Sunday, August 11, 2019

August 18, 2019 – Festivals and Foundations – God’s Bounty

God’s Bounty


Leviticus 23:9-14 - New International Version (NIV)

The Lord said to Moses, 10 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest. 11 He is to wave the sheaf before the Lord so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath. 12 On the day you wave the sheaf, you must sacrifice as a burnt offering to the Lord a lamb a year old without defect, 13 together with its grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with olive oil—a food offering presented to the Lord, a pleasing aroma—and its drink offering of a quarter of a hin of wine. 14 You must not eat any bread, or roasted or new grain, until the very day you bring this offering to your God. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.

Who spoke to Moses (verse 9)?

When are the Israelites to “bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest” (verse 10)?

Where is the priest supposed to “wave the sheaf” (verse 11)?

What else is to happen “on the day you wave the sheaf” (verses 12 and 13)?

What are the Israelites forbidden to do “until the very day you bring this offering” (verse 14)?

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

Joshua 5:2-12 - New International Version (NIV)    

At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again.” So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth.

Now this is why he did so: All those who came out of Egypt—all the men of military age—died in the wilderness on the way after leaving Egypt. All the people that came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness during the journey from Egypt had not. The Israelites had moved about in the wilderness forty years until all the men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not obeyed the Lord. For the Lord had sworn to them that they would not see the land he had solemnly promised their ancestors to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. So he raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised because they had not been circumcised on the way. And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed.

Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So the place has been called Gilgal to this day.

10 On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover. 11 The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain. 12 The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate the produce of Canaan.

Who was to “make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again” (verse 2)?

Where were the flint knives made and the circumcision to happen (verse 3)?

What had happened to “all those who came out of Egypt-all the men of military age” (verse 4)?

In your opinion, why had all the people who had come out of Egypt been circumcised and those who were born in the wilderness hadn’t (verse 5)?

Why had the Israelites “moved about in the wilderness forty years” (verse 6)?

Who had the Lord raised up (verse 7)?

How long did they stay in camp (verse 8)?

In your opinion, what was the “reproach of Egypt” that the Lord rolled away (verse 9)?

When did the Israelites celebrate the Passover (verse 10)?

What did the Israelites do the “day after the Passover” (verse 11)?

When did the manna stop (verse 12)?

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

Luke 15:1-7 – New International Version (NIV)

1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Who was gathering around to hear Jesus (verse 1)?

What did the “Pharisees and the teachers of the law” mutter (verse 2)?

What did Jesus tell them (verse 3)?

In your opinion, why does the shepherd leave the ninety-nine sheep “in the open country” when he goes after the lost sheep (verse 4)?

Where does the shepherd put the sheep when he finds it (verse 5)?

What does the shepherd want his friends and neighbors to do (verse 6)?

Where is there more rejoicing “over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent” (verse 7)?

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

In your opinion, how is the lost sheep that the shepherd rejoiced finding in Luke 15:1-7 similar to the people of Israel who had their reproach lifted at Gilgal in Joshua 5:2-12?

1 Corinthians 15:12-26 – New International Version (NIV)

12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

What were some people saying (verse 12)?

Who could not be raised from the dead if there is no resurrection of the dead (verse 13)?

In your opinion, why is Paul’s preaching useless if Christ has not been raised (verse 14)?

Why is Paul a false witness if Christ has not been raised (verse 15)?

Where would the Corinthians be if Christ “has not been raised” (verse 17)?

In your opinion, why would “those also who have fallen asleep” be lost if Christ has not been raised (verse 18)?

Who is “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (verse 20)?

What two things came “through a man” (verse 21)?

How will “all be made alive” (verse 22)?

Who will be made alive after “Christ, the firstfruits” (verse 23)?

When will the end come (verse 24)?

How long will Christ reign (verse 25)?

What is the “last enemy to be destroyed” (verse 26)?

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

In your opinion, how is the new generation who had been raised up by the Lord, had their reproach removed, and dined on the food of the promised land in Joshua 5:2-12 similar to those who Paul says are raised up by Christ, the first fruit in 1 Corinthians 15:12-26?

In your opinion, how does Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 15:12-26 that “as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” enhance your understanding of the one lost sheep and ninety-nine “left in the open country” in Luke 15:1-7?

In your opinion, how do these passages from Leviticus, Joshua, Luke and 1 Corinthians teach us about how to recognize the Lord’s bounty?

In your opinion, how can we, the rescued “lost sheep”, celebrate God’s bounty today?



(sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)

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