What is going on in this picture? If you have Superman vision, you can see that Jason is teaching with a dirty face. If you don’t have that kind of eyesight, just take our word for it- his face is dirty, and we had over 100 witnesses there to prove it! So why would he show up and teach a lesson looking like that?
As Jason taught through the 10 commandments this day, we used an illustration to show the people the purpose for the Law. The Law is like a mirror, showing us our sinful state in relation to a holy and perfect God. It was never intended to be followed; indeed, we have all failed and have broken God’s law and continue to do so. Partway through the lesson, I went up and told him his face was dirty. Jason denied this until I handed him a small mirror. As he looked at his reflection, he was ‘shocked’ to discover his filthy face. Later on in the lesson, Jason asked them if the mirror could take away his filth. The people chuckled as Jason attempted to scrub his face using the mirror. The point he then made was this: just as a mirror cannot clean your face, we cannot use the Law to take away our sins—it merely shows us our sinfulness and that we all fall short of God’s perfect standard!
By the end of the week, the people learned that the Israelites after only a little over a month had not only broken God’s Law, but had broken no less than 5 when they made and worshipped the image of a golden calf! We believe that for many here, it is beginning to dawn on them that coming to God on the basis of their good behavior rather than trusting Him for the way to be saved from the penalty of their sin is not an option. Please pray that people will see their own sin problem as individuals (“I am a sinner”), rather than just a generic group problem (“We all are sinners”). Several have already admitted this to us, while we are not sure about others. We know that God is working in hearts here, and we can’t wait until the ultimate solution to their sin problem is revealed soon!
We thank God for you all and the part you are playing in His work here!
To Him be the glory,
Chad, Janeene & Elijah
This coming week, the following lessons will be taught and we ask that you would specifically pray for us these days that these lessons will be communicated clearly:
December 11th: (Exodus 40:36-38; portions of Numbers chs. 13, 14) The Israelites followed the bad report of 10 of the men who spied out Canaan and failed to believe God’s promise; for this, God punished them and did not allow the adults to enter the land – we must believe God’s word, or we will be judged
December 12th: (Numbers ch. 20; 21:4-9) God commanded Moses to lift up a bronze snake on a pole, and whoever of the Israelites that were bitten by poisonous snakes would look at the bronze snake would live—God and HIS way is the only means of life and salvation from His punishment and from death
December 13th: (Numbers 27:18-20; Deuteronomy 34; portions of Joshua chs. 1, 11, 23; Judges 2:7-19; 1 Samuel 8:1-4) God faithfully fulfilled His promise and brought the Israelites into Canaan; however the Israelites continued to sin and fail—God is faithful and always keeps His promises, and we are unable to keep God’s law and disobey (and have already), just as Israel did
December 14th: (portions of 1 Samuel chs. 8, 11, 13, and 16; portions of 2 Samuel chs. 5,7; portions of 1 Chronicles chs. 22, 29: and portions of 2 Chron. 2,5) Israel rejected God and wanted a king, but God faithfully fulfilled His promises and renewed them to David—God is faithful and always keeps His promises, and we are unable to completely obey God and we disobey (and have already), just as Israel did
December 15th: (Jonah chs. 1-3; Psalm 139; Isaiah 10:5-6; Jeremiah 20:5-6) Jonah disobeyed and ran from God, but God brought him back and he obeyed by preaching God’s Word to Ninevah; other prophets warned of God’s coming judgment on Israel and Judah for their disobedience—If we do not submit to God’s word we will be judged, and God is our only Savior from His judgment
Chad & Janeene Mankins
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