Advent Virtues

Lesson 1Hope ..............................................................................3Hebrews 6:13-20

Lesson 2Peace ..............................................................................8Romans 12:14-21

Lesson 3Joy ................................................................................13James 1:2-8

Lesson 4Love ..............................................................................181 John 4:7-12

Lesson 5Faith ............................................................................23Hebrews 11:1-7

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Prepare Before the SessionRead the session for today in the Study Guide. Then read the options in this Teaching

Guide, placing checkmarks beside the activities you plan to include. After you have decidedwhich options to use, gather the appropriate materials.

WHAT’S IN YOUR TEACHING GUIDEThis Teaching Guide has three purposes:! to give the teacher tools for focusing on the content of the session in the Study Guide.! to give the teacher additional Bible background information.! to give the teacher variety and choice in preparation.

The Teaching Guide includes two major components: Teacher Helps and Teacher Options.

Teacher Helps

Teacher Options

Bible BackgroundThe Study Guide is your mainsource of Bible study material.This section helps you more fullyunderstand and interpret the Scripture text.

Teaching Outlineprovides you with an outlineof the main themes in theStudy Guide.

The next three sections provide a beginning, middle, and endfor the session, with focus paragraphs in between.

Focus Paragraphsare printed in italics at the top of the page because they

are the most important part of the Teaching Guide. Theseparagraphs will help you move your class from “what the text

meant” to “what the text means.”

You Can Choose!There is more material in each session than you can use, so choose the options from each sectionto tailor the session to the needs of your group.

Bible BackgroundGod’s Oath and Abraham’sHope

An oath guarantees the truth-fulness of one’s word. In the

ancient world, people would swear by oneof the gods of their culture, therebyadding divine support to what they said.But what happens when the God of Israelwants to make an oath to confirm adivine promise? The God of Israel has norivals and no one greater by whom toswear. Therefore, “because he had no onegreater by whom to swear, he swore byhimself ” (6:13).

God made the oath to Abraham inresponse to Abraham’s faith. God origi-nally promised to make a great nation outof Abraham’s family, blessing him withmany descendants (Gen 12:2). Along theway, God instructed Abraham to sacrificehis only son, Isaac: the sole hope inAbraham’s mind of God’s promise beingfulfilled. Though it made no sense andbrought unimaginable pain, Abraham’shope in God was such that he was willingto obey. Because of Abraham’s faith, Godprovided a lamb for him to sacrificeinstead of his son (Gen 22:1-14).

In response to Abraham’s obedience,God swore an oath to fulfill the promise(Gen 22:15-17). This is the oath the writerof Hebrews refers to when he says God“swore by himself ” (6:13). The writer thensummarizes the promises made to

Abraham in Genesis 22:15-17 by quotingGod as saying, “I will surely bless you andmultiply you” (6:14).

The congregation addressed inHebrews knew the story of Abraham.Through this brief reference they arereminded that they can move toward“solid food” because God is faithful, andalso because they have an example ofsomeone else who lived by hope in God’spromises. At Abraham’s moment of need,God provided and Abraham “patientlyendured” (6:15).

Abraham “obtained the promise”(6:15) not by wresting it out of God’shands but by believing it to be true. Thereality of the promise is based on God’sfaithfulness, but Abraham has to hope inand live by the promise before he can fullyexperience or obtain it. Likewise, thewriter of Hebrews encourages his readersto believe God’s promises, put their hopein them, and live by them so that they toocan obtain the promise.

The Need for an OathAfter recalling the example of God’s oathto Abraham, the writer explains whyoaths are necessary in the first place.When people swear by someone greaterthan themselves, they add authority totheir words. The oath puts their wordsabove suspicion since “an oath given asconfirmation puts an end to all dispute”(6:16). An oath raises the stakes andmoves the conversation to a new level.

1Lesson Teaching Guide

HOPE

Hebrews 6:13-20

God does not need to make oathssince God has no higher authority towhich to appeal. Nor do the stakes everneed to be raised when God is speak-ing. Therefore, the oath God makes toAbraham is not for God’s sake but forAbraham’s sake and the sake of hisdescendants. In making an oath, “Goddesired to show even more clearly to theheirs of the promise the unchangeablecharacter of his purpose” (6:17). It’s as ifGod is saying, “I’m as serious about thisas I can possibly be. I will fulfill thispromise. You can count on it.”

The oath functions as a guaranteethat the promise will be fulfilled (6:17).The promise and the oath guaranteeing itfunction as “two unchangeable things, inwhich it is impossible that God wouldprove false” (6:18). We can be doubly surethat the promise will come true.

Seizing the Hope Set Before UsGod’s promises are guaranteed. Abrahamproves that it is possible to put one’s hopein God’s promises and live a life ofextraordinary faithfulness. Now it’s up tous to follow Abraham’s example andembrace the hope God gives us.

Embracing hope begins as we takerefuge in it (see 6:18). Other translationsspeak of fleeing to our hope. Both imagesare of moving toward the hope God offersand situating our lives in its presence.

In the presence of hope, we are“strongly encouraged to seize the hope setbefore us” (6:18). The image is of a persongrabbing hold of hope and holding on fordear life. The writer challenges thiscongregation prone to sluggishness (6:12)and satisfied with spiritual milk (5:12) toseize hope and hold on so that God canpull them up to spiritual maturity.

Hope is a present reality: somethingwe now experience in part that gives ataste of what is to come. Hope is also afuture reality: the day is coming when allof God’s promises will be fulfilled. Seizingthis hope today enables us to live faith-fully amid the pain, suffering, difficulties,and disappointments of life.

Our hope is “a sure and steadfastanchor of the soul” (6:19) and a surefoundation upon which to build in anunstable world. What makes this anchorsteadfast is its connection to God. Thewriter pictures hope “as a cord attached to an anchor” that “has been fastenedsecurely to the throne of God” (Long, 78). By our hope we enter God’s throneroom, the place where promises are madeand kept and where God’s presencepermeates all.

The writer makes reference to thetabernacle of the Old Testament when hespeaks of “a hope that enters the innershrine behind the curtain” (6:19). As the

I. God’s Promise and Oath to Abraham(Hebrews 6:13-15)

A. Having no one greater to swear by,God utters a self-oath.

B. This self-oath is in response toAbraham’s faith (Gen 22:1-17).

II. The Purpose of an Oath (Hebrews 6:16-18)

A. An oath raises the stakes andcommunicates absolute commit-ment.

B. Though not necessary, God’s self-oath shows the “unchangeablecharacter” of God’s purpose.

C. The oath adds a second unchange-able thing to give us hope, the firstbeing God’s promise.

D. The oath guarantees the promise willcome true.

III. Seize the Hope (Hebrews 6:18-20)A. The hope provided by God’s promise

and oath will not be forced on us.We must seize it.

B. This hope is worth seizing, as it is ananchor for our souls.

C. Hope functions as an anchorbecause it attaches us to the verypresence of Christ in heaven.

4 Lesson 1

" Promises Kept, Promises Broken“Promises are made to be broken,” thesaying goes. This statement seems increas-ingly true in a world more concerned withwhat is legal than with what is right.Broken promises create unimaginablepain, while kept promises create a founda-tion for the flourishing of human life.

Questions! Why are kept promises so important?! Why are broken promises so painful?! Why can promises seem so hard to

keep?

" The Nature of HopeHope is central to life; without hope for abetter world, we would be hard pressed tokeep going when the pain and sufferingof this world closes in on us. But theconcept of hope has many meanings. It’simportant to name what we mean whenwe speak of hope.

Questions! Discuss the different meanings of the

word “hope.”! What role does hope play in your life?! What do you hope for this Christmas?! What might Mary, Joseph, the shep-

herds, and other characters in theChristmas story have been hoping for?

Promises and oaths shape our lives in remarkable ways. The promises made atweddings provide a foundation upon which husbands and wives build theirmarriages. The oaths made in the courtroom become the foundation on which

our criminal justice system depends. Making a promise and taking an oath are serious acts,not to be taken lightly.

A Way to Begin

Teaching Guide 5

Israelites wandered through the wilderness, God’s presence journeyed in a tabernacle,the innermost part of which was behind a curtain (Exod 26:31-35). Only the high priestcould enter this inner shrine, this most holy place.

Through his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus functions as a high priest, enteringnot the desert tabernacle but the heavenly presence of God as “a forerunner on ourbehalf ” (6:20). That means we too will one day join him in God’s complete presence.Until then, our hope is a cord tethered to an anchor that Jesus carries with him intoGod’s presence. The congregation to which Hebrews was addressed, if they seized thehope set before them, would find themselves energized and empowered by an anchorthat connected them to the very presence of God.

" Abraham’s StoryThe original recipients of this letter hadgreat familiarity with the story ofAbraham, so the writer of Hebrews couldmake non-detailed references to Genesis12 and 22 with confidence that theywould know what he was talking about.Distribute copies of the resource page“Abraham’s Story” (Page 28). Have classmembers either discuss in groups or workon their own to answer the questionslisted.

" A Blessing to the NationsIn Genesis 12:2-3, God promises thatAbraham’s descendants will be a blessingto the world. Christians understand thatthe greatest fulfillment of this promise is found in Jesus, a “son of Abraham” (Mt 1:1) through whom the blessings ofAbraham are made available to all by faith(Gal 3:6-9, 14, 16).

Questions! Read Hebrews 11:13-16, 39-40. How

does the “patient endurance” ofAbraham and his descendants findresolution in the coming of Christ?

! How does Abraham serve as a modelfor endurance?

! Abraham’s descendants faced manycrises and setbacks in their longhistory. How do you keep hope alive indifficult times?

! How is Simeon (Lk 2:25-35) an exampleof someone who “seizes the hope” setbefore him?

" Seizing HopeRead Hebrews 6:18. A gift with our nameon it, wrapped and under the Christmastree, already belongs to us. But we will not fully receive the gift until we tear offthe wrapping paper and open it. God has already given us hope through thepromise and the oath, but hope will notbe fully ours until we seize it and live by it.

Questions! Why does God tell us to seize hope

instead of filling us with hope whetherwe want it or not?

! Why does the author use an aggressiveword like “seize” to describe our role?

! What are the practices and attitudes bywhich we seize hope?

" Jesus the High PriestThe role of a priest is to relate to God onbehalf of others. The writer of Hebrewsinterprets Jesus’ life, death, resurrection,and ascension in a priestly light. Jesusenters God’s presence on our behalf,thereby connecting us to God.

Read Hebrews 6:20. Discuss thepriestly role of Christ in our salvation andour ongoing walk with God. How doesthe Christmas story shed light on thispriestly role?

A Way to Explore Scripture The good news is that God makes promises and backs them up with oaths. Thepromises declare God’s loving purposes for humankind and the oath confirms the

promise. God’s promise and oath are thus the source of human hope.

6 Lesson 1

" Living According to God’sResolveHebrews 6:13-20 definitively establishesthat God keeps promises. This resolvegives an “unchangeable character” toGod’s purposes. God’s will will be done:that’s a guarantee. God’s resolve gives usthe freedom to participate in kingdomwork, knowing that the ultimate resultsare assured.

Questions! Discuss how the unchangeable charac-

ter of God’s purposes creates energyand motivation in us to work for thosepurposes.

! What aspects of our lives cause us tolose sight of God’s purposes?

! What would you have to give up inorder to fully live according to God’spurposes?

" A Steadfast Anchor of the SoulThe writer uses a metaphor of stability toilluminate the role of hope in our lives,calling hope a “steadfast anchor of thesoul” (6:19). In an always changing world,the hope given by our unchangeable Godbrings strength, comfort, and sustenance.Our hope is our anchor both in thestorms of life and when the seas are calm.

Questions! How has hope been an anchor for your

soul?! The Christmas season is often chaotic

and stressful. How can we embracehope as a source of stability thisAdvent?

" A Season of HopeDiscuss the paragraphs about Advent inthe “What About Me?” section of theStudy Guide. How can we put ourselves inthe shoes of the Israelites as they waitedfor the Messiah? How does focusing onAdvent amid the holiday rush help usseize hope?

ResourceThomas G. Long, “Hebrews,” Interpretation: A BibleCommentary for Teaching and Preaching (Louisville: John KnoxPress, 1997).

The hope the writer speaks of includes our hope of being with God in the life tocome. This hope for the future exercises incredible influence on the present. The

more we believe God’s promises and seize the hope set before us, the more ourpresent lives will reflect the life of Christ.

A Way to End

Teaching Guide 7

2Bible Background

Blessing, Weeping, RejoicingChristians place a premium on

being nice. We like it whenpeople are nice to us, and we do

our best to be nice to others. We likebeing nice with good reason: a little kind-ness goes a long way and makes the worlda better place. Simple courtesies not onlyshow respect for others but also bring alittle sunshine into our everyday lives.Especially at this time of year, when the“Christmas spirit” fills our homes,churches, and communities, we want tospread and receive kindness.

Being nice, kind, and courteous goes along way toward helping us live inharmony with the people around us. Toooften, however, we do not move beyondcommon courtesy in our relationshipswith others. The message of the angelswasn’t “Kindness on Earth” but “Peace onEarth,” and the biblical concept of peaceinvolves far more than merely an absenceof open hostility. In addition to beingkind, God wants us to bless others in rich,life-changing ways. God wants us to bepresent with people in the ups and downsof their lives, feeling their pain andsharing their joy. We are to bless eventhose who persecute us.

Paul does not give tips on how toavoid or endure persecution. Instead hesays to offer blessing to one’s persecutors:“bless and do not curse them” (v. 14). He

exhorts the Roman Christians to take theinitiative, reaching out to those whopersecute them and finding ways to blessthem. Such initiatives can only happenwhen a person has not been conformed toa world that says to strike back, but hasbeen transformed by the One who said,“Love your enemies.”

A renewed mind does not focus solelyon its own circumstances but seeks to bewith others in their circumstances. Such atransformed person knows that it is“good and acceptable and perfect” (v. 2)to join people in their sorrow and in theirjoy. To “rejoice with those who rejoice”and “weep with those who weep” (v. 15)is to say that another person’s happinessand pain are our happiness and pain. It isto so identify with other people that weexperience life as they experience it.

Paul does not specify the people withwhom we are to rejoice and weep. Does hemean people within or outside thechurch? The answer is most likely both.Since verse 14 instructs the churches inRome to bless those from outside thechurch who persecute them, it seemslogical for Paul to instruct them to weepand rejoice with those outside the churchas well. Love for those beyond the churchdoes not diminish love for sisters andbrothers within the church.

Working Toward Harmony and PeaceWhen you’re willing to rejoice and weepwith your neighbors, the chances of living

Lesson Teaching Guide

PEACE

Romans 12:14-21

in harmony with them greatly increase.When you do the same with sisters andbrothers in Christ, harmony within thechurch becomes a way of life. “Live inharmony with one another,” Paul says (v. 16). This is a mark of a communitybeing transformed and renewed.

Humility further enhances the possi-bility of living in harmony. “Do not behaughty,” Paul says. Do not hold yourselfabove others and think of yourself asbetter than them. Associate with thoseconsidered “lowly” by society, and treatthem as unique creations of God. You areno better than anyone else, so “do notclaim to be wiser than you are” (v. 16).

With echoes of verse 14, Paul nowsays, “Do not repay anyone evil for evil,but take thought for what is noble in thesight of all” (v. 17). Again Paul assumesthat Christ’s followers are not exemptfrom the evil of this world. We know evilwill visit us; the question is, “How will werespond?” Christ’s followers are not totake matters into their own hands andgive back the evil they have received. Thisdoes not mean that evil is ignored; itmeans the response offered must be“noble in the sight of all.” As we respondto evil with blessing and not curses, wepoint people to Christ and give witness tothe hope within us.

Noble actions may not guaranteepeaceful living with everyone, but “if it ispossible, so far as it depends on you, livepeaceably with all” (Rom 12:18). Paul isrealistic in his instructions, knowing“that there will be many times whenliving at peace with every inhabitant ofthe street, let alone the city will be impos-sible. But he summons Christians tomake every effort in that direction”(Dunn, 714).

Vengeance Belongs to GodPaul builds on his earlier warningsagainst cursing those who persecute usand repaying evil for evil when he says,“Beloved, never avenge yourselves, butleave room for the wrath of God” (v. 19).In other words, do not take things into

your own hands but leave vengeance inthe only hands faithful and righteousenough to administer vengeance justly.Human attempts at vengeance presumetoo much, taking on a role meant forGod. Ultimately human vengeance gets inthe way of God’s vengeance.

Leaving vengeance up to God doesnot mean passively accepting a wrongdone to us. We aggressively attack theenemy, but with the weapons of kindnessand service. Paul quotes from Proverbs25:21-22, saying, “No, ‘if your enemies arehungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, givethem something to drink; for by doingthis you will heap burning coals on theirheads.’”

I. Proactive Neighbor Love (12:14-15)A. Bless those who persecute you.B. Rejoice and weep with your

neighbors.

II. Creating Peace in the Neighborhood(12:16-19)

A. Promote harmony by not beinghaughty and by associating with allpeople, especially those considered“lowly”; do not claim to be wiserthan you are.

B. Do not repay evil for evil.C. Remember that people are watching

your actions, so make your actionsnoble.

D. Do your part to live peaceably withall, even if others do not do theirpart.

E. Don’t take matters into your ownhands. Leave vengeance up to God.

III. Overcome Evil with Good (12:20-21)A. Do not receive evil passively, but

proactively bless your enemies in thehopes that they will repent.

B. Do not allow evil to overcome you;overcome evil by doing good to yourenemies.

Teaching Guide 9

" Close Enough to Weep TogetherRecently, a friend of mine was taken tothe emergency room. He was not seriouslyill and soon returned to a normal state ofhealth. What was notable about the expe-rience was that an ambulance was outsidehis house for 45 minutes, and none of hisneighbors stopped by afterward to see ifhe was okay. No one checked to see if theycould do anything to help.

Questions! Would your neighbors stop by to check

on you if an ambulance was parkedoutside your house?

! Would you check on them? ! Do the people in your neighborhood

know each other well enough to rejoiceand weep together?

" Naming ConflictConflict is inevitable wherever humanbeings gather. The goal of the Christianlife is not to avoid conflict but to respondto conflict faithfully and with love. Livingin harmony with others requires theability to name conflicts and disagree-ments in order to work through themfaithfully.

Questions! What was the last conflict in your

family, church, or community?! How did you and others work through

the conflict?! When have you experienced peace as

the Bible defines it in your human relationships? (Refer to the BibleBackground section.)

! Why did the angels announce “peace on Earth” at the birth of Jesus? Howdoes this announcement challenge orcritique the normal state of our relationships?

God created us for community. We were made to love God, other people, andall of creation. Yet sin disrupts community, tearing us apart instead of bringingus together. The gospel calls us to live in harmony with our sisters and

brothers in Christ and with our neighbors. This call requires us to reach out to others, evento our enemies, in service and in love.

A Way to Begin

10 Lesson 2

The burning coals heaped on the heads of our enemies does not mean punishment,which would contradict what Paul says about blessing those who persecute us (v. 14). Togive food and water to an enemy for the purpose of punishing him would simply be anindirect way of seeking vengeance. Most likely the “coals of fire” refer to “the burningshame of remorse for having treated someone so badly…. The point is then that treatingenemies kindly is not only appropriate behavior in its own right, refusing the vengeancethat would usurp God’s prerogative; it may also have the effect of turning their hearts”(Wright, 715).

In Paul’s eyes evil must not be allowed to have its way, unopposed and unob-structed. Evil must be opposed, so Paul says, “Do not be overcome by evil” (v. 21). Inseeking victory, we must not be conformed to the world and seek to overcome evil withevil. As people who are being transformed by the renewing of our minds, we “overcomeevil with good” (12:21).

" The ContextThe Christians in Rome experiencedfrequent persecution, sometimes mildand sometimes severe. The RomanEmpire demanded absolute loyalty fromits subjects. The emperors were consid-ered semi-divine and worthy of worship.Such expectations created difficulty forChristians, whose ultimate allegiance wasto Jesus Christ. Competing expectationsof allegiance made conflict and persecu-tion inevitable. It’s not surprising thatPaul writes about persecution; what issurprising is how he instructs Christiansto respond.

Read Romans 12:14-21. Discuss theclass’s reactions to the passage. Ask themto imagine how the Roman Christiansmight have felt when they first heardthese words.

" Love for EnemiesPaul’s instructions regarding enemiesspell out what it means to obey Jesus’command to “love your enemies” (Mt 5:44). Discuss the nature of theseinstructions using the Bible Backgroundfrom the Teaching Guide and the StudyGuide. Paul does not counsel passivity,but rather commands aggressive engage-ment with the enemy through blessingand service.

Questions! For a minority group in the most

cosmopolitan and powerful city in theworld, what would the RomanChristians stand to gain through bless-ing their persecutors?

! Why would they be tempted—and why are we tempted—to take mattersinto their own hands and avenge themselves?

! What resentments might Joseph andMary have felt as they traveled toBethlehem for Caesar Augustus’scensus?

! Why is it wiser to leave vengeance inthe hands of God?

! Describe how Jesus lived out what Paulcommands in this passage.

" Transformed by the Renewing ofOur MindsPaul’s ideals seem difficult if not impossi-ble. Even the command to rejoice andweep with others is difficult in our self-focused, busy lives. Such living is onlypossible when our lives are being trans-formed and our minds renewed into theimage of Christ.

Read Romans 12:1-2. These versesprovide the framework for everything thatfollows in the rest of the letter.

Questions! In what specific areas would our minds

need renewing if we were to live outwhat Paul commands in this passage?

! What conflicts did Joseph, Mary, andthe other characters in the Christmasstory face? How might they have cometo live in peace with one anotherdespite these challenges?

In Romans 12:14-21, Paul describes how to handle conflict in a Christlikemanner. Conflict, whether with people we love or people we consider enemies, is

best faced with sacrificial love and service. Living in harmony with others requiresworking hard for their well-being.

A Way to Explore Scripture

Teaching Guide 11

12 Lesson 2

" Persecution?Few if any Christians in North Americatoday face the kind of persecution theRoman Christians faced. In light of theway many people in other parts of theworld follow Jesus at the risk of their livesand are often shunned by their families, itseems wrong even to use the word “perse-cution” in a North American setting.Perhaps it is better to use words like“inconvenience” when describinginstances of Christians being treateddifferently in our secular culture onaccount of their faith.

Questions! When we are inconvenienced by others

who look down on our faith, how canwe bless those who inconvenience us?

! Every year a school system or munici-pality faces challenges for having aChristmas play or display. How shouldChristians respond in such situationsin light of Romans 12:14-21?

! How can we support and encourage our sisters and brothers in other partsof the world who face real persecution,and how can they follow Paul’s instructions?

" Family Policy, Church Policy,Foreign PolicySince conflict is inevitable in any gather-ing of people, Paul’s instructions apply ina variety of settings. Explore with yourclass how this passage might guide fami-lies, churches, and nations in conflict.

" Practices of AttentionLiving in harmony with others requiresgiving others—even our enemies—our fullattention. Distribute copies of theresource page “Practices of Attention”(Page 29). Ask the class to discuss thepractices and add their own to the list.

ResourcesJames D. G. Dunn, “Romans 9-16,” Word BiblicalCommentary, vol. 38b (Dallas: Word, 1988).

N. T. Wright, “Letter to the Romans,” The New Interpreter’sBible, vol. 10 (Nashville: Abingdon, 2002).

It would be nice if we could say this passage applies only to those of greater spiritualmaturity than us, but the hard truth of Paul’s words cannot be avoided. Asking

God to transform us and renew our minds, we wrestle with what it means tobless those who curse us, and we rely on the Spirit to help us follow where God leads.

A Way to End

3Bible Background

Facing TrialsIt is easy to express joy about

the coming of God’s Son intothe world. We may forget,

however, that the Christmas story is alsoa story of struggle. Joseph struggled withthe news that his betrothed carried a child that was not his. Despised and mis -trusted, the shepherds struggled on themargins of Jewish society. Every family inBethlehem that lost a son to King Herod’sslaughter of the innocents struggled withthe horror of what they experienced. Howcan there be joy in the midst of so muchpain and confusion?

When James says, “Whenever you facetrials of any kind” (v. 2), he acknowledgesthe inevitability of trials. There is nothinguniquely biblical about this observation;what it significant is that he does not saythat following Jesus makes us immune totrials. He does not have specific trials inmind since he refers to “trials of anykind,” nor does he appear concerned withdefining a trial; he’s concerned aboutfacing them faithfully when they occur.He “says not a word about why we facetrials or from whence they came. Thefocus, instead, is on where they may lead”(Gench, 92).

Because they can lead to endurance,James says when trials come, “consider itnothing but joy” (v. 2). In no way doesJames suggest that trials are enjoyable,

nor does he imply that God sends trialsour way. He does not say we should golooking for trials or that we shouldendure them passively. James simplyobserves that God develops endurance inus through our trials. We consider thetrial joy not because we like it, butbecause God will increase our endurancethrough it.

The trial produces endurance becauseit tests our faith (v. 3). The idea is not thatGod sends a test by which we are graded.Rather, the testing is like that of anathlete whose practice habits are tested inthe game, or that of a dancer whose hoursof rehearsal are tested in the perform-ance. The time of trial is when we seewhat really makes up our faith.

The appearance of a trial requires adecision about how we will perceive it.Will we consider the trial simply anuisance or an aggravation? Will weconsider it an inconvenience to be pas -sively endured? Or will we consider it ajoy and enter into its difficulties, knowingGod is at work in us through the process?

The testing of faith “produces endur -ance.” Endurance cannot happen apartfrom the trials that produce it. God doesnot bestow endurance as a gift apart fromthe context of the trial. The joy comeswhen we find ourselves in a context whereGod is at work producing endurance.

Endurance is a crucial component ofChristian development, affecting everyaspect of our growth in Christ. Maturity

Lesson Teaching Guide

JOY

James 1:2-8

and completeness will not be ours untilwe see Jesus face to face, so “the perfec-tion achieved lies in the future, whenGod’s judgment establishes the newcreation. Christians are its ‘first fruits’”(Perkins, 97) according to James 1:18.Until that day, however, endurance helpsus become more mature and move towardcompleteness by developing within us adeep trust in God.

Asking for WisdomIf we were perfect, we would not needwisdom. The statement, “If any of you islacking in wisdom,” is rhetorical.Everyone lacks wisdom, which meanseveryone needs to ask God for it (v. 5).This statement is a great equalizer: askingGod for wisdom is not just for churchleaders and super-spiritual saints but forall God’s people.

James does not say, “If you lackwisdom, study hard” or “think deeplythrough a problem” or “consult withsomeone wiser than you.” He says to askGod. God can speak through study, reflec-tion, and conversation with wise friends,but we need to ask God to do so. Askingcommunicates our awareness that God isthe source of wisdom and acknowledgesour dependence on God to give uswisdom.

God is not tight-fisted with wisdom;we do not have to pry wisdom from God’shands. Rather, God “gives to all gener-ously and ungrudgingly” (v. 5). God doesnot hesitate to give wisdom, does nothold wisdom back, and does not resent uswhen we need wisdom. Like God’s over-flowing love toward all people, wisdomflows freely from its generous source tothose of us who need it so badly.

Do Not DoubtThe fruit of endurance is a deep trust inGod regardless of circumstances. Whenendurance is being produced in people,they ask for wisdom in faith that it will begiven. But when someone avoids the trialor panics in the midst of it, their requestfor wisdom may not come from a place of

trust. James urges us to “ask in faith,never doubting, for the one who doubts islike a wave of the sea, driven and tossedby the wind” (v. 6). The person who does

I. Trials are inevitable (1:2).A. James says “whenever you face trials,”

not “if you face trials.” B. James is not thinking of specific trials

but trials “of any kind.”

II. Trials produce endurance, which meanswe can consider trials with joy (1:2-3).

A. James does not ask us to be happy;trials can be incredibly painful. Hespeaks of an inner joy that comesfrom knowing what the trial willproduce in us.

B. The trial tests our faith, and thetesting of our faith producesendurance.

III. Endurance is a crucial characteristicneeded for Christian discipleship (1:4).A. Endurance can have a “full effect” in

us, producing maturity andcompleteness. We will not be fullymature and complete until Christreturns, but endurance can move ustoward maturity.

B. Endurance does not have its fulleffect on us automatically. We must“let endurance have its full effect.”

IV. Asking for Wisdom (1:5-8)A. God loves to give us wisdom and is

not irritated when we ask. B. We ask in faith, believing God will

give. To doubt God’s willingness togive is to deny God’s generosity.

C. Asking but not believing we willreceive makes us double-mindedand unstable. James does notdenounce all doubt. Instead, hestresses the importance of trustingGod when we ask him to do some-thing for us.

14 Lesson 3

" Naming TrialsIn order to face trials faithfully, we mustfirst name trials faithfully. By recognizingand naming trials, we become betterprepared to view trials as opportunitiesfor growth.

Questions! Define a “trial.” ! What were some of the trials faced by

the characters in the Christmas story?(Some are suggested in the BibleBackground section and in the StudyGuide.)

! We think of Christmas as a season ofjoy, but what trials may be especiallyhard to bear at this time of year?(Examples: bereavement, financialstrains, loneliness, family disharmony)

! In what ways do trials “test our faith”?! What are some common responses to

trials?

" The Importance of EnduranceEndurance perhaps is not the first charac-teristic that comes to our minds when wethink about traits needed for followingJesus, yet it is central to James’s vision ofdiscipleship. When endurance is producedin us, a whole host of positive byproductsfollows, and we are on our way to becom-ing more like Jesus.

Questions! Define “endurance.”! Why is endurance important for

following Jesus?

Everyone faces trials. There are times in our lives that are relatively trial-free,but sooner or later trials will come our way. The question is not how we canavoid trials or reduce them, but how we can face them faithfully.

A Way to Begin

Teaching Guide 15

not ask in faith displays a lack of trust in God. He or she implicitly questions God’sability or desire to give wisdom, which is an affront to the One “who gives to all gener-ously and ungrudgingly.”

Francis Gench observes, “Their hesitancy in asking stands in contrast to God’scomplete lack of hesitancy in giving” (93). Asking but doubting in the process is morean act of wishful thinking than an act of trust and reliance. The one who doubts istossed about on a windy sea, the opposite of the person who finds stability throughendurance and wisdom.

God does not honor the “wishful thinking” prayers of doubters, “for the doubter,being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anythingfrom the Lord” (v. 8). The statement sounds harsh, but it is actually common sense.Prayer is not wishful thinking but asking boldly for what we need in the belief that Godwill supply our need.

Remember the context: James focuses on the endurance trials produce and onasking God for wisdom to get through them. His strong words are meant to encouragefaith and joy amid trials. Therefore, this is not a blanket statement about doubt in allcircumstances. The Bible gives ample evidence that God can handle our doubt and thatdoubt is often part of the journey of faith (see, for example, Ps 13).

God’s grace is unmerited, unearned, and unpredictable. The doubter “must notexpect to receive anything from the Lord,” but God’s grace has a way of showing upwhen we least expect or deserve it.

" A New Kind of JoyJames encourages us to find joy in ourtrials. At first glance this might seem theopposite of wisdom. Shouldn’t we avoidtrials or at least get through them asquickly as we can? However, James stressesthat joy comes not in the experience of the trial, but in the endurance it producesin us.

How does the idea of joy amid trialschallenge common definitions of “joy”?What would be a more adequate under-standing of what joy is all about?

" Testing Produces Endurance We don’t like to be tested, but it’s onlythrough testing that we grow. James neversays God sends tests to help us grow, buthe knows that faith cannot become strongif it is never put to the test.

Questions! Which individuals in the Bible grew in

endurance through facing trials?! Do you know anyone who gained

endurance through the testing of theirfaith?

" The Full Effect of Endurance God intends to make us like Jesus so thatour lives reflect the life and love of Christ.One day the process will be complete, butuntil then we’re on a journey towardmaturity and completeness. James saysendurance is a crucial character trait thathelps us grow in Christlikeness.

Questions! Why is endurance needed on the road

of discipleship?! How can endurance make us more like

Jesus?! How can endurance produce the skills

we need to live faithfully so that we are“lacking in nothing”?

" Asking for WisdomWhen you get lost while driving, how longdoes it take before you stop and ask fordirections? If you keep driving, convincedyou will eventually find your way, youmight have trouble with James’s solutionfor gaining wisdom: ask God. James doesnot discount deep reflection and seekingadvice from others, but he highlights theimportance of asking God for wisdomand trusting that God will give it.

Questions! Why is it sometimes hard to ask for

wisdom?! When have you asked for and received

wisdom? How did God give it to you?

A Way to Explore Scripture The letter of James echoes the Wisdom literature of the Old Testament, the bestexample of which is Proverbs. Wisdom literature articulates the wisdom that

comes from experience with life and with God. In James 1:2-8, the author offersbasic biblical wisdom on facing trials, the importance of endurance, and the need forwisdom.

16 Lesson 3

" Focused on the Long HaulPerhaps one of the biggest obstacles toconsidering our trials nothing but joy isour short-term focus. We tend to focus onwhat we’re experiencing and how we’refeeling at the present moment instead ofthinking about who we are becoming.James focuses on the long haul and chal-lenges us to see the Christian life as amarathon, not a sprint.

Questions! What disciplines can you practice to

help you focus more on who you arebecoming?

! How does a short-term focus make itmore difficult to face trials faithfully?

" Advent Joy ’Tis the season to be jolly—but often it ishard to be joyful during the holidays. Itmay be the most wonderful time of year,but it is also the most hectic time of year.There are plenty of trials in December,offering multiple opportunities forgrowth in endurance.

Questions! What trials often surface during the

holidays?! Do you normally embrace those trials

with joy, or do they overwhelm youwith anxiety, resentment, disappoint-ment, etc.?

! How can observing the Advent seasonamid the Christmas rush help us faceholiday trials faithfully, looking to Godto produce endurance in us?

" Advent PrayersDistribute copies of the resource page,“Advent Prayers” (Page 30). Lead the classin praying these prayers, first silently andthen out loud as a group. Invite classmembers to pray these prayers during theweek to come.

ResourcesFrances Taylor Gench, “Hebrews and James,” WestminsterBible Companion (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press,1996).

Pheme Perkins, “First and Second Peter, James, and Jude,”Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching(Louisville: John Knox Press, 1995).

We long for joy, especially as Christmas draws closer. The carols, parties, decora-tions, and wonder of children invite us to adopt a joyful attitude, but joy is notalways easy to come by. Strange as it may seem, joy takes discipline and planning

to achieve. Help learners understand that joy is a choice they must make for themselves,not because of their circumstances but often in spite of them.

A Way to End

Teaching Guide 17

Bible BackgroundGod, the Source of LoveThroughout his letter John

addresses his audience with theword “beloved.” The word is

certainly appropriate at the beginning oftoday’s passage, which celebrates God’slove for humanity and calls forth thehuman response of love for neighbor.Every sister or brother in Christ should bebeloved in our eyes and treated as such.John sets the tone by calling his audience“beloved.”

The central message of 1 John 4:7-12is that, through Jesus Christ, God tookthe initiative in reaching out to the world.This is the good news we celebrate everyDecember when we remember how Godtook up human existence and dwelledamong us. There is no dispute; God madethe first move and got the ball rollingwhen it comes to love, entering our worldin a Bethlehem manger.

A call to love one another is notunusual. What sets John’s command apartis the motivation for love (v. 7). John doesnot appeal to love as a universal idealtoward which all should strive, nor doeshe argue that love exists within eachperson and simply needs to be tapped andbrought to the surface. God is the sourceof love. From beginning to end and inevery form, love originates with God.Simply because love is from God is reason

enough for us to practice love for eachother.

Knowing God and Loving OthersLove for each other is not an option if onewants to know God. To know God is toknow one’s own existence originates withGod’s love. This knowledge produces lovefor others. The absence of love for otherssuggests a person has no personal knowl-edge of the source of love. John says,“Everyone who loves is born of God andknows God. Whoever does not love doesnot know God” (vv. 7-8).

John does not mean that faith has noplace when it comes to knowing God. Inthe preceding chapter he says, “And this ishis commandment, that we should believein the name of his Son Jesus Christ andlove one another, just as he commandedus” (3:23). Belief and love are bothcommanded; neither can be left out. Inlight of 1 John 3:23, it seems best not tomake an ironclad rule out of 1 John 4:7-8.We cannot say that anyone who givesevidence of love is a follower of Jesus orthat everyone who does not give suchevidence is not part of Christ’s body. Johnis not interested in giving a formula todetermine who is in and who is out of thekingdom. Instead, he is emphasizing thetruth that belief in Jesus and love forothers cannot be separated. Faith and lovego together.

Love for others reveals that a personloves God because “God is love” (v. 8).

Lesson Teaching Guide

LOVE

1 John 4:7-124

When you know God you know love,and such personal knowledge leads tolove for others. That God is love“means not simply that love is one ofhis activities, but that all his activity isloving” (Smalley, 239). Every thought,word, action, and intention of God origi-nates in and proceeds from love. Anyonewho truly knows God loves othersbecause love and God cannot be sepa-rated.

The Revelation of God’s LoveWe do not discover God’s love throughexploration or earn God’s love throughworthy behavior. God’s love is revealed tous. The love of God is made known to uson God’s initiative and according to God’splan. Thus John says, “God’s love wasrevealed among us in this way…” (v. 9).The specific revelation John speaks of hasalready occurred (“God’s love wasrevealed”), and it happened up close andpersonal (“revealed among us”). God didnot speak love from afar but came amonghuman beings to reveal love in humanflesh.

This is the way God’s love wasrevealed: “God sent his only Son into theworld so that we might live through him”(v. 9). A Christmas carol declares, “Thoudidst leave thy throne and thy kinglycrown when thou camest to earth for me”(Elliott). It was love that compelled Godto leave heaven and enter the realm ofhuman experience. Christians confess theloving nature of God precisely because ofwhat we see of God in God’s Son JesusChrist. God sent Jesus into the world. TheOne who is love came to those who arenot love, lived among us, died for us, andwas raised from the dead so that we mightlive. This life is “through him,” and lifethrough the Son of the One who is lovewill be a life characterized by love.

Since God is love, all of God’s actionssimply are love, so John can say, “In this islove, not that we loved God but that heloved us and sent his Son to be theatoning sacrifice for our sins” (v. 10).God’s decision to send Jesus into the

world flows from God’s love for us.Human love for God did not prompt Godto send Jesus. The initiative was entirelyfrom heaven.

We prove that we are not love throughour sins, which separate us from God.Love cannot coexist with sin, since sin isthe opposite of love. God wants to livewith us and therefore must remove thebarrier of human sin. On the cross the

I. The Origin of Love (4:7-8)A. God is the source of love, the One

from whom love originates, the Onewho defines, displays, and gives love.

B. God is the source of love becauseGod is love. Every thought, word, andaction of God is a loving thought,word, or action.

II. The Revelation of Love (4:9-10)A. God’s love is “revealed among us”

according to God’s initiative. Thisknowledge is given up close andpersonal.

B. God’s revelation is focused in onehistoric person who lived at a specifictime in history, Jesus of Nazareth,who gave “the atoning sacrifice forour sins.”

III. The Human Response to God’s Love(4:11-12)A. God loved us first. Our response to

this love is to love each other. Jesusdisplays what love looks like and callsus to follow his example.

B. The love of God was revealed throughthe life, death, and resurrection ofJesus.

1. When we follow Jesus’ exampleand love each other, God’s love isrevealed through us. People seeGod when we love as God loves.

2. The more we love, the more weknow God and the more God’slove is perfected in us.

Teaching Guide 19

" God Makes the First MoveIn every relationship someone makes thefirst move. Someone strikes up a conver-sation, extends an invitation, or walksacross the room or the street and makesan introduction. If someone does not take the initiative, both parties miss outon the friendship that might have beenestablished.

Questions! Recall a time when you initiated a

relationship or someone initiated arelationship with you. What were thecircumstances? What was your motiva-tion? What was theirs?

! Do you find it easy or difficult to initi-ate a relationship? What might make ithard?

! In Jesus Christ, God made the firstmove with us and invites us to respond.What was God’s motivation?

! What were the difficulties involved inGod’s first move? For what reasonsmight God have chosen not to bearthese difficulties?

" Love God, Love PeopleIn Matthew 22:36, a lawyer asks Jesus,“Teacher, which commandment in the lawis the greatest?” Jesus’ response istwofold: love God and love your neighbor.Notice the lawyer asks “which command-ment” and Jesus answers with twocommandments, indicating that love forGod and love for neighbor are insepara-ble. We have a hard time keeping the twotogether, though. It’s easy to focus onprayer, Bible study, and corporate worshipto such an extent that we forget the needsof a hurting world. It’s also easy to be sofocused on meeting needs that we neglectthese important spiritual disciplines thatbring us closer to the God of love.

Questions! When have you found yourself obeying

one commandment but not the other?! How can we make sure we love God and

love neighbor at the same time?

John emphasizes the responsive nature of human love. Human beings do notgenerate love on their own because love is from God and God is love. Love isnot our invention but our response. We love because God loved us first.

A Way to Begin

20 Lesson 4

very best of God—God’s only Son—was sacrificed in order to atone for our sin and makeus “at one” with God.

Our love for others is in response to God’s love for us (v. 11). God makes the firstmove and comes to us. Our response is to love one another. Love for each other doesnot earn anything from God but is a response to what God has already given us.

When we respond to God’s love with love for each other, people see God through us.“No one has ever seen God,” but “if we love one another, God lives in us” (v. 12). Thismeans that our love for each other gives partial glimpses of God. Since God is love andGod lives in us through our love, our love reveals God to the world.

The more we love and the longer we live with God living in us, the more God’s “loveis perfected in us” (v. 12). A wonderful cycle emerges. God initiates a relationship withus by sending Jesus into the world. Jesus is God’s first move of love. We respond bybelieving in Jesus and loving our neighbor, enabling us to know God and causing Godto live in us. The more we know the One who lives in us, the more we love others. Themore we love others, the more we know God and the more God’s love is perfected in us.

" The Source of LoveRead 1 John 4:7-8. Note that all of John’sreasons for loving each other have to dowith who God is. God is the source of loveand God is love. These are reasonsenough for us to love each other.

Questions! John says love each other “because love

is from God.” Why does he not say,“because it is the right thing to do,” or“because it will make your life morefulfilling and bring peace and harmonyto your relationships”?

! What are some other reasons why welove each other—both faithful and lessthan faithful reasons?

! How does love for others lead to theknowledge of God, and why does theabsence of love for others indicate alack of knowledge of God?

" Love in ScriptureDistribute copies of the “Love inScripture” resource page (Page 31).Working in teams or individually, havegroup members list the characteristics ofGod’s love as found in each Scripturepassage.

" The Ultimate Expression ofGod’s LoveRead 1 John 4:9-10. When John says Godis love, he’s speaking from experience.Having seen Jesus with his own eyes (1 Jn1:1), he has personal experience with thevisible and ultimate expression of God’slove, Jesus. Through his life, death, andresurrection, Jesus displays God’s love forhumanity.

Questions! What is the significance of God

“sending” Jesus into the world asopposed to communicating to us fromafar?

! What does it mean for Jesus to be “theatoning sacrifice for our sins”?

" The Human ResponseRead 1 John 4:11-12. God loves us first.We do not evoke, earn, or awaken love inGod’s heart; it’s already there and wasdemonstrated through Jesus. Theresponse God requires is for us to loveeach other.

Questions! Why does John say “love one another”

instead of “love God”? ! Why does John connect God living in

us with our love for each other?

Love is many things to many people. To some it’s a universal ideal toward whichwe all should aspire. To others it’s a feeling we have toward the person with whom

we’re in love. Biblically speaking, however, love is about God. God is love, Godloves us and initiates a relationship with us through Jesus (the highest expression of God’slove), and God calls us to respond to divine love with love for each other.

A Way to Explore Scripture

Teaching Guide 21

22 Lesson 4

" Love and the Knowledge of GodWhen John speaks of knowing God (4:7-8), he does not have academic orintellectual knowledge in mind but ratherpersonal intimacy. He refers to knowingGod with heart and soul, in the very coreof our being. This kind of personal know -ledge of God can only happen when welove others in a deeply personal andsignificant way.

Questions! Drawing on your personal experience,

describe the connection betweenpersonal intimacy with God and lovingyour neighbors. How has love forneighbors strengthened your knowl-edge of God?

! Have you ever based your intimacy withGod solely on prayer and Bible study?

! How can we begin to view love forneighbors as not merely a commandbut as a spiritual discipline throughwhich we see God?

" Making the First MoveSince God made the first move toward us,we ought to make the first move towardothers. Love doesn’t wait for others to actbut proactively seeks to bless others. Aperson who loves is a person who initiatesand nurtures relationships.

Christmas is a few days away. Partiesand work and church remain, and familygatherings await. Toward whom is Godcalling you to make a “first move”? A newneighbor? A colleague who has no familyin town? A grieving church member? Afamily member who feels left out?

ResourceStephen S. Smalley, 1, 2, 3 John, Word BiblicalCommentary, vol. 51 (Dallas: Word, 1984).

Two fundamental realities of life are addressed in this passage: God loves us, andGod calls us to love each other in response. If we get these two things right, we’reon our way to living a faithful and fulfilling life. When we receive the over-

whelming love of God, we cannot help letting it overflow from us to those around us. God’slove comes to us on its way to others.

A Way to End

Bible BackgroundThe Conviction of Things NotSeen

“Now faith is the assurance ofthings hoped for” (Heb 11:1). If

something is “hoped for,” it is not some-thing we currently see or experience. Wehope it will one day be a reality in ourlives, but when hope is rooted in faith wehave assurance that what we hope for willone day come true. Christian hope tells usthat one day the kingdom of God will befully established, and all will be as Goddesires it to be. We cannot see God, norcan we see the kingdom of God in whichall things are done according to the Lord’swill. But what we cannot see with our eyeswe believe with our hearts. There isenough evidence for us to believe thatGod exists, to believe that God’s will willbe done and that our lives are in God’shands. At Christmas, we recall that sinceGod has come to us in Christ, we can beassured that God will be with us in thefuture.

Faith is also “the conviction of thingsnot seen.” We cannot see God with oureyes, nor can we see conclusive proof thatthe kingdom of God is among us alreadyand will one day be fully established.Wasn’t this Mary’s inspired vision whenshe sang the Magnificat (Lk 1:46-55)? Thecoming of Christ is a promise that oneday all will be as God desires it to be. We

are physically blind to the reality thatChrist is Lord of the universe. But faith as“the conviction of things not seen” meansthat Christ’s lordship is the central trutharound which we lead our lives.

While faith looks back, trusting in thelife, death, and resurrection of Jesus, faithalso has its eyes on what is to come. Farfrom producing passivity, the hope andconviction of faith leads us to work nowfor God’s kingdom, knowing that God’spromises will one day be fulfilled.

ApprovalInstead of explaining what it means tolive by the conviction of things not seen,the writer of Hebrews shows us.Beginning with verse 4, chapter 11 is aroll call of people from the Old Testamentwho based their lives on a reality theycould not see. In a summary introductorystatement, the writer says, “Indeed, byfaith our ancestors received approval” (v. 2). The phrase “received approval”literally means “received testimony.” Theirtestimony is recorded in the Bible. Thefact that their stories are recorded inScripture “is the equivalent of saying thatGod testifies to their faithfulness. Thebrief sketches in the roll call that followsare there to be read as God’s testimonyabout their lives” (Craddock, 131). Godtestifies to their faithfulness so that wewill follow their example.

Lesson Teaching Guide

FAITH

Hebrews 11:1-75

CreationBefore examining the roll call of peoplewho exemplified faith, the writer appealsto the doctrine of creation as an exampleof believing in what cannot be seen,saying in verse 2, “By faith we understandthat the worlds were prepared by the wordof God, so that what is seen was madefrom things that are not visible.” Godspoke creation into being. Everythingowes its existence to and finds its originin God.

Such knowledge comes only throughfaith in what cannot be seen. This is notto deny the importance of scientific studybut rather to remind us that in additionto what can be tested, measured, anddefined, there is a reality that transcendsus and is beyond our comprehension.From the transcendent realm God spokethe worlds into being, which means that“to the eye of faith, the universe is notsimply an aimless swirl of energy andmatter but a creation, an expression of thelove of God sustained by God’s hiddenprovidence” (Long, 114).

The Roll Call BeginsAbel and his older brother Cain bothbrought sacrifices to God, “and theLORD had regard for Abel and his offer-ing, but for Cain and his offering he hadno regard” (Gen 4:4-5). We’re not toldwhy Abel’s sacrifice was acceptable andCain’s was not. What matters for thewriter of Hebrews is that Abel was foundfaithful and remains an example to befollowed. Even when the result of oursacrifice might lead others to do us harm(such as when Cain murdered Abel), weare to do what is right and faithful.

Enoch “walked with God; then he wasno more, because God took him” (Gen5:24). The details of Enoch’s story aresparse. The important detail in this text isthat Enoch “walked with God.” By NewTestament times, this cryptic phrase wasinterpreted to mean that Enoch passedinto heaven without experiencing death.The fact that he did not die and that hepleased God (Heb 11:5) is enough to

make him an example of true faith, since“without faith it is impossible to pleaseGod” (v. 6).

Since Enoch was rewarded by God, heis an example of someone who soughtGod, for God “rewards those who seekhim” (v. 6). The writer is not talkingabout a generic faith that God exists asopposed to a view of the universe with noroom for God. Instead, the sense is thateven though God cannot be seen, God isactive, invested, and involved in all ofcreation. God wants to be sought andrewards those who do the seeking, eventhough they cannot see the One they seek.

Noah is commended because he heardGod’s warning “about events as yetunseen” (Heb 11:7) and acted on thatwarning—even though it seemed like acrazy idea to build an ark and gather allthe animals two by two. Noah had no wayof envisioning the great deluge, but heobeyed God anyway, and thus became anexample of living by “the conviction ofthings not seen.”

I. A Celebration of Faith (11:1)A. Faith is the assurance of things

hoped for.B. Faith is the conviction of things not

seen.

II. Two General Statements about Faith(11:2-3)

A. “By faith” our ancestors receivedGod’s approval (v. 2).

B. “By faith” we understand that God isthe creator (v. 3).

III. The Roll Call of Faith Begins (11:4-7)A. “By faith” Abel offered an acceptable

sacrifice (v. 4).B. “By faith” Enoch pleased God

(vv. 5-6).C. “By faith” Noah heeded God’s word

(v. 7).

24 Lesson 5

" “Roll Calls” of Faith Hebrews 11 contains a roll call of faith,listing faithful servants from the OldTestament and describing how they livedby faith. In a moment we’ll look at thefirst three people on the list. If we were tocompose a similar list of faithful peoplefrom our own day, who would be on it?

Questions! Make a list of public, well-known

Christians in our lifetimes who display(or displayed) great faith.

! Make a list of people in your church,past and present, who have lived byfaith.

! What characteristics do you see in thesepeople that mark them as possessinggreat faith?

! How has God used their faith to makea difference in the world, in yourchurch, and in your community?

! What prevents you from imitating thefaith they display?

" Who Shaped Your Faith?There is no such thing as a self-madeChristian. Someone introduced us toJesus, modeled discipleship for us, andhelped us grow in faith. Invite classmembers to name and describe the peoplein their lives who have strengthened theirfaith.

Within the Christian tradition there are many practices that strengthen ourfaith. Prayer, reflection, and rigorous theological study often deepen our under-standing and experience of God. Stepping out in faith in some form of service

often leads to wonderful encounters with God, and we find our faith strengthened. But one ofthe simplest yet most profound ways to strengthen our faith is to spend time with people ofdeep faith. As we observe, interact with, and imitate faithful persons, our own faith grows.

A Way to Begin

Teaching Guide 25

Verse 7 says that by his faith, Noah “condemned the world,” most likely meaning thathis trust in God exposed his neighbors’ lack of faith. Also, by faith he “became an heirto the righteousness that is in accordance with faith.” Through faith and trust in God’sword, Noah “inherited the capacity to live in righteousness, to make the right choices”(Long, 118).

All that Abel, Enoch, and Noah received from God was a result of their faith, a faithnot defined simply by believing certain things about God but by a willingness to act onwhat they could not see. So we too are called to put faith into action, living for akingdom we cannot see but that will one day be fully revealed. We are called to trustthat the promises of God are true, and live accordingly.

26 Lesson 5

" Receiving ApprovalRead Hebrews 11:2. A natural questionthat arises from this verse is, “Does thismean that showing great faith is a way ofearning God’s approval? What aboutGod’s approval as a gift we cannot earn?”

Explain that the concept of receivingtestimony in verse 2 refers not to theearning of salvation but to the way Godtestifies of each person’s faith by record-ing their story in the Bible. God approvesthe faith of our ancestors because theirfaith was pleasing to God and because itserves as an example for us to imitate.

" Seen and Unseen RealitiesRead Hebrews 11:3. The writer includesthis verse not to raise questions aboutscience versus creation, but to emphasizethat God made what is visible out of whatis not visible. Belief in creation involvesbelief in what is not seen.

In the Christmas story, the (visible)birth of Jesus came about because of the(invisible) work of the Holy Spirit.

Questions! Are there other examples in Matthew 1

and Luke 2 of God working invisibly tobring about visible changes in theworld?

! How did God’s invisible working pose achallenge for Joseph, Mary, and othersin the Christmas story?

! How does God’s invisible working posea challenge for us?

" Abel, Enoch, and NoahHebrews 11:2 summarizes the faith of ourOld Testament ancestors. Verse 4 beginsthe “roll call” of faith that continues forthe rest the chapter.

Divide the class into three groups.Assign each group to read the story of oneof the three heroes of faith in these verses:Abel (Gen 4:1-10; Heb 11:4), Enoch (Gen5:18-24; Heb 11:5-6), and Noah (Gen 6:11-14, 22; Heb 11:7). Have them discuss thefollowing questions, then share their find-ings with the class.

Questions! How did your assigned person act by

faith?! What could they not see that required

them to trust God?! Why does the writer of Hebrews

include them in the roll call of faith?

Finally, have participants suggest appro-priate endings to sentences such as “By faith Mary…” or “By faith the shepherds….”

The phrase “blind faith” is usually used in a derogatory way to criticize someonewho acts in ways inconsistent with visible evidence. Yet biblical faith certainly

has a “blind” element to it, as we base our lives on a God we cannot see and areality (the kingdom of God) we do not fully experience. What does it mean for Christiansto live according to an unseen reality?

A Way to Explore Scripture

" Living by Our ConvictionsFaith is not solely an intellectual exercisein which we establish what we believe andthen logically defend our beliefs. Faith isalso something we practice daily. If whatwe believe does not transform the way welive, our faith is not strong. When faith isthe assurance of things hoped for and theconviction of things not seen, it influ-ences every aspect of our lives.

Questions! How does your life reflect an assurance

of hope and the conviction of thingsnot seen?

! What would it look like for your faithto guide your steps each day? Whatnew things would you do? What wouldyou stop doing?

" Looking Back It’s important for us to reflect regularlyon our lives, and the ending of the calen-dar year is a good time for reflection.Distribute copies of the resource page“The Year of Faith in Review” (Page 32).Give group members an opportunity toread and discuss the worksheet. Alter -natively, let them take the page home andwork through it in private.

" Looking ForwardWe love to celebrate the birth of Jesus, buthow now shall we live in light of God’spresence among us? When we live byfaith, we show that there are greaterthings in life than what can be seen. Thisassurance helps us carry Christmas withus all year long.

Question! What new spiritual discipline can you

add to your life in the year to come?! What hindrance to faith can you strive

to remove?! What will you do in 2009 to live more

faithfully as a disciple of Christ?

ResourcesFred B. Craddock, “Letter to the Hebrews,” The NewInterpreter’s Bible, vol. 12 (Nashville: Abingdon, 1998).

Thomas G. Long, Hebrews, Interpretation (Louisville: JohnKnox, 1997).

How is our faith strengthened? Hebrews 11:1-7 names strong faith as the ability tolive by our convictions and by what we hope for. The writer does not call us togenerate hope and conviction on our own but to rely on the examples of others

who live by faith. Faith grows when it is lived within a community of faithful people whohelp each other live by hope and conviction.

A Way to End

Teaching Guide 27

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ABRAHAM’S STORYGenesis 12:1God’s call is for Abram to leave what is familiar (country, relatives, family home) and go to anunfamiliar place (“the land that I will show you”). Imagine what it would be like for you toleave these familiar things in your life. Imagine what it would be like to set out on the roadand not know where you are going, but to trust that God will show you the way.

• Do you know anyone who has actually left everything to go to an unfamiliar place that Godhas shown them?

Genesis 12:2-3• List the ways in which God made a great nation

out of Abram’s family.

• How was Abram blessed and his name madegreat in the process?

• How have all the families of the earth beenblessed through Abraham?

Genesis 22:1-14The sacrifice God asks Abraham to make isunimaginable to us. Yet Abraham is prepared toobey, no questions asked.

• Why did God make such a demand, and why is Abraham so willing to obey?

• Do you think God intentionally puts us to the test today, or was this test of Abraham givenbecause of Abraham’s central role in Israel’s history?

• Abraham named the place where God provided a lamb, “The Lord will provide.” Are thereplaces in your life to which you could give similar names, specific places where you experi-enced God’s provision?

Genesis 22:15-17• In what ways did God elaborate on the original promise made in Genesis 12?

• If God was so excited and amazed and responsive to Abraham’s obedience (making an oathto fulfill a promise already made), how do you think God responds to our obedience?

PRACTICES OF ATTENTIONShowing attention to “enemies” far from home• Pray for the enemies of our country. If we truly believe that God wants everyone to

repent and follow Jesus (2 Pet 3:9), then we will pray for Osama bin Laden,Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Kim Jong-Il, and any other person or country considered athreat to world peace.

• Support efforts to provide humanitarian aid, especially to places hostile to theUnited States.

Showing attention to “enemies” close to home• Instead of inwardly stewing against people with whom we’re in conflict, disagree

with, or dislike, commit to pray for their well-being. • Go out of your way to remember that person’s birthday, compliment that person, or

offer your support in a difficult time.• Ask God to create opportunities to converse with that person. Ask them to tell you

their story so that you can discover what their life is like. You’ll come to a greaterunderstanding of why they are the way they are, and they will appreciate the factthat you listened to them.

Getting to know our neighbors so wecan rejoice and weep with them• Host a neighborhood Christmas party. • Go Christmas caroling in your neighbor-

hood.• Invite your neighbors to dinner, one

family at a time. • Make Sunday afternoon “neighborhood

day” at your house. Spend the afternoonwalking through the neighborhood or sitting on the porch, asking God to bringneighbors into your path. Organize aneighborhood kickball, football, or soc-cer game for kids and adults. Bakecookies and take them to your neighbors.

• Go to the ballgames of your neighbor’s children, especially if your neighbor doesnot have extended family that live nearby.

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ADVENT PRAYERSGracious God,Thank you for the trials of the year that is ending. Some have been harder than others. Some have required more from me than I thought I could give.In some it’s easy to see what you were teaching me; In others I’m still not sure what I need to learn.But in all of the trials, you have walked with me. As the year nears its completion, thank you for producing

endurance in me through these trials.Thank you for loving me enough to allow my faith to be tested,

so that I might become more of who you created me to be. Amen.

!Gracious God,I pray for joy, true joy in my life. The joy that comes from Christmas parties, presents, and carols is real,

and I don’t want to miss a moment of it. But I know there is a deeper joy than these holiday traditions can give.It’s a joy that knows trials, suffering, and disappointment.It’s a joy that knows that you are always with us, especially in the trials.It’s a joy that embraces trials because of what they bring: endurance.Produce endurance in me today through the trials I face.Make me complete, and give me a joy that transcends my circumstances.In the name of the One who endured the trial of the cross so that we might live. Amen.

!Gracious God,I pray for all who experience trials today.For those facing the trial of illness, bring healing.For those facing the trial of grief, bring comfort.For those facing the trial of loneliness, bring community.For those facing the trial of hunger, bring sustenance.For those facing the trial of homelessness, bring shelter.For those facing the trial of danger, bring safety.For those facing the trial of despair, bring hope.Use the trials your church faces to bring endurance to your people,

that we might give witness to the gospel through our words and lives.Use the trials of this world to bring endurance to its inhabitants, that we might

learn to live as you created us to live. Use our trials to bring us face to face with our need for Jesus, in whose name we pray. Amen.

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LOVE IN SCRIPTURE

!God is the source of love and God is love, so if we want to love we need to understandhow God loves. What do the following Scripture passages tell us about God’s love?

“In your steadfast love you led the people whom you redeemed; you guidedthem by your strength to your holy abode.” (Exod 15:13)

“O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures for-ever.” (Ps 106:1)

“For I the LORD love justice, I hate robbery and wrongdoing.” (Isa 61:8)

“…for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, andabounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing.” ( Jon 4:2)

“And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I amwell pleased.’” (Mt 3:17)

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone whobelieves in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” ( Jn 3:16)

“Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant orrude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it doesnot rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things,believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Cor 13:4-7)

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THE YEAR OF FAITH IN REVIEW

Describe a moment in the past year when you lived by “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

Describe a moment when you could have lived by “the assurance of things hoped for, the convictionof things not seen,” but did not take advantage of the opportunity.

How was your faith strengthened during the Advent season we’ve just observed?

Who is on your “roll call” of faith for the past year? What did you see in them and what did you learnfrom them?

If you were on someone else’s roll call for the past year, how would they describe your example?

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