by Travis Lewis
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WHAT MATTERS
The five sessions in the following series, originally presented by Travis W. Lewis during January, 2006, have been consolidated for publication on Golden Bowl Publications website. Consolidation was completed in June, 2024. Dwelling on five of the major facets of our lives, the series discusses the rewards of attention to each of these compartments of life, as well as the certainty of pain when neglected or ignored.
The 2019 photo associated with this series, WHAT MATTERS, shows grandchildren of the author.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Lesson 1 …… Things That Matter: Work Matters
Lesson 2 …… Things That Matter: Money Matters
Lesson 3 …… Things That Matter: Human Life Matters
Lesson 4 …… Things That Matter: Character Matters
Lesson 5 …… Things That Matter: Marriage Fidelity Matters
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LESSON 1 Of 5
THINGS THAT MATTER – WORK MATTERS
By: Travis W. Lewis
JANUARY 1, 2006
1) SERIES INTRODUCTION
a) Possibly, the weightiest choices we make in life are those in which we either consciously or unconsciously assess what really matters to us, and, if so, to what extent it matters, or for what reason we consider it not to matter at all.
b) It’s easy to travel the entire length of life’s road, and never really have a firm sense of what we have allowed to become important in life or the reason we allow it to occupy our time and attention to any extent.
c) Maybe the next most truly important choice we make is to place optimum priority on whatever really does matter in life.
d) This series of lessons discusses five compartments in each of our lives that really do matter, regardless of the import, or the lack thereof, that we assign to it.
e) Our second lesson will focus on how money matters in our lives – how important it is for us to keep control of our money instead of allowing our money to gain control over us.
f) Our third lesson will follow with a discussion on human life itself; how we view human life and in what ways we can relentlessly affirm its sanctity.
g) Our fourth lesson moves to discussions on the importance of character – what Christian character is, along with how and why it is important.
h) Our final lesson in the series will discuss how marital fidelity and sexual purity matter, and how God’s guidelines for moral purity impact our lives and our relationships.
[CLASS TURN TO GENESIS 1:26.]
2) TOP PRIORITY
a) As we begin this series, listen closely to the question I am about to pose since the answer is very important pertaining to what matters most in life.
b) I emphasize at the very outset of this series on What Matters that Scriptures teach, in no uncertain terms, that there is one aspect of life that is to take priority over all else. Nothing else matters more in mortal life, nor will any other affect the life to come as this one will.
c) Question: Of all parts of our lives, what do Scriptures teach that truly does matter most in life — unequivocally above all other priorities?
i) Prov. 9:10, 10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.[1]
ii) And in Matthew 16:26, Jesus, Himself, said, 26For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?[2]
d) That is Priority # 1. For we can hardly discuss what really does matter in life without beginning with an appreciation of the one part that truly does matter most, because it affects all the other realms of our lives.
3) WORK WAS, AND STILL IS, GOD’S IDEA
a) To begin the series, we home in on the aspect of all our lives that we call “Work”, and the reasons we should value work.
b) Hopefully, it will help remind us of both the origin and the value of work and commit to practice a truly biblical work ethic.
[CLASS READ GENESIS 1:26-31, 2:15.]
26And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. [3] 29And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. 30And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
31And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day[4]
c) Two plural pronouns in verse 26 hold a lot of significance in the biblical worldview, because they explain to whom God was referring when He proclaimed, Let US make man in OUR own image.
d) Every Christian theologian to whom I refer interprets this to mean that in eternity past, existing in unity, was the Trinity – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
e) Then in the next verse, our Scriptures say, “God created man…”, indicating the unity of those included in the “US” and “OUR” pronouns in verse 26.
f) And, in the entirety of His creation, this exclusive crown jewel of all His work would be:
i) The only one made in His own image.
ii) The only one made to have a personal relationship with Him.
iii) The only one with the capability of communing with Him.
iv) The only one with an innate sense capable of discerning what pleases or displeases Him.
v) And even with all this, mankind would be the only one with the free will to obey or ignore His will.
g) Further proof of the uniqueness of mankind is the domain over which he was placed.
h) In verse 28, after blessing them, God expressed His intent for them to begin to multiply, to produce children which would eventually replenish the whole earth.
i) Replenish: the original term meant to fill or to make full, not to refill; “… replenish the earth… and subdue it..”, i. e., “It’s all yours to rule over, to use, to cultivate; it’s all made for you to use as you have need, not to squander or abuse, but to use for your continual sustenance.”
j) Question: His command was to “subdue” – so, what does “subdue” denote? To bring under control and subject to guidance, which requires work, or energy and consisting of both mental and physical modes.
k) Now, let’s move to Genesis 2:15 and attempt to visualize what may have been the very first day on the very first job for the very first man.
[CLASS READ GENESIS 2:15.]
15And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. [5]
l) Views which many folks apparently have of life in the Garden prior to the Fall are that Adam and Eve had nothing to do except to sit around and enjoy the beauty and freshness of God’s creation.
m) Some consider work to be a punishment for the sin committed that prompted the Fall, yet, according to Scripture, that is not altogether true.
n) Work, or busyness with intent to produce something of worth, was assigned to man before sin ever became a factor with which he must contend.
o) The punishment for sin was not that we would have to work but that the nature of work would change:
i) Work would become “painful labor” and more of a toil.
ii) Man would begin to meet resistance to the pleasant effort and the plentiful yield that Adam and Eve would become accustomed to in the Garden environment.
p) So, work was, and still is, God’s idea.
[CLASS TURN TO PROVERBS 6:6-8; 21:5.]
4) WORK IS BENEFICIAL
a) I have a strong inclination to believe that few, if any, of us “work” for purely benevolent reasons.
b) Question To Ponder: Why do we “work”? Obviously, the logical response is that we work for some sort of benefit(s) we receive in return.
c) As we ponder on these proverbs, I ask you to contemplate the benefits of work. Surely, if God, our Maker, was the One with the original idea of WORK, then WORK must provide benefits.
[CLASS READ PROVERBS 6:6-8; 21:5.]
6Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: 7Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, 8Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. [6]
Proverbs 21:5
5The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want. [7]
d) Question: Would you work with the same intensity on behalf of your employer if they either could not, or would not, pay you with money or some other benefit? Or, if they only paid your expenses?
e) Maybe the most obvious benefit of work today is remuneration. Most of us look forward to payday; from my experience, employees (including myself) are happier – thus more productive – on payday.
f) QUESTION: But what are other benefits of work?
i) We receive fulfillment in being able to earn necessary support for our families and ourselves, as well as to contribute to the cause of Christ in its many forms.
ii) Many of our beneficial relationships are formed at our jobs, or as a direct result of having a place where we can work as a team in employment.
iii) In the workplace is where we come to truly know people, and it’s where they come to genuinely know us.
iv) Likewise, our workplace is where we most often have an opportunity to impress and influence folks to consider our Lord Jesus Christ, and the benefits of our Christianity.
v) Conversely, along with this benefit also appears the vulnerability of showing those same folks, possibly without ever saying a word, that the Lord who we profess actually makes no real difference at all.
[CLASS TURN TO PSALMS 127:1.]
5) KEEPING WORK IN PROPER PERSPECTIVE
a) As important as work is, and as in many other important aspects of life, if we fail to keep it in proper perspective and especially if such an approach continues to linger, our lives soon begin to shift out of balance.
b) Among other Scriptures, Psalms 127:1-2 addresses the temptation to often assume a harmful perspective on our work, and, in turn, what should matter slowly grows to matter less and less.
c) This Psalm is attributed to Solomon, and it emphasizes God’s sovereignty, particularly in the outcome of our human efforts.
d) And it simply says this…
[CLASS READ PSALMS 127:1-2.]
1 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. 2It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.[8]
e) Basically, the Psalmist cautions us that though we may work with utmost diligence, but if we’re trusting in our hard work alone to take our lives to where we think we should be, then our efforts are in vain.
f) Is he not telling us that it’s vain to rely on our mental and physical energies alone, as diligent as they may be, while allowing them to supplant time we need with the Lord, our family, and our personal relationships?
g) Among many other Scriptures, Psalm 127:1 provides us with warning, that once our habits and our thoughts drift from the favor of the Lord, we are invariably headed toward trouble.
[CLASS TURN TO COLOSSIANS 3:22.]
6) EMPLOYER TO EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIPS
a) We cannot fully address the issue of “work” without finding Scriptural guidelines concerning employer to employee relationships.
b) And with the culture in which we find ourselves, both the employer and the employee may have plenty of room for improvement.
c) QUESTION: All of us must have heard the following question asked, along with this response, “Whacha’ been doing lately?”, and the answer comes back, “Just as little as I can get by with.”
d) In Paul’s letter to the Christians at Colossae, it is significant that this is the congregation with which Philemon and his once unfaithful servant Onesimus usually worshipped.
e) So, let’s read the advice that Paul gave the Christians at Colossae – especially those who employ others, the employer, as well as to the employee.
[CLASS READ COLOSSIANS 3:22-25, 4:1.]
22Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: 23And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. 25But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
(4:1) Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven. [9]
f) We cannot be certain of the reason Paul didn’t address the institution of slavery, which was commonplace in his age; though I have some definite ideas which we can discuss at another time.
g) But the very same principles apply to present-day employers and employees.
h) And we all know that the employer/employee relationship must be a two-way street.
i) Basically, are these not the principles Paul is conveying:
(1) When an employee agrees to work for an employer, the employee is hired to be steward over a certain sector of the employer’s business.
(2) In turn, the employee agrees to perform those duties to the best of his or her ability.
(3) In exchange for the employee’s best efforts, the employer agrees to pay a certain amount of money and benefits in return.
(4) And, when the employer doesn’t live up to providing the pay or benefits which he has promised, or when the employee fails to exert his or her mutually agreed upon effort, then he or she has been dishonest – and that reflects poorly on any claim of possessing a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
CONCLUSION
We could spend several lessons on this subject of “work”, but basically, we want to remember these four points:
(1) Work was God’s idea, and our work still matters to Him.
(2) Work is beneficial.
(3) Work should be kept in proper perspective.
(4) And in our work, we either honor or dishonor God.
Lesson 2 Of 5
THINGS THAT MATTER – MONEY MATTERS
By: Travis W. Lewis
JANUARY 8, 2006
[CLASS TURN TO LUKE 12:16.]
1) INTRODUCTION
a) In our first session, we introduced a month-long series of studies on various segments of our lives – segments that really do matter.
b) We began the series discussing the biblical perspective on work, or whatever occupies our time, whether it’s directly related to our livelihood, or with whatever else occupies the days of our lives.
c) Today, we move to another very important matter in our lives – “money’.
d) This lesson isn’t designed to teach us that money shouldn’t matter at all. Money certainly does matter – in all our lives.
e) Zig Ziglar used to refer to the proper perspective on money in our lives by stating something like, “Money’s not the most important thing in life, though at times, it’s next to oxygen.”
f) Matter of fact, be wary of the one who says “..money doesn’t matter to me at all (or anymore).” He or she will probably lie about other things, too.
g) Question: Be brutally honest with yourself – are you really master over your money? Or is your money master over you?
h) This is one the most profound points for today: Like so many other aspects of our lives, until we acquire a biblical perspective on our money, be it little or much or none at all, money will continually be a problem in life.
i) God surely knew all the options with which we would be tempted and allured, and that, without divine guidance, how easily we would assume harmful perspectives regarding money.
j) He knew that this sector of our lives which centers around our perspective on money would subject us to stress, and that Satan would always be in the middle of the fray – wreaking all sorts of havoc in families and even in cultures as a whole, tempting us to neglect the spiritual part of our lives in the name of meeting our obligations – all because we had the wrong perspective toward money.
k) And to exemplify one who either loses or has never really gained a biblical perspective on money, Jesus left us a parable that embodies just such a person.
l) The person portrayed in the parable had literally amassed not only more than he had a use for, but more than he even had facilities to store.
m) And it’s tempting for us to say, “I sure would like to have a problem like that – when I have more than I have places to put it.”.
n) If you entertain that attitude, please remember this: This man’s base problem didn’t begin the morning he woke up and discovered he had more than he had places in which to store it.
o) A biblical perspective on money doesn’t become important just at the point of discovering that we’re so rich that we need to move to another plane of lifestyle; for if we wait until we acquire our one-millionth dollar before placing our money in biblical perspective, we may have waited too late.
p) A biblical perspective on money is probably more important when we gain our first dollar than when we have gained dollar number one million.
q) So, let’s look at part of Jesus’s teaching on the biblical perspective that is best to assume toward these tangible things over which we are placed as stewards.
r) After reading the following Scriptures, we will pause to assess whether, finding ourselves in similar circumstances, we would have assumed a similar attitude.
[CLASS READ LUKE 12:16-19.]
16And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
2) THE WRONG WAY TO LOOK AT MATERIAL WEALTH
a) QUESTION: Had you been in this same person’s circumstances, would you have responded similarly?
b) Think about how common an attitude this man assumed: “You know, if I can save for myself all I now literally have at my fingertips, I’ll have it made for the rest of my life. Why, I won’t have to work ever again!”
c) QUESTION: Again, is there a likelihood that you would have assumed a similar attitude?
d) How easy it is to slip into a paradigm that says, “… as soon as I get this paid off, or reach this certain financial goal, I’ll have it made, and things will be smooth sailing from there on in.”
e) Since we would be tempted to be lured into such a pattern of thought, let’s study how God looks at folks who assume such an attitude.
[CLASS READ VERSES 20-21.]
20But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. [10]
f) Imagine the following exchange:
Me: “As soon as I get this much saved, I’ll start giving more to the church or to some organization that’s continually doing good things; I’ll do more for the poor and needy; I’ll visit the sick and the aged more, but right now, I have to concentrate on making and saving all I can.”
God: “You’re a fool.. you’re putting all your eggs in your retirement basket, and it may be a basket that you’ll never live to reach in to; so, why don’t you do some of those “good things” now?”
i) Is God not asking, “Why don’t you invest some of that time or money or talent or energy into something that money can’t buy – something that man can’t rifle, and most of all, that you won’t have to very soon leave behind?”
ii) Is He not saying, as any wise financial advisor would counsel us to do, “Instead of placing so much of what you have in one place, why don’t you ‘diversify’; send some of it on ahead by helping to make the life of someone better now? Not only will it pay dividends in long eternity, but you’ll even be blessed in the here and now by having done so?”
iii) Yet, in the deepest chamber of my emotional heart, I may reply, “But what if I don’t have enough funds to support me when my years of productivity reach their end?”
g) And God answers in verses 27-28:
[READ LUKE 12:27-28.]
Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28If then God so clothe the grass, which is today in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? [11]
3) TRUST GOD TO MEET NEEDS
a) God’s word reveals that we can never assume a biblical perspective, or even a mature Christian worldview, without trust being involved.
b) If we wait until we have a feeling of total security to do some “good things”, then we can confidently expect to die without a biblical perspective on life, especially on our finances.
c) And the reason is that God simply wants us to trust Him; there are some things He wants us to do, some grand purpose He wants to accomplish in our lives, yet it only gets done with His help. So, in any concurrence with God’s will, there’s always a strong element of trust involved.
d) His illustration portrays a small, simple flower blooming in the fields:
i) All its innermost life originates from a source it didn’t earn.
ii) All its beauty comes from being just what it is – no artificial makeup, no dressing up; no “puttin’ on the dog” to impress others that it is something which it is not.
iii) It’s just a simple flower, blooming and showing forth its beauty today, then it’s gone and forgotten tomorrow.
e) In paraphrase, Jesus is saying, “If God would provide for a simple wildflower and make it beautiful, then what would He do for you – if you’ll just do what you can do, then trust Him for the rest.”
f) He goes on in verses 31-34 to address the importance of pursuing the kingdom of God above all else:
[CLASS READ LUKE 12:31-34.]
31But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. 32Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. 34For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.[12]
4) PURSUE GOD’S KINGDOM ABOVE ALL ELSE
a) We all now have access to gifted, trained professionals who publish information on almost any topic in which we take interest; wise management of money is no exception.
b) The most valuable among financial counsellors are those who, along with their formal training, have incorporated the biblical view on managing money, e.g. the perspective used by Jesus in this parable.
c) Once we identify such a person, we pay considerable sums of money for what we trust to be sound advice which will allow us to craft wise financial plans for our lives.
d) Yet, it is beyond our abilities to devise sounder advice or transfer more sound philosophy than the advice given by the very Son of God right here in this parable.
e) QUESTION: Can you agree to the extent that Jesus’ parable will become the guiding star as your financial plans are crafted?
CONCLUSION
(1) And Satan may be placing this thought into your head right now, “Well, I don’t have to be concerned about having more than I know what to do with.”.
(2) Yet, regardless of the amount over which we are stewards, the most revealing question may be, “Do I have more than I know how to handle in a way in which God is pleased?”.
(3) Possessing the biblical perspective on money and worldly goods of which we are in merely temporary possession is probably more important when we earn our first dollar than when we culminate our financially productive life with a vast amount over which we have been placed as stewards.
(4) For Jesus said (paraphrased), “If you fail to be faithful over a little, how can you expect God to trust you with more?”.
(5) My prayer is that this rather short session has helped us place our worldly goods nearer to a biblical perspective, because development of such a view will ever remain an important segment of what matters in life.
LESSON 3 OF 5
THINGS THAT MATTER – HUMAN LIFE MATTERS
By: Travis W. Lewis
January 15, 2006
[CLASS TURN TO MATTHEW 9:18.]
1) INTRODUCTION
a) Since January 22, 1984, via a proclamation issued by President Ronald Reagan, the third Sunday in January has been designated Sanctity of Human Life Sunday.
b) Especially since January 1973 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that until a child clears its mother’s womb, it is not a person and can be killed at will, serious minded Christians have been voicing great concern, even since the ruling was somewhat reversed in 2022. [13]
c) Yet, the general 1973 ruling swept widely as it opened a huge floodgate, basically declaring that the law has no jurisdiction over what one does with his or her own body.
d) When expanded to logical length, that means that those with homosexual tendencies have a right to practice openly, and no one has a right to openly condemn their practice, regardless of biblical warnings, dangers, or traditions.
e) It also means that those of the same sex have a right to marry one another and John Q. Public has no right to prevent it but flirts with “hate speech” when it’s openly condemned.
f) So Roe vs. Wade essentially redefined the meaning of life itself; it redefined when life begins, and, carried to its logical end, it redefined when human life can be ended at the will of others.
g) Article 15 of The Baptist Faith And Message, 2000 states that, “We should speak on behalf of the unborn and contend for the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death.”.
h) QUESTION: What does the term, “sanctity”, mean? It denotes something special; something having been set apart and consecrated for a higher or nobler purpose.
i) And that’s the focus of this lesson – the special purpose for human life, its sanctity and special value it claims.
j) So, let’s explore some examples that transpired during Jesus’ ministry, each showing that He highly values human life itself, along with the value He places on human health, and yet another as He reveals the worth He assigns to wholeness of life.
k) Beginning with Matthew 9:18-26, we discover the value that Jesus seemed to place on human life and human welfare.
[CLASS READ MATTHEW 9:18-26.]
18While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. 19And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples. 20And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: 21For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. 22But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour. 23And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, 24He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. 25But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. 26And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land. 27And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us. 28And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. 29Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. 30And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it. 31But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.[14]
2) HUMAN LIFE IS IMPORTANT
a) Most of Jesus’ miracles were directed at providing an existing need of the physical body – food to the hungry, sight to the blind, healing to the sick and lame, etc..
b) We all understand that one of the great aims of such miracles was to lend credibility to His main mission, which was to convince folks that He actually was who He said He was – the very Son of God.
c) But it’s significant that His miracles were directed at the needs and preservation of human life.
d) By this time in His ministry, folks from all walks of life had begun to accept His message, and some were even rulers like one called Jairus.
e) Matthew simply describes Jairus as a “ruler”. Mark’s and Luke’s Gospels tell us that Jairus was a “ruler of the synagogue” – he was an officer in the Jewish synagogue in charge of the care of the building and the scheduling and order of their worship services.
f) So Jairus was highly respected and commanded a lot of trust. But Jairus had had something terrible to happen. He had a 12-year-old daughter, who was sick, near unto death.
g) Neither Scripture nor I have to explain how a father would feel toward a 12-year-old daughter that he finds sick to die, especially after having exhausted all he knows to help.
h) We can’t know exactly how Jairus knew that Jesus might be willing or able to help her, though we can obviously assume he had witnessed some of His miracles already.
i) What we do know is that he came to Jesus in a humble and worshipping manner, asking that Jesus come and heal her; and Jesus seems to have left immediately, following Jairus to his house.
j) QUESTION: But on His way, what would happen? Interruptions – a sick woman that called out, “..if I can just touch His garment, I know I’ll be healed.”
k) QUESTION: Even in what Jairus and you and I would have considered a dire emergency, what did Jesus do on being interrupted by the woman who had experienced a years-long issue of blood? He paused at her oral petition and declared, “thy faith hath made thee whole.”
l) This is only a single example which the entirety of Scripture places on God’s interest in human life and welfare.
m) Note, however, that the absence of healing doesn’t automatically mean an absence of faith on the part of the one desiring to be healed, nor does it mean the Lord cannot or will not ever heal, nor that He isn’t concerned at all.
n) Jesus arrived at the home of Jairus, and it wasn’t surprising what He found – folks mourning, musicians playing, along with the usual contemporary customs observed during such a time of mourning.
o) During those days, it was the custom that when one died, beside those who would actually mourn, his or her kin would hire musicians and even mourners to play and to mourn. (Note: Do you wonder if they’ll have to hire mourners to perform at your funeral?)
p) The more mourners they hired, and the more musicians present was an indication of the depth of the family’s mourning.
q) POINT (Just a side note follows):
Now don’t laugh so loud at their vanity without rehearsing our customs today that may be just as vain. The finer the coffin and vault, the more we loved them or the more we want folks to believe we can afford; or, the greater the number of beautiful flowers, the more respect the deceased has commanded.
It’s almost certain – the number of people at our funeral most likely depends on just a couple things more than anything else, and the true record of the life of the deceased often has little influence. See the following real-life example I watched unfold in the recent past, then see the conclusion that may reveal what often matters most to some people:
Real life scenario: A few years ago, an older gentleman, who had raised a rather large and affluent family in a neighboring community, passed away on a Tuesday night following a rather long illness. He had been highly respected, especially in religious circles, and had tried to pass his virtues on to his family. However, the local high school football team had won a berth in the state championship game to be played the following weekend, and a great number in the community, including the family of the deceased, were excited about attending the prestigious Nashville event. Also, coincidental with the aged patriarch’s death occurring early in the week, rainy weather was being forecast which foretold that fewer people would choose to attend either visitation or the funeral. Still, with all this, along with the state football championship game being the preoccupation of so many minds, what would be the “reasonable, intelligent” choices regarding the old father’s funeral arrangements? The reasoning must have gone similarly to this. “Well, the football game can’t be rescheduled, and the championship is on the line; we also want a maximum number of people to experience the spectacle we have planned for the funeral; so, let’s delay the funeral until Sunday when the football championship will have been decided and the weather has cleared, at which time we can share our grief with those who had so much respect for Dad.”
r) So, what is the logical conclusion of what may matter most concerning our funeral turnout? The dominating determinants will almost certainly be, (1) the weekday on which the Lord calls us home, and (2) yes, the weather!
3) WHAT GOD RESPECTS, HE REWARDS
a) Throughout Scriptures, we’re taught the importance of providing the physical needs of our fellow man.
b) The end of the story of Jairus and Jesus was that though He was laughed at when He indicated that He would restore life to the child, He asked them all to leave, went in to where her body had been lain, took her by the hand, and she arose – alive as ever.
[CLASS TURN TO MATTHEW 25.]
c) Later in this same Gospel of Matthew, chapter 25, Jesus was teaching about His second coming, and He explained some of what He would reward…
d) Let’s notice very carefully what Jesus is saying here …
[CLASS READ MATTHEW 25: 34-40.]
34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.[15]
e) QUESTION: How would you describe these acts that God honors? These are acts of helping those who can’t help themselves; of helping those who have genuine needs yet are in no position to help themselves.
f) For many years, vain arguments have been presented that contend that the unborn are not human and cannot “feel pain”, etc., prior to birth.
g) Consider the following taken from an article published by Amandeep Hospital on its website in March, 2024. [16] [17]
Human life is a journey that starts long before we even breathe. Unborn children engage in a wide range of unusual actions in the enigmatic and fascinating realm of the mother’s womb, showcasing their extraordinary potential and acceptance even before they are born. The unborn kid is continuously growing, moving, and especially experiencing the world from the beginning of pregnancy until delivery. In this blog post, we explore 11 unexpected activities that fetuses do inside the womb, highlighting the unique aspects of the prenatal world.
React to Stimuli
It may surprise you to learn that fetuses are extraordinarily sensitive to environmental stimuli. As early as eight weeks into pregnancy, they may respond to light, sound, and even touch. According to womb scans, they exhibit early sensory awareness as seen by their responses to speech, music, and other sensory stimuli.
Practice Breathing
Unborn babies begin to practice breathing motions by inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid about the midway point of pregnancy. These repetitive motions aid in the respiratory system’s development and get the infant ready to breathe air upon birth.
Make Face Expressions
The unborn child exhibits a surprisingly wide variety of facial expressions during ultrasound imaging. A child’s evolving personality may be seen in the expressions they make, such as frowning, smiling, and even sucking their thumb.
Dream
Research indicates that fetuses dream though still in the mother’s womb as they may undergo rapid eye movement (REM) during sleep. These early dreams probably had an impact on how the brain developed and how it processed sensory data.
Swallowing and Digesting
As early as week 11 of the pregnancy scan, fetuses start to ingest amniotic fluid. As the fetus learns to assimilate nutrients, this swallowing movement not only aids in fluid management but also initiates the development of the digestive system.
Learn sounds
Research has shown that fetuses are capable of identifying and reacting to familiar sounds, especially those relating to their mothers. After birth, they start to bond and communicate because they get used to the rhythm and intonation of her voice.
Hiccup
Usually after the 20th week of pregnancy, hiccups are a common phenomenon seen in unborn babies. These regular diaphragmatic contractions are thought to aid in strengthening the breathing muscles and are a typical aspect of fetal development. You (the mother) will start feeling movement during pregnancy by this week.
React to Emotions
According to research, hormonal impulses transmitted through the placenta may allow fetuses to sense their mother’s feelings. They can react to tension, joy, or sorrow, emphasizing the complex bond between a mother and her baby.
Examine the Surroundings
Unborn children actively investigate their surroundings in the womb through impulsive baby’s movements and tactile perceptions. These movements are crucial for the fetus’s sensory and cognitive development in addition to its muscular and joint development.
Practice the Sucking Reflex
During pregnancy, unborn children begin to practice the sucking reflex by sucking their thumbs or fingers. This reaction is essential for eating after delivery. This instinctive behavior comforts the fetus and strengthens the muscles used in feeding.
React to Pain
Although there is ongoing discussion over whether or not fetuses are capable of feeling pain, research indicates that they may react physiologically to stimuli that might cause pain. This emphasizes how crucial it is to give pregnant womb the comfort and attention they need.
h) Among many other works of medical professionals, a vast portion of the above information is affirmed in Dr. Bernard Nathanson’s book, The Hand Of God. [18]. Dr. Nathanson spent much of his medical career performing and overseeing abortions, then on his spiritual journey from “death to life”, his mind, then his heart, were changed by the hand of God.
CONCLUSION
(1) QUESTION: Who among all the living is more vulnerable than the unborn child, who moves, sleeps, sucks its thumb and kicks its feet, yet remains totally at the mercy of its mother?
(2) There are none more vulnerable than the unborn human fetus; none more helpless; none more dependent on help from others.
(3) And what greater injustice could one do than to viciously take the life of such a totally helpless child? And, what is more noble than to staunchly defend the preservation of its life?
(4) It is wholly irrefutable that human life matters – to the unborn, to its parents, to society, and – most of all – to God, our Creator.
LESSON 4 OF 5
THINGS THAT MATTER – CHARACTER MATTERS
By: Travis W. Lewis
JANUARY 22, 2006
[CLASS TURN TO MATTHEW 15:16.]
1) INTRODUCTION
a) A few years ago, Senator Alan Simpson of Wyoming made this statement: If one has integrity, little else matters; if one does not have integrity, little else matters.
b) Terms like, “character” and “integrity” may look good on the church’s marquis or its bulletin, or on a salesperson’s handout or flyer, but what weight do those terms carry in our private lives – in the part when nobody is either listening or watching.
c) QUESTION: How would you define the term, “Character”?
d) Our discussion today revolves around what governs our thoughts and choices when nobody sees, and nobody hears; when the drawbridge to one’s heart has been raised — what really is its inside driving force?
e) And that’s the goal of our lesson today: To help us realize that Christian character grows out of the condition of the heart – from its attitudes and desires – and to help us align our hearts, along with such attitudes and desires, according to that on which God really does place value.
f) Should the world, or should life circumstances, take all you have – money, land, stocks, bonds, or even your reputation, of what worth would be held by what you have left?
g) Understand this – those things on which God places real value, the world cannot take away.
h) Hopefully, we will be reminded, or even learn, today that what we allow to go into our mind shapes our hearts, and it’s the conditioning of our hearts over a period of time that determines our character.
i) Jesus placed a supreme value on character, because He, of all people, knew the need for us to keep our hearts and minds fed with the good and pure from Heaven, and to reject the garbage and the trivia that originate in Hell itself.
j) It is imperative that we be constantly aware of an observation recorded by Jeremiah in Jeremiah 17:9, The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.
k) In our Scripture lesson today, Jesus had just responded to a question with which the Pharisees had challenged Him regarding why His disciples disregarded the Jewish practice of washing their hands before they ate.
l) Jewish tradition taught that if unwashed hands touched food before it was eaten, it would defile the person and render him or her unacceptable to God.
m) And like so many instances in our own time, many traditions had gained equal status to the actual law of God.
n) Jesus had responded with a reminder of how they were twisting totally out of proportion some of the basic commandments such as honoring father and mother, then going to seed on some things that made little difference.
o) And concluding that response, He tells them, (paraphrased), “It’s not what you consume by mouth that pollutes your spiritual life, but it’s what comes out of your mouth that defiles you, because what comes from your mouth originates within your heart.”
p) And Peter approaches Jesus, asking Him to explain the lesson He was trying to teach them.
q) And Jesus begins that explanation in verse 16.
[CLASS READ MATTHEW 15:16-20.]
16And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? 17Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? 18But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 20These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. [19]
2) DEFILEMENT OF THE HEART
a) At this point, I pose two questions that I hope will bring Jesus’s lesson right to the doorstep of our own life.
i) First Question: You’re in a restaurant, and the waiter approaches the table with your food. As he sets your order in front of you, a single drop of sweat drops from his brow – right in the middle of your chimichanga. Would you proceed with consuming the chimichanga, or would you straightforwardly refuse it?
ii) Second Question: You’re watching a TV program. Just being entertained; no real lesson being consumed that would engender any hope of enriching your life; you’re just passing the time. And the program begins to exhibit steamy scenes or coarse language. What is your response? Do you turn it off or switch channels, or do you consume it, and excuse your choice by saying to yourself, “Oh, we’re adults, and there’s nobody here but us…..”.
b) Now, in the first scene – the sweat in the chimichanga – your instinct is to probably out-of-hand reject that which has repulsed your appetite and would possibly defile your physical body – even with the knowledge that there will probably be no lasting effects of a single gram of sweat in that twenty-four ounces of food and drink you have just had set before you. After all, the human body has built-in means of filtering and eliminating most such minute quantities of impurities that may be consumed with
c) But in the TV scene, what plans do you have of filtering those thoughts and scenes from your mind and heart?
d) Is this not the precise point being made by Jesus as He used this parable (paraphrased), “If you were as careful about what goes into your mind as to what you consume into your stomach, your hearts would be in condition to learn what I’m here to teach you.”?
e) Is He not saying, “If you consume pollutants into your mind, then can you not realistically expect your thoughts, and eventually your actions which shape your character, to be polluted as well?”
f) Jesus continues, “And, because you take garbage into your minds, these are some things to which you can expect your character to become more vulnerable:
i) Murders: Tendency toward destroying others; possibly not a physical life, but reputation, faith, self-esteem, etc..
ii)Tendencies toward all forms of adultery; sexual immoralities; illicit sexual practices; pornography and the lusts this kind of intake incites, regardless of whether the habit eventually advances to the physical level.
iii) Thefts: Ability diminished to define and recognize temptation toward thievery. (Example: The lottery, which attempts to render others poorer so the “winner” can be made richer.)
iv) Lies: Expect to become more prone to lie because of your hatred and jealousy and your lust for power over others. Example: Gradually, you will come to consider the “church grapevine” to be a way to show concern, while, in actuality, it’s possibly being used as a means to spread useless gossip and damaging slander.
v) Blasphemy: Intake of garbage into the mind renders any person vulnerable to mistaking what truly honors God for that which God hates as His cause is dishonored.
g) This is what evolves when one’s mind is fed with garbage, with impurities, with filthy scenes, foolish conversation, and defiling thoughts.
h) QUESTION: So, what does this tell us about the real origin of character?
i) Character originates and grows within a clean heart.
ii) Character reflects a heart that is right with God.
iii) If we would harbor hope of keeping our hearts right with God, we must nourish it with that which is good and true and pure and reject that which invariably corrupts.
i) QUESTION: But what does God actually abhor and hate?
[CLASS TURN TO PROVERBS 6:16-19.]
3) IDENTIFY AND EMBRACE GODLY VALUES
a) If we take on serious pursuit of those things that would draw us closer to God, it becomes very important to understand what God hates, what He abhors, along with attitudes that separate us from His fellowship.
b) Scriptures reveal such a moral compass, along with God’s character and His values.
c) Otherwise, we’re just sort of tossed out on a trackless sea, being thrown hither and yon by whatever winds that blow at the time – and the one thing of which we can be sure is that without the compass of God’s Word, our character will not take the shape we intended.
d) Also, if we hope to learn the real character of God, we must understand the attitudes and even the thoughts that He literally hates, which are revealed in Proverbs 6.
[CLASS READ PROVERBS 6:16-19.]
16These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. [20]
e) Six Things the Lord Hates
i) Proud Look: Arrogant appearance and disposition; self-exalting, self-centered projection of vain pride; an attitude, possibly absent of even an uttered word, that says, “I’m superior to you; I’m more educated than you; I have accomplished more than you; I’m more popular than you; I’m more righteous than you; you would do well to look up to and mimic me.” It is diametrically opposite of the attitude of Jesus. Jesus’s general attitude was summarized in Matthew 11:29, when He said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart.”
ii) Lying Tongue: Known by others for malicious lies and motivated by hate, jealousy, or desire to harm others.
(1) Defensive lies that blame others instead of taking responsibility for our own mistakes.
(2) Greedy lies that would allow us to gain more while making another poorer.
(3) Manipulative lies that twist the truth into a shape that would convince others to assume the view of the perpetrator.
iii) Hands That Shed Innocent Blood: Those that willfully bring harm or even death to others to satisfy one’s own greed and lusts; assuming disregard of the helpless, poor, destitute, and disadvantaged in ways that elevate the perpetrator – totally opposite of anything which Jesus exemplified.
iv) A Heart That Devises Wicked Imaginations: Attitudes that constantly scheme to circumvent laws, both of God and man, which are designed to protect the wealth and property over which the innocent are stewards; conjuring schemes to con others out of money or property – or even their character – so as to elevate oneself.
v) Feet That Are Swift In Running To Mischief: Motivated by quick-money schemes; finding joy in either creating or spreading rumors about the misery of others; impatient of delay in a thing of which he is greedy – all which are acts or attitudes that are completely devoid of character and diametrically opposite to the attitudes of Christ.
vi) A False Witness That Speaketh Lies: One of the most harmful mischiefs of the wicked mind, against which one may be almost defenseless. Can we not safely deduce that, since lying involves two of the seven things which God hates, the He doubly hates lying.
vii) And He That Soweth Discord Among Brethren: Clearly receives satisfaction from stirring up confusion or feuds between others; usually beginning by irritating passions between friends, then by continual rub of the irritation, he finally alienates the two – all the while diverting attention from his own meanness.
f) In Proverbs 4, we’re offered some conclusive thoughts on how to prevent our thoughts from wandering into these fields which are to be avoided at all costs.
[CLASS READ PROVERBS 4:;20-27.]
20My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. 23Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. 24Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. 25Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. 26Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. 27Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil. [21]
GUARD YOUR HEARTS (CONCLUSION)
(1) Keep a continuously wary eye on our own life and the direction it’s going.
(2) Don’t intake these things into our mind that can do nothing but defile our thoughts, which are the origin of our eventual actions, which, in turn, mold our character.
(3) “Ponder the path of your feet…”, think about the direction in which our life is headed and the destination toward which our habits are carrying us.
(4) Rudyard Kipling, who was an English poet who died in 1936, composed a poem that sums up this thing called character very well. The title is simply, “If”…
IfBy Rudyard Kipling If you can keep your head when all about you If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, If you can dream – and not make dreams your master; If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken If you can make one heap of all your winnings If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, If you can fill the unforgiving minute (5) So, in all eternity past, who is the only one that can fully meet the challenges mentioned by Kipling in this poem? The lone one must be Jesus, who is the Christ, and it is His level of character alone which we continually strive to reach.
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LESSON 5 OF 5
THINGS THAT MATTER – MARRIAGE FIDELITY MATTERS
By: Travis W. Lewis
JANUARY 29, 2006
[CLASS TURN TO GENESIS 2:18.]
1) INTRODUCTION
a) I must acknowledge to you that, for me, such lessons as this are usually some of the most difficult to prepare for delivery to a class of mixed gender. This one is no different.
b) Though I have mostly outgrown the phobias brought from my youth on subjects such as this, I admit to somewhat of a lingering taboo to discuss the subject in such a setting.
c) From the lesson’s outset, however, I have been confident that each of you has lived long enough and become wise enough to understand the importance of sexual purity.
d) Maybe for some, that lesson came at great expense, but nevertheless, you’ve learned it. And it’s better to have learned the hard way than to have never learned at all!
e) Nevertheless, we are continually pummeled with suggestions, either orally or visually, from movies, television programs, sports events and even newscasts or newscasters themselves, to the point where almost every facet of our lives to which we are exposed challenges the biblical perspective about sexual purity.
f) And, we have arrived at the point where the virtue of biblical modesty is practically lying in state, awaiting burial; and, regrettably, the same prevails in many “church” environments; and what is even more sad is that few cautions are sounded.
g) But, what is the biblical perspective toward so much of what has become commonplace in our society concerning sexual matters?
h) Or, have we surrendered this part of our worldview to the paradigm declaring that, “times have just changed and so we have to change as well.”?
i) That’s the truth that we want to pursue today – that living a life of moral purity brings fulfillment to the individual while at the same time bringing delight to the Lord.
j) From this class, I hope we can take away:
i) A sharper sense of the importance of sexual purity for single and married people alike, as well as…
ii) A stronger awareness of God’s guidelines for moral purity generally, and the sexual realm in particular.
j) I also hope this class helps remove whatever tendency we may have allowed to develop in our minds that “times have changed” and so have God’s accepted standard of morality.
k) So, today we’ll discuss:
i) God’s design to truly meet human needs.
ii) Marital boundaries do not impound and deny, but actually protect and satisfy.
iii) Then we’ll refer to the New Testament as we discuss God’s call for believers to live pure from these foul things that prevent the truly good life.
l) So, as in all other areas of our lives, the Scriptures are an excellent beginning point for underscoring the reason that God created within mankind this, what may be, the most powerfully driving force of all.
m) The general background is this:
i) God had created the earth and set the heavens all in motion.
ii) He had created and set to life all the plants and the animals.
iii) And last of all, He had created man in His own image.
iv) And for that man, He created a special garden called Eden. It was a beautiful garden, all – actually at this point, almost all – that Adam would need.
2) GOD’S DESIGN
[CLASS READ GENESIS 2:18.]
18And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.[22]
a) Question: In His total knowledge of the makeup of this first man, what was the one thing still lacking that God knew he would need? Company – a companion (not companions); one very much like him, yet very different; one with whom he could personally communicate, deeply love, cherish and for whom he could provide.
b) Adam had been created in the image of God, which consists of a Trinity – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – all in perfect agreement as One and as God.
c) So, Adam, created in the image of the Trinity, was designed to be a social being – needing one with whom he could communicate, one with whom he could share his innermost thoughts, and with whom he could share everything at his disposal.
[CLASS READ GENESIS 2:21-25.]
21And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. 25And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. [23]
d) Practical Exercise:
i) Men, close your eyes, and imagine that all your life, you’ve been alone; you’ve never seen another person; you’ve never even seen all of your own self, not even your own face; you’ve been on this earth all alone, and you fall asleep.
ii) And when you awake, (at this point, ask men to open their eyes). Lo and behold — there she is – this…this woman – a lot like you, but right off the bat, you see marked differences.
e) And the longer you’re with her, the more alike you realize the both of you are; yet, also appearing are distinct differences – not only physically, but emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually.
f) So, God made a woman – a helper for the first man, Adam — enough like Adam that they could communicate perfectly, yet with differences that obviously complement rather than oppose one another.
g) Take note that, in 1859, Charles Darwin published his classic book on the controversial theory of evolution of man. He called it Origin of the Species, the title of which has proven to be a great misnomer.
h) Though Genesis does not explain man’s creation in such detail that our curiosity often wishes it had provided, you have just read about the origin of man – that he was created by God and from that man came a woman – much like Adam, yet so much different.
i) So much alike that one could not be happy without the other, yet so much different, that the basic needs which one could not provide alone could be provided by the other.
i) Exactly where the creation of man happened – we don’t know.
ii) Exactly when creation happened – man doesn’t know.
iii) Exactly how creation happened – man cannot comprehend, thus he doesn’t know.
iv) But human experience, common logic, and relatively of late, even science should leave no doubt about what actually did happen –that man and woman were created by God, which was the actual “origin of the species.”
v) And one of the driving instincts built into mankind’s nature was sexual desire – put there for two obvious purposes and two alone:
(1) To enhance and to enrich the bonding between husband and wife.
(2) And, to bring even further glory to God by procreating – by reproducing more of their own kind which had been designed by God in the beginning.
j) One man for one woman – not man for man; not woman for woman; we are warned in other places in Scriptures that any other sexual attractions are not natural but are blatant perversions of God’s creation and actually reach the level of being an abomination.
k) We’re further told that when that built-in attraction is made use of in an inordinate way, then we’re playing with fire – and with such a fire, we always get burned, to even further extent than great suffering by the guilty party, but so do many who are totally innocent!
l) The writer of Proverbs had learned the hard way, yet he had learned that only within boundaries set by God can this instinct be satisfied without the guilty perpetrators and innocent victims being hurt.
3) MARITAL BOUNDARIES FOR PROTECTION AND SATISFACTION
[CLASS READ PROVERBS 5:15-20.]
V.15 Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.
V.16 Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.
V.17 Let them be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee.
V.18 Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.
V.20 And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
a) Paraphrased:
i) Verse 15: Drink water from your own cistern, water flowing from your own well; let your most personal and private appetites be satisfied at home.
ii) Verse 16: Should your springs flow in the streets, streams of water in the public squares? Certain things should be exclusively private, solely between husband and wife, even in display of parts of the body with which are best that only the husband and wife are familiar.
iii) Verse 17: They should be for you and not to be shared with strangers.
iv) Verse 18: Let your fountain be blessed and take pleasure in the wife of your youth.
v) Verse 19: A loving doe, a graceful fawn – let her breasts always satisfy you; be lost in her love forever; mutual fidelity produces mutual joy!
vi) Verse 20: My son, why would you be infatuated with a forbidden woman or embrace the breast of a stranger? Why seek pleasure in any other than the one with whom your highest passions are least likely to run amuck?
CONCLUSION
(1) Question #1 For Pondering: If you were to record for your children some things you would want them to remember, how would you describe, in shortest form, what you would want to leave for their guidance long after you’re gone?
(2) Question #2 For Pondering: Would your foremost goal be to convey those things that would help them shun the mistakes that you or others have made so they won’t have to learn some very costly lessons the hard way?
(3) Each of us has witnessed the painful effects of marital unfaithfulness and the misuse of the sexual attraction that was inculcated in humankind from the beginning.
(4) Each of us are also keenly aware of how commonplace marriage unfaithfulness has become – to the point that in the United States as a whole, almost half of all marriages end in divorce, many in which is involved marriage unfaithfulness.
(5) And it’s not because God’s system has become flawed.
(6) It’s because our society has consumed so much garbage into our minds that gratifying our temporary sexual lusts at will has become socially acceptable.
(7) And our society is literally rotting from the core out, largely because of this one moral mistake that Scriptures repeatedly warn against – that human desire cannot be allowed to run rampant and unharnessed without payday coming someday.
(8) An admonition given by Paul to the Christians at Rome fits our age as well…
And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Romans 13:11-12, NIV
(9) Repeatedly, we’re admonished that being devoted to one person is far more satisfying in every way; in sticking together through the ups and downs that come in every marriage; learning to give and to take; to forgive and to forbear, and to gradually learn of what really does matter most in life.
(10)Then we can grow old with the contentment of knowing that we truly have belonged to one – and only one – that will stick with us “until death do us part”.
(11) God set these limits, not to deprive us, but to fulfill and protect us.
(12) Immediate gratification is like ripping the siding off our house for fuel to burn to keep warm; there may be some immediate benefit, but the long-term results are devastating.
(13) And not only should we be vigilant in our own lives about the dangers of misusing this part of our nature that serves such a vital role, but we shouldn’t hesitate to warn those we love against it, and to never accept it as the “norm” because “times have changed.”
(14) Yet, even when worse comes to worse and one strays, and though circumstances and ensuing pain may not be reversible, preceded by repentance, the sin is forgivable by God, and it should be by us as well.
EPILOGUE
This concludes our thoughts on several, though not all inclusive, of what I consider to be vital facets of human life. Having shared these many thoughts, greatest emphasis of all is to make certain of one’s personal relationship with Jesus before time runs out. My prayer is that some thoughts were conveyed in this lesson series that shed a ray of light into an existing darkness in your life. The intent of these lessons has been to challenge you with the thoughts I have presented; I hope at least some part has hit its target.
Should a reader desire copies, which can be bound in your chosen form, please give me a call at 731-968-2114, or email twlewis302@charter.net. Various other of our publications may be viewed at Golden Bowl Publications website. Ω TL ©
[1]The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.
[2]The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.
[3]The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.
[4]The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.
[5]The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.
[6]The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.
[7]The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.
[8]The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.
[9]The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.
[10]The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.
[11]The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.
[12]The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.
[13] Though in 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed its 1973 decision and essentially declared such laws to be responsibilities of individual states, many states still allow abortions, virtually at will. Most, if not all of these states invite women from other states to come to their state to kill their own unborn child, which has spawned a new industry for many areas.
[14]The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.
[15]The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.
[16] https://amandeephospital.org/blogs/11-surprising-things-unborn-babies-do-in-the-womb/; published March 19, 2024
[17] This information has been added to the lesson originally presented in 2006.
[18] The Hand of God; Dr. Bernard Nathanson, Regnery Publishing, Inc., 1996
[19]The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.
[20]The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.
[21]The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.
[22]The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.
[23]The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.
