Nineveh: The Rest of the Story
For this Advent season, I have been reading through the Minor Prophets. The book of Nahum tells the rest of the story of Jonah. Jonah was called by God to preach to the pagan, Gentile city of Nineveh. After his disobedience, he does, and the city repents, turning to God. Jonah sinfully is upset with God that he would show mercy on this pagan city when they repent. Ironically, at the end of Jonah, Nineveh has repented, and Jonah in rebellion to God. However, it did not stay this way. The city of Nineveh soon turned back to their sinful ways. Nahum prophecies Nineveh’s judgment and destruction. The Assyrian Empire will fall.
There are two powerful contrasts that Nahum makes:
- God is avenging, wrathful, powerful, and creation itself trembles before Him (1:2-6), YET He is good and a refuge for those who seek Him (v. 7). When all the world seems to be coming apart, God is a shelter to those who seek refuge in Him.
- The bad news of destruction and the end of the Assyrian Empire is foretold (1:12-14), YET it is Good News that will come that God is faithful in judging sin and restoring His people (1:15, 2:2). Judgement of sin is the worst of news for those who stand in sin, but for those who have come to Christ for their righteousness, judgment of sin is the Good News that God will set all things right and one day do away with sin entirely.
Discussion Questions: Matthew 2:1-16
Introduction
What is one of the best gifts you have received?
Come to Worship – Matthew 2:1-2
What drew the Wise men to come and visit Jesus? What difficulties do you think they may have encountered on the way?
What draws people to Jesus today? What difficulties do people face as they are drawn to Him?
Seeking to Destroy – Matthew 2:3-8; 16
Why do you think the Wise men, who were not Jews, were seeking Jesus, yet Herod, who claimed to be “king of the Jews” himself, did not even know where He would be born?
What motives did Herod have in seeking Jesus? What are some different motives people have for seeking Jesus?
What does verse 16 reveal about Herod’s statement about wanting to worship Jesus? Do people today put on a front of “religion” or “devotion to Christ” in order to make themselves seem better to others?
What is Herod’s fear? How does his fear compare to the fear some people have today that cause them to reject Jesus?
Worshipping and Giving – Matthew 2:9-12
What is worship? What is the impact of worship on the worshipper?
How are acts of service and giving of one’s resources acts of worship?
Special Application
What dangers are there in having an attitude that says “I found Jesus years ago, what more is there?”
What implications does Jesus’ lordship have on your life? The life of your unbelieving friend or neighbor?
Can giving of your time to care for another be an act of worship?
Road Blocks to Church Planting
Without a doubt, planting churches is absolutely key to the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ around the world. For decades, churches in America have championed the cause of global mission. Only recently, it seems, are we discovering that missions is not something needs to be done “over there,” but is desperately needed “right here.” We are in desperate need of church planters in our own nation. However, there are several road blocks that tend to hinder these endeavors:
1. Large-church mentality – This mindset says that it is better to grow on large church in an area than several smaller ones. However, bigger is not always better, and the ministering power of several churches can often out weight that of one large church. Large churches are not bad, but they are not the goal either.
2. Parish-church mind-set – Closely tied to the large-church mentality is the parish-church mind-set. This approach limits church planting activities by geography. Often the fear is that if there is more than one church in an area of a particular denomination or style, then they will “compete” against one another. However, the mission of the church is to reach the community with the gospel, and another church working in the field is an ally, not the competition.
3. Professional-church syndrome – Those with this mind-set believe that all pastoral staff must be seminary trained, or highly educated. But this is impossible, not only because of the limited number of pastors, but also because smaller churches cannot usually support those with this level of education (and education debt!). Seminary training is not bad, it is needed for many, but it is not required.
4. Rescue-the-perishing syndrome – This approach says that instead of planting churches, we should work to save the dying churches. But too often, like a smoker who is told to “quit or die”, a dying church would rather stay with their traditions than make needed changes. Church revitalization can happen, but church planting is usually faster, cheaper, easier, and more fruitful. A dying church should not be an excuse to not plant a church.
5. Already reached myth – This myth says that the West, and especially the United States, or the South, or wherever has already been mostly reached. But this simply is not true. While we are certainly blessed with many Christian resources, the number of churches being planted each year fails to even keep pace with the population growth. The Great Commission is not finished, no matter where you are.
6. Indifference – This is the most poisonous trap to church planting. Having little or no concern for those without the Gospel reveals a lack of sincerity of the heart or a failure to understand the true depths of the Gospel.
7. Fear – Fear can stand in the way of many church planting endeavors. Whether it be on the part of the planter(s), the church(es), or the mobilizer(s), fear can kill church planting. Fear, however, can be overcome by faith in God’s promises and confidence in the power of the Gospel message to change lives.
Do you find any of these road blocks in your own heart? In your church?
(Adapted from Planting Missional Churches by Ed Stetzer)
Free Kindle Books
Here are several books that are being offered for FREE for the Kindle. Even if you don’t have a Kindle, you can still get them and read them online or from your smart phone, or other device with the Amazon app.
Randy Alcorn – Money, Possessions, and Eternity – Link
R.C. Sproul – The Holiness of God – Link
Martin Luther – Concerning Christian Libery – Link
The Bible – HSCB Version – Link
The Bible – ESV Version – Link
Also, a couple of bargins -
Ted Tripp – Shepherding a Child’s Heart – $1.79 – Link
John Piper – Brothers, We are Not Professionals – $1.99 – Link
Discussion Questions: Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38
Matthew 1:18-20
Imagine you are Joseph. What would you have done? What were Joseph’s options?
Luke 1:28-31
What reason did Mary have for rejoicing? Had she earned God’s favor?
Why do you think the angel told both Mary and Joseph not to fear? What reasons Mary and Joseph would have been afraid?
Do we ever fear what God may call us to do? How can we do to prepare to confront our fears with courage?
Luke 1:34-37
How does this passage teach about the virgin birth? Why is this truth of the virgin birth important for understanding Jesus’ identity as fully God and fully man?
What is the difference between asking questions of God and questioning God? Which of these did Mary do? How can asking questions of God be a catalyst for growing one’s faith?
Matthew 1:24-25 and Luke 1:38
What do Joseph’s and Mary’s response and actions show about their character? About their faith in God? How do our actions demonstrate our faith in God?
Where did Mary and Joseph find the strength to go in the way God called them to? Do we have the power and strength to do what God calls us to on our own?
