Teaching on the Spot!

Well, Sunday was a great day. As Lindsey and I were getting ready in the morning we received a call at 8:00[am] for me to teach in an ABF [adult bible fellowship]. It’s funny because just a few days ago I was really hoping to have the opportunity to teach again…

Anyhow, it was fun [and a good exercise] to do…but I was a little bummed that I didn’t have more prep time. The lesson was on Matthew 1:1-25. It is an excellent passage. We spent quite a bit of time reflecting on some of the different folks in the geneology.

I was mentioning something about Tamar, saying something about how it was wrong of Tamar to dress up as a prostitute. Obviously Judah was wrong to have sex with his daughter in-law…especially since he did it with the intent to be with a prostitute. Anyhow, I must not have made it clear that Judah was wrong too, because a woman in the ABF said [2 or 3 times], “Tamar was just taking what was rightfully hers.” My response was, “well, I guess technically you’re right.” But I probably was wrong to capitulate to what she said [Since Judah refused to let his other son redeem Tamar he would have been the next responsible kinsman redeemer (I think)…but assuming that there may have been other kinsman redeemers (and there probably were) Judah could have rightfully denied her this “right” to claim him as the only possible kinsman redeemer]. I was thinking, “they were obviously both wrong,” but I didn’t want to go there because we were talking about Matthew not Genesis 38)

I went straight to the cross…and I mentioned how the Old Testament is about Jesus [I hoped to read the passages about the OT being a shadow of things to come (Colossians 2:17; Hebrews 8:5 and 10:1)…but I didn’t get to it].

I talked about the monergistic [in contrast to synergistic] movement of God in salvation in Matthew 1:21, “…he will save his people from their sins…” Notice He is saving, and He is saving His people. Anyhow, I related this to Romans 5:8, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

It is very interesting to teach a group of folks my parent’s age. Some of them have probably been reading their bibles for more years than I have been alive! I was really pretty humbled to have the opportunity to teach them. They were gracious and clapped for me when I was done, and said I can come back some time to teach. They were way too gracious:)

Anyhow, I was glad to have been able to describe the imputation of our sin to Christ and His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5) to us in the atonement made on the cross. I was glad to have been able to pray with them, that we would know our sin more fully that we might kill it and understand the cross more deeply in knowing our depravity.

One bummer… I wanted to make more application regarding the faithfulness of God. That He was faithful to fulfill in Christ [1 Cor 1:20; etc.] the prophecy of Genesis 3:15. That God is faithful. This is also an excellent preparation for understanding God’s covenant with us. That He made a covenant with us that if He is to break it He will be dashed to pieces [Genesis 15:12-21 contrasted with Jeremiah 34:17-22]…He won’t break it and He is faithful. Praise be to God.

I’m thankful to have taught such an ill-prepared [on my part] lesson. God is humbling me and teaching me. We discoursed on a lot more…but those were some of the highlights:)

L’ma’an Sh’mo
Noah