Notes from my Bible Study for January 17, 2010

Passages Read: Psalm 16, Genesis 17, 1 Chronicles 17, Luke 10:25‐42

Psalm 16 - 4 The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.

I'm preaching a message in church today on following false gods. It's part of my series through the life of Elijah. We are nearing the end of our Elijah series. Ahaziah, the son of Ahab is now king. He seeks after the false god Baal-Zabub and God literally takes his life for his sin.

God hates when we pursue false gods. David was correct to write that the sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply.

Sometimes we Americans run after gods like money, fame, prestige, family, work, pleasure, etc. While they may not look like little idols, they are. And, pursuing any of those things above God will bring us sorrow.

Genesis 17 - Genesis 17 records God's covenant with Abraham. He had already promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations, but now Abraham was 99 years old. God begins the chapter by asking Abraham to walk before him and be blameless that he might make a covenant between he and Abraham and bless him greatly.

Abraham had disobeyed God. God was asking him to walk with Him. Abraham fell on his face before God. God changed his name from Abram to Abraham and told him that he would have a child with Sarah his wife. Abraham's response? He laughed at God. Amazing that after vowing to walk with God, Abraham now laughs.

Nevertheless, God chooses to do what God will do. He promises Abraham that Sarah (whose name had been changed from Sarai) would become pregnant. They were to name their child Isaac.

God then instructs Abraham to seal the covenant by becoming circumcised. Every male in his household was to be circumcised as well.

Abraham would see God do mighty things through him, even though his life had fallen so short time and time again. This should give all of us hope that God can work through us, despite our shortcomings and lack of faith.

1 Chronicles 17 - 1 Chronicles 17 tells the beautiful story of God's covenant with David. The Lord makes a promise to David that one of his sons will build the house of the Lord. He says in verses 12-14 that 12 He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from him who was before you, 14 but I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.’”

The chronicler does not include everything that is recorded in 2 Samuel 7:14. God's covenant to David will be fulfilled in Messiah. Solomon would build a temple, but the Kingdom is an eternal Kingdom that will be established through Jesus Christ.

What a beautiful foreshadowing of the Father's love for the Son is shown in this passage!

Luke 10:25-42 - For years when I read the parable of the Good Samaritan, I assumed that Jesus was trying to teach us that we were supposed to be like the Good Samaritan, reaching out to those in need, unlike the fake religious leaders who passed the wounded man by. Then I read some fantastic sermons on this passage.

The idea of the parable of the Good Samaritan is that we are the man who has been left half dead. God is the Good Samaritan. We are helpless to do anything about our sinful state unless Jesus comes to rescue us. Jesus has called us to be like Him. To be a Christian literally means to be a "little Christ."

Jesus asked the lawyer who asked the initial question in Luke 10, "Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" The man answered that it was the one who showed mercy. Jesus then told him to go and do likewise.

There are surely some people in your life who need to be rescued by Jesus. Will you go find them and bring them to the Savior?