Do Christians really believe that Jesus authorizes, sends, and expects us to go to others and share the gospel? Most will say yes, but do our actions reflect that belief? These are some of the questions a group must consider as they study this weeks Explore The Bible Study: Jesus Sends.

In a LifeWay Research post entitled, Church Believers Believe in Sharing Faith, Most Never Do reveals the reality of what believers truly believe.

What is the relationship between sin and guilt? Do you have to feel guilty before you are guilty of sin? Do professing Christians find it difficult to strike a biblical balance between the justice of God and the love of God? Do they sometimes feel guiltier than they should? If so, why? Do they sometimes ignore sin because of God’s love? If so, why? These are all questions that will be explored in LifeWay's Explore the Bible Study: Set Free.

The guilt of sin can feel like a weight we carry with us everywhere we go. As you study Leviticus 16:1-30, you will discover that God provided a way for Israel to be forgiven and free from the guilt of sin through the sin offerings and the Day of Atonement. This picture of atonement pointed toward the permanent and eternal atonement for sin which Christ paid on the cross. Those who respond to Christ's invitation of salvation can experience, not only forgiveness of sin, but the removal of guilt from sin!

Lead your group to celebrate the fact that the burden of sin and guilt can be lifted away because of God’s provision through Christ!

Tweaked Approach to Leviticus 16:1-6
Instead of focusing on drawing out elements of worship in this passage, the supplemental teaching ideas focus on the TARGET of the study - "God promised a way for His people to be free from the guilt of sin." It contrasts the actions of the high priests to prepare for the Day of Atonement and the preparation Christ took to prepare to atone for our sins once and for all.

The focus is on how God prepared a model with Aaron that culminated in Christ’s preparation to become our sacrifice, our High Priest, and how this should change the way we view the seriousness of our sin and the forgiveness of our sins.

Video or Song Lyrics for LOOK OUT (Application)
The following video could be used to help celebrate the fact that God lifted the burden of guilt from us at Calvary.  There are two versions of this song available in the additional teaching ideas document. The teaching ideas also provide the lyrics to read if video isn't an option.

It is human to long and search for happiness. Society today spends a large amount of time seeking the answer. A recent Ted Talks presenter revealed the results of an ongoing study entitled, Harvard Study of Adult Development. The study has been following 724 men and their families for 75 plus years to try and determine what made these men happy. His conclusion was that the one primary ingredient that brings happiness is healthy relationships. Not surprisingly, this study did not emphasize the first and only relationship that brings eternal happiness – our relationship with Jesus Christ. LifeWay's Explore the Bible Study: His Presence drives home this truth as we look at Psalm 84:1-12.
My approach to this weeks session is entirely different than the original teaching approach. Instead of focusing on elements of worship, I am focusing on the elements of a healthy relationship with Christ. Throughout this passage the psalmist uses the word "happy" or "blessed" to describe this relationship. The emphasis throughout the psalm is that true happiness is only found by pursuing and experiencing the presence of God.

I have focused the TARGET of this session accordingly: True happiness is only found through pursuing and experiencing the presence of God.



In an article entitled, CS Lewis on Real Happiness and Real Christianity, the author summarizes CS Lewis' views on happiness from his book, Mere Christianity. His summary helps provide the context for Psalm 84:1-12.




TEACHING HELPS

PowerPoint - Several slides are provided for you to use or to reference for your discussion. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

Video - The following video could be used to supplement your closing.

This week's Explore the Bible Study, Living in Relationship will most likely generate a lot of discussion regarding the concept of submission. Here are some additional thoughts on submission that I have provided based on a question posed by one of the teachers in our church.

​Question Posed: ​

"In your notes, and in many other sources, it states that a woman should not submit to her husband if he is physically abusive. I agree that this is a terrible place to be, and do not believe a man should be physically abusive.  Yet, if you take the passages in context, and we jump back to I Peter 2:23. "...when [Jesus] suffered, He made no threats.  Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly."  The comparative example shows that Christ suffered physically, yet did not remove Himself from that suffering.  If wives are to be "in the same way" (I Peter 3:1), how can we then say that wives may remove themselves from a physically abusive situation, especially if remaining may result in the husband's salvation (which we cannot know in advance)."

​
My Thoughts and Additional References:
​We must acknowledge that, first and foremost, the wife should distance herself from the abusive relationship until the husband is dealt with - spiritually, through counseling, and legally. She could still honor the biblical view of submission while still protecting herself and, quite possibly, her children.

I would counsel a woman to remove herself from harm's way, deal with the husband's abuse (legally and through possible counseling if the abuse is physical or sexual in nature; counseling if it is emotional), and encourage her to not grow bitter or develop hatred for her husband (very difficult to do!). The ideal would be that the husband would repent, accept responsibility, and change his behavior but, sadly, this is not always the outcome. There is not an easy solution, for sure!

Christendom is strangely silent on the theological side to a large degree. Everyone agrees that abuse is absolutely unacceptable and that a woman should protect herself and her family. Providing biblical background and guidance to back up what we know to be true in principle is where we seem to fall short. Here are a few references I found to be helpful.

• Wife Abuse: The Tragic Misconception of Submission. This was published in Charisma magazine but the theological principles outlined seem to be very sound. It is perhaps the most comprehensive article I found that lays out the theological rationale.
• Six Things Submission is Not.  This is a video clip I found from John Piper. It doesn't deal with abuse but it does explain some of the points related to submission. 
• What Submission Does and Does Not Mean, HCSB Study Bible for Women, p.1595. See information below:

What Submission Does Not Mean:

• Subjecting oneself to abusive tyranny.
• Forced obedience.
• Inequality in essence and worth.
• Selective submission, an attitude of “I’ll submit when I want to submit.”

What Submission Does Mean:

• Willingly choosing to obey.
• Placing oneself under another’s authority.
• Equality in essence and personhood but different in role and assignment.
• Obedience in all situations and circumstances according to God’s Word – not choosing when you will and will not obey.
• An attitude of the will, void of stubbornness.
• Voluntary commitment of service to others.

I hope these additional references and thoughts might help you communicate better the truths of 1 Peter 3:1-7.

Ken Braddy, a friend and great thinker in the field of Christian education, recently posted an article that builds a case for smaller groups. Bible study groups struggle with this challenge continually. It is a "Catch 22" for most groups. A healthy group will grow and growth isn't bad. But with growth comes the challenge of knowing when a group grows too large. It is counter intuitive for us to think that we should create a new group instead of continuing to capitalize on the growth of a current group. But, eventually growth will become detrimental to a group.

Here are Ken's 6 reasons smaller groups are a good idea. I hope it helps you consider if (1) You should lead your group to start a new group or (2) You should help your groups understand the value of smaller groups.

6 Reasons Smaller Groups are a Good Idea by Ken Braddy

1. Smaller groups can meet anywhere - A group of 12 people (which I would consider to be "about the right size," give or take a few) can meet in any on-campus room at the church, and they will fit comfortably in someone's living room.
2. Smaller groups increase conversational community - People in a large class tend to remain quiet. Speaking up in front of a group of 40 or 50 peers can be very intimidating, so some really great comments always go unsaid. In a smaller group, the intimidation factor doesn't exist like it does in a large group. As Dr. Ed Stetzer,
3. Smaller groups help people connect - People are "social Legos" and have only so many relationships they can give their time, attention, and energy to supporting. Each of us has only so many connections we can make (and keep). Smaller groups tend to help people "Lego up" with one another and connect relationally, in part because of the room arrangement (people sitting in a circle see one another's faces and this helps form connections, as opposed to people sitting in classrooms with many rows of chairs facing the front of the room). 
4. Smaller groups are easier to teach - Have you ever tried to recruit someone to teach a large "pastor's class"? It takes a special person with special biblical knowledge to teach such a large group of people. When that person steps down, moves away, retires, etc., finding a replacement can be just about impossible.
5. Small groups keep people from falling through cracks - One of the jobs of a teacher-leader is to act as a shepherd for their group. I teach a group of 16 adults weekly at my church, and between my full-time job, my role as a husband and father, and other responsibilities, it is all I can do to minister to this smaller group of adults! I cannot imagine trying to teach and shepherd a group of 30, 40, or 50 adults.
6. Small groups are places where discipleship takes place - Jesus taught and ministered to large groups, but His favorite method for making disciples was investing in 12 disciples, not 100 disciples. Even within His group of 12 there was an "inner group" of 3 men with whom He spent even more relational time. Jesus' model was to use a small group as the basis for discipleship. Somewhere along the way, we've gotten away from this biblical example. A teacher who disciples his people knows each of them, their needs, their shortcomings, and what each one needs to progress in their journey toward Christ-likeness. 

Read the complete article and check out more from Ken Braddy at kenbraddy.com.