Wednesday, June 1, 2016

June 12, 2016 – Teachings from the Rock – Noble and Beautiful Wives



Noble and Beautiful Wives

Proverbs 31:10-12 and 25-31 – New International Version (NIV)
10 “A wife of noble character who can find?
    She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
    and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
    all the days of her life.

25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
    she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
    and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
    but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
    and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”

What is a wife of noble character worth (verse 10)?

What does her husband have (verse 11)?

When does she bring her husband good (verse 12)?

In your opinion, what does it mean that she is “clothed with strength and dignity” (verse 25)?

How does she speak (verse 26)?

What does she watch over (verse 27)?

Who calls her “blessed” (verse 28)?

Who does noble things (verse 29)?

Who is to be praised (verse 30)?

Why should she be honored (verse 31)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

Mark 10:35-45 - New International Version (NIV)
35 “Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”
36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”
38 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”
39 “We can,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”
41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

What did James and John say to the “Teacher” (verse 35)?
How did Jesus answer (verse 36)?
In your opinion, what would it mean to “sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory” (verse 37)?
What did Jesus say that they did not know (verse 38)?
Did Jesus agree that they could “drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with” (verses 38 and 39)?
Who do the seats at Jesus right and left belong to (verse 40)?
How did the other disciples react when they heard what James and John had done (verse 41)?
What did Jesus say the rulers of the Gentiles did (verse 42)?
What did Jesus say the high officials did (verse 42)?
What should the disciple who wants to be great be (verse 43)?
What should the one who “wants to be first” be (verse 44)?
Who came to “serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (verse 45)?
In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?
In your opinion, how is the “wife of noble character” in Proverbs 31:10-12 & 25-31 an illustration of the serving that Jesus talks about in Mark: 10:35-45?

Galatians 3:23-29 - New International Version (NIV)
23 “Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

How were we held “before the coming of this faith” (verse 23)?
What was “our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith” (verse 24)?
In your opinion, what does it mean “now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian” (verse 25)?
Who are we “in Christ Jesus” through faith (verse 26)?
What have people who were baptized into Christ done (verse 27)?
In your opinion, what does it mean that “there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (verse 28)?
What are we if we belong to Christ (verse 29)?
In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?
In your opinion, how are the words of Paul in Galatians 3:23-29 that “there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” expanded on by Jesus when He says in Mark 10:35-45 that whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all”?
In your opinion, if Paul is right in Galatians 3:23-29 and there is no “male or female” then what message does Proverbs 31:10-12 & 25-31 have for men and women who are in Christ Jesus today?

1 Peter 3:1-7 – New International Version (NIV)
1 “Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.
Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”

How does Peter say unbelieving husbands might be won over by their Christian wives (verse 1)?
What were the unbelieving husbands to see in the lives of their Christian wives (verse 2)?
Where should beauty not come from (verse 3)?
What should beauty be of (verse 4)?
In your opinion, why is “the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit” of great worth in God’s sight (verse 4)?
Who did “holy women of the past” put their hope in (verse 5)?
How can women be the daughters of Sarah (verse 6)?
In your opinion, what does it mean for a husband to be “considerate” as they live with their wives (verse 7)?
Why should husbands treat their wives “with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life” (verse 7)?
In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, how do you reconcile Paul’s statement in Galatians 3:23-29 that there is no “male and female” with Peter’s discussion in 1 Peter 3:1-7 that gives specific instructions to husbands and to wives?
In your opinion, how does Peter in his directions to wives and husbands 1 Peter 3:1-7 give specific instruction in how to implement the command of Jesus from Mark 10:35-45 that whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant”?

In your opinion, how does the wisdom of Proverbs 31:10-12 & 25-31 anticipate Peter’s statement in 1 Peter 3:1-7 that beauty should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit”?
In your opinion, what do these passages, from Proverbs, Mark, Galatians and 1 Peter show us about ourselves today?


Next, back to Peter 3:8 – (sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)

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