Lessons from the Bible: Volume 2: Matthew-Revelation

Copyright © 2021 The Rev. Debra Moody Bass, Ph.D.

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Scripture marked (KJV) taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture quotations marked (RSV) are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible,

copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the

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ISBN: 978-1-6642-2102-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-2101-7 (e)

WestBow Press rev. date: 01/22/2021

This book is

dedicated

To the loves of my life,

My son, Joshua D. Bass

And my Late Husband

Bishop Richard O. Bass, Sr.

CONTENTS

Introduction

I. THE FOUR GOSPELS

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

•   How Do You Respond to A Miracle?

THE GOSPEL OF MARK

•   How Much Does It Cost?

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

•   An Unexpected Encounter with Jesus

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

•   Let The Party Begin!

II. THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

THE BOOK OF ACTS

•   God’s TKO!

III. THE LETTERS OF PAUL

THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS

•   All For One, and One for All!

I CORINTHIANS

•   Living Witnesses

II CORINTHIANS

•   An Attitude of Gratitude

THE LETTER TO THE GALATIANS

•   God’s Fruit Market

THE LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS

•   The Church’s Response to God’s Goodness

THE LETTER TO THE PHILIPPIANS

•   What Are You Thinking About?

THE LETTER TO THE COLOSSIANS

•  Keeping Order In God’s House

THE FIRST LETTER TO THE THESSALONIANS

•  It Is Praying Time!

THE SECOND LETTER TO THE THESSALONIANS

•   Hold On: Judgment Day Is Coming!

IV. THE PASTORAL EPISTLES

THE FIRST LETTER TO TIMOTHY

•   Thank God for Mercy!

THE SECOND LETTER TO TIMOTHY

•   Sounding Off for Jesus!

THE LETTER TO TITUS

•   Allowing the Holy Spirit to Change Your Life

THE LETTER TO PHILEMON

•  The Truth Will Set You Free!

V. HEBREWS AND THE SEVEN CATHOLIC EPISTLES

THE LETTER TO THE HEBREWS

•   Made Perfect Through Suffering

THE LETTER FROM JAMES

•   Patience In Suffering

THE FIRST LETTER FROM PETER

•   Living the Resurrected Life

PETER’S SECOND LETTER TO THE GENERAL CHURCH

•   The Last Say

THE FIRST LETTER OF JOHN

•   Realizing Your Essence

THE SECOND LETTER FROM JOHN

•   Beware Of the Company You Keep!

THE THIRD LETTER OF JOHN

•   When Leaders Disagree

A LETTER FROM JUDE

•   GOD’S HELP, OUR HOPE

VI. APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE

THE BOOK OF REVELATION

•   The Doorway to Eternal Life

References

INTRODUCTION

T his is volume 2 LESSONS FROM THE BIBLE: Matthew-Revelation. Volume 1 focused on the books of the Old Testament: Genesis-Malachi. Volume 2 focuses on the books of the New Testament. Lessons from the Bible – Volume 2 present each book of the New Testament and highlights three lessons from each book. The style is sermonic and can be read or preached to religious audiences across the globe. In addition, Sunday school lessons can be gleaned from the chapters and other avenues to teach and promote the word of God.

The New Testament was written over several centuries by many authors. It was influenced by various religious and philosophical teachings, encountered by the Christian community and oftentimes cultivated in order to make their message more relevant to its culturally different audiences.

Although the audiences changed over time, the gospel message remains the same throughout the New Testament – Jesus the Son of God was the Promised Messiah from the Old Testament, who came to save the world from its sins. This was accomplished through his virgin birth, his life of miracles and teaching, his crucifixion, and ultimately his resurrection. (The Gospel of Matthew, RSV) The story continues with the sending of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, (Acts 2, RSV), the following of new disciples: Paul, Timothy and Titus to name a few (Acts 9, 16:1-3; Gal 2:1, RSV), the conversion of thousands of Gentiles, the expansion of the ministry across the known world, and finally the birth of the Church.

However, the Church did not grow without controversy, division, and attacks on its founders. Eleven of the original disciples suffered violent deaths. Only John, the Beloved disciple, lived to a ripe old age. It was challenged from within by the community of believers and from without by rival religious, political, and philosophical groups. Yet through it all, the Church remained steadfast. In the words of Jesus, "And the powers of death shall not prevail against it." (Mt 16:18, RSV)

It is my prayer that as you read each lesson, you will be drawn closer to God and your heart and mind will be renewed in the words of truth that flow freely from each text. May God bless you and keep you is my prayer. AMEN!

THE FOUR GOSPELS

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough!

HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO A MIRACLE?

Matthew 17:1-5, And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up to a high mountain apart. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. And Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is well that we are here; if you wish, I will make three booths here, one for you, and one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ He was still speaking, when lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him!’ (RSV)

INTRODUCTION

T he Gospel of Matthew is directed to a Jewish audience. He tries to prove to the Jewish people that Jesus was the Promised Messiah of the Old Testament. Matthew makes vv 1-13 ( Mt 17:1-13, RSV ) an instructional session for the disciples as well as his Jewish audience. For Matthew, Jesus stands in continuity with the revelation of the Old Testament to the Jews, symbolized in our text today by the presence of Moses and Elijah.

By portraying Moses, Elijah and Jesus talking together, Matthew confirms his view that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He has come now to fulfill God’s will and work for all peoples and all eternity.

John the Baptist and Jesus the Messiah are the fulfillment of the Old Testament and now through their witness and leadership, future generations of believers will find and receive salvation. Salvation is now offered to all people, but a response is necessary. You must R.S.V.P.! This is the meaning of the story of the Transfiguration. Let us now examine the responses found in our text this morning.

1)

The first lesson teaches us that Peter, James and John had a SECULAR RESPONSE TO A DIVINE INTERVENTION. Read Mt 17:3-4, RSV And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. And Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is well that we are here; if you wish, I will put three booths here, one for you, and one for Moses and one for Elijah.’

According to tradition, the Transfiguration occurred on Mt. Tabor. Jesus takes his inner circle with him up to a mountaintop. In the Old Testament, retreating to mountains often triggered some type of spiritual experience or an encounter with God. After the vision was gone, they came down from the mountain. (Mt 17:9, RSV)

Just as soon as they arrived on the mountain, Jesus’ physical nature is transformed and transfigured into a heavenly form glowing and shining brightly right before the disciples’ eyes. They had never seen Jesus in this form before. It was obvious to them that something holy was going on, something terrifying, something powerful, and something mysterious.

One would think seeing Jesus transfigured into a ghost-like image would have been shocking enough! But suddenly, before they had time to adjust to Jesus’ new form, here comes Moses and Elijah, joining him in the same transfigured ghost-like state of a heavenly being. All three were conversing on the mountaintop.

Now the three are in conversation with one another. The disciples are not privy to the conversation, but Peter decides that this reunion and gathering of the pillars of their faith need a secular response. It is interesting that they recognized Moses and Elijah, without Jesus having to introduce them to his inner circle. Perhaps when the transfiguration occurred, their spiritual awareness peeked, and their spiritual eyes were opened. The disciples were then allowed to enter a realm of the holy that is usually off limits to human, moral, and sinful beings.

Peter wants to give a response that he thinks is a good gesture to commemorate and celebrate the visitation of Moses and Elijah. His response is a secular, this worldly response. He wants to physically build 3 huts, or booths, or tabernacles – shene in the Greek – so the world would know what took place here.

But Peter’s secular response was evidence that he misunderstood what had just occurred right before his very eyes! Perhaps he felt as the leader of the inner circle, he needed to do something, usually without much thought, just a knee-jerk reaction to commemorate this glorious encounter. It appears that the disciples never understood Jesus’ actions and words until the resurrection. It was all about spiritual awareness, not secular tradition or wisdom.

Peter’s response proved that he did not realize that Moses and Elijah were passing the baton of salvation over to Jesus. Jesus had fulfilled the Law that was given to Moses. Elijah appeared because Jesus had fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament prophets in relation to who he was and his role as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. We celebrate that in our Communion meal. Now it was all about Jesus and accepting his teachings as the final word and will of God.

When God sends a miracle in our lives, our response must be spiritual and not secular. When we respond spiritually, we send praises up to God and we acknowledge God as the source of our many blessings. We cannot give the devil or this world any credit. No matter how dark the night gets sometimes. Instead, let us respond to God’s miracles by sharing the good news of God’s love, grace, and mercy to the world – family, friends, co-workers, and church members - so the world will know that God, not man, is in charge. We do not need bigger or more Churches; we need a closer relationship with God and one another.

If you have received a healing from God respond to your healing miracle through witnessing and testimony. It was God who healed your disease. God may have used the doctors, nurses and hospital, but God supplied the healing. If you have received a financial blessing, respond to your financial miracle with your tithe and a testimony that God opened a window from heaven and poured out a blessing. If you found a new job, respond to your employment miracle by witnessing on the job that it was God who made a way out of no way.

So, every morning we should rise and shine and give God and God alone the glory. As children of the Most-High King, our response to God’s miracles in our lives should always be a response of faith and not secular showboating.

2)

The second lesson we learn from the text is that the disciples should have chosen a DIVINE RESPONSE. Read v 5, He was still speaking, when lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him!’(Mt 17:5, RSV)

Peter was so caught up in his secular response to the transfiguration that he almost did not notice the descending of a bright cloud that eventually overwhelmed the disciples. God interrupted Peter by appearing in a cloud. This was no ordinary rain cloud, but the heavenly cloud concealing the very presence of God.

From this cloud God spoke to the disciples. Jesus’ identity was announced by the Shekinah glory as the unique Son of God. Jesus was not just one among three major figures of the faith. No, Jesus was and is the only voice and the only teacher that we are obligated to listen to. Moses is gone. Elijah is gone. Both were taken up to heaven by the hand of God. Only Jesus remained in the presence of the disciples.

God gave a direct command. There was no confusion over whom God was referencing. It was straightforward. God was authorizing his son is the only one who knows his will and does his will. This statement confirms that only Jesus has authority above and beyond Moses and Elijah.

You see, some of Matthew’s audience believed Moses and Elijah were superior to Jesus. Matthew makes it very clear in this report that only Jesus has ultimate authority as the Son of God. God himself wanted them to know that the words of Jesus concerning the cross and resurrection were central to the good news of the gospel.

So now they needed to leave Moses and Elijah in the past and focus their attention on Jesus and Jesus alone. For Jesus fulfilled both the Law, which Moses represented, and the prophecies of the Old Testament, which Elijah represented.

As Christians, we know that our focus and attention is primarily on Jesus and his mission on earth to reconcile us to God. When we refer to the Old Testament it is not to give greater authority to the old dispensation or covenant, but rather to remind us of the efforts God went through to save us from eternal death!

Because we are Christians, we find our spiritual map and compass in the words of the New Testament. Here is where we learn about Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection. Here the New Testament informs us of the coming of the Holy Spirit that dwells with us now and will lead us to the Day of Judgment.

God spoke to the Jews in the Old Testament and now God speaks to all creation in the New Testament. In the New Testament we are given a divine response to the role Jesus played in God’s plan for our salvation. We are told up front after his baptism, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." (Mt 3:17, RSV) And now we are told to listen to him.

Now in Matthew 17, we are commanded to listen to hear. (Mt 17:5, RSV) This command comes with an automatic response to obey. For if you really listen, and hear Jesus’ words found in the New Testament, it is obvious that obedience and hearing are two sides of