Screwtape Letters 1-4

Letter One:
Screwtape advises Wormwood to play to the "patient's" tendencies toward "materialism". I think that what Lewis calls materialism is the belief of "if I can't see it, or science doesn't prove it, then it can't be true." Screwtape encourages Wormwood to keep the patient's thoughts fixed on "real life". I think this happens to many of us. If our attention is fixed on "real life", on what we can see to be real, on the material world, then our attention tends to drift away from the spiritual world, on what cannot be seen.

Screwtape also tells Wormwood to keep the patient from studying science. This may surprise many. We tend to believe that science is in oppostion to matters of faith. In reality, as anyone who studies science can attest, the more we discover about the world around us, the more we realize that we don't really know very much at all.

Letter Two:
Catastraophe strikes! The patient becomes a Christian. Yet Screwtape doesn't seem overly concerned. According to Screwtape his greatest ally in turning a new Christian back to materialism is the Church itself. He observes that after the first flush of faith it is commonly only a matter of weeks before the new Christian is right back where the tempter wants him.

Also, according to Screwtape, true humility, becoming convinced of our sins, is something that takes time, and time is not on our side. "...he still believes he has run up a very favourable credit balance in (God's) ledger by allowing himself to be converted..."

Letter Three:
The next great ally of the tempter: our family members. ".....build up between you in that house a good settled habit of mutual annoyance: daily pinpricks."

Screwtape advises to keep the patient's mind on the inner life, spirituality, and thus distract him from his Christian duties and life of piety.

Letter Four:
Screwtape suggests attacking thorugh prayer. If the patient is tempted to keep his prayers superficial, then they will never become effective. Prayer is a struggle even for experienced Christians. We fear "the nakedness of the soul in prayer."

"Whenever they are attending (praying to) the Enemy Himself (God) we (the tempters) are defeated." - Screwtape

"...humans themselves do not desire it (total understanding of what God says He is) as much as they suppose. There's such a thing as getting more than they bargained for!" - Screwtape

Oh, so true.

What's Your Theological Worldview?

Follow the link below to test yours.

As if there was any doubt, here's mine:

You scored as Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan. You are an evangelical in the Wesleyan tradition. You believe that God's grace enables you to choose to believe in him, even though you yourself are totally depraved. The gift of the Holy Spirit gives you assurance of your salvation, and he also enables you to live the life of obedience to which God has called us. You are influenced heavly by John Wesley and the Methodists. Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 86% Neo orthodox 71% Emergent/Postmodern 71% Roman Catholic 54% Charismatic/Pentecostal 50% Reformed Evangelical 43% Classical Liberal 39% Modern Liberal 36% Fundamentalist 25% What's your theological worldview? created with QuizFarm.com

Seen on a Church Sign

This is hilarious!!!


Hat tip.

The Screwtape Letters

Our book study group is starting a study and discussion of C. S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters. This will be our first adventure into a work of fiction. And while "fiction" is a proper descriptor for this book, a more accurate classification would be "satire". This book could be called a masterpiece of satire. This book has also been described as "reverse theology".

The reversal is starling and stunning. The book attempts to describe Christian faith and temptation from the point-of-view of the temptor, namely Screwtape, a master demon or devil in the service of "Our Father Below", who we can only assume to be Satan. This is a chronicle of a series of letters from Screwtape to his nephew/apprentice Wormwood, whose task is to secure the damnation of an ordinary human.

This is a most effective method of working through the issue of temptation in our lives and how we react to the most subtle of guidance. As Lewis states in the preface, most of us have one of two views of devils/demons/Satan: We either disbelieve completely or we place too much emphasis on their power and control. Yet who can deny that we all face temptations daily, temptations that we would never wish to be faced with, but which seem to totally beyond our ability to make go away.

Sunday School Lesson: Searched and Known by God

Purpose: To marvel at the depth of God’s infinite knowledge of us.

Scripture: Psalm 139:1-14, 23-24.

What is one thing about you or your personality that is totally unique?

One unique character of myself is that I read a lot. It is sometimes scary how much I read. I have gotten to where I will read four or five books simultaneously, much the same way as some folks can watch and keep up with several television programs a week. I also read a couple of monthly magazines and a couple of bi-weekly magazines. I read two bi-weekly newspapers, three weekly newspapers, and one daily newspaper (but only on Sunday). I also read a daily devotional and scriptures. I read my Sunday School Lessons and several commentaries on the lessons. I am a member of a book club and read whatever the group is reading. I am in a group that meets once a week to read the sermons of John Wesley. I am also a husband, father, and businessman and take those responsibilities seriously. It’s amazing that I manage to squeeze in my reading time.

Not only do we possess some unique personality traits, but the human body itself is unique and amazing. Some interesting facts about humans:

An average human scalp has 100,000 hairs. We lose an average of 40 to 100 strands each day.

Humans shed about 600,000 particles of skin every hour, about 1.5 pounds a year. By the age of 70 the average person will have lost 105 pounds of skin.

It takes 17 muscles to smile and 43 to frown.

There is enough phosphorous in the human body to make about 250 matches.

Humans are born with 300 bones. Adults have 206 bones. There are 29 bones in your head.

Human thighbones are stronger than concrete.

During a 24-hour period, the average human will breath 23,000 times.

Every time you lick a stamp your are consuming 1/10 of a calorie.

By the time you turn 70, your heart will have beat 2.5 billion times.

Human blood travels 60,000 miles per day on its journey through the body.

We sometimes forget just how unique and amazing we are. What is the source of these amazing and unique bodies and personalities that we have?

Psalm 139 celebrates God as the One who creates us in this wonderful, intricate form and who also know us intimately.

Do we sometimes forget the source of our uniqueness?

Just how familiar are we to God? How well does God know us?

Let’s look into the scripture to see how the psalm writer answered those questions.

O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.
(Psa 139:1-6 ESV)

Can anyone tell me what the key word in this psalm is? This word or related words appear in the psalm seven times, four in these first six verses.

The word is "know" and its relatives "known", and "knowledge". According to these verses, who knows who?

And how well does God know us?

What does the knowledge consist of?

The Hebrew word for know suggests a very intimate knowledge. The same word is used in Genesis in reference to sexual intercourse. This knowledge is one of a very intimate relationship.
How well does God know us?

God’s knowledge is detailed and specific. So complete is God’s knowledge of humans that God can discern our thoughts.

What does discern mean?
Discern is a term of measurement. So I guess you could say that God measures our thoughts and how well they measure up with His ideal. The completeness of God’s knowledge is summed up in verse 3: God is "acquainted with all my ways..." We may try to hide our feelings and fail to express our emotions. We may lock our mouths shut, keeping our thoughts to ourselves. But God knows what we are thinking. He is more aware of our motives and desires than even we ourselves are aware of.

God’s omniscience is not some abstract attribute that God can either use or not use. God’s omniscience is personal, always engaged, and intimate. God knows us better than we know ourselves. God knows our faults and our strengths, our sin and our holiness. No part of us, physically or mentally is hidden from God. No part of our personal history, no secret desires, no so-called hidden sin, no so-called private behavior escapes the awareness of God. His knowledge is total, complete, and comprehensive.

Is the thought of God’s personal knowledge of all we are and do disturb us or comfort us?

In what ways can this idea be both comforting and sobering?

Do we acknowledge the fact of God’s intimate knowledge of us as we go about our daily routines?

Do we consider God’s opinion before we think or do the things we think and do?

Have you ever heard anyone make a statement to the effect that if God new what they were really like, He wouldn’t want anything to do with them?

These people recognize their sin and understand that God hates sin. What they fail to understand is that God already knows all about their sin. Not one of our thoughts is a mystery to Him. Nothing we do surprises Him. He may often be disappointed or even angry at our behavior, but He is never surprised.

Here is the part that can offer us comfort: God knows us. God knows our every secret and every sin. Yet, with all of that knowledge, God never abandons us, rejects us, or gives up on us. God loves us just as deeply and intimately as He knows us.

When do we most often want to hide our thoughts, feelings, and deeds from God?

What are some things that Christians do in their daily lives as if God cannot see them?

How successful are we in attempting to hide parts of our lives from God?

Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night," even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.
(Psa 139:7-12 ESV)

Where can we hide from God?

Is there any place that we can possibly be out of God’s spirit or presence?

The first section of this Psalm told us of the unlimited nature of God’s omniscience. This section tells of God’s omnipresence.

In our lesson on March 5 we talked about the vastness of the heavens and that the more we learn of the heavens through our technological advances, the larger they seem to be. Where in the heavens can we hide from God? Verse 8 says that God is there.

Verse 8 also mentions "Sheol". Exactly what or where is Sheol?

Sheol is the most common Old Testament term for the abode of the dead. The Old Testament does not have a formal doctrine about the fate of the dead, but there was a common belief that the dead existed in some form in a region outside the earth, sometimes thought to be beneath the earth. The Hebrews believed Sheol to be a place of darkness and silence, but not a place of punishment. Their belief was that everyone went to Sheol upon death. In several places in the Old Testament Sheol is portrayed as a realm beyond even God’s reach.

What does this psalm writer say about Sheol? Can we hide from God even in Sheol?

Is God’s inescapable presence a good thing or a bad thing?

"If they dig into Sheol, from there shall my hand take them; if they climb up to heaven, from there I will bring them down. If they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, from there I will search them out and take them; and if they hide from my sight at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent, and it shall bite them. And if they go into captivity before their enemies, there I will command the sword, and it shall kill them; and I will fix my eyes upon them for evil and not for good."
(Amo 9:2-4 ESV)

I guess it depends. God the righteous judge will pursue those who have earned His judgement and wrath. They cannot hide. In Psalm 139 God’s inescapable presence is celebrated as good. God pursues us wherever we may try to hide in order to lead us and hold us fast. Even in darkness we can’t hide. In Hebrew thought darkness was often associated with death and the absence of God. Yet darkness is not a barrier to God finding us according to the psalmist. Not even darkness can overwhelm God. Darkness obscures our vision and hides what the light reveals to us, but not God. God’s mere presence negates the darkness. The darkness is not dark because the darkness is as light to God. Nothing, not even darkness can impede God’s seeking and finding humans. From the wings of the morning (the rising sun) to the farthest limits of the sea where the sun sets we cannot hide.

After Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, what was the first two things they did?

First, realizing their nakedness, they threw on some fig leaves to try to hide their nakedness, and second, they hid from God because they were ashamed of what they had done. Even before calling out for them in the garden, do you think that God already knew exactly where they were and why they were hiding?

Isn’t even the idea of them trying to hide their nakedness from God silly?

After all, God created them. He knew every part of their bodies intimately. Do you think that this psalmist, who certainly was very familiar with the story of Adam and Eve, would have laughed at their futility in attempting to hide from God? According to this psalm, not only can we not physically hide from God, even our innermost thoughts and feelings are an open book to God. God knows us intimately and completely. And why is that?

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
(Psa 139:13-14 ESV)

The phrase "inward parts" refers figuratively to the heart, which we commonly consider to be the seat of our emotions. It is God who created in us hearts of emotion.

With what attitude should we respond to being God’s creation?

With praise, for we are fearfully and wonderfully made.

Have you ever thought about just how wonderfully made we are?

Who can study even a small portion of the human anatomy without wonder and awe, marveling at it’s delicacy and trembling at its frailty?

Can we say that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made" only if we are fit to model for Ralph Lauren’s mens wear or to make the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue?

The body that is fearfully and wonderfully made is the ordinary body that is also aging, balding, sagging, graying, sometimes limping, sometimes aching, sometimes broken, sometimes desperately ill, and almost always in need of healing of one sort or the other. That ordinary body gives us the inspiration to cry out, "I will praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made!"

We have already established that there is nothing about us that God does not already know. He has searched us and known us. He knows our thoughts and our intentions. He knows when and where we have tried to hide. How do we get God to cleanse us of all that we wish we could hide?
We have to invite Him in.

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
(Psa 139:23-24 ESV)

Have you ever heard of anyone who resisted Christianity because they feel that Christians are being controlled?

Does God control our lives? To what extent?

Can God control us without us first giving up control?

Only by invitation will God come in and cleanse us. God will not impose himself on anyone. If we desire His direction, though, He will lead us into the way everlasting. Us Methodists like to call that sanctification or holiness. Though we may not know completely even our own hearts, God knows and God can lead if only we will follow. Only by God exposing our sins and weaknesses can we be convicted and become conformed to Christ.

God has already searched us and known us. What this psalmist does, and what we should do, is plead with God to continue searching and knowing. We need for this intimate relationship of being known completely by God to continue. If it doesn’t continue then we have been forsaken.
What is our response to God’s intimate knowledge?

Are we comforted by God’s intimate knowledge or are we afraid that God is watching to closely?

Walkin', Talkin', Bloggin'

Methodist bloggers Greg "Only Imagine" Lee (left) and Tony "Just As I Am" Atkinson at a recent Walk To Emmaus in South Georgia.

Sunday School Lesson: God Made Us Special

Purpose: To affirm what it means to be crowned with glory and honor.

Think about the most beautiful, awe-inspiring sight of nature that you have ever seen. Does the vastness of our universe or the mind-boggling intricacies of nature cause you to wonder about our position or worth within the context of all creation?

How would you describe the position of human beings in creation? Where exactly do we fit into God’s scheme?

Have there been any events in your life that have caused you to realize your worth in God’s eyes? Or any that have caused you to question your worth?

There is a lot of talk these days about the value of "self-worth"; that each and every person has an inherent value and worth. Are we all worthy of praise and privilege simply because of our existence?

What gives me worth? What am I worth to God? Today’s lesson will encourage humble self-understanding, but will also encourage our acknowledgment of being the crown of God’s creation. Learning to balance these two points of knowledge will assure us of our self-worth and give our lives meaning.

How do we honor God as the creator of our world and life?

O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.
(Psa 8:1-2 ESV)

From "Adult Bible Studies: Student":

Our Bible lesson starts out as a psalm that offers praise and glory to God. God created "the heavens" (Psalm 8:2). That alone is reason enough for us to praise God and offer to God the majesty and "official dignity" that God so richly deserves. Everything that is started with God, and everything continues only because of God. God created and God reigns. For us with eyes to see, all creation manifests the greatness and the glory of God.
Does God "need" to hear our words of praise? Probably not. I cannot imagine God saying, "I wish someone would say that I rock!" Thus, the first important truth this psalm offers to us is not that God needs our praise but that we need to offer to God our praise and worship. We need to say to God, "How majestic you are!" As we race in our daily lives to celebrate our position and privilege, it is important that we acknowledge that our wealth and possessions and talents and achievements are finally part of God’s good creation.

That is the point the psalmist makes: as we look at the stars and as we hear the sound of children, we learn that creation is an activity and expression of God. Even God’s name is "majestic" (Psalm 8:1). As we contemplate what goes on without our power or even our knowledge. (How many creatures have been hatched or born already today?), there should well up within us the desire to honor and glorify the One who is in charge of all that is and was and ever will be. As we wonder about our place in the universe and our value and worth on this earth, it is helpful first to understand Who it is who has created all that is and Who establishes our place in this incredible existence.

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.
(Psa 8:3-5 ESV)

Does our mere existence make us deserving of being crowned with glory and honor?

What is it about man that God is mindful of him?

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
(Gen 1:27 ESV)

And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.
(Gen 1:31 ESV)

God created "very good" humans. What happened?

The "very good" humans acted very badly. They were rebellious and disobedient and lied to God to try to cover up their disobedience. What was the consequence of their sins?

Banishment from the garden, pain in childbirth, hard labor just to survive.

Did sin and it’s consequences in any way destroy or diminish God’s love for His creatures?

From The United Methodist Book of Worship, "The Great Thanksgiving" for use during Lent:
"When we had fallen into sin and became subject to evil and death, your love remained steadfast."

So what is it about us that makes God mindful of us and care for us?

It’s not about us! Human beings continually break covenant with God and rebel against God’s will. Yet God’s love always stands firm. God is mindful of us and cares for us because God’s nature is Love. The phrase "steadfast love" occurs many times in the Psalms. Turn to Psalm 136 and count how many times the phrase "for His steadfast love endures forever" appears.

What has caused us to be "crowned with glory and honor"?

How have we earned it? What have we done to deserve it?

It is out of love that God crowns us with glory and honor. We do not deserve this; we cannot earn it. It is gift of love and like all gifts, we can only receive it.

What are some ways that we, in our daily lives, experience God’s steadfast love?

I like to think that every breath is a blessing. God breathed into a handful of dust in the beginning and humans are still breathing in and out several times a minute. God’s gift of life, the world around us, the relationships that give this life meaning and purpose, the forgiveness that heals and frees us. The ways we continue to experience God’s love are countless and continual.

And undeserved.

You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
(Psa 8:6-9 ESV)

And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth." And God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food." And it was so.
(Gen 1:28-30 ESV)

Over what has God given man dominion?

What is the difference between "dominion" and "domination"?

While "dominion" and "domination" come from the same root word, there is a world of difference in their meanings.

How would you define "dominion" as it is used in this passage from Psalm 8?
To exercise "dominion" over God’s creatures is to treat them with respect and care. We are, in a sense, partners with God; we are to be good stewards of what God has entrusted us.

From "Adult Bible Studies: Teacher":
Perhaps it is human nature that freedom can be taken as license to do whatever we please. In his letter to the Galatians, Paul argued against Christians who believed they were no longer bound to the Jewish law. Because they were "free" through Christ, they reasoned that they could do anything they wanted. Paul argued strenuously that freedom in Christ is freedom to fulfill the law, the good and holy will of God (Galatians 5). Freedom and responsibility are inseperable.
When it comes to creatures over which God has given us dominion, we can use our power responsibly or irresponsibly. We can exploit the earth’s living resources by killing the members of a species until it reaches extinction, or by obliterating forests for their lumber, or by killing marine life through pollution of rivers and lakes.
There is no doubt that we have the power to do these things, but do we have the right? Psalm 8 reminds us that our power over creation and its creatures is God given. Therefore we must exercise our power in ways consistent with God’s intention for creation. As partners with God, we are called to find ways to enhance, preserve, and appropriately us God’s gift of creation. Exploitation and domination have no place in our relationship with creation.
The title of this lesson is "God Made Us Special". Our uniqueness is both a gift and responsibility. We are created to be God’s partners in caring for God’s creation. This means we have a unique responsibility to exercise our care of creation in good and responsible ways.

In what ways do you see humans dominating God’s creation in harmful ways?

What are some examples of responsible dominion?

Let’s go back now to verse 3 and imagine the psalmist wandering out into the star-filled night and contemplating the mysteries of the universe. Is this immense sky full of far-flung stars any less awe-inspiring today than it was to this primitive psalm writer?

Can’t you just imagine thinking: "with a sky so immeasurable and stars so innumerable, what does human life matter?"

Are we lost in the immensity of the stars? All the preoccupations that daily accompany us seem tiny compared with the endless sky. We ourselves may feel tiny and insignificant.
Have our advances in science, physics, and astronomy made our universe seem any smaller than to the Psalm writer?

Actually the opposite has happened. The more we learn about our universe and world the larger it seems. We have discovered vast galaxies long hidden from our sight. Astronomers will tell us that what we now know to exist is only a small fraction of what actually is. Most matter is, in fact not visible at all, "dark matter" floating in the emptiness of space or hidden in black holes.
That psalm writer thought that what he could see was all there was and was overwhelmed by what he could see. It’s not only the heavens that dizzy us with thoughts of our own diminutive stature. Look at the world around us. How much do we know about this earth and the life on it?
Look at these headlines:

"New Shark Species Found in Sea of Cortez" March 4, 2006, Los Angeles Times.

"New Species found On Great Barrier Reef" Feb. 28, 2006, The Age.

"Science Team Finds Lost World." Beb. 7, 2006, BBC News.
An international team of scientists says it has found a "lost world" in the Indonesian jungle that is home to dozens of new animal and plant species. "It's as close to the Garden of Eden as you're going to find on Earth," said Bruce Beehler, co-leader of the group. The team recorded new butterflies, frogs, and a series of remarkable plants that included five new palms and a giant rhododendron flower. The survey also found a honeyeater bird that was previously unknown to science.

"New Large Mammal Species in Vietnam", "New Whale Species Announced By Japanese Scientists." "Three New Species of Lemurs Identified." And these are from just the first half page of a "Google" search.

Who are we in this amazing world we live in? What is our place? What is our worth?

We do not and we can not know who or what human beings are without reference to God. There are innumerable galaxies of stars, new species discovered every day. Our earth contains species as small as one-celled amoebas and bacteria that constantly mutate and change to whales that exceed 150 tons. There are waters so deep that to date we have not been capable of developing equipment durable enough to withstand the pressures to send equipment or people down to explore. It’s a pretty safe bet that we’ll never explore all of the heavens. And yet, in all of this only one was created in "His image". That cannot be said about any other living creature or inanimate object. We are the ones about whom God is "mindful". What is "mindful"? We are constantly on God’s mind. God thinks about us. Every one of us. We are the ones about whom God "cares".

What have we done to deserve such mindfulness and caring?

Are we such fascinating creatures that God sees a need to contemplate us and care for us?
It’s not about us! It’s all God’s gracious love.

How do we respond to this gracious mindfulness and care?

Quote from A. W. Tozer:
"If a poll should be taken to name the six greatest men in the world and our names would not be included, we would still have the same privileges in God’s world that they have! We can breathe God’s beautiful air, look at His blue sky, gaze into a never-ending array of stars in the night sky. We can stand upon the hard earth and stamp our little feet - and our big feet, too - and know that it will sustain us. We are as much a part of the human race as the greatest men and women."

How can maintain a healthy focus on our worth to God?

The psalm writer seemed amazed at the thought that God would entrust us with dominion over His creation. How can we take this responsibility seriously today?

What are some examples that we can point out of human dominion being carried out properly?

What are some examples that we can point out of human domination?

What does this psalm teach us about man?
What does this psalm teach us about God?

Sunday School Lesson: Pursuing Righteousness

Purpose: To show that holy living requires a righteous, faithful, loving, and peaceful devotion to God’s truth.

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2

In what ways are Christians like soldiers?

What is the difference between good soldiers and bad soldiers?

A good Christian, like a good soldier is focused on the tasks given by his commander. The completion of the assigned tasks are essential to the success of the mission.

How are Christians like athletes?

What can we learn from athletes about living a Christian life?

Christian character and athletic character is measured by how well we play by the rules. What happens when an athlete intentionally breaks or bends the rules? Even in playground games, rule-breakers are penalized. A continuous rule-breaker will eventually find that noone wants to play with him. Noone wants to play with a bad sport. The “bad sport” label becomes attached to that person’s character. Good sports sometimes become heroes or legends.

Are there “bad sports” in the Christian community? Are there Christians who think that the “rules” don’t apply to them?

There are many like this. They may think that what we are taught in scripture is not applicable in our modern lives. Living a life according to the Gospel certainly makes for inconveniences when judged by contemporary secular standards. We many times find ourselves placing personal wants ahead of God’s desires. When a Christian is a “bad sport”, bending and breaking the rules, or insisting on playing by his own rules, what does it say about his Christian character?

1 You then, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus; 2 and what you have heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will be able to teach others as well. 3 Share in suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving in the army gets entangled in everyday affairs; the soldier's aim is to please the enlisting officer. 5 And in the case of an athlete, no one is crowned without competing according to the rules. 6 It is the farmer who does the work who ought to have the first share of the crops. 7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in all things. (NRSV)

How are Christians like farmers?
Sowing, nurturing, harvesting.

What can we learn about living the Christian life from farmers?
Farmers are much more governed by certain rules than even soldiers and athletes. There are times and methods that will lead to successful crops. There is very little room to break the rules of nature that govern farmers. Breaking the rules in farming will most likely lead to failure.

8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David—that is my gospel, 9 for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained. 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 11 The saying is sure: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; 12 if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us; 13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself. (NRSV)

This is Paul’s gospel. For this Gospel Paul was willing to endure all sorts of inconveniences and punishments. His encouragement was the assurance that if we endure, we will reign with Christ with eternal glory, but if we deny Him, He will also deny us. Nothing is hidden from God, but don’t we often act and behave as if we believe that God will not notice or care about our behavior? The remainder of this chapter is Paul’s instruction to Timothy to develop and lead a life of Christian character. This lesson teaches that there is no room for hidden unrighteousness in the life of a disciple. God is gracious in His forgiveness of sin, but He also expects our best efforts in the pursuit of righteousness. But as Paul teaches, God is not the only one watching our behavior. Our actions are many times a greater witness than out words.

14 Remind them of this, and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth. 16 Avoid profane chatter, for it will lead people into more and more impiety, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have swerved from the truth by claiming that the resurrection has already taken place. They are upsetting the faith of some. 19 But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord turn away from wickedness." (NRSV)

Verse 15 is the perfect description of a life of Christian character and righteousness:
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by Him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed..”

How would you describe “wrangling over words”? The KJV, ESV, and NIV all use the word “quarrel” or “quarreling” in this verse. The Message says “pious nitpicking”.

Do you think some folks, even Christians, enjoy arguing? Why? What makes quarreling fun?
How can quarreling be damaging?
Verse 14 says that it “ruins those who are listening”. The Message says it “chips away the faith”.

What is “profane chatter”?

If, at the end of the day, we were to review every word spoken that day, how much of our speech would be classified as “profane chatter”?

How does “profane chatter” damage us?

“The Lord knows those who are His”
Can we fool god with false piety?

What must everyone who calls their self Christian do?
"Let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord turn away from wickedness."
If we are to be effective witnesses and taken seriously, we must live lives of righteousness and integrity. We must not profess Christ as Savior with our words but deny Him with our actions. Even truths become suspect when spoken by someone who is not “walking the walk”.

20 In a large house there are utensils not only of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for special use, some for ordinary. 21 All who cleanse themselves of the things I have mentioned will become special utensils, dedicated and useful to the owner of the house, ready for every good work. (NRSV)

In a well-furnished kitchen there are not only crystal goblets and silver platters, but waste cans and compost buckets--some containers used to serve fine meals, others to take out the garbage. Become the kind of container God can use to present any and every kind of gift to his guests for their blessing.
(2Ti 2:20-21 MSG)

How can we restate this metaphor in non-metaphoric terms?
How do we make ourselves “ready for every good work”?

In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. (NIV)

How do we prepare ourselves for “noble purposes”?

What are some “noble purposes”?

We all are useful in the Body of Christ, whether athlete, soldier, farmer, or table waiter. We all serve a purpose, but like kitchen utensils we are only useful when clean, when we have cleansed ourselves by turning away from wickedness. A clean paper plate is much more useful than a filthy silver platter. We are much more useful as witnesses to the Gospel when we live in pursuit of righteousness than when we live in pursuit of worldliness.

22 Shun youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23 Have nothing to do with stupid and senseless controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24 And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to everyone, an apt teacher, patient, 25 correcting opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth, 26 and that they may escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. (NRSV)

Here Paul narrows the focus on some specific rules of Christian Character. What are those four?

Righteousness, faith, love, and peace.

Jesus said “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness”. How would you define “righteousness” as in “pursue righteousness”?
The best definition that I can find is “do the right thing”. As Christians we should always be “in pursuit” of making the right decisions and good choices. Our decisions should not be made based on personal desires or feelings, but on the Word of God. Decisions made in the pursuit of righteousness may not be the decisions that are the most popular or that lead to immediate gratification.

What is faith?
Everyone has heard Hebrews 11:1, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

So how do we “pursue” faith?
James 2:18, “Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” Faith is not simply a belief in certain doctrines. Faith is a verb. Faith is lived out by those of Christian character.

Remember the greatest commandment? We are commanded to love God and love others.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
(Joh 13:34-35 ESV)

Love is a great test of Christian character. Christian love is not necessarily an easy thing. The first thing to remember is that we are to love others “as we love ourselves.” What sacrifices are we willing to make for our love of self? Are we willing to make the same sacrifices for the love of others?
Even those who are difficult to love, that we may see as unlovable?

How do we pursue peace?

Paul tells us the best way to pursue peace in the next verse when he returns to the topic of arguments. Stupid, senseless, trivial disagreements lead to quarrels. Quarrels lead to fights, fights lead to.....

What are some senseless, trivial things that are argued about by Christians?

What kind of damage does quarreling cause?

If Christianity and Christian character is about love and forgiveness, fellowship and charity, why do Christians love so to bicker?

Verse 22 speaks of “youthful passions”. What would be some examples of these?

Are we less tempted to sin as we grow older?



To close I invite you all to recommit yourselves to the pursuit of righteousness by reciting together “A Covenant Prayer in the Wesleyan Tradition”, page 607 in The United Methodist Hymnal:

I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee,
Exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things
To thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
Thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
Let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.

By Special Request: For Martha

(Note: This is NOT this weeks Sunday School lesson. I did not prepare a lesson this week. Speaking with Martha this morning, she noted that she missed the lesson on this blog. So I dug this up and it goes along with this week's lesson pretty well. This is a talk that I gave at a Sunday Night service a couple of years ago when Kirk was out of town one week. We were starting a new children's Sunday School Program at the time and there are several references to it in this. We call our Sunday School Way C.O.O.L. Sunday School. C.O.O.L. = Children Of Our Lord.)

What will be your most valuable contribution to the kingdom of God?

For many Christians, our best ministry will be training our children or other young people to follow the Lord.

William Farel’s encouragement of John Calvin advanced and expanded the sixteenth-century Reformation.

Susanna Wesley’s guidance of her sons John and Charles eventually affected hundreds of thousands of lives, as John began what became the Methodist movement in the eighteenth century and brother Charles wrote more than nine thousand hymns and poems.
(One a day for 24 years or if he only wrote Monday through Friday it would have taken 34 years)

Thomas Campbell’s influence on his son Alexander began an entire Christian movement in the nineteenth century.

Thomas Campbell, a Presbyterian pastor, left Ireland in 1807 to search for a home on the American frontier. His family was to follow him soon after. However, when they began their journey, they encountered a violent storm on the Irish Sea. Alexander, the oldest son, promised God that he would become a pastor like his father if the storm abated. The ship landed safely in Scotland, but there were no more ships leaving for America. To make use of the time, Alexander enrolled in Glasgow University. When he finally reached America, he was well equipped to join with his father in leading a new religious movement here. He believed that the storm was God’’s way of turning his life around. Several denominations and groups look to Campbell as their spiritual ancestor.

Alexander Campbell was a very able man, and one who exerted a big influence. The New York "Independent" said of him, "There is not a religious body in the United States that has not been modified both in spirit and teaching by the influence of Alexander Campbell"; and General Robert E. Lee declared, "If I were asked to select a representative of the human race to the inhabitants of other spheres, I should select Alexander Campbell, then I know they would have a high impression of what our humanity is like."

These are some examples of great Christians who were greatly influenced by their parents or some other adult teacher or role model.

The development of godly young adults does not happen by accident. Children must be trained to know the Lord and to follow Him from their hearts (see Proverbs 22:6).


RSV Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.

What can we do to guide our children, grandchildren, or young friends toward a life of service for the Lord?

For reference I have two passages of scripture:

RSV Deuteronomy 6:4-9
4 "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord;
5 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.
(In Matthew 22 Jesus says that this is the first and greatest commandment.)
6 And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart;
7 and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
8 And you shall tie them to your finger, and you shall print them on your forehead
9 And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

RSV Psalms 78:1-8
1. GIVE EAR, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
2. I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old,
3. things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us.
4. We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders which he has wrought.
5. He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children;
6. that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children,
7. so that they should set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;
8. and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

You may not have guessed it, but I’m going to tie this talk on Christian education to Way C.O.O.L. Sunday School.

Several weeks ago Mr. Larry Hartzog shared with us how excited he is about WCSS. The next week Kimberly did the same. Like Mr. Larry and Kimberly, I, too am very excited about WCSS.
I’m excited for several reasons.

I’m excited for Drew. She will, for a time, have the opportunity to take part in something fun, new, and exciting, all the while learning about Jesus.

I’m excited for your children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews for the same reason.

But, strangely, I think I am most excited for the other kids. Our community is full of children who have no exposure to the Gospel. Because we are trying something new and different, there is a chance that we could attract and encourage some of these Children Of Our Lord.

This new, different, C.O.O.L. program will help us to compete. We compete not only with parents who, for whatever reason, do not bring their children to Sunday School. We also compete with Playstations, Instant Messengers, 200 channels of digital television, music videos, the latest trading card games, recreational sports leagues, swimming pools, the list could go on and on.

We have to show them how fun Church can be. This is true even for us older kids.

What does the Psalm writer tell us here about the responsibilities of teaching the future generations?
Two things:
1. Not only must we tell, the younger generation must listen
2. Of equal importance to telling and listening is the content of the communication: the content must be "my teaching" and "the words of my mouth." The word of God.

LVB 2 Timothy 4:1-4
1 And so I solemnly urge you before God and before Christ Jesus--who will some day judge the living and the dead when he appears to set up his Kingdom--
2 to preach the Word of God urgently at all times, whenever you get the chance, in season and out, when it is convenient and when it is not. Correct and rebuke your people when they need it, encourage them to do right, and all the time be feeding them patiently with God's Word.
3 For there is going to come a time when people won't listen to the truth, but will go around looking for teachers who will tell them just what they want to hear.
4 They won't listen to what the Bible says but will blithely follow their own misguided ideas.

That time may be now.
The urgent message here is to parents: share the heritage of religious faith with your offspring. Tell them about how you came to believe in God; tell them what you believe and why. Explain to them the meaning of religious rites and ceremonies. Involve them in memorials and observances. Inform them of God’s expectations and how one’s relationship to Him is determined by one’s attitude and actions. Illustrate the benefits of trust and obedience and the detriments of living in rebellion and sin. Relate both the faithfulness and the shortcomings of people from the past and emphasize the good and bad results, respectively.

In Christian families, children need to know about God and Jesus from their earliest stages of cognition. This is "home schooling" at its very best. Sunday school can be a wonderful help in this process, but it is no substitute for the "everyday school" as taught by parents and siblings.
Hers is where we have a problem. The problem is not with Christian parents who meet their responsibilities. The problem is that the "everyday school" taught by parents and siblings is not, as the Psalm writer says "my teaching" and "the words of my mouth."

A couple of things that I have heard or read lately have caused me to have strong feelings for the unchurched children of our community.

On Father’s Day, Kirk spoke of research that shows that children who participate in church activities with BOTH parents are more likely to remain Christians throughout their life. The same research shows that if only one parent participated, the father leaves the greatest impression. It is sad to think of the fathers who are missing great opportunities for spiritual growth with their children. It seems that if the parents are not meeting this need, maybe the same results could be possible if grandparents or other relatives, foster parents or other surrogates, or maybe even a church group or Sunday School program stepped in to fill the spiritual void in these children’s lives.

A second statistic that I learned recently bears strongly on my feelings for the children of our community. At our most recent UMM meeting, Dr. Mike Henderson shared the fact that in the United States (Seminole County included) nearly two of every three babies are born to mothers who are not married to the father. We can naturally conclude that if daddy isn’t married to mama, he is probably not living with mama, and he is also probably not bringing Junior to Sunday School.

This is the culture we are surrounded by.
Other pertinent research:
Adults who attended a church as a child are three times as likely to be attending church today as those who did not.

63% of those churched as children take their own children to church.

The majority of Americans make a lasting determination, one way or the other, about Christ by the age of 12.

Less than 10% make a decision about Christ past the age of 13.

Given these sobering figures, can we afford to neglect the teaching of children?

The Psalm writer tells that the instructions he is about to pass on were passed on to him and to others by their ancestors in the faith. He also states clearly that some of what he has to say may not be pleasant, that is he may not say things people like to hear.

The message here seems a bit different from dropping the kids off at Sunday school and then picking them up when its over! Not all parents take this responsibility seriously. Yet these instructions carry the weight of commands from God; notice that the psalmist characterizes his exhortation as "law" (v. 1). It is absolutely imperative that Biblical faith be passed along.
Perhaps some parents are reluctant to put this plan into action because they are ill prepared or "don’t know enough." Remember, however, that the teacher usually learns more than the student in the teaching process. Prepare to share Biblical faith by reviewing the material, reading, and studying the Scriptures. Pray for opportunities to tell what you remember. Most children occasionally ask hard questions; if you don’t have an answer, promise you will try to find one. They probably already know you’re not a genius, anyway! What they really need to know is that you are serious about your faith and the practice of your Christianity.

Verse 5. 5. He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children;

Woven into this Psalm is the element of teaching, here teaching the law to the children. Throughout Israel’s history, the times of greatest unfaihtfulness came when the people forgot God. Teaching the law and with it the relationship with God is to serve as a safegaurd for the entire future of the nation. Christians live under the New Covenant, of course, and not under this old law appointed for Israel. But Paul tells us the Old Testament provides instruction for New Testament disciples (1 Corinthians 10:11).

LVB 1 Corinthians 10:11
11. All these things happened to them as examples--as object lessons to us--to warn us against doing the same things; they were written down so that we could read about them and learn from them in these last days as the world nears its end.

It thus remains incumbent upon all readers to share and model the faith of their spiritual fathers. Discipling future generations is not optional—it is God’s will.

Can the task of teaching faith to our children be left to the church?

Anyone who thinks that one or two hours of weekly activities can by themselves counter the influence of media and peers fools himself. Within ancient and modern families, God calls adults to "teach their children."

But what about the children who don’t learn at home?

Verses 6,7.
6. that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children,
7. so that they should set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;

Why do we teach God’s acts and words to our children?
So that this information does not disappear.

Faith often seems not to survive beyond the third generation. But if the instructions of this passage are carried out, many fewer descendants will be lost. Consider young Timothy, whose mother Eunice and grandmother Lois passed along their faith to him. They told "the story" to Timothy, the apostle Paul confirmed it, and then commissioned the young preacher to instruct others who will subsequently teach still others (2 Timothy 1:5; 2:2).

LVB 2 Timothy 1:5 I know how much you trust the Lord, just as your mother Eunice and your grandmother Lois do; and I feel sure you are still trusting him as much as ever.
LVB 2 Timothy 2:2
2. For you must teach others those things you and many others have heard me speak about.
Teach these great truths to trustworthy men who will, in turn, pass them on to others.

The evangelistic implications multiply like compounding interest.

Dr. Frank Laubach, who fought illiteracy was known as the "Apostle to the Illiterates." and "the foremost teacher of our times."

Frank Charles Laubach (1884-1970) was the leading pioneer of the contemporary adult literacy movement. Through his efforts as an educator, communicator and organizer, millions of poor and disenfranchised people around the world were empowered to improve their lives through literacy.

In 1930, Dr. Laubach was a missionary among the Maranao people of the Philippines. He was deeply concerned about the overwhelming poverty and injustice they suffered, and became convinced that the ability to read and write was essential for them to begin to solve their problems.

Using a basic instructional approach, Dr. Laubach found that even the most impoverished people could gain control of the written and spoken word. He discovered the potential of volunteers, as newly-literate Maranaos taught other adult learners through a one-to-one instructional program that became known as "Each One Teach One."

Over the next forty years, Dr. Laubach visited 103 countries in an effort to bring literacy to the "silent billion." A prolific writer and accomplished speaker, he wrote forty books on prayer, literacy, justice and world peace, and inspired congregations and community groups across the United States with his vision of a better world.

My purpose for talking about Dr.Laubach is not so much to acknowledge his accomplishments, although they are significant, but to just get us to think about this concept. "Each one teach one".
How long would it take for all the world to know Christ if each Christian taught just one more?
What if each one taught three?

Verse 8. and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

Do you suppose that any of the ancient Israelites ever told a child, "Don’t do as I do; do as I say!"?

It is possible, even for parents who are careful to speak of religious values to children, to be far less faithful in their walk than in their talk. Probably the majority of Israelites were regular attendees at feast days, ceremonies, and formalities of their religion. But as this verse makes plain, the Israelites’ forefathers were stubborn, rebellious, and inconsistent in performing the will of God; their heart and spirit was not in tune with God’s.

By not being faithful they showed that their relationship to the Lord was only nominal. They went through some of the motions, but rebellious lifestyles betrayed their pretense. They paid lip service to God, supposedly giving Him "honor" by what they said, but in their hearts they were rebellious (Isaiah 29:13).

Isaiah 29 NIV
13 The Lord says:
""These people come near to me with their mouth
and honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship of me
is made up only of rules taught by men.

Most Christians know, of course, that actions speak much louder than words. Our families see us when we aren’t surrounded by church members. They observe our language and behavior in casual and careless moments, in stressful situations, and even when we think no one is paying attention. We may shy away from teaching children for fear they might call us hypocrites. Our children know us well.

Do our failures negate the stories of God’s faithfulness?

We do not instruct our children so they will see how wonderful we are. We want them to know and trust God. In fact, our faults can make God look good. When we are honest with our children and confess that we aren’t perfect, this can highlight the fact that God is always faithful.
Perhaps the younger people know only what we have become but have no idea of the detours we took to get here. They may assume that their weaknesses disqualify them from God’s grace.

Is teaching the faith to children only effective when it is intentional? Or, can it be just as effective when the teaching comes in the form of children simply observing the behavior and habits of adults? I think both are equally important.

How do we best teach God’s ways?
We best teach with loving words and by providing quality examples. God calls us to live in a manner that leaves no question that we know and submit to God. We need to tell stories that remind them that God does not love us because we are good. Instead we love God because He is good.

One commentary I read made the statement that Christian faith is always one generation away from becoming extinct. With that thought in mind, I repeat the question I asked at the start.

What will be your most valuable contribution to the kingdom of God?

After reading this Psalm, how would you respond to a church member who claimed that "we pay the preacher", (or the you youth director, or the children’s director, or the children’s choir director) to pass on the story?

What responsibility do we have, each of us individually, to pass on the story?

One More thing that I read recently that caught my attention. I’m not sure that I agree 100% but it has certainly made me think. This is a paraphrase from a book I read by Dr. Tony Compolo, prominent Baptist preacher and Seminary professor, who will also be a key speaker at next months Mens Rally for Christ in Tallahassee.

Dr. Compolo says that our commission is NOT to change the culture that surrounds us. Our commission is to make disciples. Our greatest opportunity for creating disciples may be to attract and bring in unchurched children, teach them and show them the love of Christ. Every heart we touch may touch others.

They may bring their parents with them. Who knows, maybe one day when they are adults they may bring their children here for the best hour of their week.

If their parents or other family members don’t bring them to Christ, the culture certainly won’t. Maybe WCSS will. I’m praying that it does. I hope you’ll pray too.

Sunday School Lesson: Practicing Justice and Mercy

Purpose: To encourage and honor our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Scripture: 1 Timothy 5:1-8, 17-24

In today’s passage from Paul’s first letter to Timothy, Paul offers instructions to Timothy about relationships within the congregation, in particular, information about the honor due widows, special instructions concerning younger and older widows and instructions about elders.

I want you to think outside of the church. What groups of people are treated with special favor or with the most respect in our society today?

From my viewpoint it seems that the ONLY respect shown in our profit-driven society is to whoever we can receive some benefit from. Regardless of our profession or industry - from politicians to sanitation workers - respect is generally reserved for those who control the finances.

What about inside families? Are family members these days generally respectful of each other?

How SHOULD family members treat each other? How far off are we from how we should treat each other to how we actually do treat each other?

When the word "honor" is used, what do you generally think of?

When we "honor" someone today, what does that typically entail?

In our society, to "honor" someone usually carries the same meaning as "award" or "reward" or "distinction". We usually only honor persons of great distinction and accomplishment. In our society "honor" is something that must be earned. How does this differ from the Christian concept of "honor"?

How are the elderly treated by our society?

Does our society offer "honor" to our elderly?

Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father. Treat younger men like brothers, older women like mothers, younger women like sisters, in all purity. Honor widows who are truly widows. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God. She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day, but she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives. Command these things as well, so that they may be without reproach. But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
(1Ti 5:1-8 ESV)

Don't be harsh or impatient with an older man. Talk to him as you would your own father, and to the younger men as your brothers. Reverently honor an older woman as you would your mother, and the younger women as sisters. Take care of widows who are destitute. If a widow has family members to take care of her, let them learn that religion begins at their own doorstep and that they should pay back with gratitude some of what they have received. This pleases God immensely. You can tell a legitimate widow by the way she has put all her hope in God, praying to him constantly for the needs of others as well as her own. But a widow who exploits people's emotions and pocketbooks--well, there's nothing to her. Tell these things to the people so that they will do the right thing in their extended family. Anyone who neglects to care for family members in need repudiates the faith. That's worse than refusing to believe in the first place.
(1Ti 5:1-8 MSG)


Is our church like a family?
Is our church a place where all persons are welcome and treated with respect and dignity?
Is our church representative of the church as a whole?

In verse 2 Paul used the phrase "absolute purity". How would you describe absolute purity?

What is the difference between purity and absolute purity?

In verse 3 Paul used the phrase "really widows". What is the difference between widow and "really" widow?

In first century society, blood relatives were expected to care for widows in their families. "Really" widows were those widows who had no blood relatives and were left to fend for themselves. A widow with no blood relatives would have been at the absolute bottom of the economic scale in that society.

What groups of people in our society could we equate with "widows who are really widows"?

If we skip down to verse 8, we see that Paul uses dome strong language to reenforce the concept of caring for family. Does Paul in verse 8 extend our responsibility to our church family?

In a society that shows a lack of care even for blood-related family members, what treatment can those who are left without family expect?

What role and responsibility does the church have toward the "real" widows?

How is the church meeting it’s responsibility?

Does verse 8 apply only to those who fail to care for their aging parents or can we say that anyone who does not strive to meet the needs of all family members is "worse than an unbeliever"?

If we extend the family reference in verse 8 to our church family, what percentage of our churches would you say are "worse than unbelievers"?

As stated earlier, our society tends to think of honor as some type of recognition or award for some achievement. How could we restate verse 3 and replace the word "honor" with words more suitable to Paul’s intent?

We could say "Support, uphold, and care for widows".

Or -

Think of "honor" as a value or worth that we place on a person and we could say: "Consider the widows who are really widows as valuable persons; persons of great worth; part of our family."
If we value family as we SHOULD value family, then that is a powerful statement. If we think of "honor" in this way, then when we "honor" someone in the church, we are not talking about achievements or awards or accomplishments, but about the value of a person. In the church, as in our families, every person SHOULD be considered valuable beyond any earthly concept of value.

Why does God want Christians to honor one another?
1) The character of God.
2) The nature of the Church’s mission.
God desires so greatly to save all persons that He sent Jesus to offer us salvation. Jesus sacrificed all so that we all could have the opportunity of salvation. If this is how God relates to sinful humanity, how much more ought we as persons who have experienced God’s grace and mercy treat others in the same way. This letter of 1 Timothy stresses the necessity of the church to live as a witness to the world. If Christians do not honor one another, what does this say about the God whom we profess to serve?

Earlier I asked you to think of groups that would equate with "widows who are really widows". Thinking of those groups, what does it mean to honor such persons? How do we honor such persons?

Does this "honor" include financial support?

In what ways could we "honor" these folks other than financially?

While financial support may sometimes be needed, many times fellowship may be of greater help. Our society offers financial safety nets through government programs, pension plans, and insurance that in most cases will help to meet basic physical needs, but nothing the secular society offers will provide for spiritual needs. In many cases the greatest example of "honor" that we can give a lonely person is a visit or a phone call or a ride to the store or to their doctor or to church.

Our Adult Bible Studies Teacher book had an excerpt from Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s classic Life Together. The focus of this book was the Christian community and relations within that community. Bonhoeffer was a pastor in the German Confessing Lutheran Church. At the time of Hitler’s rise to power, Bonhoeffer was teaching and preaching in the United States, England, and Spain. Bonhoeffer could have remained outside of Germany and avoided the conflicts that the Nazis brought upon the German church. Instead Bonhoeffer saw his place inside Germany defending the church from the influence of the Nazi party. Bonhoeffer helped establish an underground seminary to train pastors after the official seminaries were closed or controlled by the government. Bonhoeffer spent his last two years in Nazi prisons and was executed by the Nazis as the Allied troops marched into Germany. Here is the excerpt:

We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God. God will be constantly crossing our paths and cancelling our plans by sending us people with claims and petitions. We may pass them by preoccupied with our more important tasks, as the priest passed by the man who had fallen among thieves, perhaps - reading the Bible (as he passed)...It is a strange fact that Christians and even ministers frequently consider their work so important and urgent that they will allow nothing to disturb them.... They do not want a life that is crossed and balked. But it is part of the discipline of humility that we must not spare our hand where it can perform a service and that we do not assume that our schedule is our own to manage, but allow it to be arranged by God.

Why did Bonhoeffer believe that Christians sometimes neglect others?

What do Christians miss out on when we do not honor our fellow believers?

According to our scripture passage who has the primary responsibility of caring for the needy?

Their family. Let’s talk about some tough decisions that may be faced by families. When an elderly or indigent relative becomes unable to care for themselves, what are some of our options?

They can be taken into our homes or we can move into their homes to help care for them. Under what circumstances would this not be the best choice?

What if we don’t live near each other? How do we decide who moves?

If caring for a family member interferes with our job, should we give up the job?

Many needs can only be met by an assisted-care or nursing facility. This is sometimes the only option if specialized care is needed. Does placing a loved one in a care facility relieve family members of their responsibility for emotional support?

If a person has living relatives who are able to care for them, is the church’s responsibility relieved?
But verse 4 says, "If a widow has children or grandchildren....."

Sunday School Lesson: Leading God's People

Purpose: To remind us that the behavior of the household of God, especially it’s leaders, has implications for the faithful mission of the church.

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:2-15

Therefore an overseer (bishop) must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of truth.
(1Ti 3:2-15 ESV)


What were some of the qualifications you had to meet for your job?

Can we agree that for all jobs there are certain requirements that must be met in order to qualify to do the job?

What are some peculiar qualifications that would be required for leaders in the church?

Today’s scripture gives us Paul’s list of qualities that are desirable for those who wish to serve as bishops and deacons. Paul gives us no description of exactly what was the function of bishops and deacons in the early church, only the qualities required. The functions of these offices in the early church may not be exactly the same as their functions in the modern church. In the modern church the titles of bishop and deacon mean different things to different branches of the Church.

We can from the words themselves and from further study learn something of their functions in the early church. The Greek word translated as bishop is “episkope” which means “overseer”. So we can assume that bishops in the early church were responsible for some type of oversight in the church. The role of bishop in the UMC is also a role of overseer although not so much as directing the day-to-day activities of their charges. Our bishops appoint our pastors their charge, but very seldom offer any direct instruction to our pastors.

Deacon is not a title that is often used in the UMC. What is the role of deacon in other denominations?

We learned about the role of deacons in the early church in one of our lessons last quarter. Can anyone remember who was named deacon in that earlier lesson?

Can anyone remember what was the role of deacon from that lesson?

The lesson was the one on Stephen. Stephen and seven others were named as deacons of the early church in Jerusalem. Their role was to distribute food to the widows and other needy folks of the Jerusalem church. The Greek word translated deacon is “diakonos” which is someone who waits tables.

Okay, let’s read the passage and see what qualifications Paul thought would be necessary for bishops and deacons.

Bishops first:

Therefore an overseer (bishop) must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.
(1Ti 3:2-7 ESV)

Let’s take these descriptors one at a time and discuss them:

1. Above reproach. What does “above reproach” mean? Does it mean the person is perfect? Has never been accused of any wrong?

2. Married only once. Never divorced? Or never remarried? Or only one wife at the time?
What about a widower who has remarried? What about a single person who had never married? Are they disqualified? Does the UMC allow bishops who have been married more than once? Could this simply mean that church leaders are to model fidelity in their married lives?

3. Temperate. What does “temperate” mean? Does temperate mean “sober”? If so, why does Paul add another line that says “not a drunkard”? C. S. Lewis lists temperance in his list of Christian virtues, but quickly disqualifies the use of the word temperance to be limited to the use of alcohol. Christian temperance is being “sober” or “self-controlled” in every area of our life.

4. Sensible. I think we all lose our sensibility from time to time. This term is very similar to temperate. A sensible person acts responsibly.

5. Respectable. Respectability is how other people see us. Usually temperate, sensible people are respected.

6. Hospitable. What is hospitality? Does a hospitable person show hospitality only to friends and acquaintances? Hospitality literally means “love of strangers.”

7. Apt teacher. If skill at teaching was a requirement for bishop then the early bishops must have some responsibility to teach the faith. We must remember that this letter to Timothy was written in large part because false teachers were corrupting the faith of believers so skill in teaching was very important for early church leaders. How would the previous four virtues affect the effectiveness of a leaders teaching?

8. Not a drunkard. Is total abstinence called for?

9. Not violent but gentle.

10. Not quarrelsome. No needless bickering.

11. Not a lover of money. Should money ever be the motivation for ministry? Do you see any evidence in the modern church of church leaders being motivated by money?

12. Must not be a recent convert.

There is a great quote in our Adult Bible Studies student book: “What you do speaks so loud that I can’t hear what you say.” Why is it important to live out what we believe? Could the way we live indicate our true beliefs more than the confessions of faith that we make?

Deacons:

Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless.
(1Ti 3:8-10 ESV)

“Likewise” links the qualifications of bishops and deacons.

1. Serious, dignified. Worthy of respect.

2. Not double-tongued. Consistent.

3. Not indulging in much wine. Temperate.

4. Not greedy for money. Not a lover of money.

5. Hold fast to the faith. The truth that has been revealed by God through Jesus Christ.

6. Let them first be tested. What was the test?

Women:

Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
(1Ti 3:11-13 ESV)

These verses seem to indicate that women served as deacons in the early church. (In Romans 16, Paul sends greetings to Phoebe, a sister and deacon of the church at Cenchreae.) Why in the middle of a list of qualifications for church office would Paul add another list, unless this list also applied to church leaders?

1. Serious. Dignified.

2. Not slanderers.

3. Temperate.

4. Faithful.

Do you think that these qualifications are still important today? Why or why not?

Are there any other qualifications that might be included if these lists were being written for us?

Paul’s list requires that church leaders model exemplary character. Paul desired for Christian leaders to remove and separate themselves from the lifestyles and excesses of the false teachers. Any qualifications that we may wish to add must in some way advance God’s desire to save people.

Should church leaders be held to a higher standard than the Christians in the pews?

Shouldn’t everyone who bears the name of Christ live upright, model lives that serve as an example to others?

Everyone can be transformed through Jesus Christ. All Christians are held to a high standard by God. Every Christian is a witness to God’s power to change lives and all Christians can influence the world and as the Body of Christ our witness can only be as strong as our “weakest link.”

Think of a person who has served well as a church leader. What quality of that person’s leadership is most memorable?

I am of the opinion that every person in this class (or in our church for that matter) is a leader. I would like for us to close with this ceremony to support our leaders (ourselves).

An Order for Installation or Recognition of Leaders in the Church, from the United Methodist Book of Worship.

Prayer:
Almighty God, we give you thanks for these persons who have answered the call to lead us. Continue to pour out your blessings upon these your servants. Grant them grace to give themselves wholeheartedly in you service. Keep before them the example of our Lord, who did not think first of himself, but gave himself for us all. Guide them in their work. Reward their faithfulness with the knowledge that through them your purposes are accomplished; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Invitation:
Dear friends, rejoice that God provides laborers for the vineyards. Will you do all you can to assist and encourage them in the responsibilities to which they have been called, giving them your cooperation, your counsel, and your prayers?

Response:
We will.

Sunday School Lesson: Everyone Needs Prayer

Purpose: To help us experience the reconciling power of praying for everyone, even those we do not like.

Scripture: I Timothy 2:1-8

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling;
(1Ti 2:1-8 ESV)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live. He wants not only us but everyone saved, you know, everyone to get to know the truth we've learned: that there's one God and only one, and one Priest-Mediator between God and us--Jesus, who offered himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free. Eventually the news is going to get out. This and this only has been my appointed work: getting this news to those who have never heard of God, and explaining how it works by simple faith and plain truth. Since prayer is at the bottom of all this, what I want mostly is for men to pray--not shaking angry fists at enemies but raising holy hands to God.
(1Ti 2:1-8 MSG)

I read in a commentary this week that prayer is perhaps the most neglected area of spiritual discipline. Do you agree that prayer is a neglected - possibly the most neglected - spiritual discipline?

What are some reasons that we don’t place prayer at the proper level in our worship lives?

The commentary gave several reasons for the neglect of prayer:

Many Christians were never taught to pray or how to pray.

Many Christians have not known what to pray for or have never prayed in faith.

They may have felt that their prayers were never answered and gave up in frustration.

They may not have understood how and in what ways God answers prayer or were not happy with God’s timetable.

Many prayers are prayed with the wrong motives, are prayed for the wrong things, or are prayed for the wrong reasons.

We may neglect our prayers because of the busy-ness of our modern lives.

Think about your prayers for a moment.
What does your typical prayer consist of?

If it’s like mine, your typical prayer is a hurried breathing of:
"God bless this food."
Or:
"God bless MY(OUR) day, MY(OUR) family, MY(OUR) work, MY(OUR) church, MY MY MY, OUR OUR OUR, blah, blah, blah, etc, etc, etc....."

Today’s scripture lesson will help us direct our prayers and help us to be more focused and purposeful in our prayer life and in the prayer life of our church. The greatest benefit may be for those whom we are praying for. This scripture can help us to change the focus of our prayers and redirect the focus of our prayers from our own needs and toward the needs of others.

What emphasis or priority do you think we place on prayer in our lives and in our corporate worship?

What role should prayer play in the life of the church?

What emphasis/priority did Paul place on prayer?

The First Epistle to Timothy was a letter of instruction from the veteran itinerant preacher Paul to his young protege, Timothy, whom Paul had appointed to remain at the church of Ephesus for a time to lead the church away from false teaching and into proper worship, right belief, and faith.

Chapter One included a warning against false teachings and Chapter Two begins instructions on worship in the church. The first words of Chapter Two tell us exactly what priority Paul placed on prayer in the church: "First of all" leaves little room for emphasis on any area of spiritual discipline ahead of prayer. "First of all" indicates emphatically that prayer comes first and is most important in our worship.

Think for a moment about the response that is shown when we have a service dedicated to prayer. Then contrast that thought with the response that is shown to the typical covered-dish dinner.

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made.. (1Ti 2:1 ESV)

What are supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings?

There are seven different Greek nouns that are commonly translated as "prayer". Four of them are used in this sentence and while each can be replaced with the general term "prayer", they each have a peculiar meaning of their own. Prayer is a common term meaning conversation with God, but conversation "with God" is not the same as conversation with others. Conversation "with God" just by the fact of being "with God" makes prayer an act of worship. Does my earlier example (bless ME, MY, OUR, MINE) sound like an act of worship? Does that example show reverence? A shopping list expression of MY wants and needs does not constitute worship in my opinion.

The other three words used in this first sentence of 1 Timothy 2 are more explicit in their description of prayer.

What are supplications?

Supplications are prayers for one’s own needs or a request for a felt need. Think of supplications as a request to "supply" our deep personal needs that we cannot supply for ourselves. What are those needs that are so great that we petition God for their supplication? What needs do we desperately have, but cannot supply ourselves? Strength to resist temptation, grace to lead us to forgiveness, justification, and sanctification. Our physical needs (those of us not living in poverty or with disease, at least) are not nearly as dire as our need for grace. Grace supplies our greatest need and can only be supplied by God.

Intercessions.

Intercessions are much the same as supplications, but are directed toward the needs of others instead of ourselves. Another word for intercession is petition. Intercessions are petitions that we offer up to God on behalf of others. Jesus gave us great models of intercessory prayer. One of my favorites is the entire chapter of John 17 where Jesus prayed for his disciples and for all believers. I read a portion of that chapter last year when we laid hands on our youth and prayed for their well-being and success as they left for Mission Macon. That was a great example of intercessory prayer. The men of our church, who had baked and sold cakes as a fund-raiser, the funds designated to finance camps and trips for the children and youth, laid hands on the youth kneeling at the alter as we said a prayer over them. That was a moment where our intercession on their behalf probably had as great an effect on us as it did on those for whom our prayer was directed.

Thanksgivings.

The giving of thanks should definitely be a central part of our prayers and of all our worship. We should pour out our hearts to God for all of the blessings that are bestowed upon us. God makes provision for our physical and spiritual needs.

Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light.(Jam 1:17a MSG)

We should never hastily add thanks to the end of a selfish or self-serving prayer of supplication. Listen to this prayer of David from Psalm 103.

... Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. The LORD works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed...... The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. ....... Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! Bless the LORD, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will! Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!
(Psa 103:1-22 ESV)

That prayer consists entirely of thanksgiving.

Who does Paul tell us that we are to pray for? Everyone.

Is it humanly possible to seriously pray for "everyone"? Can our prayer list become to long to be practical?

Is there a limit to "everyone"? Exactly who is included in the "everyone" that we are told to pray for?

Does it mean everyone in OUR family? Everyone in OUR church? Everyone in OUR community? OUR nation? Our world?

Paul gives some indication of the extent of "everyone" when he says to pray for "kings and those in high positions". Who was the king in the time of Paul? Who were "those in high positions" in the city of Ephesus? Were any of these on friendly terms with the young Christian Church?
One emperor of the first century was Nero, who was notoriously cruel, especially to Jews and Christians. It is recorded that one of Nero’s past-times was burning Christians. Following the fire that destroyed much of Rome (which was started by Nero), he blamed the Christians to shift the blame away from himself. This resulted in even more widespread persecution of the early Church.

The leadership in Ephesus consisted of Pagan, Roman-appointed officials, who also tried to undermine the Church.

What does Paul’s command to pray for these leaders tell us about the limit of "everyone" and about praying for leaders?

"Everyone" includes even enemies of the church. Should our prayers include our personal enemies?

Even when we do not or can not respect a person in authority, we must respect their position and authority and pray for them.

The best commentary that I found on this subject comes from our Adult Bible Studies student book:

"As we have said, Paul urged prayers for everyone. That raises the question of how to pray for those we do not like or who are our enemies. We could pose an extreme form of the question this way: Should we pray for Osama bin Laden? How about persons intent on destroying the church? We know, of course, what Jesus had to say: "You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:43-44)

That would seem to answer the question. Yet there are additional questions that make it difficult to declare the matter settled.

One of these deeper questions is, "How do I deal with the fact that I do not want to pray for my enemies?".... "How can I pray for bin Laden when I cannot pray for the scumbags in my own community? How can I pray for him when I cannot forgive the guy who cheated me when he resurfaced my driveway?"

There are Christians who have trouble praying for a two-timing spouse, a drug-using child, a shoplifting employee, a selfish neighbor, or the coach of their son’s Little League team who never lets their boy play. There are Christian parents who refuse to pray for that trusted person who abused their child. So the deeper question is, "How do I deal with the feelings that enemies engender in me?"

A second deeper question is, "What should I pray about my enemies?" Given bin Laden’s murderous goals, should we pray for his success, health, and long life? Or that he dies? Should we pray that he gets converted and becomes a Christian? Should we pray that he becomes a good Muslim, since many say Islam is a religion of peace? Should we pray that regardless of his faith, he abandons all warlike ideas and becomes a peacemaker?

What should we pray about our personal enemies? Should we pray that they come to see things from our point of view? That they become more open and sensitive human beings? That their plans fail? That they be spare the consequences of their actions?

Each question poses additional ones, but we must return to Paul’s statement that prayers be made for everyone. Perhaps the best way to find some clarity is to begin our prayers by asking God’s Spirit to intercede for us.... ...literally praying for everyone is an impossibility; but Paul’s use of that word tells us that our prayers ought not be limited to our needs and those of friends and family members. We should pray for those close at hand; but our prayers should have a broader reach, too.

We can ask God to help us know what to pray for those people we do not like. We can ask God to help us see the other person as He does. If we pray those things as we begin, it is likely that God will help us know how to finish our prayers, too."


What else does Paul say in this passage about "everyone"?

Paul says that God "desires everyone to be saved and come to the knowledge of truth."
Does "everyone" mean all human beings without exception?

If God desires all human beings without exception to be saved, why do so many remain lost?

God’s offer of salvation excludes noone and includes everyone. There are many, many passages of scripture that repeat this.

For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life.
(Joh 3:16 GNB)

For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
(Rom 10:13 ESV)

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
(2Pe 3:9 ASV)

These are but a few of the hundreds of such verses in th Bible speaking of God’s open offer of salvation to everyone, but God created us to be free moral agents, with the free will to oppose the great offer given us. We can choose to be with God or to alienate ourselves from God. Our prayers of intercession on behalf of those who have chosen to be the enemies of God may be the greatest prayers we have to offer. What greater need is there anywhere than the need for grace to those who have forsaken grace.