• Lesson 12 in the Connect360 unit “Jesus Storyteller: Timeless Truths From His Parables” focuses on Luke 18:9-14.

We must all guard against praying so others will be impressed with what we say. Prayer always should be directed to God alone in a real relationship with him. This parable is a study in contrasts. The tax collector went to church (the Temple) because he was in trouble, and he believed God could help him. His body language revealed his sense of unworthiness; he couldn’t walk to the front of the crowd and instead kept his distance. He beat his chest and bowed his head.

In Jesus’ time, the Pharisee was considered the “good guy.” He wore the white hat and was a synagogue leader. All Pharisees were super-religious men who were extremely careful about obeying the Torah (the first five books of the Old Testament). They also followed the Mishnah, which explained how to obey the Torah. There might be several chapters in the Mishnah devoted to one single verse in the Torah. In addition, they followed the Talmud, which was a commentary on the Mishnah. These guys lived by the book.

However, a tax collector was the “bad guy” in Jewish culture. Hired by the pagan Romans, this villain could charge exorbitant taxes and keep most of the money for himself. If you had been a good Jew listening to Jesus’ parable, you would have cheered the Pharisee and booed the tax collector.

Role reversal

But Jesus is always full of surprises. He introduced a good guy and a bad guy, and by the time Jesus finished the parable, the good guy had become the bad guy, and the bad guy has become the good guy.

Did you notice the Pharisee was quick to criticize and condemn the tax collector? Pride blinds a person to their own faults and magnifies the failures and faults of others. When you compare yourself to someone else, you’re using the wrong standard. God’s measuring stick is not the morality of another person. His standard is Jesus. How do you measure up to him?

I’ve heard people justify their goodness by saying they have never robbed a bank or murdered someone. God doesn’t grade on the curve. It doesn’t matter if you are a little better than average. The Bible reminds us, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Based on a lesson by David O. Dykes, pastor emeritus of Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler. To learn more about GC2 Press and the Connect360 Bible study series, or to order materials, click here.

• The Explore the Bible lesson for March 6 focuses on 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10.

It is easy to notice beauty in paintings or wood art. The human eye perceives beauty when colors blend or when the artisan molds wood into a beautiful art piece. The painter’s brush strokes vivid colors, providing the human eye with abstract art. A piece of wood is all the artisan carpenter needs to craft a masterpiece. The painter and the artisan take months, if not years, to complete their art.

Once the artwork is ready, they are ready to show their audiences their creation. The audience observes the completed piece. For the common viewer, this may take five to 10 minutes. The viewers provide feedback on what they noticed; their feedback is only on what they noticed in a short period. The viewer, most of the time, ignores the amount of work behind every painting and every piece of art.

Are you noticing what God is doing lately? Are you thankful to God for what he is doing lately in your church?

God knows what you do (1 Thessalonians 1:1-3)

Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, writes to the church in Thessalonica. He is grateful for the faith and the labor shown by the new believers in Thessalonica. It is important to make a note that this letter is directed to the new converts in Thessalonica. Paul, in the first chapter, wants to make sure the reader understands God knows what they do. Pauline letters have short and light openings, but to the Thessalonian church, it is a long praise of their work. Paul mentions others like Silvanus and Timothy as witnesses of the salutation.

The church and believers today are facing exhaustion from the struggles of this pandemic. People are not coming back to church, and church leaders are experiencing emotional and spiritual stress. Paul instructs the church to know that he thanks God for their work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope.

God knows what you are facing (1 Thessalonians 1:4-6)

Today, we recognize you are doing the best you can. Do not allow yourself to be self-destructive and ignore the work that has been done. Yes, there is more to do, but take time to reflect on what God has accomplished through you. The insatiable pursuit of attempting great things for God will deflate your emotional and spiritual life. It is time for church leaders and believers to be examples of reflecting their endurance and the work of God in them.

The pressures of life are crushing believers and unbelievers on all fronts. These are times to reflect on what we know. And how can we know God’s power? The New Testament church in the book of (Acts 1:8) is instructed, not invited or suggested, to wait for the Holy Spirit.

Paul reminds the church in Thessalonica that God gave not only the words they received and welcomed, but also his power. To endure these times, the church and believers will need to acknowledge their need for God’s power and their need for the presence of the Holy Spirit. We are promised to be empowered by his Holy Spirit. If we reflect on Pauline letters, you can find time after time the engagement of the believer with the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish great things for God (Romans 8:1-11).

God knows your love for him (1 Thessalonians 1:7-10)

The work of God is not only noticeable by the work of faith, love and hope, which are Pauline themes, but it is noticeable by the convictions portrayed in the way to live and speak. Paul calls us to be examples, role models of the work of God. If you cannot see God working in your life, it is impossible to display faith, love and hope. Paul says they do not need to talk about faith, love and hope, because their attitude and works speak for themselves.

Today, church leaders must engage in service, starting at home, their church, their state, their country and the world. Please begin at home. Follow Paul’s example to recognize the work of those around you. Someone needs to know they are doing well. It is noticeable that God is working in their life. Someone needs to hear they are not invisible, that the Lord called them and sent them to serve.

In conclusion, is important for the church to continue to minister and train believers. But the church also needs to deploy believers to make sure their faith, love and hope are known not by words but by actions. You and I serve the living God. We are renewed and have turned from idolatry to serve the living God.

One aspect of idolatry is self-serving. The idolater serves their idol to receive something in return. The idol is a motivator, and the idolater uses the idol in a conditional arrangement of exchange. We believers seek the living God, not for an exchange of blessings, but because in Christ we find purpose and meaning in difficult times.

Ricardo Brambila, M.Div., is pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista Dallas and the executive director for West Dallas Community School, a Christian school for boys and girls with limited financial resources in West Dallas. 

• Lesson 11 in the Connect360 unit “Jesus Storyteller: Timeless Truths From His Parables” focuses on Luke 16:1-18.

This parable in Luke 16 is one of the most unusual parables Jesus ever uttered. I call it the parable of the Crooked Manager. It’s a story about an employee who “cooked the books” for his employer. He used dishonest methods to give an accounting of his company’s assets, and it reads much like a deposition from a number of Congressional hearings on big companies who failed big time!

It’s a parable about money, which shouldn’t be surprising because of the 38 parables Jesus told, 19 of them dealt with handling possessions. Baptism is important, but there are 16 times more verses in the New Testament on handling money than are devoted to baptism. The Lord’s Supper is important, but there are 32 times more biblical statements about Christian financial management than about the Lord’s Supper. Since Jesus had so much to say about it, we’d better pay attention.

I hope you know you can trust God—but when it comes to handling God’s money, how much can God trust you? The main reason God gives us worldly wealth is to test us. He wants to see how well we manage that kind of wealth.

Be shrewd, but be innocent

The Bible says, “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). Children of the Light, wake up! The reason we all need a little dose of worldly wisdom is because we operate in a world filled with dishonest, crooked people. If you aren’t shrewd, you’ll be eaten like a lamb in a pack of wolves.

Jesus said, “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16). Note the distinction. The crooked manager in the parable was as shrewd as a snake, but he was as guilty as sin.

What can we learn from the crooked manager? He knew he was facing a deadline. He formulated a plan, and he acted before the opportunity was gone. We are also facing a deadline. Do you have a creative plan to influence your world before that deadline? Are you letting opportunities pass by?

We must learn to be wise in the ways of the world, but we must remain as innocent as doves—and that’s hard. In fact, like every other command in the Christian life, it’s impossible without the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. That’s the parable and the “moral” to the story, but Jesus is just getting started.

Based on a lesson by David O. Dykes, pastor emeritus of Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler. To learn more about GC2 Press and the Connect360 Bible study series, or to order materials, click here. 

• The Explore the Bible lesson for Feb. 27 focuses on Daniel 9:4-19.

Big transitions are difficult for several reasons. There is the change from the norm you have become used to. There is the uncertainty of where the transition will lead. There is the excitement of new opportunities and the fear of missed or lost ones. Even when one knows the transition is coming, the uneasiness of the moment still comes. How you handle these feelings can be a determinative factor for how successful the change is.

Daniel 9 takes place in a major time of transition. The Babylonian empire has fallen to Cyrus and the Persians. The new empire had a different way of dealing with its vassals than the preceding one. Persia was known for its benevolent treatment. Somewhere right around the time Daniel positions this chapter, Cyrus issued a command for all of nations who had been held captive by Babylon to return to their place of origin.

At this point, Daniel is somewhere in his 80s. He knew it was unlikely he would be able to make the migration back to Jerusalem. However, the transition was one that still struck him deeply. As the chapter begins, Daniel is deep in thought about Jeremiah’s prophecy concerning 70 years until Jerusalem’s restoration (Jeremiah 25:12).  With his realization that he was living in the era promised by Jeremiah, Daniel begins to consider the ramifications of the moment, for himself and for God’s people in general. In the face of God’s awesome revelation and an uncertain future, Daniel does what we should do in such moments—he prays.

Confession Made (Daniel 9:4-6)

It’s little wonder as Daniel reflected on the implications of Jeremiah’s message of restoration his mind went to what brought Israel to Babylon in the first place. Israel’s failure to heed the warnings of the prophets and their rejection of God’s ways had led to living life away from the promise. But their rebellion was met with God’s compassion, and so, God led Jeremiah to promise an end to the judgment he was meting out. Both of these realities find expression in Daniel’s prayer.

Righteousness Seen (Daniel 9:7-14)

Daniel’s confession continues in the next section with a rehearsal of the covenant history and stipulations. Daniel acknowledges God’s awesome nature and his faithfulness to the covenant he had made with Israel. Since God was faithful, the responsibility for Israel’s position was solely on its shoulders. As the people got ready to transition back the promise, the matter of their success rested on whether they would learn the lessons of the past. Confession is always the first step in the process of making a healthy transition and a fresh start.

Forgiveness Sought (Daniel 9:15-19)

Forgiveness is about restoration. Not a partial return to the relationship or status, but a total renewal of that which was lost. Daniel’s boldness in requesting such a result is not borne of a confidence in Israel’s capacity for doing right, but of his certain knowledge of God’s goodness and faithfulness. When facing an uncertain future, having an unmovable foundation such as God’s compassion is a good place from which to work.

The next several years in Israel’s history would be difficult and wondrous. They would return from years of exile, only to find a land devastated by years of neglect and absence. They would be rescued from their apathy and hurt by a strong and certain word from the prophets Haggai and Zechariah and witness the rebuilding of the temple. Within a few decades they would undergo a spiritual renewal under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah. A couple of centuries later, under the leadership of the Hasmoneans, Israel would finally experience freedom once again from any overlord nations. Much of this journey is witnessed in the visions of Daniel 10-12, but it all starts right here in Daniel 9 with a recognition of God’s faithfulness and Israel’s need for repentance.

Daniel and his friends started out the journey in Babylon discovering God’s ultimate sovereignty and committing to remain obedient despite what had already been lost. The stories that followed revealed a commitment to say no when everyone else is saying yes to sin, to say yes to obedience no matter what it cost, and to see that true wisdom resides in humility before God. Now at the end of his journey and likely life, his mind is on his people and his God and the relationship he had lived his life to represent with integrity and clarity.

We live in difficult and unprecedented times. The lessons of Daniel are vital to our success as we navigate our way through it all. Integrity, faithfulness, humility, trust, faith and confession are qualities that will allow us to move through these perilous times and transitions. Remember in the journey, we don’t have to be the ideal people we encounter in Daniel, just committed to the journey of a relationship with the God who can see us through despite our failings.

Timothy Pierce, Ph.D., is associate professor of Christian studies at East Texas Baptist University. 

• Lesson 10 in the Connect360 unit “Jesus Storyteller: Timeless Truths From His Parables” focuses on Luke 15:11-24.

Some people think the most important question in life is, “Do you believe in God?” But a more important question is, “What kind of God do you believe in?” There is something worse than being an atheist; it is believing in God but having an erroneous concept of Him. Many religions present different pictures of God. What is God really like? You can believe in God, but if you have a false conception of God, you are no better off than an atheist.

Parable of the Loving Father

In Luke 15, Jesus presents three beautiful stories that paint an accurate portrait of the character and nature of God. Our lesson focuses on one of the most familiar stories in the Bible, the third parable in a series of parables in Luke 15. Although this story is often called the Parable of the prodigal son, the key figure in the parable is the father. I prefer to call it the Parable of the loving father. The God of the universe is like the father in this story. Jesus Christ came to planet Earth to show us exactly what God is like and reveal God’s character and nature.

Those of you who have prodigal children or grandchildren in your family know the kind of pain God the Father feels. You know what it is to have grown children who are alienated from you, and it hurts. This parable offers a perfect example of a rebellious, disrespectful child. We can tell from the way he welcomed his son back that the father’s heart was broken when his son left home. I think the father shed many tears over his son’s foolish behavior.

Rebellious Christians grieve God

Clearly, the father in this parable represents God. He is a loving Father who will let you walk away from fellowship with him if you desire, but it breaks God’s fatherly heart when you do so. The Bible says in Ephesians 4:30, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God.” Rebellious Christians grieve God by their behavior.

Some people say the son represents a person who has never been saved, but I think it’s obvious the younger son represents those of us who already have a relationship with God. He is our Father, and we are his children. There’s a very important principle you must understand. You cannot sever your relationship with God—but you can certainly break fellowship with Him. The whole time the prodigal son was away, he was still a son, but the son had left the presence and favor of his father. Christians can do that, too.

Based on a lesson by David O. Dykes, pastor emeritus of Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler. To learn more about GC2 Press and the Connect360 Bible study series, or to order materials, click here.  

• The Explore the Bible lesson for Feb. 20 focuses on Daniel 7:1-14.

Having been in ministry more than 30 years, there are several things I pretty much can guarantee leaders are going to be asked to address during their time in any given ministry situation. Members will want to know about relationships and how to make them better. They will want to know how to get more out of reading the Bible and how to apply it to their life. But more than any other question I have been asked to address, Christians want to know about the future.

The desire is neither surprising, nor wrong. We live in a fallen world that brings us the pain of loss, separation, sickness and death. Wanting to see the end of all of that is natural and appropriate. Add into the equation the wonder and mystery of the visions surrounding the future, and one can easily understand the fascination.

Despite the logic and appropriateness of the desire to know what the Bible has to say about the future, there is a downside to the captivation. Because part of the impetus for the search is certainty, people can often look for answers the Bible doesn’t seek to give. Jesus himself talked about not knowing days and hours (Matthew 24:36), yet we attempt to fill in gaps and answer questions that is are the biblical equivalent of that information.

When dealing with a passage such as Daniel 7 through 12, it is important to realize that certainty about some parts of the interpretation is elusive. Our presuppositions about the text and what we expect to encounter there can drive us down a path of drawing conclusions beyond what the text presents. This can become especially important when relating to people who might see the text differently than we do. Therefore, it’s best to draw firm conclusions in those places only where we can and tentative conclusions when warranted, always remembering to show charity and Christian love to those who disagree with us.

The First Three Beasts (Daniel 7:1-6)

Almost all scholars agree that chapters two and seven of Daniel both deal with the same four nations. Daniel 2 highlights these nations through a series of metals that made up the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, while Daniel 7 list these nations by portraying them as monstrous creatures. Beyond that point of agreement, however, scholars are not as certain about the identity of those four nations.

Undoubtedly, the first nation in both list is Babylon. This is the nation with which Daniel was directly interacting and fits in both description and purpose in the visions. The second nation has been variously identified as Medio-Persia or Media alone. The third nation then has been classified as Persia, Greece and Alexander the Great alone. Whatever the actual identify of nations involved, the purpose of the passage is to highlight the temporal and degenerative nature of human kingdoms and the power and eternal nature of the divine one. Indeed, one growing tendency among scholarship is to suggest that nations two through four should not be connected with any specific nations at but are simply intended to paint a picture of humanities growing crudity and viciousness.

The Fourth Beast and the Horn (Daniel 7:7-8)

Like nations two and three, much debate surrounds the identity of the fourth beast. For this nation, some have proposed Rome, Greece, the successors to Alexander the Great (Seleucids) and a future reconstituted Rome. Within the discussion is the identity of the little horn; that is, a leader who grows from the midst of the kingdom to rule and to ruin. Similar to the debate over the nation involved, the identity fluctuates between a Roman Emperor, Antiochus IV and the Anti-Christ at the end of the history. Interestingly, within the book of Daniel itself, the little horn who did great things in Daniel 8 indisputably is Antiochus IV.  The question then becomes what the relationship is between this little horn and that little horn.

The arrogance of the little horn is the focal point of the vision. Whoever he is, he represents the very nature of humanity who views itself as a competitor to God himself. His cruelty and vicious actions reveal that to trust in the machinations of humanity is to pursue self-destruction. Unabated by some intervention from God, man’s plans and arrogance always result in death. Fortunately for Daniel and his readers (including us), the vision continues.

The Judgment (Daniel 7:9-14)

Like the stone from heaven that struck at the base of the statue in Daniel 2, the arrogant culminating beast is met by one who undoes his arrogant works and brings in an eternal kingdom that brings life and hope. Most important for our understanding of God’s plan for humanity is the introduction of the term son of man into the messianic vocabulary.

In Hebrew thought, the phrase son of man simply means “human.” It is somewhat surprising, then, to have this human described as “coming with the clouds of heaven” (Daniel 7:13). The union of the two is not accidental or inconsequential. This is the clearest Old Testament revelation that the Christ would be both God and man. It is also likely behind Jesus’ use of this favorite term for himself in the Gospels. Whereas his audience would hear a non-threatening term of humility, in the context of this passage, Jesus was also revealing himself as the divine Son of God.

When all of this is taken together, we have a vision of the future that is intended to call its readers to a stance of courage and hope, knowing the evil kingdoms that distort truth and destroy lives are temporary. The relationship we build with the God who rules and who is eternal helps us to see a future that includes an abundant life, no matter how it plays out.

Timothy Pierce, Ph.D., is associate professor of Christian studies at East Texas Baptist University. 

• Lesson 9 in the Connect360 unit “Jesus Storyteller: Timeless Truths From His Parables” focuses on Luke 15:1-10.

In this parable, the woman was intent on finding the lost coin. She took two important actions. She lit a lamp, and she swept up the dirt on her floor. There is an important application we can make from these two details.

First, Jesus lives to give you light. The woman lit a lamp to help her see clearly. It does help to have light when you are looking for something. Before Jesus finds us, we are lost in the darkness of sin. Jesus came into this world to provide the light of truth. In John 8:12, Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”

Light and truth

In the Bible, there is a connection between light and truth. God gives every person a measure of light, or truth, about himself, even if they don’t have a Bible. They can look at creation and understand Someone superior and intelligent designed it all. They can look within and understand that every person is born with a sense of right and wrong—and understand there must be a moral absolute in the universe. Everybody has some light. If you walk toward the light, God gives you more and more light about who Jesus is.

The second action the woman takes is to sweep the room. In the process of cleaning every square inch of the floor, the woman found the coin. There’s a significant lesson here as well. In addition to giving you light, Jesus desires to cleanse your life of all the “dirt” accumulated by sin. He died on the cross so your sins could be forgiven. We read in 1 John 1:7,“…and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” The Bible says there is cleansing power in the blood of Jesus. Before you can be found, you need the light of the Lord and the cleansing power of the Lord.

Based on a lesson by David O. Dykes, pastor emeritus of Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler. To learn more about GC2 Press and the Connect360 Bible study series, or to order materials, click here. 

• The Explore the Bible lesson for Feb. 13 focuses on Daniel 6:10-24.

In our journey through Daniel, we have seen the struggle of the righteous living amid a world diametrically opposed to their priorities. In chapter one, the heroes discovered despite the appearances of things, God still was very much in control. They committed to stay faithful to God and his stipulations, even though circumstances had cost them dearly.

This commitment played out in chapter three by refusing to take part in activities the pagans participated in. Now in chapter six, the challenge of faithfulness finds expression in continuing to do things Yahweh has called them to, even though no one else in their world were doing them.

Chapter six begins with a change in leadership in the world, both globally and personally for Daniel. The Persians conquered Babylon in 539/538 BC. Although they are known to history as benevolent dictators, they still were pagan.

Some of the same questions that were present in chapter one concerning Babylon now were being asked about Persia. Was God still in control? Would he still see his people through trials and tribulations? These are the same questions we all ask when life throws us significant changes. Regardless of our situation, however, we need to trust the God who calls us his own.

The Trap Set (Daniel 6:10-14)

The story reveals both Daniel and King Darius fall into a trap set by Daniel’s fellow officials. The difference between the two is Darius fell prey through his arrogance and Daniel through his integrity. Knowing the difference between the two causes is essential for our growth and perseverance through trials. Darius’ discovery of his entrapment was characterized by regret, sorrow and attempting to find a way out of his situation. Daniel, on the other hand, found himself in a place of calm assurance and trust.

The Door Shut (Daniel 6:15-18)

The next stage of the situation once again reveals a comparison and contrast between Darius and Daniel. Both find themselves alone and locked in a type of prison. Darius’ prison was a personal one borne of his failures and his guilt over the situation that Daniel found himself in. Daniel’s prison was a pit in which he was placed because of his commitment to follow God. That Darius’ condition is discussed, and Daniel’s is not seems to serve two purposes.

First, the omission of Daniel’s situation invites the reader to take Daniel’s journey of trust with him. We wonder about and we hope for God’s deliverance of the prophet. As we do so, we grow in the trust that the writer is inviting us to emulate and live in ourselves. The inclusion of Darius’ struggles and concern show us both the uncertainty that results from our arrogance and sin and the journey we all can take toward experiencing trust as we abandon our self-reliance and begin to look for answers beyond ourselves.

The Tables Turned (Daniel 6:19-24)

The final act of the chapter involves the resolution of the journey of trust that Daniel and Darius have been on. Daniel’s trust is vindicated with his survival and is explicitly noted with the comment it was the result of the fact he “trusted in his God” (Daniel 6:23). But Darius’ journey is also noted as fulfilled with his wish being fulfilled and the blessing expressed by Daniel on his behalf.

While it’s true that the people who plotted against the two men ultimately received their just desserts, the point of the passage is not the outcome of the enemies, but the outcome of Daniel and Darius. In a world full of inequity and in which those who oppose us are often in possessions of power or privilege.  Our response to mistreatment can’t be imbedded in a desire for revenge or even divine justice. To love our neighbor calls on us to see their redemption, not their judgment.

The story of Daniel 6 challenges us to grow in our trust for God. For some of us, it is a journey of repentance and discovery that he truly is worthy of trust. For others, it is an adventurous deepening of our hope and trust as he shows himself to be faithful to the promises of presence and power that he has expressed to all who believe.

Timothy Pierce, Ph.D., is associate professor of Christian studies at East Texas Baptist University. 

When Did Sin Begin: Human Evolution and the Doctrine of Original Sin

By Loren Haarsma (Baker Academic)

Is evolution true, and if so, what does that mean for Adam and Eve and sin?

Loren Haarsma, associate professor of physics at Calvin University, does not question the validity of evolution. He does wonder, however, about traditional Western readings of Scripture such as Augustine’s position on the creation and fall story. He considers alternatives, focusing on four scenarios for how the orthodox biblical understanding of sin and its origin might square—or “harmonize”—with evolution.

Concerned readers ought to know upfront: Haarsma holds to the orthodox Western view of “the unity of Scripture;” Scripture’s inspiration by God; God as Creator; sin as rebellion against God, the consequence of which is separation from God; and God’s atonement for sin through Jesus Christ.

While seeking harmony between Scripture and evolutionary science, Haarsma is clear: “science and theology are [not] equally authoritative.” “Science doesn’t decide how we interpret Scripture. Theology decides,” he asserts. The Christian, then, can learn from science without conceding core doctrines of the faith. To this end, he includes a brief historical survey of how new scientific knowledge has shaped our reading of Scripture without changing doctrine.

Haarsma puts four scenarios to the test, posing challenges to each based on the orthodox Western reading of Scripture. In the end, Haarsma does not put both feet down on any one scenario, but he does put both feet down on Jesus Christ as “God’s ultimate answer” to sin.

One who holds to a literal seven-day creation, and Adam and Eve as the first humans and the first to sin, might wonder: “Why read the book, then, if he ends up noncommittal except on what we all agree on already? Why confuse myself with scenarios I discount in advance on the grounds I don’t believe in evolution?”

A simple answer is increasing numbers of people you may care about do not take a literal seven-day creation account at face value and have serious questions about God, sin and salvation. Taking them seriously warrants some study of their questions.

Eric Black, executive director/publisher/editor
Baptist Standard

• The Explore the Bible lesson for Feb. 6 focuses on Daniel 4:28-37.

It often has been said at the heart of every sin is, first, the sin of pride. Indeed, the fall narrative of Genesis 3 places humanity’s pride as a key instrument in Satan’s arsenal of getting Adam and Eve to reject God’s goodness and provision for the self-deception that they could do better. This truth makes it all the more troubling when our culture today seems to relish and reward arrogance as a prized character trait.

The opposite of pride is humility. Biblically speaking, humility is having a proper appreciation for who we are and for who God is. It holds a distinctive place in the attributes Christians are called on to possess. It alone is an attitude we can do ourselves. The fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control—as well as faith, all grow out of the work of God transforming our lives. Humility, on the other hand, always is expressed as a call for us to pursue. Humble yourselves is a plea or command found throughout Scripture.

With the two poles of pride and humility so much at the center of the human condition and relationship with God, it isn’t surprising the central story of the Daniel narratives is focused on this issue. The story is one of the three in the first part of Daniel focused on the matter of where true wisdom resides. The other two are found in chapters 2 and 5 and also highlight how pride gets in the way of seeing things the way they really are. Of the three, this central story is the most dramatic and includes a humbling by God of King Nebuchadnezzar, but still includes a demand that the king come to his senses about his true standing in the world.

Pride Declared (Daniel 4:28-30)

Like many encounters of prideful people with God in the Bible, the narrative begins with a warning from God about Nebuchadnezzar’s journey to humility through a dream God gave him. Daniel interprets the dream for Nebuchadnezzar and concludes with a warning and a wish the king might change direction on his own (Daniel 4:27).

This call and challenge from Daniel is essential to seeing that the path, though predicted in a vision, was not set in stone, but could be averted if Nebuchadnezzar would humble himself. God’s judgment is certain, but he is in relationship with mankind and amenable to a sincere repentance from sin (cf. Jeremiah 18:1-10).

Nebuchadnezzar’s pride grows out of the massive palace and city he ruled from within. A trip back to Daniel 1, however, reminds us all he had had been given to him by God. In the midst of our successes, it is vital to remember, ultimately, success comes from God. Nebuchadnezzar’s forgetting of that truth was about to cost him dearly.

Reality Defined (Daniel 4:31-33)

The swiftness of God’s judgment is highlighted in the phrase, “while the words were still on his lips.” Still, we should not miss the fact that a year has passed since the initial warning. While God’s judgment is swift and clear, the encouragement Daniel offered to pursue humility also reaped its rewards for a time.

The exact nature of what happened to Nebuchadnezzar is a matter of some debate. While many scholars attempt to link the description of his condition to a specific psychological issue, more and more scholars are arguing Nebuchadnezzar encountered exile. This explanation fits the description given in the text, explains his recognition of God’s position taking place before the removal of the curse and explains why there wouldn’t be any threat of losing his kingdom to a usurper who most certainly would have stepped forward if the king was suffering from insanity. Indeed, there is a known example of another king, Nabonidus, experiencing exile later in the empire, yet maintaining his power. Regardless of its actual nature, Nebuchadnezzar’s experience was a humbling journey of discovering his true nature and position.

Honor Given (Daniel 4:34-37)

The swiftness of God’s judgment is matched by the speed of his restoration of Nebuchadnezzar once the king acknowledged God’s position and power. This is the last time we encounter Nebuchadnezzar in the Daniel narratives. It is fitting the journey we have seen him on is one of discovery of who God is.

There are lessons for the believer both in Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel, and ultimately they are the same lesson. Reliance on God is the only way forward. Daniel took a risk at the beginning of the narrative in sharing the bad news of the meaning of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream with him. Nebuchadnezzar came to discover arrogance leads to ruin. Both learned humility is required for success.

Timothy Pierce, Ph.D., is associate professor of Christian studies at East Texas Baptist University.  

• Lesson 8 in the Connect360 unit “Jesus Storyteller: Timeless Truths From His Parables” focuses on Luke 14:12-24.

The parable begins with a rich man inviting guests to come to a wedding feast. According to verse 16, it was a “great” banquet, and “many” guests were invited; it was the social event of the season. Of all the occasions in Jewish culture, the wedding feast was the most joyous celebration. It was Jewish custom to send an early invitation giving the day of the banquet, but no time was set. The guests would accept the invitation, and then on the day of the banquet, the servants would go out and announce the banquet was ready.

When the master learned the guests refused to come, he didn’t cancel the party. He just expanded his invitation to include everyone in the region. At this point in the parable, the message is clear. Those of us who have accepted God’s invitation to his salvation party are now the servants God sends out to invite others.

Every Christian is like a heavenly postal carrier, or UPS worker, or FedEx worker. God has issued the invitation of salvation to everyone. We are to deliver God’s invitation to come to him. And we are instructed to invite everyone.

A person who actively tries to lead people to Christ is called a soul-winner, based upon the words found in Proverbs 11:30. Are you doing as the Master commanded? Have you delivered God’s invitation to anyone? God’s servants must bring people into his house until it’s full.

Make room for more

After the first rounds of invitations, the servants returned and said, “There is still room.” He sent them out again and said, “Compel them to come in.” Sadly, that has been used throughout history to justify religious persecution and was the basis of the bloody Inquisition. We should always invite others in loving kindness and use tact and gentleness. However, God does want us to have a sense of urgency and fervency as we go.

We always must be making room for one more in God’s family. Make room in your church for more people to come into the family of God. God wants his house to be full, and God wants us to keep bringing folks into his family. When a church stops going on mission and stops bringing people to Christ, that’s when the church starts dying

Based on a lesson by David O. Dykes, pastor emeritus of Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler. To learn more about GC2 Press and the Connect360 Bible study series, or to order materials, click here.

Restless Devices: Recovering Personhood, Presence, and Place in the Digital Age

By Felicia Wu Song (IVP Academic)

In Exodus 4:2, the Lord asks Moses, “What is that in your hand?” In Restless Devices, Felicia Wu Song responds to that same question today. Noting the average person checks his or her phone at least 150 times a day, the Westmont College professor asks questions: “Do we own our smart phones or do they own us?” “What does our digital footprint replace?” And do we “sneak a peek” because something better might be happening?

Song fills the pages with Scripture, personal confession, examples gleaned from students in her “Internet and Society” course and academic research. Throughout the book, the cultural sociologist of media and digital technologies inserts exercises titled “The Freedom Project: Experiments in Praxis.” The practices, many of which she uses with students, include a goal, digital experiment, actions and reflections designed to help understand device impact.

In casting a vision for spiritual formation and faith communities, Song saturates the volume’s second part with the good news: Individuals can choose communion over connection; God’s faithful presence continues; and sacred spaces should be treasured. The volume concludes with 10 practical “Commitments to Ordered Digital Life” that can be adopted over time.

If Restless Devices were fiction, readers might skip to the last chapter to see how the narrative ends. Unfortunately, the story persists, as technology continually encroaches on the space of individuals, families, churches and society. Fortunately, Song offers guidance in fostering healthy relationships with our devices, devoting ourselves to being fully present with God and loved ones, and imagining a hoped-for future and the challenging steps to get there.

Kathy Robinson Hillman, former president

Texas WMU and Baptist General Convention of Texas

Waco