Thursday, May 19, 2016

Beyond Comprehension Sunday School Lesson

Beyond Comprehension

Theme: God of Wonders

Scripture: Job 38:1-39:30

Objectives:
  • Know: "God used questions to help Job better understand His greatness.
  • Think: "Marvel at the magnitude of God and adjust your view of yourself accordingly.
  • Do: "Trust and worship God for His power, knowledge, presence, and design."

Summary:
  • Job has suffered
  • God was blamed
  • By Job--"God did this to me for no reason. I trust Him, but I want to talk with Him directly to ask Him why."
  • By friends--"God did this to you, because you are a horrible sinner. You have sinned secretly, but God is punishing you openly. Confess and repent."
  • By wife--"Curse God and die."
  • Now God speaks to Job.
  • You think you know why this happened.
  • I have a few questions. Can you answer these?
  • I have something to teach you. You do not know as much as you think.

Outline
  • Purpose of God's questions Job 38:1-3
  • Questions about the earth Job 38:4-7
  • Questions about the sea Job 38:8-11
  • Questions about time Job 38:12-15
  • Questions about the ocean floor and the gates of death Job 38:16-18
  • Questions about light and darkness Job 38:19-21
  • Questions about weather Job 38:22-30
  • Questions about astronomy Job 38:31-33
  • Can you command the weather Job 38:34-38
  • Questions about animals Job 38:39-39:30

Notes and Questions
  • How much do we think we know?
  • How much do we really know?
  • Who does know everything?
  • What are some characteristics of God in these 2 chapters?
    • Omnipotence
      • God has power to do all things that are according to His character.
      • God cannot lie. 2 Timothy 2:13, Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18
      • God cannot be tempted James 1:3
      • God can save anyone who meets His conditions Matthew 19:26
      • In the Old Testament
        • As the Almighty (Ēl Shadday) as in Exodus 6:3
        • As Lord of Hosts (Armies) (Yahweh ṣə·ḇā·’ō·wṯ). In Old Testament times the power, greatest, authority of a king was related to the size of his kingdom, number of soldiers, and the number of people he ruled over. God is seen as having a kingdom, army, and people a number too large to count, thus, omnipotent. Psalm 24:10, etc.
        • As the mighty one ('âbı̂yr). The one who has all strength as in Isaiah 49:26
    • Omniscience
      • God knows all things--past, present, future, and all things knowable as the position of a planet a million years from, and all things not knowable as in a person's decision and action (an open theist would not believe that God can know future unknowable acts as a person's decision or action). Psalm 147:5, Isaiah 46:10, Acts 15:18, Hebrews 4:13, Ezekiel 8:7-12, Zechariah 9:9 with Matthew 21:1-11
      • Includes all our thoughts, words, desires, deeds, and motivation. 1 Samuel 16:7, Proverbs 15:11, Hebrews 4:13
    • Omnipresent
      • God is located everywhere. Proverbs 15:3, Jeremiah 23:23-24, Amos 9:2, 2 Chronicles 2:6
      • God is active everywhere. His activity, acts, can be simultaneous is any and every place at once.
    • Psalm 139 where all 3 characteristics are spoken of.
  • Why do you trust God?
  • Why do you trust God when everything seems to fall apart?
  • What would you tell someone whose faith is faltering?
  • What is trust?
    • Trust is feeling safe in another's presence whether it be life, money, food, doctrine, driving, etc. Examples might be sitting in a chair, giving money to a friend to buy some food, marrying, physician,
    • Others put their trust in politicians, money, science, themselves, philosophy, friends, family, leaders, etc.
  • How does our knowledge of God's omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence affect our lives?

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