SABBATH REFORMS

BY THE END OF THE LESSON, WE WILL:

KNOW and UNDERSTAND the history and importance of the Sabbath; COMPARE observances of the Sabbath and the Lord's Day; UNDERSTAND how the concept of Sabbath is valuable to saints today.

FOCAL VERSES  NEHEMIAH 13:15

KEEP IN MIND 

"And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of the mercy" (Nehemiah 13:22)

AT-A-GLANCE

1. Sabbath Observance (Nehemiah 13:15-18)

2. Keeping the Sabbath (vv.19-22)

IN FOCUS

John volunteered as a Sunday School worker at this church. He also worked full time to support his wife and three kids. God blessed him with a promotion at his job, which required that he work beyond a normal 9 to 5 day. Sometimes he traveled to do site visits out of town, and due to the economy, his company laid of several people. John did not get laid off, but his workload increased to make up the shortfall in the reduction of staff. 

Because of his heavy workload and travel schedule, John began to miss a lot of Sunday School. Most Sundays he was to tired to attend Sunday School, and sometimes he would miss church altogether. His wife became very concerned and discussed her feelings with John, be he refused to listen. She turned to their pastor. The pastor explained that God gave the Sabbath so that we would rest and be open to hearing His voice. We also honor the Lord's Day and keep it sacred to worship God. 

We must always give God the first fruits of everything he He afford us, and He will in turn bless us with more-including our time. Today's lesson is about honoring the Sabbath. 

BACKGROUND

After the nation of Judah rebuilt the wall, the Israelites continued to slowly rebuild their nation. Rebuilding their nation required not just the physical effort of constructing houses, roads, and the Temple. Their laws, ordinances, and spiritual framework needed reshaping too. The wall provided safety and security from outsiders and set a boundary around them as a nation. As a result, immediately following the wall's completion, scribes read the Law aloud to inform and set the groundwork for their constitution. 

Once the Law was read, this motivated the remnant in Judah to confess their sins and recommit to God as a nation based on the original law He ordered. They made a covenant and set out detailed obligations, which they would comply with in order to please God. This document se the legal framework for their establishment as a nation, with Nehemiah as governor the land. He and the people voted for leaders to rule over various provinces set up across Jerusalem. In addition, the Levites were established as priests, and procedures were created for the Temple such as Levitical priest service, tithes, and worship. 

SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES

1. What were the Israelites doing that contributed to their breaking the Sabbath (Nehemiah 13:15-20)?

2. What negative things could occur when the Israelites profaned the Sabbath (vv.18, 21)?

DISCUSS THE MEANING 

1. Describe the various meanings of the Sabbath and the reasons why saints should "keep it"?

2. Develop a plan for John (In focus) to show him where he is wasting time because he is falling to give God time. 

LESSON IN OUR SOCIETY

Some of the biggest problems facing America is its diminishing reliance on God, decline in church attendance, and reduced regard for Christian-based principles. How can saints in the United States help reverse this trend and work toward building up America?

MAKE IT HAPPEN

The busyness of life can distract us from performing basic duties, such as reading the Bible, praying, and mediating on God's Word, and attending church. Due to family commitments, job responsibilities, and many other tasks we must do each day, sometimes we forget or neglect to take time out for God. As you go through this week, make a point each day to spend time talking to God. If you feel as though time will not permit, try God. You will see that once you take time for Him, He will in turn give you the time required to take care of everything you need. 

(Except from the Apostolic Way)

DO YOU NEED MORE WORD?

PLEASE REGISTER FOR "Sabbath Reforms"

On-Lesson

COMMUNITY OF CONFESSION

BY THE END OF THE LESSON, WE WILL:

UNDERSTAND that confession and repentance are acts of worship; REALIZE a personal need to confess and repent; and CRY OUT to the Lord in confession and repentance. 

FOCAL VERSES NEHEMIAH 9:1-37

KEEP IN MIND 

"And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers" (Nehemiah 9:2). 

AT-A-GLANCE

1. The People Confess Their Sins (Nehemiah 9:2)

2. The People Numerate Their Sins in Their Confession (vv. 6-7, 9-10, 30-36)

IN FOCUS

Is Your All on the Altar?

by Elisha A. Hoffman

You have longed for sweet peace, 

And for faith to increase, 

And have earnestly, fervently prayed;

But you cannot have rest, Or be perfectly blest, 

Until all on the altar is laid. 

Is your all on the alter of sacrifice laid?

Your heart does the Spirit control?

You can only be blest, 

And have peace and sweet rest, 

As you yield Him your body and soul.

Oh, we never can know

What the Lord will bestow 

Of the blessings for which we have prayed, 

Til our body and soul

He doth fully control, 

And our all on the alter is laid. 

Before seeking another chance from God, we must confess and seek repentance. As we experience God's grace and mercy, our acts of confession and repentance become another way for us to worship God. 

BACKGROUND

Led by Ezra, the people of the southern tribe returned to Jerusalem (Ezra 8:32). After offering "burnt offerings" to God for their safe travel, Ezra was told, "The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands" (9:1-2). 

As Ezra prayed and confessed to God on behalf of the people their transgression, Shechaniah the son of Jehiel replied to Ezra, "We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing" (10:2). The "thing" Shechaniah spoke of was of divorce the foreign women the men had married. 

After the men divorced their foreign wives, the Bible records the return of Nehemiah, who is immediately seen praying (Nehemiah 1). In his prayer, Nehemiah requests that God hear his confession of this sins and his  confession of sins of the people. Nehemiah asks God to remember the promise God made to the people of Israel and identifies by name the people of Israel who are to be the recipients of God's promise. Nehemiah petitions God to answer, and then ask God for the success of the rebuilding of the Temple. 

After the completion of the Temple, the Bible records Ezra reading the Law of Moses to the People. This reading was in response to their sins and the sins of their ancestors. In response to the reading of the Law, Nehemiah prepared the people to repent with a prayer of confession. This prayer included God's continued care for the people, God's covenant with Abraham, the people's exodus from Egypt, and God's continued grace and mercy. 

SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES

1. How did the people of Israel praise God (Nehemiah 9:6-7)?

2.  What did the people of Israel recount to God (vv. 9-10)?

DISCUSS THE MEANING 

1. The Apostolic church often engages in prayer meetings, shut-ins, and other services that help us lay before the Lord in confession and prayer. How effective are these services in really helping us confess our sins?

2. In what way have you placed your all on the alter? What should you do?

LESSON IN OUR SOCIETY

We say that as Apostolics, we have the Truth. Given Ezra 9, how effective are we in standing in prayer for our communities, our nation, and the unsaved? Should our corporate prayer include the confession of sins of those with whom we are associated - church family, natural family, co-workers, etc.?

MAKE IT HAPPEN 

In addition to seeking God's forgiveness, how important is it to also forgive ourselves? Many of us have something in our past or even our present that needs to be forgiven. Once we learn to live in the generosity of God's forgiveness, we can begin to forgive others may begin so the deliverance from the past hurts may occur. With forgiveness of others and ourselves, we can learn to love - especially the way God loves. Then, as the songwriter wrote, they will know us by our love - the love of God. Begin now to forgive - really forgive!

(Except from the Apostolic Way)

DO YOU NEED MORE WORD?

PLEASE REGISTER FOR "Community of Confession"

On-Lesson