enemies (see Exodus 23:4, 5; II Kings 6:8-23), then surely they should show mercy to fellow Israelites.  Their religion had become simply a ritual to be performed at one location and was not relevant to daily life.  They didn’t consider the injured man to be a neighbor in need.  While the priest and the Levite no doubt would have claimed to love God, they had no love for their fellow man.  Many Christians today fall into similar sin.  They attend their lovely sanctuaries but isolate themselves from the needy of the world.  They won’t associate with dirty, unkempt, and sickly people, but those are often the ones the Lord has sent our way (see James 2:1-9).  When Jesus walked the earth, He took His place with the outcasts---lepers, tax collectors, harlots, and handicapped.  Therefore, He was greatly criticized by the religious establishment.  Would Jesus fare any better today?  Any religion that ostracizes, or ignores the needy can scarcely be called Christian. 
C. A loving response (Luke 10:33-34).
1. (vs. 33).  In this verse, Jesus continued to say “But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him.”  The next person to see the injured man was not a Jewish leader or layman but a “Samaritan.”  Jesus could not have chosen a more distasteful illustration for a Jewish audience.  Jews hated Samaritans.  They were considered half-breeds and were considered semi-pagan because they had their own religion as a rival to Judaism (see John 4:20-21).  To be fair, it must be said that Samaritans generally hated Jews as well.  Note:  In order to get the full impact of this story we must have some understanding of the prejudice and hatred that existed between the Jews and the Samaritans.  When Sargon of Syria conquered Samaria, the northern part of Israel in 721 B.C., many Jews in that area were taken captive from their homeland and were gradually replaced with heathen people from other parts of the Assyrian Empire.  These imported people intermarried with Jews who had remained in the land and the descendents of their offspring became the Samaritans of Jesus’ day.  Samaria became a place where Hebrews and Gentiles mixed through intermarriage (see II Kings 17:23-33).  The religion of the Samaritans was a mixture of Judaism and paganism.  True Jews despised the Samaritans and avoided them and their country (see John 4:9).  This Samaritan however, showed compassion toward the injured man.  Jesus said that this man “came where he (the injured man) was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him.”  The word “compassion” refers to pity coming from the innermost part of one’s being, or the seat of one’s affections.  This kind of affection is necessary for an effective ministry (see Matthew 9:35-10:1).  Jesus dared to use a Samaritan as an example of compassion while speaking to His Jewish audience.  When the callous priest and Levite saw the injured man they passed by as far from him as they could.  They didn’t want to be bothered or inconvenienced.  But when the Samaritan saw the injured man, he had compassion on him.  He didn’t try to see first what his nationality was or ask whether this Jew would have helped him.  Compassion carried him beyond such pettiness.     
2. (vs. 34).  In our final verse Jesus said “And (the Samaritan) went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.”  The Samaritan showed his compassion in practical ways.  First he “bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine.”  He bandaged the injured man’s wounds, while pouring wine and oil on them.  “Wine” was used as an antiseptic to cleanse his wounds, and the “oil” was olive oil used to ease the pain.  These were common remedies in the ancient world.  Since the injured man couldn’t walk, the Samaritan also “set him on his own beast” probably a donkey, while he walked on the rocky road so the injured man could ride.  Then he “brought him to an inn, and took care of him.”  He took the man to an inn where he personally cared for him overnight.  Note:  The Samaritan’s care for the man was not yet finished according to Luke 10:35 which is not part of our lesson but probably should be.  On the next day when the Samaritan was leaving the inn he left money with the innkeeper for the patient’s further care.  He gave the innkeeper “two pence” or two denari which was equal to two days wages.  This was enough to care for the injured man for maybe several weeks.  Leaving instructions for the host to care for the injured man, the Samaritan went his way, but not before he assured the innkeeper that when he returned he would repay any extra costs incurred.  Here is a remarkable picture of selfless love shown by a total stranger.  We may argue that the story is too idealistic and that such care would be very unlikely in real life.  But that’s not the point.  Jesus was illustrating what loving one’s neighbor as oneself really means.  Remember, this parable does not answer the question, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?”  It answers the question “Who is my neighbor?”
                                    
IV. Conclusion.  This parable of the Good Samaritan shows the connection between loving God and loving others.  Those who believe in God and truly love Him will also love others, even to the point of inconveniencing themselves to care for them.  Those who don’t love others show that they don’t love God either.  Let’s ask the Lord to help us see our neighbors as He does and be willing to inconvenience ourselves to serve them.  In that way, we demonstrate the degree of our love for God.




































      

Feasting and Fasting

                                                                         Sunday School Lesson

                                            

Lesson: Daniel 1:5, 8-17; Matthew 6:16-18
                                                                                                 
Golden Text: “But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly” (Matthew 6:17-18).
I.  INTRODUCTION.  Our first lesson for this quarter under Stewardship for Life, highlights the concept of fasting which means limiting or denying ourselves food so that we have more time for spiritual endeavors.  May our study this week help us to learn the value of limiting rather than indulging so that we can be effective stewards of the lives the Lord has given us.
II. BACKGROUND FOR THE LESSON.  Daniel found himself in Babylon as a result of King Nebuchadnezzar’s first invasion of Jerusalem in 605 B.C. during the reign of Jehoiakim (see Daniel 1:1-2; II Kings 24:1).   The third and final invasion occurred in 586 B.C. when the temple and Jerusalem were destroyed (see II Kings 25:1-2, 8-10).  However, during the first invasion, in addition to taking some of the sacred vessels from the temple, the king also captured some young men of Judaean royalty and nobility (see Daniel 1:3).  He wanted them primarily to train for service to him.  But before these young captives could be useful to the king, they had to be taught “the learning and the tongue (language) of the Chaldeans” or Babylonians (see Daniel 1:4).  The king wanted mentally alert, well-rounded, well-informed persons capable of even further intellectual growth through this training. This is where our lesson begins.
III. THE KING’S PURPOSE (Daniel 1:5).  This verse says “And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.”  As part of preparing these young Jewish men for his service “the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank.”  In other words, only the finest food and drink was considered appropriate for these young men.  Each day they were to receive the same food and wine that the king enjoyed.  The reason they were given the same food was “so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.”  This refers to the time allotted to develop their bodies and minds before appearing before the king.  The Hebrew term for “nourishing” means to grow up or make great.  During this training period they were to mature physically, socially, and intellectually so that they could “stand before the king” or in his presence.  Note:  The wonderful treatment given the young Hebrews came with a price attached.  Education in Babylonian literature and customs was intended to wean them from their Jewish outlook.  The change in their names (see Daniel 1:6-7) was also designed to erase thoughts of their God and instill the message of service to pagan deities.  Daniel was given the name Belteshazzar; Hananiah’s name was changed to Shadrach; Mishael’s name was changed to Meshach and Azariah’s name was changed to Abednego.  The four of them were given Babylonian names.
IV. DANIEL’S DECISION (DANIEL 1:8-17)
A. The request (Daniel 1:8).  This verse continues to say “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.”  There was nothing inherently wrong with serving politically in a Gentile court and submitting to the training necessary for doing so.  However, the prescribed diet demanded that a Jew compromise his godly principles.  Because of his loyalty to the Lord “Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank.”  Daniel firmly resolved that he wouldn’t “defile himself” by eating the king’s food and drinking his wine.  He undoubtedly discerned “in his heart” or internally that what was proposed for them to eat would make him and his three friends either morally or ceremoniously unclean, and thus affecting their relationship with God.  The king’s food certainly included some foods God had declared unclean for Israelites (see Leviticus chapter 11; Deuteronomy 14:3-20).  In addition, both food and wine would have been dedicated to pagan gods before being served, indicating the eaters’ desire to receive blessings from those gods.  It was a decision they didn’t make lightly because to disobey the king meant inviting his wrath.  Because of his convictions, Daniel “requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.”  He was not brash nor was he trying to be a martyr; he approached Ashpenaz, the head of the eunuchs (see Daniel 1:3) with courtesy and tact.  He demonstrated the spirit of respect and cooperation that should always guide believers even when taking a strong stand.
B. The resistance (Daniel 1:9-10).
1. (vs. 9).  This verse says “Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.”  God honors those who honor Him.  He intervened on behalf of these four young men.  He “brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.”  In other words, the head of the eunuchs had unusual compassion toward Daniel as he explained why they didn’t wish to eat the king’s food.  Note:  These choice youths were under the supervision of Ashpenaz, the master of the king’s eunuchs.  The Hebrew word for “eunuch” has more than one meaning.  It may signify persons in royal courts who were physical eunuchs.  These were servants in the royal household who were often castrated as a precautionary measure especially if they served among the wives in a ruler’s harem.  The same Hebrew word may also refer to court officials in general.  It is uncertain whether Ashpenaz was a physical eunuch or a royal officer.
2. (vs. 10).  This verse says “And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.”  Although Ashpenaz “the prince of the eunuchs” was sympathetic to Daniel, he also faced a problem. He said to Daniel “I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink.”  It appears that the prince of the eunuchs, Ashpenaz wanted to help Daniel, but he was also afraid of the king he served.  This is seen in his words “for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.”  The officer feared that any change in diet would soon show up in the four young men’s appearance.  When they would stand before Nebuchadnezzar after three years he would spot them immediately.  The words “worse liking” means “worse looking,” or “appearing saddened.”   Ashpenaz believed that changing the young men’s diet would take the color from their faces and leave them leaner than others of their own age.  This would reflect on the quality of care he was giving these four youths.  If Nebuchadnezzar discovered that a trusted official had gone against his orders, Ashpenaz told Daniel “then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.”  He would surely lose his head and Daniel and his three friends would be to blame for it.  The king was the law; when he was offended, his fury knew no bounds (see Daniel 2:12; 3:19).
C. The plan (Daniel 1:11-13). 
1. (vs. 11).  This verse says “Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.”  It appears that at this point in time Ashpenaz refused Daniel’s request.  However, the issue was so important to Daniel that he refused to give up.  He went to “Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.”  The Hebrew word for “Melzar” is not a proper name, but simply means “the steward.”  Ashpenaz, the prince of the eunuchs had put this man in charge of Daniel and his four friends.  The names for the four youths given here were their Hebrew names.  Remember they were given Babylonian names to replace their Hebrew names (see Daniel 1:6-7).  Note:  It may seem backward (and maybe even presumptuous) for Daniel, after being refused by the commander, to appeal to his subordinate.  But this steward probably didn’t have the direct contact with the king that his superior, Ashpenaz had and therefore didn’t have to be so cautious. 
2. (vs. 12).  In this verse Daniel says to Melzar “Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.”  Daniel proposed a test to Melzar.  He begged the steward to “let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink” for “ten days.”  The word “pulse” comes from a Hebrew word meaning “to sow seed.”  Therefore it refers to anything that grows from seed.  It could have included vegetables and grains.  Obviously it ruled out meat.  The vegetable diet would be nourishing and the omission of all kinds of meat would eliminate the risk of eating anything unclean.  Wine would be replaced by water.  Note:  Such a diet is not God’s prescription today for all godly people and God didn’t prescribe it for Israel when giving the law.  It was His formula for this occasion to establish an important principle: He will care for those who honor Him.  In every generation there are those who often claim a higher spirituality on the basis of having restricted their diets; yet Scripture rejects such a teaching (see Mark 7:14-19; I Timothy 4:1-5).
3. (vs. 13).  In this verse Daniel continued with his proposal.  He said “Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.”   Daniel said that after the ten days “let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat.”  The word “countenance” refers to appearance.  Daniel was asking the steward to compare the overall appearance of him and his three friends with those who ate the king’s food.  Much faith was required for Daniel to suggest this test.  He had to trust the steward to be fair in his judgment and willing to make the right decision.  But more important, He had to trust God to keep the four of them healthy during the ten days so that their appearance might not become less attractive than those who ate the king’s food.  Daniel left the final decision with the steward saying “as thou seest, deal with thy servants.”  In other words, Daniel was telling the steward that if after ten days on a diet of vegetables and water, if the four of them didn’t look as healthy as the others, he could deal with them as he saw fit.  Daniel was determined to honor God in his life, but he also recognized the authorities over him and didn’t want to embarrass or put them in danger.  But through it all, he trusted God to keep him and his friends healthy on the diet he proposed.
D. The consent (Daniel 1:14).  This verse says “So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.”  The fact that the steward “consented” or agreed to Daniel’s proposal reveals that he was favorably inclined toward Daniel and his friends.  Since Daniel’s proposal was very reasonable and wouldn’t be a risk for Ashpenaz, the steward approved it and “proved (or tested) them ten days.”
E. The result (Daniel 1:15-16).     
1. (vs. 15).  This verse says “And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat.”  The steward agreed to Daniel’s request and the results were remarkable.  When the ten days were completed “their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat.”  The word “fairer” simply means better.  Daniel and his friends looked better nourished than all the others who ate the king’s food.  They hadn’t lost weight, nor did they appear sickly.  Instead, they looked healthier than the others.  Note:  The physical superiority of Daniel and his three friends after ten days was not due entirely to their diet.  It seems rather remarkable that ten days would reveal this much difference.  God intervened on their behalf to give them a good result, thus honoring those who strove to honor Him.  Later on He would again intervene in challenges these four would face (see Daniel 3:20-27; 6:16-23). 
2. (vs. 16).  This verse says “Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.”  Convinced by what he saw, the steward, Melzar “took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.”  The phrase “took away” means that he continued to take their food and wine away.  In other words, he continued to withhold the royal food and drink from Daniel and his three friends.  However, we can be sure that he kept a close eye on the four and that at the first sign of deteriorating health he would have stopped this unique arrangement.
F. The reward (Daniel 1:17).  This verse says “As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.”  These young men are referred to as the “four children.”  The word “children” can also mean “youths” since they were probably in their late teens after the three year period.  God gave them “knowledge” which refers to understanding the content of what they had been taught and “skill” which means insight into the meaning of this knowledge.  These abilities extended to “all learning and wisdom” an expression referring to the various types of Babylonian literature they studied.  Note:  The text says that God gave these four youths their abilities.  This does not mean that they didn’t put any effort into studying.  They must have spent untold hours mastering the prescribed language, history, literature, and customs.  God gave them the innate gifts and prospered their work because they honored Him; yet He expected them to develop and sharpen those gifts through continuous effort.  God still works this way.  Those who eventually excel in His service don’t become instant successes.  They develop the gifts God has given them and trust Him to do what they cannot.  Those who wait lazily for God to drop excellence into their laps wait in vain.  God gave Daniel an additional gift “understanding in all visions and dreams.”  This understanding was entirely from God and couldn’t be learned from Babylonian resources.  This wasn’t an automatic knowledge of all supernaturally revealed dreams because only after fervent prayer was Daniel able to reveal Nebuchadnezzar’s dream to him (see Daniel 2:17-23).  Daniel’s special gift of understanding visions and dreams is introduced here to prepare us for his interpretations recorded later in the book.  Those who serve God in public office have an honorable calling, but they face unique temptations to compromise their standards.  They must therefore at the outset of their careers resolve as Daniel did to place God’s will above every other consideration.
V. THE LORD’S GUIDANCE (Matthew 6:16-18).  The second portion of our lesson shows the contrast between the motivation behind Daniel and his three friends’ actions and the motivations of those who perform religious acts simply to receive praise from men.  Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah were not motivated by a desire to maintain their integrity and properly honor their God.  The religious folk Jesus discusses in the remaining verses did things just to receive honor and acclaim from the people.
A.  Avoid hypocrisy (Matthew 6:16).  This verse says “Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.”  As part of His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave His followers instructions about fasting.  He began by saying “Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces.”  Fasting was a voluntary practice and was meant to set aside time from eating and the routines of life to devote completely to the Lord in humble repentance and seeking His will.  Unfortunately, some people abused this practice by making it a show of spirituality.  Jesus called them “hypocrites” and they were found mostly among the scribes and Pharisees (see Matthew 5:20; 23:13).  The Pharisees were a Jewish religious party who prided themselves on keeping the law.  But in reality, they gave more importance to their own man-made laws than they did to God’s law (see Matthew 15:1-9).  Jesus said not to be like them and described them as having “a sad countenance (appearance): for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast.”  In other words many of them wanted people to know when they were fasting.  They had sad expressions and some even disfigured their faces probably by putting ashes on them.  All this was designed to show people how devoted to God they were.  But their fasting was directed more at the people than at God.  They wanted to be seen as holy, and therefore Jesus said “They have their reward.”  They received their reward when people acknowledged their so-called holiness.  They couldn’t expect anything from God.
B. Seek the Father (Matthew 6:17-18).  
1. (vs. 17).  In this verse Jesus goes on to say “But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face.”  Jesus told His followers that unlike the scribes and Pharisees who flaunted their spirituality, they were not to show any evidence that they were fasting.  In other words they were to “anoint thine head” meaning they were to put oil on their heads to keep their hair from looking unkempt and also “wash thy face.”  Jesus’ followers were to look as they always looked.  Nothing outward was to indicate that they were fasting and seeking the Lord.  When we are fasting we should continue all our normal activities.
2. (18).  In this last verse, Jesus continues to say why fasting should be private.  He said “That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.”  Fasting is not to be directed toward men but to the Father “which is in secret.”   This means that unlike men who have to see things publicly, God sees everything that we do in secret.  There is no need to proclaim one’s fast in public.  If we are fasting to the Father, He will be well aware of it and even know why we are doing it.  If we keep our fasting private and it’s really directed toward God, Jesus said that He will “reward thee openly.”  Like Daniel and His three friends who honored God with their actions and were rewarded openly with special gifts, God will do the same for us as we honor Him secretly when we fast.  Note:  The fasting in the Bible is always for spiritual reasons and not for some selfish, personal reason.  The purpose of fasting is, among other things, to teach us to do without.  The fewer things that we consider to be essential, the more independent we become from the world and more dependent on God.  Biblical fasting is a very personal thing.  It’s just between us and the Lord.  It’s not a way to lose weight or a way to impress people with how spiritual we are.  It’s a time when a person draws nearer to God.  Only those who seek the approval of people would want to make their fasting public knowledge.
                    
VI. Conclusion.  Fasting is for God’s benefit, not for the people around us.  In fact, Jesus tells us that when we fast, others shouldn’t know it.  There should be no “spiritual look” about us.  If the Lord directs you to fast for a period of time, please follow His leading.  Your fasting may involve abstaining from all food or merely from some kinds of food as we saw with Daniel.  In any kind of fasting, the Scripture is clear: don’t do it to be seen by people.  Do it so that you can devote more time to prayer or to other spiritual disciplines.