Lesson 6: He Dies for Us

Why does Jesus use the illustration about the serpent on the Pole and relate it to himself?

Key Texts:

John 3:10-17

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

Num 21:7-8

Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD that He take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. Then the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live."

John 6:56

He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.

Act 5:31

Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

Lesson 4: The Old Testament Hope

What evidence is there in the Old Testament of the resurrection? Should we even be concerned with this?

Key Texts:

Exodus 32:32

Yet now, if You will forgive their sin—but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written."

Gen 50:25

Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here."

Isaiah 56:1-5  Thus says the LORD: "Keep justice, and do righteousness, For My salvation is about to come, And My righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man who does this, And the son of man who lays hold on it; Who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And keeps his hand from doing any evil."  Do not let the son of the foreigner Who has joined himself to the LORD Speak, saying, "The LORD has utterly separated me from His people"; Nor let the eunuch say, "Here I am, a dry tree."  For thus says the LORD: "To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, And choose what pleases Me, And hold fast My covenant,  Even to them I will give in My house And within My walls a place and a name Better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name That shall not be cut off.

On Death, Dying and the Future Hope 4th Quarter of 2022

Lesson 3: Understanding Human Nature

What is the breath of life, where does it come from and is it also in the animals? Did God create us to sin and die or to not-sin and live?

Key Texts:

Gen 2:7

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being [ ].

Gen 1:20

And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life [ ], and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

Ecc 3:20

All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust.

Ezekiel 18:20-21

The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

Romans 5:12-19

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.  Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.

[Same message repeated four more times]:

Rom 5:16  And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification.

Rom 5:17  For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)

Rom 5:18  Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.

Rom 5:19  For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.

Psalm 115:17-18

The dead do not praise the LORD, Nor any who go down into silence. But we will bless the LORD From this time forth and forevermore. Praise the LORD!

Lesson 2: Death in a Sinful Word

What is death, how did it come to be and how can it be avoided?

Key Texts:

Genesis 3:17-19

And unto Adam he said, Because you hearkened unto the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, saying You shall not eat of it... In the sweat of your face shall you eat bread until you return to the ground; for out of it you were taken, for dust you are and unto dust you shall return.

Genesis 3:22-24

And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the LORD God ... drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Dueteronomy 30:15-18

"See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the LORD your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess.  But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, I announce to you today that you shall surely perish...

On Death, Dying and the Future Hope 4th Quarter of 2022

Lesson 1: Rebellion in a Perfect Universe

Where did evil come? What is the difference between sin, guilt, evil and Satan?

Key Texts:

Ezekiel 28:15

You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you.

Genesis 2:18

And the LORD God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”

What sustained Christ hope and how can that help us endure?

Key Texts:

Isaiah 51-57, especially Isaiah 52:7-53:12

also for Christ as a young person: Desire of Ages pages 68-70

What does it mean to die like a seed, disintegration or germination?

Does God want to subdue or sanctify?

Key Texts:

Joh 12:24-26  Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

Joh 17:11-18  Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.  While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.  But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.  I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.  They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.

What does the Hebrew word translated "wait" mean and how can this help us understand what it means to "wait on the LORD"?  Does waiting on the LORD involve eager anticipation or discomfort?

Key Texts: Rom 15:4-5  For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus,

Psa 37:9  For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the LORD [i.e. prepare for and look forward to His kingdom], They shall inherit the earth.

Gen 8:15-16  Then God spoke to Noah [finally], saying, "Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons' wives with you.”

1Ki 19:11-12  ...but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake;  and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.

Marshmallow test video (I had to sift through many to find it!) – Notice the girl in the pink sweater and the boy with the swiped sweater near the end, showing the difference between waiting with discomfort and waiting with eager anticipation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPTCRgk0P9o

Key Text: Psalm 37

Psa 37:1  A Psalm of David. Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.

Is it possible to always praise God, even in the darkest moments? If so, how?

Key Texts:

Job 42:2 (Job praises through tragedy)

Act 7:55-7:56 (Stephen praised when about to be stoned)

Act 16:25 (Paul and Silas praised from prison and it was a great witness)

Psalm 48:12-14 (The Psalms are all about praise and keeping the Kingdom in view)

(How we prepare ahead of time)

Philippians 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.