KBS Courses - Studies 2021

Koinonia Bible Studies announces its lineup for the Bible studies coming during the 2021 season.Two of the studies are single lesson studies, Tradition and Love of Another Kind. Both of these lessons will be active on January 1, 2021. The other lessons are parts of a series and will be available three weeks before the series is to begin. The series “Confirm Your Calling” can be used in connection to the Lenten Season leading to Easter Sunday. This series will have a daily devotional book, Confirm Your Calling, available through Amazon. Every lesson has several ways that it can be presented, both for individual and small group studies.

2021 KBS Course of Study
KBS_2105_Grab_Your_Passport

Let’s take a closer look at the “Tradition” lesson to see the format and structure of each series. Each lesson has its own web page. If you are an individual wanting a ten to fifteen minute study each week, you can read the information on the main page of the lesson. The menu on the left has several links for additional study. There are also links to internal and external reference sources within the text. Every Scripture reference is linked to a pop-up window, so you don’t even have to have a Bible at your fingertips. From the lesson web page alone, an individual could easily fill an hour or more time in devotion and study.

Studying On Your Own

Below is a screen shot from the web page for the lesson, “Traditions.” Each web page has an accessible menu bar at the upper left hand corner of the page. The three bars click to open a menu of links to biblical study resources, a daily Bible verse, an inspirational quote, and several other features. Every link on the webpage can be clicked or hovered over to access information or other websites to use for reference. Every Scripture verse is linked so the Bible verses themselves will appear in a window.

Needing More to Study?

If the individual wants something to study each day during the week, there are at least two ways to do so. With each lesson, there are daily Bible readings, quotations and prayers for five to ten minutes of meditation and contemplation.

If the individual wants a little more Bible study each day, there are five sub-lessons which will help the student develop a biblical context for the passage or topic. Each lesson has the following five sub-lessons:

Each lesson series has its own main page, with each lesson its own page that is accessible from the lesson series’ main page. The stand-alone lessons each have one page that functions as both. When a series is active, you can click on the picture above and be taken to the lesson series’ main page.You can click on these pictures to find out more about each of the units of study.

Studying the Context

Together these five lessons help you build a context for the topic or passage that is being discussed in the lesson. We often make the mistake in thinking that the context of a passage is the verses before and after the verse we are studying. Context is that plus so much more. “The Pointe” shares the main point of the topic or passage of Scripture. It is going to reference that point with the entire message of the Bible, so that an idea cannot be taken out of context. “Mediterranean Moments” helps you understand the cultural and historical background of the passage. “Wrangling with Words” digs into the background of some of the words in the passage to give you a better and deeper understanding of the subject. “In the Shadows” brings ideas and Scriptures from the Psalms to the table. Psalms captures the heart of the passionate emotions involved in the reality of living here on earth while we are trying to please a spiritual God. Finally, “Walk with God” explores the application of the passage to daily living. If I have understood the passage of Scripture correctly, what should I do about it?

Leading a Small Group

Personal study is helpful, but many of us are involved in leadership. We are often called upon to present in a more formal, almost “lesson-like” setting. Perhaps you lead a small group or Bible study, or have been asked to lead a devotional in an elders’ or deacons’ meeting. A KBS Bible study presents the perfect format to help you lead the presentation of a lesson to others.

There are several ways that you can use this material in a smaller group setting. First, you can handout an excerpt of the lesson material for use with the group. In addition to material that can be found on the website, the points to ponder and the conclusions to consider are printed on the handout. Hover your mouse over the image of the PDF handout. Make as many copies to distribute as your group needs. Second, there is a handout that provides daily Bible readings for the coming week. The Scriptures reinforce the material and pointe from the lesson. Again hover over the image to access a menu that will allow you to examine and print the material. Finally, each of the five context lessons (The Pointe, Mediterranean Moments, Wrangling with Words, In the Shadows, and Walk with God) will have devotional thoughts that you could use in a presentation.

Let’s return to the web page from the “Traditions” lesson.

Below is the list of the different lesson series, the day(s) when the lesson will be taught, when the main pages will be accessible and when the five special context lessons will be accessible.

Series Title Lessons Begin Main Pages Accessible Context Pages Accessible Pages Come Down
Tradition January 3, 2021 December 31, 2020 January 3, 2021
Fear Not January 10, 2021 January 3, 2021 January 10, 2021
Love of Another Kind February 14, 2021 February 7, 2021 February 14, 2021
Confirm Your Calling February 21, 2021 February 14, 2021 February 21, 2021
Mediterranean Moments April 11, 2021 March 28, 2021 April 4, 2021
Doctrines of Contention June 6, 2021 May 23, 2021 May 30, 2021
Road Warriors: Ephesians August 1, 2021 July 18, 2021 July 25, 2021
Restore September 26, 2021 September 19, 2021 September 26, 2021
Royal Psalms October 31, 2021 October 17, 2021 October 24, 2021
Music of Christmas November 28, 2021 November 14, 2021 November 21, 2021

Connecting with Other Leaders

More than likely, if you are on this webpage, you are a leader in your church. Leaders in churches face a unique kind of stress and pressure, one that often leaves feelings of isolation and confusion. My father used to describe it as “being alone in a crowd.” A church leader is rarely alone – meetings, worship, small groups, service – we find ourselves busier than what we want to be most of the time. But in the midst of being with people, we shield a portion of ourselves from others. We don’t want to come across negative, lest we discourage others in the church or leave a bad taste in the mouths of visitors. We don’t want to appear weak, we want to be the mature, strong believer. Probably most importantly, we don’t want to be hurt. Opening ourselves too much – being too vulnerable at the wrong time and in the wrong place can have devastating results.

One of the goals of Koinonia Bible Studies is to provide a safe haven for leaders. What does this website and these lessons hope to accomplish?

Three Purposes of Koinonia Bible Studies

  • Biblical content – whether it be study material for small groups, inspirational or devotional books, or books on any of the theologies – can lead to several interpretations and different meanings. I attended a lecture from a very liberal biblical scholar who said, “The belief in the resurrection is the most attested to fact in history.” At first glance, it sounded like the theologian was being very conservative and biblical. But he wasn’t saying the resurrection was a fact. He was saying that it is a fact that lots of people (mistakenly) believe it.

One of the reasons for the site is the chance to share with you the results of almost fifty years of studying the Bible. These are not intended to be academic, scholarly works of theology. I studied Greek for six years in college and seminary, two years of Hebrew. If I mention Greek, it is not to impress you with my knowledge, but to share something that is going to expand your English. Here is why the Greek is important – here is the difference it will make in how you understand, how you feel and how you act. Maybe it will also give you insights that you can share in your teaching with others.

Many times I have wanted to talk with an author and ask, “What did you mean by this?” During the weeks the lesson is live, you can do just that. Ask me anything about what I have written or what I am saying. I am not here to argue with you, nor convince you to change your particular opinion. But if you want to know what my conclusion is, and how I reached it; I will be glad to share with you.

  • Methodology – sometimes the examples writers give for discussion questions or activities are difficult to interpret. What is the point in doing this?  Sometimes you can see the point, but you know their suggestion would never work with your people. Again, I want to provide a forum where you can ask me – or interact with others who are using the lessons – about ways to present the material, teaching plans, and other ideas. When we share best practices and bounce ideas off one another, we are challenged, refreshed, renewed and probably become a stronger teacher.
  • Prayer – if you are like me, you spend most of your time in leadership praying for others. For people in the church, people who have fallen away a bit, for your family, and for the lost. But it is difficult to even ask for someone to pray for you. We would like to create a place where you can share requests – even in an anonymous way – and know that someone will pray for the circumstance and for you.

Koinonia Studies

There you have it. The reason for these studies – and the reason this website is here. Join with me in this journey. Allow yourself to grow and strengthen and be encouraged. We all need that – regardless of the leadership role we play in the local congregation. Sometimes we need material that we can use as we teach others. But mostly we need the quiet place in the cave where we can watch the lightening go by, we can hear the thunder roar, we can feel the earth shake .. all while we are patiently waiting for the whisper. Lean with me to hear the whisper.

“Fellowship and the Father,” from the lesson series Come Together | fellowship at a distance, October 2020

 

 

 

 

 

[popup_anything id=”2809″]

 

[popup_anything id=”2810″]

 

[popup_anything id=”2825″]

 

[popup_anything id=”2826″]

 

[popup_anything id=”2828″]

 

[popup_anything id=”2827″]

 

our Scripture

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved (Acts 2:42-47 ESV).

Acts 2:42-47 NASB

Acts 2:42-47 NIV

Acts 2:42-47 NLT

Acts 2:42-47 MESSAGE

Our fellowship is with the Father. “And indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3 ESV).

 

Enjoy a one page summary of the lesson. You can print copies for use with your group.

[doc id=3472]

 

One of the incredible reasons that God adopted us (Ephesians 1:5) into His family is for the opportunity to fellowship (1 Corinthians 1:9) with the God of creation.

 

Before His crucifixion, Jesus prayed (John 17) that His disciples would have the same relationship with God that Jesus experienced throughout His existence. What does it mean to have that kind of unity and fellowship with the Father?

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Points to Ponder

  1. Considering what you know about fellowship, how is it possible to have fellowship with someone you cannot see?

[/su_pullquote]

The Bible describes that fellowship with two distinct analogies. The first describes our fellowship with God as a walk. The image goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve walked with God in the cool of the evening.

 

[su_pullquote]Verse to Memorize

“Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the Word of the Lord, and see how they are” (Acts 15:36 ESV). [/su_pullquote]

What images come to mind when we describe a relationship as a walk?

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Words to Wrangle

1. What image comes to mind when you see  yourself “walking with the Father?” [/su_pullquote]

The other symbol is just as stunning. The relationship that we have with the Father is seen as walking in the light (1 John 1:7). You walk differently in the light than you do in darkness, don’t you?

Walking in the light describes the kind of walk that we should experience. It is contrasted against walking around in darkness.” Proverbs tells us that the path of the just is as a shining light … while the way of the wicked in as darkness (Proverbs 4:18-19).

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Conclusions to Consider

What changes about you when you have fellowship with the Father?

[/su_pullquote]

God has promised that for those in His fellowship, He “will lead them in paths they have not known” and that He will “make darkness light before them, and make crooked things straight” (Isaiah 42:16).

How do these concepts add to your understanding of fellowship? How important is our fellowship with God to our fellowship with others?

 

[maxbutton id=”2″] [maxbutton id=”1″]

 

Want to take your study to a deeper level? The images to the below represent five “sub-lessons,” each supporting the theme in today’s lesson.

Click on an image and you will be taken to another page of content. Pick as many as you like.

[simple-author-box]

“Fellowship,” from the lesson series Come Together | fellowship at a distance, October 2020

 

 

 

 

[popup_anything id=”2809″]

 

[popup_anything id=”2810″]

 

[popup_anything id=”2825″]

 

[popup_anything id=”2826″]

 

[popup_anything id=”2828″]

 

[popup_anything id=”2827″]

 

 

our Scripture

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved (Acts 2:42-47 ESV).

Acts 2:42-47 NASB

Acts 2:42-47 NIV

Acts 2:42-47 NLT

Acts 2:42-47 MESSAGE

 

How would you define Christian fellowship?

Enjoy a one page summary of the lesson. You can print copies for use with your group.

[doc id=3458]

The word κοινωνία (koin-oh-knee-uh) is used 20 times in the New Testament, but only about half of them use the definition of “fellowship.” If your understanding of “fellowship” is that of “friendship,” you are missing much of the riches this word has to offer.

 

Κοινωνία is a word used to describe the things in common between believers and their God. The word includes the common belief system or worldview (we look at the world through the same eyes), experiences (worship, rejoicing, comfort, hope), expressions (prayer, giving, communion) and the intimacy and security of God intermingled with the human existence.

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Points to Ponder

  1. Describe your ideal setting for fellowship. Do you have memories of times of fellowship at a church? What does it include? How has it changed as you have grown older?

[/su_pullquote]

Although the concept is primarily a New Testament development, it finds its roots in the covenant and promises made between God and Israel. The foundation for the experience is the Lord’s promise, “I will be with you” (Exodus 3:12, etc). The promise was structured through the laws and agreements of the covenant (Genesis 17:7-8; Joshua 24:2-14; Jeremiah 50:5).

[su_pullquote]Verse to Memorize

“Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the Word of the Lord, and see how they are” (Acts 15:36 ESV). [/su_pullquote]

 

Fellowship intertwines the compartments of life. Faith is directed towards God, but it is meaningful when it is expressed, shared and affirmed with others. Love is directed towards God as a grateful response to His unending love for us, but it finds expression not only to others in the faith, but to those who are currently deemed “unloveable.” Hope points us to our future but finds its rest in the past and its demonstration in the present.

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Words to Wrangle

The Greek word for fellowship shares roots with unity, common and communion. Why are these important?

[/su_pullquote]

 

The root of the word κοινωνία regularly used as a prefix in the ancient Greek language with words like family, home, meeting and business. Adding the prefix describes an immediate family or a public meeting.

 

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Conclusions to Consider

When things are going well in life, do I tend to fellowship more or less with other believers? Why is this?

[/su_pullquote]

 

Jerry Bridges wrote, “There are many elements that go into the total concept of fellowship, but the sharing together in suffering is one of the most profitable.”

 

 

 

[maxbutton id=”2″] [maxbutton id=”1″]

 

Want to take your study to a deeper level? The images below represent five “sub-lessons,” each supporting the theme in today’s lesson.

When you study these five sub-lessons, you will have developed a thorough understanding of the context of today’s main passage of Scripture.

Click on an image and you will be taken to another page of content. Pick as many as you like.

 

 

 

 

 

 

KBS Course 002 Biased Header

 

Lesson One: Is the Media Biased? Lesson Two: Truth Lesson Three: Balance
 Lesson Four: Tolerance Lesson Five: Faith & Reason
[doc id = 3402]

[su_pullquote align=”right”][wise-chat theme=”airflow” show_users_counter=”1″ show_user_name=”1″ allow_post_links=”1″ allow_post_images=”1″ enable_images_uploader=”1″ enable_twitter_hashtags=”1″ show_message_submit_button=”1″ allow_change_user_name=”1″ emoticons_enabled=”4″ window_title=”KBS COURSE CHAT | biased” enable_attachments_uploader=”1″ messages_time_mode=”elapsed” enable_youtube=”1″ allow_change_text_color=”1″][/su_pullquote]

Is the world – particularly the media – biased today against Christianity? Has it always been so, or has it changed in our lifetime? How does that affect the confidence and assurance in our faith? Does it change how we share our faith? Do we share a bias against the world? These five lessons will help us better understand our culture and how we shine our light into a world of darkness.

“Promises to Obey – assembling a ‘to do’ list,” from the lesson series, Return from Babylon | scattered & gathered, June 2020

 

 

[popup_anything id=”2809″]

 

[popup_anything id=”2810″]

 

[popup_anything id=”2825″]

 

 

[popup_anything id=”2826″]

 

[popup_anything id=”2828″]

 

[popup_anything id=”2827″]

 

 

 

our Scripture

Because of all this we make a firm covenant in writing; on the sealed document are the names of our princes, our Levites, and our priests.

28 “The rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all who have separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, their sons, their daughters, all who have knowledge and understanding, 29 join with their brothers, their nobles, and enter into a curse and an oath to walk in God’s Law that was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord and his rules and his statutes.

We obligate ourselves to bring the first fruits of our ground and the first fruits of all fruit of every tree, year by year, to the house of the Lord (ESV);

 

New American Standard Bible: Nehemiah 9:38 NASB, Nehemiah 10:28-29 NASB, Nehemiah 10:35 NASB

New International Version: Nehemiah 9:38 NIV, Nehemiah 10:28-29 NIV, Nehemiah 10:35 NIV

The Message: Nehemiah 9:38 MESSAGE, Nehemiah 10:28-29 MESSAGE, Nehemiah 10:35 MESSAGE

New Living Translation: Nehemiah 9:38 NLT, Nehemiah 10:28-29 NLT, Nehemiah 10:35 NLT

 

our lesson

Do you keep or break promises? If you break them, you are certainly not alone. We have all broken promises before – to our family, our friends and to God. Broken promises have a disastrous effect on our relationships with others and within ourselves.

Enjoy a one page summary of the lesson. You can print copies for use with your group.

[doc id=2736]

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Points to Ponder

1) How do you feel when someone breaks a promise to you? What does it do to the relationship that you have with the person?

2) Sometimes promises are broken for legitimate reasons. When this happens, how do you explain that you will do your best to not let it happen again? How can you best ask for forgiveness?

[/su_pullquote]

why do we break promises

So why do we continue to break promises? First, most people begin with good intentions. We want to please the people that we know and love. We want to do a good job at work or school. While there are some people who intentionally mislead others, most just aren’t able to follow through.

Second, we make our promises based on what our “best self” would do in the circumstance. But our “best self” is rarely at work in keeping the promise. Begin today to work toward keeping your word. If remembering is a problem, find some high tech ways to be reminded of the actions that are needed. Explore the reasons behind why you have difficulties keeping your word.

[su_pullquote]Verse to Memorize

For all the promises of God find their “Yes” in Him. That is why it is through Him that we utter our Amen to God for His glory (2 Corinthians 1:20 ESV). [/su_pullquote]

promises to Nehemiah

For Nehemiah, the people of faith signed a covenant to live their lives with God. First they agreed to walk with God. Henry Ford once said, “Those who walk with God always reach their destination.”

 

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Words to Wrangle

The people of God are called out to be a people who are different than the world. We are a part of the covenant between God and man. The idea of the covenant was a written affirmation of the verbal agreement. The signatures of both parties made the agreement legally binding. Have you entered into such a covenant with God? Have you thought about writing down what you agree to keep as a part of your covenant? [/su_pullquote]

 

Next they promised to observe all the commandments of the Lord. Don’t you love how Nehemiah writes the phrase “the commandments of the Lord, our Lord?” We see things all the time, but there are times when we pay attention and times that we don’t. There are times we see God as almost impersonal – away from us, perhaps watching, reigning from afar. But there are times when we understand it is personal – this is our God, He is concerned with my welfare. He wants me to succeed.

Finally, the people pledged to obey. It takes more than observation of God’s ways, it takes actually doing what He asks. The word implies being compelled by a legal or moral duty, but it is actually a term used in biology.We need to obey because it is our very nature.

pledging to God

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Conclusions to Consider

1) A primary truth in this lesson is we keep our promises because of the certainty of God’s promises. Make a list of promises that God has made and how you recognize they were kept and fulfilled? Can you share one example of how God has kept a promise to you?

2) We can trust God, no matter the circumstance, because God always keeps His promises. Would you agree or disagree? Why? Do we really believe that statement?

3) We are participants in the new covenant with God. In what ways have you put your signature on the dotted line of the contract? [/su_pullquote]

 

It describes something that is restricted to a particular function because of its purpose and design. The lungs are made to breathe air, not water. We are obligated to be faithful and obedient to God by design.

 

The declaration is made by the entire company of people,  filling in the blanks that are implied  in Nehemiah 9:38. Everyone, from the oldest down to the youngest who could understand, was standing before God and sharing in this oath. They reinforced the oath with a curse, in essence calling down disaster if they should go back on their word.

 

 

Return from Babylon: Lesson Four
 sub-lessons
Want to take your study to a deeper level? The images to the right represent ten “sub-lessons,” each supporting the theme in today’s lesson.
Click on an image and you will be taken to another page of content. Pick as many as you like. If you have a small group that meets two weeks apart, there is a study for each week day.

 

Mediterranean Moments

Understanding the context in which a passage from the Bible is written is important because it helps prevent wrong interpretations, which would result in bad theology and confusion. The [popup_anything id=”3076″] provides the complete meaning of Scripture as it is studied. The English word “context” was developed in the early 1400’s meaning a composition, a chronicle, the entire text of a writing. It comes from the Latin contextus which means “a joining together” The word was originally used “to weave together” in such a way that taking one thread from the others would destroy the fabric.

How does Nehemiah 8:2-8 fit into the tapestry of God’s entire message to humanity?

By the eighth chapter of Nehemiah, the walls of the city and the temple were near completion. The phrase “all the people gathered as one man” into the square is identical to Ezra 3:1, which also refers to an assembly on the first day of the seventh month. The object of the meeting in Ezra was to restore the altar of burnt offerings and sacrificial worship. This was key to the entire structure of Jewish worship, from daily activities to annual festivals.

Consider the energy that was present the first Sunday when worship was returned to buildings instead of online. Imagine what would happen if we went for seventy years without celebrating Christmas or Easter. There must have been tears shed, shouts of joy offered, and people embracing one another.

We don’t celebrate alone

We are encouraged not to forsake assembling together (Hebrews 10:25). How can we creatively accomplish that if restrictions for health and safety are in place? Can the people of God “assemble” in one place without actually being physically present?

In Nehemiahs time, assemblies were held by the city gates. The one in our passage convened in the square by the Water Gate. It may be the same place as mentioned in Ezra 10:9; see also Judges 19:15, 2 Chronicles 32:6). The people were gathered as one. Social distancing was certainly not a factor, but the implication touches “with one accord.” There were no minds wandering. There was a focused purpose among the people.

There is absolutely no reason that all of the people in verses four and seven are mentioned by name and included in the Scripture. The lesson being taught is vital. Individual people need to be celebrated. No doubt each of these individuals played an important role in the rebuilding or in the ceremonies that were being held. We clearly need to give honor to those for whom honor is due.

Participating with the Word

Notice in this celebration the place that the Word was given, and how the people participated. It is difficult in today’s worship for individuals to participate – a factor that we probably should work on correcting. Ezra the scribe is told to bring the Book of the Law of Moses before the people. Such scrolls would have been kept in regal containers, treated with the same reverence that was once given to the Ark of the Covenant. When the Torah was brought before the people, there must have been shouts of praise and extended applause.

The men and women who were gathered were people “who could understand what they heard” when the Torah was read. This would be people who retained their knowledge of Hebrew even through the exile. There was no attempt to make the reading of God’s Word “user-friendly.” If you want to be a part of this, you need to know the language.

Ezra read the Law while standing on a raised platform that had been constructed for the event. Pomp and circumstance were a part of the ceremony. It is quite possible that the books read were not only the Torah, but also the Prophets and the other Writings. This would be practically the entire Old Testament which we know today. The reading lasted from early morning until midday.

The impression of this passage is that the people insisted upon the reading of Scripture. While not spontaneous, the attentive listening and heart-searching that followed is evidence this was not imposed upon the people by leadership.

The faithful listened

Throughout the passage, Ezra is seen as reading the Torah to the people. Verse six indicates that Ezra blessed the Lord and all the people answered, “Amen! Amen!” Don’t think of this as a one-time moment. Through the ceremonies of worship or festivals, several blessings were offered. Compare this idea to the Seder service for the Passover. Ezra may have done this at the end of a chapter, a book or a scroll.

Also notice that several people mentioned in verse seven helped people understand the Law. Some commentators assume this was translating it from the Hebrew into Aramaic, but Nehemiah and Ezra both seem to place value upon the people knowing the Hebrew language. Think instead of the readers working through a passage and then explaining what it meant. This could be the meaning of the phrase “they gave the sense” that is mentioned in verse eight so that the people understood the reading.

The people bowed their heads as the Scripture was read and placed their faces on the ground. Verse nine tells us that the people wept as they heard the words of the Law.

 

But Nehemiah and Ezra told the people not to mourn or weep, for this day was holy to the Lord. Instead the people were told to go, to eat, drink and celebrate for “the joy of the Lord in your strength” (verse ten).

They read from the book clearly … and the people went their way to eat, drink and make great rejoicing.

 

A believer understands that all truth is God’s truth. It is a principle that masters all of education. While an unbeliever may have discovered the consistency of natural behavior, a clear perspective on culture can only be seen through the lens of faith. A Christian worldview accepts the beginning, the life lived in the middle and the ending are best interpreted by the presence of God.

How have some pursued truth, and what are we doing to applaud their quest?

It is vital that we celebrate. Tom Volkar, of CoreU Coaching, says, “Celebration is a pivotal stage in the productivity process because it allows us to commemorate all the good that we do.” In a recent post, Volkar talked about the “Authentic Cycle of Probability” – the process in which people are productive. The cycle is illustrated in the figure below.

Authentic Cycle of Probability

Notice where celebration falls in the cycle. We normally celebrate when things are all over – as long as we evaluate and believe that we have been successful.

Katherine Spinney, life coach with a decade of experience supporting others in their professional journeys, says “We do not take sufficient time to stop and celebrate the good work being done. We think we do not have enough time or money for such recognition.” She wonders over the years, how many different parties, festivals and parades have you been to celebrating one thing or another?

The AARP website says “Ever since early man discovered fire and cheered an end to raw meat, celebrations have united human communities in honoring momentous events, rites of passage, religious observances and more.”

The Psychology Today website ran an article titled, “Why You Should Celebrate Everything.” The article tells us that moments of celebration make us pause and thoughtfully consider life, which boosts our well-being. “According to social psychology researcher Fred Bryant, when we stop to savor the good stuff, we buffer ourselves against the bad and build resilience.” Even small celebrations can boost positive emotions which makes it easier to manage the daily challenges that cause major stress.

In a world where sin is present at every corner, where chaos seems to reign supreme, and where bad appears to triumph over good, it is vital that we understand the value of celebrating.

 

The Pointe

According to a 2015 Deloitte Survey, 6 out of 10 Millennials chose to work for their current employers due to their “sense of purpose.” What we value gives us purpose. Just as organizations have values, individuals do also. Most people have 5 to 7 core values that identify who they are. For the Christian, we are to be “in the world, but not of it.” We are to be different than the world – in our values, in our beliefs, in our character and in our behavior.

Where does my faith intersect with this topic? What is “the pointe” of this passage? How can I explain “the pointe” to a non-believer? How does “the pointe” help me be different than the world?

We like to celebrate.

The recent coronavirus pandemic has changed how we celebrate the major events and holidays of life. At the outset for many, our weddings, graduations, and birthdays were simply postponed. But soon we have learned to adapt.

A pastor friend was celebrating his thirty-fifth year in the ministry with little fanfare. The church had been streaming services on the internet, but no one had attended worship in the building for weeks. Even without Sunday responsibilities, his office routine followed a rigid schedule and the day was coming to a close at about five o’clock. As he walked out the office door to his car parked in the parking lot, a caravan of horn-honking, streamer-waving congregants drove past the startled and appreciative man. Some handed cards out the car windows. Others offered words of encouragement and thanksgiving.

Amherst County High School, a school between Richmond and Roanoke Virginia, creatively celebrated graduates this year with “Commencement in Cars.” Every senior was given tickets for two cars. Families were encouraged to decorate the cars with inspirational messages and school spirit. A jumbo screen projected senior speeches to the folks in parked cars. At the conclusion of the speeches, cars with the seniors drove down the lane that housed the school, where teachers and school staff were standing ten feet apart, cheering and leading the cars to a stage where the senior got out of the car, walked across the stage and received a diploma. Area businesses donated for pictures to be taken. After the diploma ceremony, a parade of cars through the town was cheered by family and friends.

“Seeing all of these cars celebrating with balloons and markers and stuff, it’s awesome,” said class president Zamire Andrews. “We will go down in history.”

We have grown up believing we celebrate our successes. When we graduate, a party is thrown in our honor. When we get the new job, a banquet is served to commemorate the special occasion.

The Bible teaches a slightly different concept. We are to boast in our weaknesses. We are to celebrate God’s involvement in our lives. We rejoice in His words to us. We are nourished by them and enjoy. We see His power and purpose in our lives and give Him the glory – the credit – for what He accomplishes through us. We celebrate the people who have surrendered their lives to Him in faith and obedience.

Come, celebrate the Lord. “We will celebrate and praise you, Lord! You are good to us and your love never fails. No one can praise you enough …” (Psalm 106:1-2a CEV).

 

Re
“Proclaim & publish” from the lesson series, Return from Babylon | scattered & gathered, June 2020

our Scripture

And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. 

14 And they found it written in the Law that the Lord had commanded by Moses that the people of Israel should dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month, 15 and that they should proclaim it and publish it in all their towns and in Jerusalem, “Go out to the hills and bring branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths, as it is written.” 16 So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim. 17 And all the assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in the booths, for from the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day the people of Israel had not done so. And there was very great rejoicing. 18 And day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God. They kept the feast seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the rule (ESV).

 

Nehemiah 8:9-18 NASB, Nehemiah 8:9-18 NIV, Nehemiah 8:9-18 Message, Nehemiah 8:9-18 NLT

 

our lesson

Do you have goals for your life?

Success coach Brian Tracy says, “The ability to set goals and make plans for their accomplishment is the ‘master skill’ of success.” His article, “Success Through Goal Setting,” is posted on his website.

What do your goals look like? Do they include a “bucket list” of things you would like to do or see? Are there things you would like to accomplish? Are they professional goals? Personal goals? How achievable are the items on your list? Do you know how to set them? If not, here is a link to SMART goals and how to write them.

In an article carried on the Inc. website, research says that while we may set them, we really don’t keep them. According to the University of Scranton, an incredibly large 92% of people who set New Year’s goals never achieve them. I fall into this category, do you? Failing to meet goals is both frustrating and discouraging.

Has 2020 been your year to finally achieve some of your goals? Has the pandemic sent your goals flying out the window and your world reeling to the ground at a record pace? The website thefinancialdiet.com includes an article talking to nine people whose 5-year plans have been impacted by COVID-19 and how they plan to get things back on track.

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Points to Ponder

1) Success mentor and coach, Brian Tracy, writes, “Goals enable you to do the work you want to do, to live where you want to live, to be with the people you enjoy and to become the kind of person you want to become.” Do you agree with his thoughts? Where does this statement fit into the life of a person of faith?

2) Has living in exile during the pandemic caused you to alter some of your goals? How so? [/su_pullquote]

Why don’t some people set goals?

Yogi Berra was an outspoken athlete, a catcher for the New York Yankees during the team’s heyday of 1946 through 1963. He was inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame as a player in 1972. Berra was loved by the press because he was always spouting lines that would be quotable for the next day’s paper. On setting goals, Yogi once quipped,

If you don’t know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else.

Why are there so many people that don’t know where they are going? Here are five reasons that many people fail to set goals.

  • People are not serious, not committed to achieving things. Let’s face it. We become adults, but a part of us doesn’t like “adulting.” We don’t like responsibility and accountability.
  • Another reason people may not understand the importance of setting goals. Our study should clear any doubts in your mind.
  • The third reason why people don’t set goals is they don’t know how to do so.
  • A fourth reason why people don’t set goals is the fear of rejection. Holding back on goal setting seems natural when others say it’s a waste of time or they can’t achieve them. Peer pressure is strong. Don’t share your goals – or even the fact that you are making them – with others, unless that person is also committed to achieving goals of their own.

 

The biggest reason people don’t set goals

  • Probably the biggest reason for not setting goals is the fear of failure. How many times have we failed to do things because we were afraid of failing? You have to be vulnerable to risk failure for the chance of achieving success.

In the research for his book, The Law of Success, Napoleon Hill interviewed 500 of the most successful people in America. Every one of them admitted they had achieved their greatest successes just one step beyond the point where they had experienced their greatest failures.

[su_pullquote]So they published this decree and had it posted in all their cities and in Jerusalem (Nehemiah 8:15a MSG)[/su_pullquote]

How important is it to have goals?

Geoffrey James, in an article on the inc.com website, writes, “I’ve seldom met a successful person who didn’t start out with a set of ambitious goals. However, the power of goal-setting isn’t just anecdotal. It turns out that there’s a wealth of scientific research into how goal-setting changes the way your brain functions.”

A landmark study performed by the University of Texas discovered that setting goals effects how the brain functions. The technical research boils down to this: Goal-setting restructures your brain to make it more effective. In some ways it actually heals the brain. It is like optimizing your hard drive on the computer so that you achieve your goals.

Bill Copeland said, “The trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never score.” In an article on the keepinspiring.me website, Quincy Seale identifies six reasons why you need to set goals. Most importantly, goals establish a pattern inside. You set your mind to something. You get excited about it. You work hard to finish the task. Having a specific goal helps the motivation from wearing off.

Seeing progress is addicting. Research proves it. Think about the last time you were “on a roll” or really “in the groove.” The momentum of success breeds the motivation for more success. Famed psychologist Mikhail Csikszentmihalyi calls the momentum “flow,” which he says is the optimal state of mental performance.

 

Are there steps to setting good goals?

Goal setting doesn’t have to be boring. It can be personal and visionary. There certainly are many benefits for setting goals. Jeff Boss, a contributor at the Forbes.com website, writes “you can’t manage what you don’t measure and you can’t improve what you don’t manage.” The key to setting goals is to find an organized plan that works for you.

There are many reasons that setting goals really works. Let’s talk about some ways to set good goals. We have already made reference to the plan called SMART goals. SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic and Time-related goals. Management guru Peter Drucker developed the concept. There are several approaches to writing SMART goals.

Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, a British multinational venture capital conglomerate, has a five-step process for setting goals. His thoughts include: don’t self-censor (write down everything); multiple lists are better; cheer yourself on with checkmarks; measure your way to success; and share your goals with others.

Stephen Covey, American author, educator and businessman proposed that the goals needed to be more than just words on paper. He insisted they become habits – habits the effective people all practice. The image of his habits links to the organization’s website.

You can also add several books to your Kindle or your bookshelf about goal-setting. The Success.com website lists six books to help make your vision a reality.

 

Should your goals be written down?

There are impressive studies that back up goal setting. Statistics also make a strong argument at getting good at the skill of writing them down. A Harvard Business Study conducted in 2017 found that the 3% of graduates from their MBA program who had written down their goals ended up earning ten times as much as the other 97% put together. While the study was not controlled in the way some scientific studies are conducted, the findings are still compelling.

Forbes.com concludes that one reason is that the goals have become articulated and are visible. As juvenile as it might sound, sit with markers, crayons, paint or any other means that you have for displaying them – just as if you were back in grade school. The creative process will cement the goals in your mind.

Michael Hyatt agrees and stresses that writing the goals is actually important for five reasons. In fact he says writing is the secret to accomplishing what master most to you.

  • Writing the goal is important because it will force you to clarify what you want.
  • The act of writing the goal helps motivate you to take action.
  • Goal writing also provides a filter for other opportunities.
  • Achieving goals encounters resistance. Writing goals helps you process ways to overcome the resistance.
  • The written goals enables you to see – and celebrate – the progress and victory.

An article on the Inc.com website adds that when you write your goals, you are 42% more likely to achieve them. Dr. Gail Matthews, at the Dominican University in California, led the study on goal-setting and concludes that the process of putting your goals on paper will force you to strategize, to ask questions about your current progress, and to brainstorm your plan of attack.

 

What about goals for your faith?

Setting goals in the Christian faith walks the perilous tight-rope between grace and works. We don’t want to fall off either side of the precarious position. The one side clamors for us to become pharisaical, keeping track of works in a way that hopes God will be pleased, and hopes that we can make our salvation sure. The other side laughs and says what we do doesn’t matter, for God will allow everyone in heaven anyway.

Years before Rick Warren’s best-selling work, The Purpose Driven Life, Dr. Joe Ellis was teaching seminary students that purpose clarifies direction and helps motivate action. His book, The Church on Purpose: Keys to Effective Church Leadership was published in 1982 and provided biblical explanations and achievable guidelines for developing a growing, fruit-producing church.

Warren’s work is landmark. God’s purposes for you extend beyond the few years that are spent here on earth. The Purpose Driven Life maps out the details for Christian living today. Using over 1200 Scriptures and references, it challenges the traditional definitions of conventional theology.

In answering the book’s subtitle, Warren finds five purposes that explain “What on earth am I here for?”  You are …

  • Planned for God’s pleasure (worship)
  • Formed for God’s family (church)
  • Created to become like Christ (discipleship)
  • Shaped for serving God (ministry)
  • Made for a mission (mission)

 

How Should We Form Our Goals?

If one of the goals of the Christian life is to become like Christ, then the traits of our character are steps toward mirroring His personality. Paul describes those characteristics as fruit (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV) and more than implies that the Holy Spirit is invested in their development. Peter describes traits that accompany faith (2 Peter 1:5-8 NIV). Love and self-control are common to both lists.

Some Christians take a particular trait and work on it the entire year. Others try to eliminate gaps (“This year I will be more patient.”) May I suggest forming your goals around three concepts – let’s call them “habits.” These are the general areas I want to focus on. At a regular interval (three months, six months, or a year), I will make specific applications for each of these three areas.

[doc id=2749]

Breaking it Down

First, I want to be gracious. We live in a harsh, biting world. Non-religious people notice the gracious spirit. People see the need for it in relationships, business and for success. Perhaps grace would be the salve that the wounded, hurting world could use for healing.

The second and third habits center around a question asked to Jesus. An expert in the Law inquired of Jesus about the most important commandment. Jesus responded there were two great commands, “First, to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.” He continued by saying, “The second is to love your neighbor as yourself.”

If I want to learn to love God in such a rich, complete way, I have going to have to be a life-long learner. I will want to know everything there is to know about God – who He is, what He has done, and what He says. I will also have to learn as much as I can about me. How does my heart work? What kind of strength do I have to use when I love God? How will that kind of love touch my soul?

If I want to love my neighbor as myself, I am going to need to be empathetic. I will need to understand the needs of my neighbor. I will need to care enough about them to be sensitive enough to help. I am going to have to be selfless and sacrificing. As I do, I am going to become more Christ-like in my character and my behavior.

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Words to Wrangle

The word that are striking in today’s passage are the words “proclaim” and “publish.” The words are often associated with verbal and written communication. Both the Old and the New Testaments ask, “How can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?”

1) How do you “proclaim and publish” the validity of your faith to your closest audience, your family? Does this relate to Peter’s admonition to “always be ready to give an answer when someone asks you about your hope” (1 Peter 3:15 CEV).

2) Is it difficult for you to admit that you are doing gracious things because God has been gracious to you? What is the best way to say that? [/su_pullquote]

Making the Goals Real

John Piper says, “The most loving thing we can do for others is love God more than we love them. For if we love God most, we will love others best.”

If we were to make goals out of these commands, we ought to apply the concepts of the SMART goal process to our theology. How can I make a goal that would emphasize my need to love God with all my heart, while graciously loving my neighbor as myself?

S – SPECIFIC – I will show God that I love Him with all my heart by giving money to the church.

M – MEASURABLE – I will give $25 a week beyond my tithe for the next six months.

A – ATTAINABLE – My tithe and an additional $25 a week fit into my salary and my budget.

R – RELEVANT – My church is trying to raise money for the next six months to aid our mission to the camp in Arizona.

T – TIME BOUND – The goal of giving is once a week, every week, for the next six months.

This particular goal aligns a gracious spirit with both the command to love God and to love our neighbor.

 

Are there lessons from Nehemiah?

As we close our study from Nehemiah, let’s look at some important concepts the people kept in mind as they sought to put their faith into practice as they returned from their exile in Babylon.

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Conclusions to Consider

1) A primary truth in this lesson is that we are to publish and proclaim our commitment to faith. How do we remember what God has done in our lives? How do you record or publish what you want to do for God?

2) In what ways have you personally proclaimed the message of your faith? How did you become a Christian? How is God working in your life right now? [/su_pullquote]

This day is holy … do not mourn or weep

The people understood there was a holy nature to the work they were doing. Building walls and re-establishing their practices were physical, mundane activities. It doesn’t necessarily “feel” that there is a lot spiritual about what they were doing. But Nehemiah and God’s Word helped them understand the work done to further God’s kingdom was a spiritual matter as well as a physical one. This was a holy thing they were doing. They were to celebrate.

We usually think the opposite, don’t we? If the day is holy, we are to be quiet and reverent. We see those characteristics as evidence of holiness. “Be quiet! You’re in church.” There is celebration in the holiness of God – and in the holy work that we are accomplishing in His name.

As we set goals, there should be both a holiness and a celebration applied to our efforts to serve the Lord.

 

They found …in the Law … they should proclaim it and publish it

Consider the concepts of verses fourteen and fifteen. “They found written in the Law” contains a simple, yet profound message. We need to look in the Scriptures for the truths containing the principles for how we are to live. But the use of the word “found” almost implies the truths were lost. Perhaps they hadn’t looked. Maybe they over-looked.

“They should proclaim and publish it” speaks a lot to our conversations today about setting goals and writing them down. Here is what we are going to do. These are the written plans that will govern our behavior. Let everyone know what we are doing and why.

Years ago the city of Cincinnati was enduring one of the hottest months of August on record. The sweltering heat was causing exhaustion and illness throughout the city. It was also causing a shortness of breath and a shortness of patience and holding tempers everywhere. Add to the busyness of downtown traffic and you have a recipe for disaster. One of the churches in the area, The Vineyard, gathered a crew of volunteers and passed out ice cold bottles of water to the hot drivers of cars on a downtown street corner.

They did not hand out tracts with the water. They did not hand out flyers advertising their church. They walked up to a car as it was stopped in traffic and handed them a cold drink.

If someone asked, and many people did, “What is this for?” they simply responded, “We are handing out cold water in the name of Jesus who gives Living Water. Enjoy your drink.”

Proclaimed and published.

 

So the people went out … and made booths

When the people read the Word, they discovered they were to do things that reminded them of what the Lord had done for His people. They found they were to build temporary shelters and spend time living in them, pointing their minds back to the time when Israel was freed from their slavery in Egypt into the Promised Land.

So the people went out and made tents. They didn’t just read the things on the scrolls of the Law. They went out and did what the Law said. They took part in a festival of remembrance. They realized that such a feast was in fact a celebration.

And their joy was very great.

The body of believers today has a festival that remembers what God has done. “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26 NASB).

Some churches celebrate communion every quarter. Other churches celebrate it once a month. Many churches celebrate the Lord’s Supper each Sunday. We remember the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus as a payment and sacrifice for our sins. We do it – as often as we remember.

Don’t weep. Don’t mourn. This is a holy experience. It is a festival of celebration.

Let your joy be great!