College & Career: 3rd Quarter 2015

By Dr. Jerry B. Madkins

College and Career is the young adult quarterly directed toward students ages 18–24. The lessons are designed to address the unique experiences of African- American young adults as they venture into the world of higher education and work.

• Language: English
• Publisher: R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation
• Release date: Sep 5, 2015
• ISBN: 9781681670447

Book preview

SEEKING GUIDANCE

Unifying Topic: The Imprint of God

HEBREWS 1:1–9

BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE: HEBREWS 1

Hebrews 1:1–9

INTRODUCTION

It is natural to be curious or even confused about one’s faith. That is why it is important to ask questions. Among the most important questions is how we can be sure that God exists. Today’s lesson gives a clear picture of the presence of God. The writer of Hebrews conveyed that God is found in His Son, Jesus Christ. When we develop a personal relationship with Christ, several assurances are affirmed in our lives: we know that God exists; we gain a better understanding of how God operates in our lives; and, most importantly, we gain divine guidance for our purpose in living through Christ. This lesson shows that as we learn about the nature and essence of Jesus, it results in us becoming more steadfast in our faith. So, when a person asks where God is, we can respond by saying, He is present in creation, in the Scriptures, and in the image of Jesus Christ.

EXPOSITION

I. THE PICTURE OF GOD (Hebrews 1:1–3)

Most people enjoy pictures of themselves and others. They like to talk about how they have changed over the years, and the photos remind them of wonderful occasions. Sometimes we look at pictures and say that the person looks just like his or her mother or father and are amazed by the similarities. This section teaches us that Jesus is a Picture of God. If you want to know what God looks like, then look at the characteristics of Jesus in the Bible. If you want a better understanding of the nature and work of Jesus, then learn about the ways of God. They are one and the same.

Life.Point

We must display the image of Christ, because people cannot physically see God. However, when a nonbeliever sees a Christian, they should see an image of Jesus.

Lesson.Point

God is still speaking to us today through the life and example of Jesus Christ.

Verse one explains that, in the past, God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets and in various other ways. They did not have Bibles like we do today. Jews did not canonize their sacred text into the Hebrew Bible until 90 A.D., after the temple’s destruction; and Christians did not have a canonized Bible until the fourth century A.D. Before then, God spoke to them through holy men and women of God known as prophets. These prophets spoke to the people through foretelling and forth telling. Foretelling is when someone has a vision of the future, much like how the Greek oracles functioned in mythology. It is a mystical experience. Forth telling, however, is when someone speaks about either the past or present issues and expresses God’s position. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., for instance, was like a prophet in the sense that he spoke about the suffering of God’s people. The injustices committed against African Americans and the poor in general were similar to those committed against the people in ancient Israel.

Section I

What are some ways that God speaks to us beyond Scripture today?

Section II

On our own, we are limited. Our nature is sinful, but through God all things are possible. How does Jesus accomplish the impossible through us in a sinful world?

As a result of the people’s suffering, God would send a prophet to speak out against the injustices. Many of the elitists who were responsible for these sins claimed to be followers of God. Such people needed to be warned of how their actions were, in fact, opposing Him. However, not everyone was willing to listen to a prophet, so God found other ways to speak to His people, such as nature. For example, in Exodus 3, God spoke to Moses through a burning bush without the fire consuming it. In Exodus 13, God led His people with nature, using fire at night and a cloud by day. But in the present, God speaks and leads His people with the words and examples of Jesus Christ. This is evidence that God can always find a way to communicate with