For teaching plans and full explanations
of all the verses in today’s lesson, consult the Explore the Bible
leader guide or commentary.
Make sure each learner has his or her
own Explore the Bible learner guide.
Temptation Lures Us (Gen. 3:1-5)
Lead learners in reading Genesis 3:1-5. Discuss
the strategies Satan used to tempt Adam and Eve.
Read the following excerpt from CNN:
If You See It, You’ll Eat It, Expert Says
ITHACA, New York(CNN) -- We are powerless to ignore the
clarion call of the candyjar, the
beckoning of the buffet, the summons of the snack cupboard.
That's the conclusion of Brian Wansink, author of
"Mindless Eating" and head of Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab.
Wansink has spent a career watching how people behave
around food -- at home and work, in sit-down restaurants and buffets, and in
the many other places where Americans routinely chow down.
"We believe we have all the free will in the world. We
believe we overeat if the food is good or if we're really hungry. In
reality, those are two of the last things that determine how much we eat,"
Wansink says. What really influences our eating, he says, are visibility and
convenience.
In one experiment, Wansink placed candy jars of chocolate
in office workers' cubicles for a month. Then, he moved the candy six feet
away. Simply having the candy closer meant the office workers ate five more
candies a day. That adds up to 125 calories a day, or 12 pounds a year.
"Something that's very visible, every time we see it we
have to make a decision. Do I want to eat that? Do I not want to eat that?
Do I want that candy on my desk, or do I not want it? We can say no 27
times, but if it's visible, the 28th or 29th time, we start saying, 'Maybe.'
By time 30, 31, we start saying, 'What the heck? I'm hungry,' " Wansink
says.
Source: Martin, David S. If You See
It, You’ll Eat It, Expert Says. Retrieved November 27, 2007, from
www.cnn.com.
Ask:
Why do
visibility and convenience contribute to our decisions to give in to
temptation?
How did
visibility and convenience play a role in Genesis 3:1-5?
How did the
experiment validate Wansink’s suspicions that sight and availability
were key factors that increased the power of temptation?
Sin Alienates Us (Gen. 3:6-10)
Read the following article excerpt:
The Unnatural Act of Forgiveness: Exploring
Jesus’ Radical Method of Restoration
Reading the Gospels makes us aware of Jesus' insistent
forgiveness and makes us come face to face with the most unpopular word in
the Christian lexicon: sin.
Sin is a state of being alienated
from God, from others, and from our true selves. Out of our sense of
alienation, we behave in alienating ways. We are painfully—usually
secretively and shamefully—aware of our alienation, our ensuing failings,
and their repetition. It is an enormous burden to our hearts. Within our
alienating shame, we lose our flexibility. We are desperate to fix things.
Like Adam and Eve in the garden, we sew fig leaves together to hide our
nakedness from ourselves, from each other, and from God.
In churches, we become greatly concerned with
appearances: we smile a lot, we use correct theological vocabulary, and we
feel deeply lonely. Hence, we abide in profound alienation. The forgiveness
of God, offered abundantly in Jesus, can relieve our hearts, restore us to
God, to community, and to our right minds.
Jesus assumes the universality of sin and makes
forgiveness central in his life and teachings. He understands the
desperation that Paul later describes when he says "the wages of sin is
death," separation forever from the face of God. But being human like us,
Jesus does not fight the limits of humanness. Rather, he submits to God in a
radical vulnerability, exposing control systems by which human beings try to
bargain our righteousness. Human terror, being so exposed, demands that
Jesus the God-man die. It is through his submission to this saving death
that he secures life for us.
Source: Gramatky Alter, Margaret (16
June 1997). The Unnatural Act of Forgiveness: Exploring Jesus’ Radical
Method of Restoration. Retrieved November 27, 2007, from
www.christianitytoday.com.
Emphasize this quote from the article: "Out of our sense of
alienation, we behave in alienating ways."
Ask:
Why did Adam
and Eve feel alienated from God after they ate the fruit in Genesis
3:6-10?
How did their
sense of alienation from God cause them to behave in alienating ways?
How do we
alienate ourselves from God and others when we entertain sin in our own
lives?
How does the
author of the article view Jesus’ role in overcoming that alienation?
God Confronts Us (Gen. 3:11-13,22-23)
Read Genesis 3:11-13,22-23.
Ask learners to react to the
following agree/disagree statements, and allow them to share the reasons for
their answers:
Adam and Eve resisted God’s accountability by blaming
others.
God blamed the entire event on Eve.
Other people were affected by the sin of Adam and
Eve.
God showed no grace in driving Adam and Eve away from
the garden.
Read the following article:
Four C’s of Accountability
My most significant small-group experience began as a
vehicle for professional accountability but has evolved into much more. I
meet with three other women committed to using their gifts in writing and
speaking. We are all mothers of young children and are married to men in
ministry.
Through years of meeting regularly and praying together,
we've gradually grown to the level of keeping one another accountable both
in our personal holiness and our professional ministries. Four key factors
brought us to this point.
1. Concern. One of our ground rules for
the group is that everything must be said in love. This can be tricky when
we critique each other's writing projects or speaking schedules. But we've
asked God to give us wisdom to know when to speak out boldly.
For instance, when Linda began receiving speaking
invitations for practically every weekend, we encouraged her to limit her
acceptances to once-a-month trips. She even went one step further and hired
a publicist to handle her calendar. This freed up more time to spend with
her husband and three children.
2. Commitment. We're committed to
support one another. We follow through on prayer requests, asking for
updates by phone or at our next meeting.
We've also "walked through pain" with each other in the
last five years as we've been touched by the death of a child, job loss and
relocation, rebellious teenagers, depression, marital conflict, and a
lengthy hospitalization. No matter how low one of us was during a trial, we
knew we could call on each other.
3. Confidentiality. Because we all have
some degree of visibility in the Christian world, our small group became a
place where we could let our hair down.
It's a great responsibility to be privy to a struggle or
sin in another Christian's life. I've often searched God's Word to know what
to share with my sisters and when and how to say it. Sometimes I need to
admonish, other times I need to listen quietly and hug. We've tried to
extend acceptance and grace to one another, particularly in our areas of
failure.
4. Consistency. Once our meeting
schedule was decided (and it has fluctuated between biweekly and monthly) we
expected one another to attend. There were exceptions, of course. But we've
gathered with newborn babies in our arms and around a sickbed. We even
mailed cassette recordings of meetings to a member who had moved.
An important part of our accountability has been to set
goals and share progress reports when we meet. Above all, we pray about
everything.
This true accountability has been the great joy of our
small group.
Source: McDowell, Lucinda. Four C’s of Accountability.
Retrieved November 27, 2007, from
http://www.navpress.com.
Ask:
How does God
display the four C’s of accountability?
How does God
hold us accountable for our sins?
How does God
hold us accountable through relationships with others?
EXTRA! is a supplement designed
to enhance and expand the effectiveness of printed curriculum provided by
LifeWay Church Resources.
EXTRA! is produced by Publishing
Services and Multimedia, LifeWay Church Resources, Copyright 2007, LifeWay
Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.
SPECIAL NOTE: Some Internet
addresses given in EXTRA! are outside the LifeWay Internet domain. Because of
the changing nature of the Web, EXTRA! editors cannot be held responsible for
content on pages outside their control. At the time of this posting, the
specific pages mentioned have been viewed and approved by the EXTRA! editorial
staff. However, at the time of your viewing, the information on these pages may
have changed. Links from the specific page addresses referenced in this material
possibly could link to inappropriate material.
EXTRA! Weekly Supplemental Teaching Plans
Adult
Bible Studies for Life
Bible Studies for Life EXTRA
December 9, 2007
Getting Ready for the Savior
Dana Armstrong
Luke 1:5-7,11-13,57-60,65-66,76-79
Before the Session
For teaching plans and full explanations of all the verses in today’s lesson,
consult any of the Bible Studies for Life leader guides or
commentaries.
Make sure each learner has his or her own learner guide.
Luke 1:5-7,11-13
Enlist a volunteer to read Luke 1:5-7,11-13.
Read or paraphrase the excerpt from the following Christmas
sermon of Steve Andrews:
Zechariah, the father of John Baptist, was one of the
ordinary characters of the Christmas story whom God used to make an
extraordinary contribution. The Bible describes Zechariah and Elizabeth as
“righteous in God’s sight, living without blame according to all the
commandments of the Lord, but they had no children” (Luke 1: 6-7). Though
Zechariah was a priest, a man who possessed a divine call to represent God
to the people, he doubted the promise of God to provide him and Elizabeth a
son. When he failed to believe the angelic announcement about his son, the
angel declared, “You will be silent and unable to speak until the day these
things take place because you did not believe my words” (Luke1: 20).
Before examining the incredible prophecy delivered by
Zechariah, two significant truths emerge from the introductory description
provided in Scripture. First, faithfulness does not eliminate trials.
Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous followers of God, yet they did not
have children. Our society holds a different view about having children, but
in the first century Judaism, barrenness was seen as curse for
unfaithfulness. Zech and Liz illustrate this belief was a cultural myth not
divine mandate. Second, we should be encouraged that even the great servants
like Zechariah have moments when their faith is weak, but God used him
anyway! We don’t have to be perfect to be used mightily of God.
Consider the following list of imperfections of God’s
servants. Abraham lied. Noah got skunk drunk. Moses committed manslaughter.
Samson had an ego problem. Jonah was a racist. Hosea married a prostitute.
Amos thought pruning figs was a homiletics class. Jeremiah was depressed.
Elijah got depressed when it rained. David was an adulterer. Peter had a big
mouth. Matthew was a tax collector. Thomas doubted. John Mark was a quitter.
Martha was a control freak, and Mary was lazy. Paul was an unimpressive
public speaker, blind as a bat, and he had a thorn in his flesh. Timothy
needed a stiff drink for stomach ulcers. Lazarus was dead! And the list goes
on…
Source: Andrews, Steve (2005, December
25). Zechariah's Song. Retrieved November 27, 2007, from
www.lifeway.com.
Ask:
What
disappointments or unfulfilled dreams are you experiencing in your life?
How is your
relationship with God standing up under the strain of disappointments and
unfulfilled dreams?
What do these
verses and this sermon excerpt suggest about God's view of our faithfulness?
Say:
We can remain faithful even when we experience life's disappointments. We must
always remember that we serve a faithful God who knows our hearts and sees our
actions. Let us challenge others to faithfulness by maintaining godly lifestyles
in spite of disappointments or unfulfilled dreams.
Luke 1:57-60,65-66
Read Luke 1:57-60,65-66.
Read the following article excerpt:
Sean
Taylor's death leaves Redskins in mourning
MIAMI — Pro Bowl
safety Sean Taylor died Tuesday after he was shot in his Florida home by an
apparent intruder, leaving the Washington Redskins in mourning for a
teammate who seemed to have reordered his life since becoming a father.
Taylor had been transported to the hospital after
being shot in the lower body early Monday morning by an as-yet unknown
intruder at his home in nearby Palmetto Bay. He underwent approximately
seven hours of surgery Monday but lost extensive amounts of blood because
the bullet pierced the femoral artery in his leg, according to his former
attorney and family friend Richard Sharpstein, who received a phone call
about 5:30 a.m. ET from Taylor's father about the death.
"(He) said he was with Christ and he cried and
thanked me," Sharpstein said. "It's a tremendously sad and unnecessary
event. He was a wonderful, humble, talented young man and had a huge life in
front of him. Obviously, God had other plans."
Redskins teammate Clinton Portis also played with
Taylor at the University of Miami. He had sensed a new maturity in his close
friend.
"It's hard to expect a man to grow up overnight,"
Portis said. "But ever since he had his child, it was like a new Sean, and
everybody around here knew it. He was always smiling, always happy, always
talking about his child."
Source: Wood, Skip and Mihoces, Gary
(2007, November 27). Sean Taylor's death leaves Redskins mourning.
Retrieved November 27, 2007, from
www.usatoday.com.
Ask:
How was
Taylor's life an example of God's mercy in action? What about the lives
of Zechariah and Elizabeth?
Despite the
sadness and mourning associated with this tragedy, how can we see
evidence of God's activity?
How did others
recognize God's activity in Zechariah and Elizabeth?
Say: Zechariah and Elizabeth remained
faithful as they suffered through the disappointment of barrenness and the
judgment of those around them. As a result, they and their neighbors rejoiced
when the elderly couple gave birth to a son, for they all recognized God's care
and miraculous involvement. Similarly, it is important for us to look for
opportunities to call others’ attention to God’s activity and presence, whether
in startling or mundane events.
Luke 1:76-79
Enlist a volunteer to read Luke 1:76-79.
Explain that Zechariah foretold that his son John would become known as a
prophet and would help prepare people for the Lord's visit to provide salvation.
Christians today must take seriously God's desire for people to learn of His
salvation through His Son Jesus.
Read the following article excerpt:
Creative Ways to Witness to Non-Christians
We’ve all heard the angry remark,
"Don’t force your beliefs on me!" While Christians don’t wish to force our
religion on anyone, we do desire to share the how the gospel of Christ
changed our lives. Sometimes the best way of doing this is the most subtle
way. The following article will share some creative ways you can spark an
important spiritual conversation without starting an argument.
A Question is Worth a Thousand Words
While no one likes to be "told" something, nearly nobody finds it offensive
to be asked a question. Questions like "What’s the meaning of that jewelry
you’re wearing?" or "What does your Tshirt mean?" can go a long way towards
opening doors. Other questions such as "What do you think about the [current
event here] going on right now?" (Just be sure to stay clear of politics
when conversing on currents events.) With questions like this, you might be
surprised how quickly a normal conversation can turn spiritual.
What Does Your Tshirt Say?
People love to read t-shirts. How many times have you
been asked the question, "What does your shirt say?" Wearing a shirt with a
subtle Christian message can be a great way to start a discussion about
Christianity. A simple search on a search engine for the term "Christian
tshirts" will result in hundreds of good Christian based apparel stores. A
word of caution applies here though. Many Christian shirts might have a
negative impact if the artwork is too pushy or obviously religious. While a
t-shirt with a cross or fish symbol probably won’t start a conversation, a
shirt with a Bible verse or other intriguing designs just might.
What’s That Your Listening To?
Have you ever heard the question,
"What’s that your listening to?". Playing Christian music at work or on the
road can be a great way to start a conversation. Many people are much more
open to spiritual message when they are portrayed in the form of art
such as through music. While trying to force a Bible verse down someone’s
throat may seem pushy, explaining the significance of a Christian song would
probably not.
The ideas above are just a few subtle ways to share your faith. As
Christian’s we need always remember the words of Paul when witnessing to the
lost, "Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt,
so that you will know how you should respond to each person. (Col. 4:6)"
Presenting the gospel of Christ "seasoned with salt" means that we offer a
tasteful, yet uncompromising message to the world.
Source: Palmer, Justin (2007, March
30). Creative Ways to Witness to Non-Christians. Retrieved November
27, 2007, from http://www.buzzle.com.
Ask:
What are you willing to do to help others learn about
Jesus the Savior and the forgiveness of sins He offers?
With whom are you willing to share the true message
of Christmas?
EXTRA! is a supplement designed
to enhance and expand the effectiveness of printed curriculum provided by
LifeWay Church Resources.
EXTRA! is produced by Publishing
Services and Multimedia, LifeWay Church Resources, Copyright 2007, LifeWay
Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.
SPECIAL NOTE: Some Internet
addresses given in EXTRA! are outside the LifeWay Internet domain. Because of
the changing nature of the Web, EXTRA! editors cannot be held responsible for
content on pages outside their control. At the time of this posting, the
specific pages mentioned have been viewed and approved by the EXTRA! editorial
staff. However, at the time of your viewing, the information on these pages may
have changed. Links from the specific page addresses referenced in this material
possibly could link to inappropriate material.
