Memorial Day

On this Memorial Day I'd like to remember:

My great uncle Casey Atkinson, veteran of World War I

My uncle Earl Barber, Veteran of World War II

I'd like to honor my wife's uncle Roger Spooner who survived the sinking of the USS Yorktown at the Battle of Midway and who in his mid-eighties still drives a truck for a living.

I also want to honor my cousin Benny Atkinson, veteran of the Vietnam Conflict.

I am sure there are others in our family that I have overlooked, but to all who have served with honor, we salute you.

Sunday School Lesson: Living Out Wisdom

Purpose: To understand how wisdom is lived out in relationships.

Scripture : Proverbs 31: 8-14, 25-30

Think about your mother. What is one thing that she did that blessed your life and that continues to bless your life?

Proverbs begins and ends with mothers. From Proverbs chapter 1:

.......never forget what you learned at your mother's knee.
(Pro 1:8 MSG)

and Chapter 31, the final chapter of Proverbs :

The words of King Lemuel, the strong advice his mother gave him:
(Pro 31:1 MSG)

The entire chapter recounts the teaching King Lemuel’s mother. This "oracle" contains words of advice to a newly installed king by his queen mother. The theme of the oracle is how to rule and live justly and righteously. There are many references in Proverbs of Wisdom speaking with a female voice. The first half of chapter 31 are lessons of principles and justice as taught by Lemuel’s mother, the remainder of the chapter is a tribute to a noble wife.

We do not know exactly who Lemuel was. Some translations have notes that indicate Lemuel was from Massa, which is an area of Arabia. This leads some to think that Lemuel may have been king of an Arabian tribe. Others believe that Lemuel may have been a nickname for Solomon, because the translation of "Lemuel" is "one devoted to God" and Solomon was characterized by his devotion to God early in life. Regardless who Lemuel or his mother were, the lesson is valuable. The lesson centers on mothers and wives and how virtuous mothers and wives impact the lives of those around them. We can take the lesson even further with the knowledge that we all - male, female, husband, wife, father, mother, or unmarried- can make an impact on the lives of our loved ones by using the wisdom that God offers in His Word.

In an ideal world, we would find that the ones who love us most and best to be our parents, and most especially our mothers. Our mothers know us best and want only the best for us. In their eagerness to provide only the best, our mothers share their wisdom. Their intention is to dispense to us all that we need to know in order to live a long, happy, productive life.

But do we live in an ideal world?

Are parents in our society the storehouse of practical and righteous wisdom that the Proverbs would lead us to believe?

Many may say yes, but many more (far too many) will say that, no, we do not live in an ideal world and our mothers/fathers show no indication that they want the best for us. Many in our society (maybe even the majority) live or have lived in very unstable family situations. Our generation (the Baby Boomers) began a terrible cycle of divorce, substance abuse, and financial mismanagement that has had crippling effects on the succeeding generations. Many teenagers of Generation X became the only responsible adult of the family. The teenagers had to be the parent whether their mothers or fathers were present or not. Now the GenXers are mothering and fathering a new generation. Where will their parenting wisdom come from?

Let’s look at parents from another angle. Can anyone tell me what is the fifth of the ten commandments?

That commandment is:

Honor thy father and thy mother......
(Exo 20:12 ASV)

Did you know that the fifth commandment comes with a promise?

And what is the promise?

.......that thy days may be long in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee.
(Exo 20:12 ASV)

That thy days may be long, or that you may live long. Do you remember our discussion in last weeks lesson on references to living and dying in Scripture? In many cases we can say that in the Bible a good working definition of "death" or "dying" is "alienation from God." We can understand in many references as death = alienation from God and life = relationship with God. If we interpret the fifth commandment in this way then what can be one result of honoring our parents? One possible result is a closer relationship with God.

Nearly every chapter of Proverbs makes some mention of righteous living leading to life (closer relationship with God) and unrighteous living leading to death (alienation from God). Can any of you think of any instances where a person’s relationship with his earthly parents reflected also on his relationship with God?

Proverbs 31 begins with Lemuel’s mother calling him to live a sober and holy life. He should avoid unhealthy relationships and to abstain from drunkenness which alters one’s judgement. The king’s mother is concerned not only with his personal righteousness, but on how that righteousness affects those under his care. She wants her son to rule with justice and protect the rights of the poor and needy.

"Speak up for the people who have no voice, for the rights of all the down-and-outers. Speak out for justice! Stand up for the poor and destitute!"
(Pro 31:8-9 MSG)

He is to be the voice for those who have no voice or political power. The wise mother has seen the actions of others that have brought them to ruin or death.

What responsibility does a person of power have toward the poor and destitute?

How well do our leaders speak up, speak out and stand up for the poor and destitute?

Much of the writings of the prophets in the Old Testament was concerned with the mistreatment of the poor. Jesus came to "speak good news to the poor". The prophets denounced any oppression of the poor. They spoke of a Messiah who would arrive and be the defender of the poor and helpless.

It is easy for those of us who are not poor and needy to look away and not notice the plight of the needy. We could even say that the further we are from being poor and needy the less we are aware of the needs of those in poverty. Is Lemuel’s mother’s directions for him a warning to not overlook the needs of the impoverished or is it a call to take an active role in seeing to the needs of the poor?

Are we to stand up for the poor only when we are directly confronted with their needs or are we to seek them out and offer them assistance?

How well do our leaders actively seek out the needy and offer to be there voice and to meet their needs?

How well do we personally do this?

What are some things that we could personally do to be a voice for the needy and to help meet their needs?

The remainder of chapter 31 is a poem written by Lemuel’s mother instructing him to seek a wife of noble character. Depending on which translation you use, this poem is titled:

The Wife of Noble Character.

The Woman Who Fears the Lord.

Ode to a Capable Wife.

Hymn to a Good Wife.

The Worth of a Godly Woman.

An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar.
(Pro 31:10-14 ESV)

A good woman is hard to find, and worth far more than diamonds. Her husband trusts her without reserve, and never has reason to regret it.
(Pro 31:10-11 MSG)

Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: "Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all." Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
(Pro 31:25-30 ESV)

What does it mean in verse 11 that the husband of the capable wife has "no lack of gain"?

The man who has this woman for a wife possesses everything of value that he will ever need. What more could he ask for? She does nothing but good for her husband and her family "all the days of her life". There is much debate in our society about the role of women. Should women be career women or should their career focus on the family? I’d say either is okay as long as a healthy home environment is maintained and the nurturing needs of the family are met. A multi-talented career woman can meet the needs of her family much better than a stay-at-home mom whose conduct damages and brings heartbreak to her family. The virtuous and godly woman, regardless of career choices will be praised by her husband and children.

Can hard work be seen as an expression of love? How? As long as the hard work does not become an end in itself and deprive our family of our time. (This speaks to fathers and mothers, husbands and wives.) By providing financial support for those we love, we show them we love them.

What do you see as the most striking characteristic of the virtuous woman as described in this poem? She has many distinguishing traits: she is trustworthy, good, has good judgement, works hard; is strong and dignified. She is wise and kind; not lazy. She is loved and praised by her family. She loves God.

Does this woman seem real?

Is she too perfect?

Can anyone live up to these standards?

How is the noble wife of this poem different from or similar to current ideals of wives and mothers?

What are the most important things a woman can communicate to her husband and her children?

Fear of God.

Proverbs started with a statement about fear of God and ends with another.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge....
(Pro 1:7 ESV)

... but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
(Pro 31:30 ESV)

The central characteristic of the noble women is revealed in this statement. This is the most important thing a woman can offer her family: a love of God.

The righteous woman "does not eat the bread of idleness". What is the difference between rest and idleness?

Who do YOU know that fits the description of the wise woman in this poem? Wouldn’t it be a great and marvelous thing if every person could say, "my mother."

What can we do to encourage wives and mothers in their responsibilities?

What can we do to show appreciation to our wives and mothers for all their hard work and wisdom?

Middle of the Road.

Watch this.

Did you laugh?

Or cry?

Which way will the scales tilt?

My low IQ.

After Sunday School this morning Martha handed me this test.

For the record I am dubiously reliable. You can try to guess which questions were my downfall.

Integrity Self-Check

How trustworthy are you? Grade your sense of integrity by answering each question below.

A. Would you return a wallet full of money you found in a parking lot?

1. Never

2. Maybe

3. For a reward

4. Probably

5. Absolutely

B. Would you break the rules to win a game or improve your golf score?

1. Of course

2. Probably

3. If it were important

4. Doubtful

5. Never

c. Would you cheat on your taxes to save $500?

1. Sure

2. Probably

3. Only for $1000 or more

4. No, I'd fear an audit

5. Never

D. Would you lie to get out of a difficult situation?

1. Why not?

2. Define lying

3. Depends on the situation

4. Rarely

5. Never

E. Would you obey a stop sign on a deserted road?

1. What stop sign?

2. Not unless a policeman is nearby

3. Usually, unless I'm running late

4. Normally, unless it's an emergency

5. Of course.

Figure your IQ (Integrity Quotient) by adding the scores for all five responses.

Here are the results:

22-25: Habitually honorable

17-21: Generally trustworthy

13-16: Dubiously reliable

9-12: Ethically challenged

5-8: Morally bankrupt

How did you do?

Sunday School Lesson: Choosing the Path of Integrity

Purpose: To discern the nature of righteousness.

Scripture: Proverbs 11:1-14

Let’s think about the word “integrity”. What does “integrity” mean to you?

Think of someone whom you would think of as possessing the character quality of integrity.

What makes a person a person of integrity?

Definition of integrity:
INTEGRITY, n. 1. quality of being honest and up-right in character, 2. condition of being complete.

What are some common qualities of person’s of integrity?

Two qualities of integrity that are addressed in today’s scripture are honesty and humility. We can also see from the definition of integrity that integrity also includes completeness or wholeness. To have integrity is to be “integrated” with honesty and humility. A person of integrity is “sound”, “whole’, “complete”, and “altogether”honest and humble.

Can we also use the word “righteous” to describe a person of integrity?

How would you define “righteous”?

What do honesty, humility, and integrity have to do with being righteous?
As we will see from today’s scripture, these qualities of character, taken together form the definition of righteousness.

I sometimes have a hard time with the concept of human righteousness, mainly because of Paul’s statements in Romans:

.... "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one."
(Rom 3:10-12 ESV)

Does Paul mean that there has literally never been or never will be one “righteous” person? Or is Paul speaking only of non-Christians? Is it possible to be “righteous” through our own efforts? Can we be deemed “righteous” through faith alone? Is righteousness a product of faith and works? Or is righteousness purely a work of grace?


Other scripture verses that deal with righteousness:

(Gen 15:6 ESV) And he believed the LORD, and he counted it (his belief) to him as righteousness. (Righteousness through faith.)

(Deu 6:25 ESV) And it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to do all this commandment before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us.' (Righteousness through the law.)

(Job 29:14 ESV) I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban. (Righteousness through works of justice.)

(Job 33:26 ESV) then man prays to God, and he accepts him; he sees his face with a shout of joy, and he restores to man his righteousness. (Righteousness as a product of grace.)

(Psa 23:3 ESV) He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. (We are lost without His guidance. Would we pursue righteousness without His guidance?)

(Psa 24:5 ESV) He will receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation. (Grace.)

(Psa 106:3 ESV) Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times! (Works.)

(Mat 5:6 ESV) "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

(Mat 5:20 ESV) For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

(Mat 6:33 ESV) But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

(Rom 1:17 ESV) For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith."

(Rom 3:22 ESV) the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.

(Rom 4:3 ESV) For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it (his belief) was counted to him as righteousness."

(Rom 4:5 ESV) And to the one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,

(Rom 4:13 ESV) For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.

(Rom 6:18 ESV) and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. (Sanctifying grace?)

(Rom 10:4 ESV) For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. (Faith as the end of the law.)

(Phi 1:11 ESV) filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Sanctifying grace.)

(Tit 3:5 ESV) he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, (Salvation is only possible by grace through faith, not personal righteousness.)

(1Jo 2:29 ESV) If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him. (Righteousness is not possible outside of faith.)

These are but a few of the nearly 300 occurrences of the word “righteousness” in the Bible.

It seems that if taken as a whole, all of these passages indicate that righteousness is impossible without Christ. There is no possibility of righteousness without faith in Jesus Christ. No matter how hard we try. And likewise, with faith in Christ there is no possibility of unrighteousness. We are accounted righteous through faith, but also with faith we actively pursue righteousness. It is impossible to experience justification and new birth in Christ and not begin the process of sanctification which is moving on toward righteousness.

There are two types of righteousness according to Methodist theology: Imparted righteousness and imputed righteousness. Imputed righteousness is the righteousness of Jesus that is given to or credited to the new Christian at the moment of justification. This imputed righteousness can also be called justifying or saving grace. We are seen as righteous because of what Jesus has done for us. Imparted righteousness is also a gift that is given to us at the time of the new birth. This imparted righteousness gives us the ability to strive for holiness and sanctification. This is also known as sanctifying grace or the second blessing of grace.

Proverbs 11 has much to say about righteousness and the contrast between righteousness and wickedness.

Pro 11:1-3 ESV
(1) A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is his delight.
(2) When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.
(3) The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.

What three qualities of character do we encounter in these first three verses?
Honesty, humility, and integrity. As I stated earlier, these three taken together form a definition of righteous character.

In verse one what is the main issue? A glance at the verse would indicate that accurate weights and measures is the issue, but the deeper issue is honesty. We could reword that verse and say: “dishonesty is an abomination to the Lord, but honesty is His delight.” This verse echoes the legal codes of Leviticus and Deuteronomy. Other than in Proverbs the phrase “abomination to the Lord” is only found in Deuteronomy. Honesty comes first in this passage because it is a basic trait of righteousness.

What is the second character trait of righteousness mentioned in this passage?
Humility. What is humility. Humility is the state of being humble. A humble person is generally thought to be unpretentious and modest, someone who does not think that he or she is better or more important than others.

Humility is not false modesty or self-deprecation. Humility is a form of honesty. Humility is not (in the words of Screwtape) “pretty women trying to believe that they are ugly or clever men trying to believe they are fools.” Those are being dishonest. There is no dishonesty in humility.

And what is the opposite of humility?

Can anyone tell me what is number one on the list of the seven deadly or cardinal sins?
Pride. The sin of pride does not mean that being proud of our accomplishments is a sin. Pride as sin is the “I’m better than you” pride.

And what is the third character trait of righteousness in this passage?
Integrity. To have integrity is to be integrated, sound, whole, together. This integrity includes honesty and humility.

Pro 11:4-8 ESV
(4) Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
(5) The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight, but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.
(6) The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust.
(7) When the wicked dies, his hope will perish, and the expectation of wealth perishes too.
(8) The righteous is delivered from trouble, and the wicked walks into it instead.

Can anyone tell me what is the first question asked in the United Methodist “Baptismal Covenant”?

The first question is this:
“Do you renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject the evil powers of this world, and repent of your sin?”

As we read that passage from Proverbs 11, did you notice any references to the “spiritual forces of wickedness”?
This passage repeatedly contrasts wickedness and righteousness.

Verse 4 begins the many references in this passage to righteousness. We have already discussed some aspects of righteousness. Let’s look at some others. Righteousness can be defined as “right belief”, or faith. It can also be defined as “right relationship”. A right relationship with God requires that we align our lives with God’s will. This involves being faithful and obedient.

Why lead a righteous life?

As stated earlier, righteousness requires that we submit to God’s will. What is God’s will? God’s will is that we love God with all our heart, mind, and strength, and love our neighbor as ourselves. Righteousness requires much more than pious belief and worship. It requires love in all our words and actions.

According to this passage, what does righteousness lead to?

What does wickedness lead to?

According to this passage, righteousness leads to life and wickedness to death. Can we understand these references to life and death literally?

What are the meanings of life and death in this passage?

Throughout the Bible a good working definition of “death” as used in this passage is “alienation from God.” Wickedness may offer many promises , but only delivers death and destruction. We can interpret the word of this passage as death = alienation from God and life = relationship with God which fits perfectly with the definitions of imputed and imparted righteousness.

Does verse 8 indicate that the righteous are protected from trouble? If so, how does that fit with the story of Job, a very righteous man who suffered greatly?

Verse 8 doesn’t say that the righteous are protected from trouble, it says that the righteous are delivered from trouble. Job remained righteous and prayed for deliverance and was delivered from his troubles, if not from his sorrows.

Can anyone think of an example in the Bible where a righteous person was rescued from trouble and a wicked person suffered?
The Book of Esther is a great example. Esther and Mordecai and all the Jews were delivered and the evil Haman was condemned.

Since righteousness leads to life and wickedness leads to death, why would anyone choose wickedness? Let’s not only think about the bad choices of others, but think about some of the times that we have made wrong choices and why.

Pro 11:9-14 ESV
(9) With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
(10) When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness.
(11) By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown.
(12) Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent.
(13) Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.
(14) Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.

Can the actions of individual members affect groups, communities, or even nations?
Can our individual righteousness or wickedness lead to life or death to our groups, communities, or nations?

Where do we see examples of righteousness and wickedness in today’s world?

Is it possible to live a righteous life alone, outside of a community?

Because our righteousness is not only an individual matter, but has much to do with our relationship with God and our neighbors, there is no way that righteousness could not affect our community. Righteousness needs community to grow to it’s fullest expression. To attempt righteousness outside of the community of faith is to fall into the trap of self-righteousness. When a member of the community is righteous the community rejoices and the blessings of the righteous member also blesses the community.

If we are going to count ourselves among the righteous, we must pay attention to the quality of our relationships, especially in the church. It is never just ‘my’ righteousness or “my” relationship alone with God; it is always a matter of “our” integrity as the body of Christ, “our” righteous relationship with God through Christ, in which we find forgiveness and wholeness and direction for living.