Distribute the “On What
Authority?” worksheet. Ask learners to complete the worksheet individually.
After five minutes, ask learners to form pairs or triads to discuss why people
resist authority today.
Point out that authority
has been compared to privilege and rights. Mention that a long-lasting battle
has raged in the courts across our nation regarding the right of journalists to
protect news and information sources. State and federal government agencies
counter with claims that their authority to enforce laws may be undermined by
claims of the right to protect sources.
Even within government, the right to
withhold sources is being argued. Washington state is in the midst of a battle
over source protection now.
Read:
Reporter shield law heads to
WA governor
A measure that would prevent
journalists from going to jail if they refuse to reveal confidential sources
is headed to Governor Chris Gregoire, who is expected to sign it into law.
The so-called shield law would
protect people who are in the business of gathering news, but not bloggers
or university professors who do not make a majority of their living doing
so.
[The law] grants reporters absolute
privilege for protecting confidential sources—the same exemption from
testifying in court that is granted to spouses, attorneys, clergy and police
officers. Attorney General Rob McKenna had lobbied for the bill, saying it
promotes open government, because it also protects whistle blowers by
guaranteeing confidentiality.
Currently, Washington has no shield
law, although its courts have ruled in favor of qualified privilege based on
the First Amendment and on common law.
Source: “Reporter shield
law heads to WA governor,” KNDO/KNDU Right Now, 17 April 2007,
www.kndo.com
Say: The right to speak
freely has been an issue advocated by people for ages. But not all speech is
protected, and at some point rights and privileges must be matched with
justified authority to back up that right. Sometimes that authority grows out of
legal backing, such as what the Washington law would grant. But at other times
authority comes from a much higher authority—the authority granted by God.
Read or enlist a
volunteer to read 2 Peter 1:1-2. Explain that as Peter began
this second letter, he explained the authority he possessed for writing this
letter: He possessed apostolic authority, an authority that came from his
relationship with Christ.
Ask:
Did Peter claim apostolic authority as a means of elevating himself over
those who would read or hear his letter?
How did Peter obtain any authority he claimed?
Refer back to comments
learners made on their worksheets. Ask:
Which sources of authority in our lives have a right to that authority?
Which do not?
To what authority should we submit freely? Why?
Conclude this section by
addressing what Peter meant by “grace” and “peace” based on content from your
leader guide.
Trust God's Provisions (2 Peter 1:3-4)
Ask: What do you think is required for life? Allow learners
to offer several answers.
Explain that evil and corruption pervade in the world around us. Ask:
Is it really possible for us to live a godly life today? Why? How?
Read:
Another son of former Bangladesh PM arrested for alleged
corruption
Arafat Rahman, the son of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, was
arrested April 16 on corruption allegations, according to local media. Zia’s
elder son, Tarique Rahman was also arrested on corruption charges last
month.
Corruption watchdog group Transparency International lists Bangladesh among
the world’s most corrupt nations.
Source: “Another son of former Bangladesh PM arrested for
alleged corruption,” Jurist Legal News and Research, 16 April 2007,
www.jurist.law.pitt.edu
Say: Apparently power and position open the doors
for corruption in almost any part of the world.
Read or enlist a volunteer to read 2 Peter 1:3-4.
Say: Peter says that God has given us everything
we need for life.
Overview these verses by asking learners to brainstorm things that God provides
that help us sustain life. Link our behavior to godly behavior and godliness.
Ask:
Should Christians stand by and allow corruption to spread?
What happens when we overlook the “little things” some people do in
government, business, and even in the church?
How can Christians fight the spread of evil desires and behavior?
Build Your Character (2 Peter 1:5-7)
Ask: How do you think God responds to circumstances such as
what happened at Virginia Tech recently? Allow several responses. Then read the
following.
Read:
The horror of another college massacre, and the spectre of more
like it
Charles Steger, the president of Virginia Tech university, was a model of
self-control as he told reporters what he knew about the tragedy of
“monumental proportions” that left more than 30 innocent people dead on his
campus recently. Hundreds of his students showed similar self-control during
the ordeal itself.
Yet one among them had lost all control, taking more lives before dying
himself than had been lost in any similar incident in U.S. history.
Source: “The horror of another college massacre, and the
spectre of more like it,” The Times, 17 April 2007,
www.timesonline.co.uk
Explain that while the British article also addressed the issue of
gun control, this article does call attention to a remarkable contrast.
A young man apparently felt consumed by personal pressures and
completely lost control, leading to more than 30 needless deaths as well
as his own.
The university’s president also faced a consuming level of
pressure—reporters, a police investigation, parents of dead students,
endless questions from state and university authorities, as well as his
own personal grief and shock—yet stayed “a model of self-control” in the
midst of the pressure.
Point out that we don’t know what caused the university president to maintain
self-control, but we do know that Peter offered one approach to developing
self-control.
Introduce the Scripture passage, asking for a volunteer to read 2 Peter
1:5-7.
Point out that Peter addresses traits and character qualities that should be
exhibited by those who follow Jesus. Point out that God agonizes over tragedies
such as the Virginia Tech disaster much more than we do. Explain that the growth
process Peter advocates in these verses helps us cope with the presence of evil
in our world and equips us to help others cope with tragedy.
Ask learners to pause for prayer, organizing themselves into groups of
three or four. Ask them to pray for:
Parents who lost children in this tragic event
School leaders who are coping with the fallout of the event
Campus and church leaders who are helping students deal with their
emotional responses to the loss of friends and peers
Others (offer some suggestions)
Conclude this section by explaining the progression from initial faith to
selfless love.
Confirm Your Salvation (2 Peter 1:8-11)
Say: Everyone seems to have an opinion—and a word of
criticism—for someone else today. Listen to this note from the news.
Read:
Governor shortsighted to cut funding to State Parks
Massachusetts has a rich and diverse system of state parks, a vast amount of
open space and a long legacy of environmental leadership. In fact,
approximately one-quarter, or 1.3 million acres, or Massachusetts is
protected open space and 43 percent of that (606,650 acres) is State-owned.
In my view, this greatly adds to the quality of life to our citizens and is
one of the reasons many visitors decide to come to Massachusetts.
Despite campaign promises by Governor Patrick, his budget grossly underfunds
the Department of Conservation and Recreation. Inadequate funding in the
past has led to visible decay, safety issues and environmental damage in our
parks, and has taken a serious toll on communities across the Commonwealth,
a number of which rely on DCR for parks, roads and other vital public
services.
Governor Patrick is shortsighted to balance the State budget by reducing the
necessary funding to protect these natural resources.
Source: “Governor shortsighted to cut funding to State
Parks,” capecodtoday.com, 2 April 2007,
www.capecodtoday.com
Editor’s note: This information appeared in a blog
sponsored by Cape Cod Today and was written by Massachusetts State
Representative Jeff Perry, who represents the Cape Cod area.
Ask:
How do people today determine ways in which someone else is
“shortsighted”?
How did Peter identify someone who is shortsighted?
How can Christians help one another to be less blind to spiritual truth?
Guide learners to discover the spiritual truths in the remainder of this
lesson.
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
Download the Honoring
God handout and make enough copies for each member.
Philippians 2:1-8
Read Philippians 2:1-8.
Say: The church at Philippi had a special place in Paul’s heart. It was the
first congregation planted in Europe, and Paul considered the Philippian church
a model for other churches to emulate. In this passage, Paul emphatically urges
his brothers and sisters in Philippi to live in humility and unity. These
believers most likely were together day in and day out because they probably
lived in close proxemity to each other. Paul encouraged unity and humiliy so
their Christian witness would not be marred by handling conflict and
disagreements incorrectly.
Ask:
What are some natural human responses to conflict and disagreements?
How did Jesus respond to conflict? Provide specific examples.
Read or enlist a volunteer to read the following news story:
Mediocre job review blamed for NASA shooting
HOUSTON (Reuters) - A space engineer who killed a co-worker and himself
at NASA's Johnson Space Center used a gun bought the same March day as he
printed out a negative job report that he blamed on his victim, police said
on Saturday.
Houston Police Chief Harold Hurtt described a "nightmare-type situation" in
which NASA quality-control engineer David Beverly, shot in the chest and leg
by contract worker Bill Phillips, was shot again repeatedly and died on
Friday as he was trying to barricade an office to keep Phillips from
returning.
"The suspect blamed Mr. Beverly for being responsible for his negative
job-performance situation," Hurtt told reporters.
Phillips held hostage another co-worker, Fran Crenshaw, until he shot
himself dead, Hurtt said. Crenshaw was unharmed.
Hurtt said Phillips had printed out the job report on March 18, and the same
day bought a 5-shot Smith & Wesson revolver, with 20 rounds of hollow-point
ammunition.
Phillips came to Beverly at NASA center on Friday openly holding his gun,
Hurtt said. He said Beverly tried to calmly discuss the job issue for
several minutes, but Phillips raised his gun and shot Beverly twice.
Phillips then left the room momentarily and came back, overcoming Beverly's
attempts at resistance.
"Heroes just don't just fly in space, sometimes heroes work in the next
cubicle too," Hurtt said.
Source: “NASA shooter blamed victim for job review,” Reuters, 21
April 2007. Available at www.reuters.com.
Philippians 4:2-3
Read Philippians 4:2-3.
Say: Apparently Euodia and Syntyche had disagreed about something. They
previously had been Paul's ministry partners, and they should have realized the
importance of unity in the church. Paul reminds them that they should be
contending for the gospel, not with each other. Paul asks a fellow partner in
ministry to help reconcile these two believers so that they once again can be of
like mind and spirit in the Lord.
Ask:
What can be some of the results of unresolved conflict in a church?
Why are strife and disagreements among the members so detrimental to the
work of the church?
Philippians 4:4-7
Read Philippians 4:4-7.
Say: In these verses, Paul gives some practical ways that Christians can
honor God, even in the midst of conflict and difficult circumstances. As
representatives of Christ who seek to bring glory to God, Christians must react
in ways that demonstrate to the world that “the Lord is near" (v. 5), that He
is active in our lives, and that there is something different about His
followers.
Distribute the "Honoring God” handout and allow enough time for
participants to complete it.
Ask:
How might having these qualities bring peace to a tense situation?
Can you think of a situation in your life that provides an opportunity
for you to practice these qualities? Allow those who are willing to share
how these verses can change their reactions to their current life
situations.
Philippians 4:8-9
Read Philippians 4:8-9.
Say: Paul is calling attention to heart attitudes in these verses. It is
difficult to remain in conflict with others when we are focusing on things that
are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable. The Greek word
translated “dwell” in verse 8 is logizomai, and it means “to reckon,
count, compute, calculate, count over.” It is a word used to describe deliberate
thinking. We should deliberate on things that are true, honorable, and lovely,
not keeping account of wrongs and mistakes.
Ask:
Why is it difficult to have a hard heart toward someone you
genuinely are praying for?
What are some ways to appropriately balance focusing on the positives
and actually dealing with the problem? How can such balance bring
lasting reconciliation in the body of Christ?
Read the following news excerpt:
Bloodbath in Turkey: Widow forgives murderers
MALATYA — Susanne Geske, widow of the massacred Christian worker Tilmann
Geske, has forgiven the murderers of her husband.
In an interview with the Turkish television channel ATV the German mother of
three quoted Christ’s words on the cross : “Father, forgive them, for they
know not what they do.”
Three evangelical Christians were brutally murdered, April 18, in Malatya in
South East Turkey, where 45-year old Tilmann Geske worked as an interpreter
in the Christian Publishing House Zirve.
Police have arrested ten suspects. Four young Muslims have admitted the
crime. They said they killed the Christians for religious and nationalistic
reasons.
Susanne Geske said she did not harbor any thoughts of revenge. She has been
living in Malatya for ten years and intends to stay there.
She is hopeful that the aftermath of the murders will signal a new beginning
for the relations between Christians and Muslims in Turkey. Many Muslims had
shown their outrage about the murders and expressed their condolences to the
bereaved.
You may want to contrast Susanne’s attitude with Phillip's in the first
article.
Ask the group to have a few moments of silent prayer, asking
God to reveal to them anyone with whom they have unresolved conflict. Guide them
to seek God for a heart that honors Him and the strength to work toward
resolving the issue. Close by praying for the Holy Spirit to work through them
in true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable ways.
Be available to speak with anyone who is having a difficult time dealing with a
current conflict.
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.
