The Study Hour



SPRING QUARTER SUNDAY SCHOOL 2014

THEME: JESUS CHRIST, THE PROMISED KING IN DAVID’S LINE

Unit II – “REVEALED AS THE PROPHETS HAD PROPHESIED”

“WELCOME TO GOD’S OPEN HOUSE ”

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Sunday School Lesson No. VI – April 6, 2014

Lesson Presented by Rev. Frank A. Davis, III Pastor-Teacher

Lesson Text: Isaiah 56:6-7; Jeremiah 7:9-11; Mark 11:15-19

Required Reading: Isaiah 56:6-7; Jeremiah 7:9-11; Mark 11:15-19

Lesson Motto Text: Jeremiah 7:11 (NIV), “Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the Lord.”

Reliable Resources: Union Gospel Press Expositor and Illuminator; Standard Lesson Commentary; Willmington’s

Guide to the Bible; Precepts for Living (UMI); Word Search 9 and 10 Electronic Library

LESSON INTRODUCTION

Quoting Union Gospel Press Expositor and Illuminator, “How quickly worthy projects can be corrupted to achieve unworthy goals! A charter school is established to provide quality education, but after a few years its principal is arrested for stealing its funds. A children’s playground becomes a hangout for neighborhood drug dealers.

A biblical example of this tendency is the temple in Jerusalem. Both Solomon’s temple and the postexilic temple were built for God’s worship. But they became prostituted to purposes that disgraced His name. That is what necessitated Jesus’ bold action in this week’s lesson.”

Now beloved, let us visit God’s Open House and discover that all are welcome who desire to honor and worship Him. And He desires to practice the “Open Door Policy.”

Anticipated Power Points:

• Isaiah’s Declaration of the Open House of God. Isaiah 56:6-7

• Jeremiahs Declaration of the Open House of God. Jeremiah 7:9-11

• Jesus Christ’s Declaration of the Open House of God. Mark 11:15-19

LESSON OUTLINE

I. Isaiah’s Declaration of the Open House of God. Isaiah 56:6-7

Beloved, back between 701 B.C. and 681 B.C., God raised the Prince of Prophets to declare His word to the nation of Israel. According to Dr. David Jeremiah, “Isaiah’s words overflow with pathos, and passion, whether he is talking about judgment, healing, or the majesty of God. Throughout the book there are so many references to the coming Messiah that Isaiah is sometimes called the “Fifth Gospel.”

In this section of our lesson, the prophet Isaiah is teaching about the open door of God’s heart to provide His Messiah to Israel who would suffer and die for both Jew and Gentile. (Read chapters 49–57). In God’s future kingdom, Isaiah’s prophesy extends the Open Door of God’s House to both Jew and Gentile!

A. Open House for all to worship. vs. 6

Those who commit or bind themselves to the Lord, serving and loving the very person of the Lord. And those who are willing to honor and hold fast to God’s instructions and covenant.

B. Open House for all to pray! vs. 7

Even the temple had “the Court of the Gentiles.” We later learn that it was taken over by profiteers! But God made space for all who trusted Him and wanted to call upon Him in prayer. (Read I Kings 8:41-43).

II. Jeremiah’s Declaration of the Open House of God. Jeremiah 7:9-11

Now about 55-65 years after Isaiah, God raised another prophet named Jeremiah. God was raising an adversary named Babylon, whom He would use to chastise Judah by taking them into captivity and destroying the temple. Heretofore, Judah believed that the Temple’s presence would act as a repellant against all of Israel’s enemies, but God told Jeremiah, “not so!” He describes the …

A. Hypocrisy of the keepers of the house. vss. 9-10

They acted as if God was ignorant of their sins in the house. Pure hypocrites in their practices.

B. Exposure of the activities within the house. vs. 11

Look what Ezekiel 8:6-12 has to say, “He said furthermore unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? but turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations. And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall. Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door.] And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here. So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall round about. And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up. Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth.” Remember Numbers 32:23, which declares “…and be sure your sin will find you out.”

III. Jesus Christ’s Declaration of the Open House of God. Mark 11:15-19

Now after nearly 700 years, Jesus Christ appears at the Temple, God’s house of open doors, only to find the prophets’ words have hardly done any good to a later generation. Jesus found…

A. A house of open commercialism. vss. 15-16

As the thousands of pilgrims entered the temple grounds, they found nothing but open commercialization. So much so that the “Court of the Gentiles”, which was to be open f0o their worship, was overrun by profiteers and those who sold all the necessities for worship, but there was no place for prayer and worship.

B. A house of cold outlaws. vs. 17

Where Jesus notes that there was no room for worship or prayer, He recalls the words of Isaiah and Jeremiah, and rebukes the place as a “den of robbers.” Finally…

C. A house of callous oppressors. vss. 18-19

Jesus exposes the callous religious leaders as those who wanted Him dead! Upon exposing their hearts, He leaves the place and would appear in the area at another time to be crucified.

CLOSING

Beloved, God’s House should be open and holy. Matthew 11 states that Jesus said “Come unto me…” but beloved, is there any room for the comers? Beloved, what will sinners and the wayward saints find when they arrive at my and your church’s door? I pray it will be an Open Door to God’s House, ready to receive worshippers for prayer, worship in the spirit and an atmosphere of holiness!

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Bibleway Missionary Baptist Church, New Orleans, LA and Little Bethel Baptist Church, Amite, LA

Mailing Address: Post Office Box 19768, New Orleans, LA 70179 - Phone: (504) 486-7876

Website: (See and hear lesson taught via Video)

Radio Broadcasts: WLNO AM 1060, Saturday 8:30 a.m.; Sunday 5:30 a.m.

WHNO TV-Channel 20, Sunday, 6:30 a.m.

Looking Ahead: April 13, 2014 Jeremiah 23:5-6; Zechariah 6:9-14; John 19:1-5

You are invited to attend Noon Bible Study every Wednesday as Pastor Davis teaches the lesson at Bibleway.

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