The Alpha Course – Why & How Should I Read the Bible? Why & How Do I Pray? (4th Week)
The Holy Bible :
Unlike any other book ever written, the Holy Bible is compiled of writings that cover a span of about 1500 years and include some 40 writers. Within its pages are 66 books, yet it is considered one book, The Book, The Holy Scriptures, The Word of God. The time period recorded during those 1500 years covers nearly 4000 years of human history. The writers were penning God’s Word under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and God’s revelation of Himself to and through man. The history of the Holy Bible is the history of God’s involvement with mankind.
The Holy Bible is divided into two sections. All that was recorded prior to the birth of Jesus Christ is referred to as the Old Testament. A testament is a written account, proof, evidence, a record of events that took place. The Old Testament covers 39 books. About four hundred years passed from the writing of the last book in the Old Testament and the birth of Christ. These are referred to as the silent years. Four hundred years in which God did not speak through prophets.
The silence was broken by a sudden appearance in the sky of the heavenly host announcing the birth of the promised one. The New Testament begins with the coming of Christ into the world as the prophesied Emmanuel (God with us) in the form of the baby of Mary, Jesus. God took on a body of human flesh. The New Testament is composed of 27 books and ushers in the church age. From the writings of Moses through the prophets and other Old Testament books, God worked exclusively through the children of Israel. Today they are referred to as the Jewish people. But the church opened up God’s grace to whosoever would come. This includes non-Jews. It includes Gentiles of all nations and races
The Bible is the only complete history book. All other history books record only the past. The history of the Holy Bible records the history of mankind from the beginning until the day this earth will pass away and a new heaven and a new earth will appear. It covers humanity from beginning to end. No other history book records future events. Only God possesses such knowledge. He is the Alpha and Omega. The I AM of eternity. The Bible is written in “time” from an eternal perspective. Only the Divine could have created this masterpiece.
What Bible does?
An old Farmer lived on a farm in the mountains with his young grandson. Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading his BIBLE. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to imitate him in every way he could.
One day the grandson asked, ' Grandpa! I try to read the BIBLE just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the BIBLE do?' The Grand father quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, 'Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water.' The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, 'You'll have to move a little faster next time,' and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead.
The old man said, 'I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You're just not trying hard enough,' and he went out the door to watch the boy try again.
At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got back to the house. The boy again dipped the basket into river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, 'See Grandpa, it's useless!' 'So you think it is useless?' The old man said, 'Look at the basket.' The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean, inside and out. 'Son, that's what happens when you read the BIBLE. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you will be changed, inside and out. That is the work of Jesus in our lives.'
I. What is prayer?
(Matthew 6:5-13)
The most important activity of our lives. the whole trinity involved
1) To the Father “To your father (v.6) Immanence; “in heaven” (v.9) Transcendence; (Matthew 6)
2) Through the Son (Ephesians 2:18)
3) In the Spirit (Romans 8:26)
II. Why pray?
1) Developing a relationship with God
2) Model of Jesus (Mark 1:35); (Luke 6:12, 9:18, 28, 11:1) “When you pray”
3) Rewards of prayer (Matthew 6:6); Joy (John 16:24); Peace; (Philippians 4:6,7)
4) Results of prayer (Matthew 7:7-11)
III. Does God always answer prayer?
(Matthew 7:7-11)
But :
- Unconfessed sin (Isaiah 59:2)
- Unforgiveness (Matthew 6:14,15)
- Disobedience (1 John 3:21,22)
- Wrong motive (James 4:2,3)
- Misapprehension of the will of God “Good gifts” (Matthew 7:11) Yes/No/Wait
No : “either not good in themselves, or not good for us or for others, directly or indirectly, immediately or ultimately”
IV. How do we pray?
A – adoration
C – confession
T – thanksgiving
S – supplication
Model of the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13)
- “Hallowed be your name” (v.9)
- “Your kingdom come” (v.10)
- - God’s rule and reign in people’s lives; – return of Jesus; – presence of God’s kingdom now
- “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (v.10)
- “Give us today our daily bread” (v.11) – “Everything necessary for the preservation of life, like food, a healthy body, good weather, house, home, wife, children, good government and peace” Martin Luther
- “Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors” (v.12)
- “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one” (v.13)
V. When should we pray?
- Always (1 Thessalonians 5:17); (Ephesians 6:18)
- Alone (Matthew 6:6) – Regular pattern, and best part of the day (Mark 1:35)
- With others (Matthew 18:19)
The 4th week Alpha course was attended by 100 participants and last week it was 97 participants.
October 31 2009 | The Alpha Course | No Comments »
